Am very worried I have glaucoma - please help!

[hereidrawtheline]

I was put on some meds for migraines a couple of weeks ago. My neurologist warned me that in very very few people, in their first month of being on the meds they came down with glaucoma, they got very bad pain in their eyes. He said if this happens stop taking them and get yourself straight to an eye doctor.

Well guess what its happened! It has been building a week or so but I have not stopped taking the meds simply because I get migraines!! My eyes hurt a lot anyway!! And I am supposed to wear glasses and havent for a while. I dont have any anymore and keep meaning to get an eye appointment. So I have been sure that those two things are what is causing the eye pain. But today I can think of nothing else. It is so sharp and just constant and there. I am phoning around all the eye places I can trying to get in to get an appointment and obviously wont be taking the meds today. But I am really scared.

Can't you get to your gp and get a urgent referal to the eye clinic at your local hospital?.

Poor you, sounds very painful.

is the pain in both your eyes?

How is your vision?

If you press with your fingers on to your eyeballs how do they feel? i.e do they feel hard/extended?

I would ring your local hospital and ask to be put through to the eye clinic. Then explain to them what is happening and ask to be seen today by the on call opthalmologist.

you mustn't leave this, the pain is usually caused by a rapid increase in pressure in the eyeballs which if not controled can do serious and permanent damage.

I sympathize. I have glaucoma and the pain can be excruciating.

Ibuprophen plus paracetamol will help relieve the pain while you are waiting to be seen.

Ring the hospital now and say you need to be seen today.

I thought about it. GP gives me panic attacks I know I know I am pathetic. really I know I am but its true. Am having major issues with my GP right now over DS's SN.

I rang the hospital they wont see me without a referral from the GP so I have to call him in an hour when he gets to the surgery. Am really trying not to panic I get so freaked out with the GP at the moment.

go to a&e or do you have a drop in centre at the hospital?

There will be an opthalmologist on call, and once you're in a&e they won't send you back to the gp.

vision isnt too bad but finding it hard to read books & look at computer so posting this and going to go lay down as DS is having one of his pretend naps, dont ask.

I called DH and asked him to come home but he car shares with someone at his work so it depends on them being able to go too so I am not sure. And I am waiting to be able to speak to my GP.

It hurts a little to blink as if my eyes are hard. I wear a really soft padded eye mask when I get migraines and that makes my eyes feel a bit better so going to go put it on now.

Your local optician should see you if you explain the urgency. It is extremely rare to turn somebody away with the symptoms you are describing. They will also fast track your referral bypassing the GP altogether if they feel it is urgent.

My Mums GP told her the pressure in her eye was fine (he's an eye specialist as well). It was still sore so she went to Specsavers, the next day, and they phoned an ambulance for her to be taken to the hospital straight away. If you are really worried go to A&E.

Good luck.

well I just phoned my GP. he refused to give me a phone referral to hospital. He's told me to just come and see him and he will look at my eyes. Which is fine but the problem is he thinks he is an expert in everything and I just dont know if I can trust him with anything if that makes sense. I really wanted to see a proper eye doctor. What do you think? Is GP good enough? I am going there as soon as DH is home from work should be within 30-40 mins.

GP is angry at me at the moment over a dispute over DS's SN. As in, he doesnt think they exist. But they do. Quite obviously. So there you go.

You really should try an opticians, explain to them what is wrong and ask to be seen.

I did I asked vision express they said categorically they would just send me to the hospital so there was no point in going to them first. So I called hospital, and they said ask GP to phone refer you as you cant self refer. But GP said no to that and wants me to come and see him.

Are there any independent Opticians near you?
I always have to have the test done as my Brother had Glaucoma.

I left a message at the one in our village but they havent returned it yet. It's Wed isnt it they are probably closed.

Am going to GP now. Wish me luck.

If the opticians said they would send you to hospital go to A&E, if it doesn't work out with your GP. Somebody in A&E will b able to help you.

Good luck again!

`i would urge you to get to A&E rather than your GP. As a long-standing sufferer of eye problems, I was advised by my eye specialist not to bother going to my GP if I ever had a flare-up as their knowledge of eyes is simply not enough. I was told to always go to an eye casualty (or general A&E if you don't have one). Opticians also cannot treat problems such as glaucoma so there is not point going to them at this time.

Do not leave it until tomorrow if the pain is still there as you risk permanent damage to you eyes. It really is not something you can ignore.

To be honest, at this time of day most opticians will be closed now anyway. You really should go straight to A&E. Take your medication with you, if it is a known side effect then they should surely see you quickly.

just got home from GP

took ages to get there because DS had a meltdown he is now having another so I am going to retreat to my bedroom for a while in a few minutes while DH cooks dinner.

GP looked at my eyes and said there were no obvious signs of glaucoma (he looked with the light magnifying thing) but that the pain was a worry so he called the on call opthamologist at the hosp who said that I was to go to a private opticians tomorrow to get an eye/pressure test then report back.

I have taken some paracetomal only just now as things have been really hard with DS and I havent had a minutes peace so hopefully it will hurt less soon.

What do you all think?

hereidrawtheline, if it is acute glaucoma the meds might cause, your GP would not be able to see that with an ophthalmoscope. Is there no opticians in a shopping centre near you. They usually open late.

no I phoned around they closed at 5:30 which is before I even left the GP surgery. So it really is A&E or wait til tomorrow.

I meant to say in my earlier post I cleared the air with my GP a bit while I was there wrt DS SN's issues so that is something. But my eyes do hurt.

I know I am still on the computer but I cant sleep and its just I am one of these people I have to stay busy & keep doing stuff so it keeps my mind off of it.

If you are in pain I really think you should go to hospital, there is no point going to the opticians if the one you spoke to said they would send you up to the hospital anyway.

yeah. I dont know. shit. sorry to dither. I just really hate the idea of A&E. As we all do I guess. But for me it is just major added hassle. I wont bore you with the reasons why, its all to do with DS and SN's and me not driving but it isnt ambulance type scenario, its a bucket of money for taxis blah blah. I am really sorry I dont want you to think I am not listening to good advice. I am just torn between different sets of advice iyswim. And confused. Really sorry I am not trying to be a hassle its just so hard for me at the moment to do anything that isnt part of the normal routine if that makes sense.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound like I was hassling you . Going off line now but update the thread and keep us informed,

Hope you have a restful night

You really need to get an urgent referal, I have glaucoma in my right eye, it was missed by my optician for years when I was younger. Subsequently I am now nearly blind in that eye.

I also suffer with bad migraines, they are horrible aren't they. `i find when the pressure in my eye is bad then I get terrible migraines. You can control the pressure with eye drops. (be careful if pg though) I find when my pressure is okay I don't get as many or as severe migraines.

I urge you to insist on an urgent referral to an ophthalmologist ASAP.

oh gosh no you didnt sound like that at all!! I was just aware I was asking for advice and then not taking it, and I know that is very annoying! So I wanted to explain.

Thank you