Random 'symptom'

[Doodlekitty]

Hi all

Im 25 weeks and for the past few days ive been seeing things. Started as just a kind of shadow now and then, like I've caught something out of the corner of my eye. But the last 3 days it has quite clearly been large spiders scuttling away from me. I only see them for a second then thethey are gone. Its mainly on an evening.

Has anyone had this or has any advice?

Do you mean it's a movement in your peripheral vision that could be interpreted as a spider scuttling? Or are you actually seeing a spider?

Few more questions...

We're you sleepy at the time?
Any macular degeneration in the family?
Have you had any 'funny turns' recently?

Visual and aural hallucinations can occur in perfectly healthy people. I think about ten percent of totally normal, healthy folk hear things that aren't there, for example. You can also experience a form of hallucination on the borderline of sleep and wakefulness (Google sleep paralysis) I myself suffer from this and until I realised what it was it scared the shit out of me!

Peripheral visual field hallucinations can also occur if you have some problems with your vision, so I'd suggest a really good work up by an optometrist as well. I'd also visit your GP and let them know what's happening.

When i see it I instantly think 'oh a spider' but then i know it isnt so i suppose its an interpretation thing. I was very tired the first time it happened but Im not always.
No macular degeneration in family. I do wear glasses and have astigmatism. No funny turns.

Currently signed off work with spd so will probably pop to docs next week

I can relate on the shadow front - when I was pregnant with ds I became aware of fairly often seeing dark patches moving on the edge of my vision. I never identified them as spiders or anything concrete, but what I did see (or thought I saw) I put down to a kind of hyper alert new mummy to be thing... A sort of baby protection worry that manifested itself in this way.

Agree with point of pp though on the detail for seeing spiders

Mine too was at night Btw, and it left soon after ds was born

Is it a floater?. If so, I've had a couple for years, rarely notice them but when I'm very tired they appear.

Might be worth a visit to an optician. Not sure if they are a pregnancy symptom though.

I've had that recently too (36+2) dark patches at the edge of my vision, bright bits of light, random shapes etc.. have considered it but pretty sure if i mentioned it to dr/midwife they'd just brush it off so havn't given it much thought.

You do get changes in your eyesight during pregnancy due to increased fluid in some layers of the eye.

I would definitely go and get your eyes checked. Visual disturbances are one of those symptoms that can be caused by multiple things - lots of those causes are entirely benign, but some are less so. Go and get a proper eye check - if there's a university near you, their optometry depts often do then. You get a student but they are supervised by a senior professional. You need a proper optometry work up, including a retinal scan for macular changes.

I'd also go and mention it to your GP. Vascular issues can also cause this, as can some types of migraine.

I don't want to sound really negative or worrying :) like I say, chances are it's nothing more than you're knackered and having little micro sleeps on your sofa, but please do get it checked.

Ihatelego... Please mention it.

My rule is that unless someone is a total hypochondriac, we know what's normal for us and what isn't. If you feel something's not quite right, mention it to your doc. They are perfectly happy to tell you it's nothing to worry about, and 9,9 times out of ten it will be.

Go with your gut. Case in point. Loved one rings to chat, offhandedly remarks about the funny rash she has. I ask what it looks like. She tells me. I tell her to go forthwith to A&E. She tells me to stop being dramatic. I tell her hubby to take her directly there, I am not joking. She deteriorated rapidly in the car on the way there. She had a severe case of blood poisoning and on arrival was told that a few more hours later there would have been a high likelihood of her dying of septicaemia.

Always listen to your instinct. If it's bothering you, get it checked.