odd visual disturbances

[Ravensong]

i'm a little frustrated. ok, a lot frustrated. i've been having these visual disturbances ever since shortly after i was diagnosed with epilepsy (31 years ago), and 2 or 3 neurologists have told me they are seizures. i finally got relief from them while on topamax then, when i had to switch to generic topiramate, i noticed they came back. lately they are a lot worse, and have changed a bit in character.

what i'm seeing are dark "blobs" in my peripheral vision, mostly on the right side but recently i've noticed they are now on the left as well, and they have been, again until recently, between the size of a large insect and a mouse. they move, so that it seems that there is a bug or rodent of some sort moving across the floor. it always causes me to turn my head and look.

i had an appointment with my neurologist yesterday, who said these do not sound like seizures. he doesn't know what they are, and he just told me to come back in a year. ??? what the heck am i supposed to do with that? i have no idea whether i should seek out another neurologist, put up with these very annoying disturbances and hope they don't blossom into something worse, or...what?

this sound familiar to anyone?

R.

 

[Katie]

This happens to me every once in a while too. I think I see something move or standing in the corner of my eye and sometimes it'll even cause me to jump and look! But I think there's a level of normalcy to it. Let me see if I can find anything online.

 

[Cint]

Since you switched to the generic brand of Topomax, that may be the problem. Generics have fillers that can cause different effects for people. I take Topomax, name brand only.
It could be a side effect of the drug or it could be an aura to a seizure or migraine. If no improvement, talk to your eye dr.

 

[Ravensong]

Since you switched to the generic brand of Topomax, that may be the problem. Generics have fillers that can cause different effects for people. I take Topomax, name brand only.
It could be a side effect of the drug or it could be an aura to a seizure or migraine. If no improvement, talk to your eye dr.

Problem is, I have had these long before I started the Topamax. Ever since just after I was diagnosed. Nothing ever controlled them before the Topamax, then when I had to switch to generic, they started again. That makes me think they actually are seizures, like the prior two neurologists said. I see an eye doctor every year, and my vision has been fine. There have been no problems detected.

 

[hopefullmommy]

Ravensong-

I have just started seeing "things" that are sometimes small black blobs and sometimes bright bursts of light. I have no idea what is but I do take the generic Topamax but never took the name brand stuff. But I'm interested to see what you find out as well as what I'll be finding out. Don't give up because you don't get answers! Keep digging! If its important to talk to us talk to a doctor too!

All my best
Abi

 

[Ravensong]

Ravensong-

I have just started seeing "things" that are sometimes small black blobs and sometimes bright bursts of light. I have no idea what is but I do take the generic Topamax but never took the name brand stuff. But I'm interested to see what you find out as well as what I'll be finding out. Don't give up because you don't get answers! Keep digging! If its important to talk to us talk to a doctor too!

All my best
Abi

I do know that if you see bursts or flashes of light you definitely should also see an eye doctor just to rule any vision problems out.

Are your "blobs" in your peripheral vision or straight ahead?

I've seen tons of docs, and I just don't know where to go next. My neurologist basically blew me off, and just told me to come back in a year. I'm not sure whether to try to ignore them, see another neuro, go back to the eye doctor early, or what.

 

[hopefullmommy]

Ravensong-

Good question. I see the blobs in my peripheral and bright burst straight forward. I have seen a nuro reecently and cant afford to see another for a second opinion And my vision is fine but I forget that I have astigmatism in one or both eyes. I had my last eye visit less than 4 months ago.

I will ask my Dr when I see him next. I wonder if any of mine comes from my migraines or being overly tired? Do you journal it at all? Itsxa good way to keep track of things and maybe see if there are more symptoms you notice.

Sorry this is so frustrating! Never give up! Never surrender!
All my best and a hug,
Abi

 

[Soniag]

nearly everyone will experience floating black blobs in their vision. its dead blood cells in the eye and totally harmless, your doctor cant help you with this problem

 

[Ravensong]

nearly everyone will experience floating black blobs in their vision. its dead blood cells in the eye and totally harmless, your doctor cant help you with this problem

yeah, these are different from the typical "floaters" everybody gets. first of all, they don't float. they are solid and move like a mouse might move across the floor. i only see them in my peripheral vision, and when i look to see what it was that i saw, it's gone. they -always- move toward the center of my vision and move purposefully, or seem to, as opposed to floating.

i've talked with a psychiatrist, who said they also don't sound like "typical" psychiatric hallucinations.

 

[Elsie]

Sounds similar to me. I see things out the corner of my eye, and will look to see if there's a bug or mouse or something...but they're never a flash of light... and I never see anything real there. However, I've mentioned it to my husb. and he says he gets the same thing and he's not on any meds and does not have our problems. So maybe it's normal? In our case, we're both growing cataracts.

 

[Miccam]

I've been well controlled and tonic clonic free, none of the petit mals I had as child either for 12 years. Three times this year I've had visual disturbances. First time, being a glasses wearer, went to the optician who referred me to an opthologist just in case... no problems there. Today I has the same incident .... vision goes blurry, but if I cover an eye I can see fine out the one eye, with of without glasses. It's a strange blurry, not double vision and no black dots. It went after an hour and was in Simone's company the whole time and for about 6 hours after and no events were reported
I fell absolutely fine now... any ideas?

 

[Loopylil]

I had these with colours....only way I can half describe it is like looking through a caliedascope at muddled colours. I also had other weird visions things seemed brighter than they actually were. I was told it was a childhood form of epilepsy that causes these symptoms (it's a part of the brain at the back of the head sorry can't remember the name) not sure if any of this is relevant but just thought I would post as the age you was diagnosed xx

 

[Nakamova]

Sometimes blurry vision can be related to high blood pressure or sudden changes in blood pressure. You might want to get that ruled out.