Double vision and dizziness

[Loopy Lou]

Hey there, over the last few days i've been getting really dizzy and unsteady on my feet and some periods of double vision which can last for a few mins to half an hour, go away and then come back.

Is it possible that my meds are becoming toxic? It never occurred to me until someone mentioned it. I've been on 3000mg Keppra for about 3 years now, and 600mg Tegretol for about a year and a half.

I don't know if this could be meds related, epilepsy related or if i'm just getting ill.

I've ruled out low blood sugar (i have a tendency lately of not eating much at all) and that i'm trying to cut down on smoking (yes i am fully aware of the effects of withdrawal and it's not that) but it's a little worrying, like i'm going to fall over sometimes and i can't focus on things. Has anyone had something similar occur to them?

Oh yeah my skin has become really itchy and blotchy too which is annoying cos due to a sore shoulder i can't scratch my back, aaaaaarrrrgghhhhhhh!

 

[Loopy Lou]

My mum just had a look at the rash on my back and my chest (though i also have some on my arms legs and face) and said it looks exactly like chicken pox as i'm getting blisters, even though i already had it when i was a kid.



Can't get to the docs all weekend now til monday and i'm working all weekend =/

I thought you couldn't get it twice?

 

[Nakamova]

If you had chicken pox as a kid, you can get shingles as an adult. You can read about it here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001861/ and here: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingles-symptoms
Shingles can be very painful, so you might want to get checked out if it seems likely.

Otherwise, yeah, I'd be worried about toxicity...

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Have you ever had a full thyroid panel test run of late? Have you ever been diagnosed with any thyroid issues? I would certainly not overlook it as you are trying to uncover the culprit(s).......

 

[valeriedl]

I get double vision sometimes. It will also last for long peirods of time, 1/2 hour or longer. I'll usually have to walk with one eye closed so I can see strait and not fall over. I'll just lay down, maybe even go to sleep, and that will make it go away.

I asked my neuro about it and I think he said that it is a side effect of tegretol (might be wrong about that). But I know he said it was a side effect of one of the meds and I'm also on Keppra too.

 

[bandmom]

Loopy Lou, I'm a little late in replying, but wanted to say that my daughter had bad double vision and dizziness from Trileptal. It started a couple years into taking it, she had double vision so bad for an hour in the mornings that she often came home from school.

Also your rash sounds to me like hives; they are itchy and usually on the back, chest, face and arms. Daughter has had that several times too, but it was before she was on medication. Usually an allergic reaction.

 

[Endless]

Lou,

Your doctor needs to check this one out ASAP, just in case it is an allergic reaction. It could be an illness, or also the meds.

A blistering rash can be a reaction to the medicine. You are most likely to develop a reaction when you first start a med but it can start any time. It could be some other drug you just started taking. Are there any? Here are photos of drug reaction rashes. Note half way down the page there are blistery rashes.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...age&fr=yfp-t-553&sz=all&va=drug+reaction+rash

Yep, you can get chicken pox twice. It's rare, but it happens. Here's photos of chicken pox.
http://www.fastchickenpoxcure.com/blog/photos-of-chicken-pox-how-to-recognize-chicken-pox/

Here are some photos of shingles. Does this look like your rash?
http://hardinmd.lib.uiowa.edu/dermnet/shingles.html
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/ss/slideshow-shingles-pictures

It could also be something random, like mites (scabies) or other annoying little friend. I guess you can get mites just by shaking someone's hand (or handling their bedding or cloths); it doesn't have to be intimate contact. I put that on the list because you come in contact with so many people's bedding, cothing, skin, etc. in your work. Or shake the hand of so many people that come in contact with the above. http://scabieshomeremedy.com/scabies-pictures

Maybe it is some other random thing.

I hope you are able to get to the bottom of this fast. Please feel better soon. Let us know how you are doing.

 

[Loopy Lou]

I had a look and it looks like one of those allergic reactions or chickenpox, i can't work out which. It's most likely an allergic reaction thinking about it.

I'm going to call up my doctor on monday and try and get an appointment so i can figure it out.

Over the last year or so i've become allergic to quite a few things randomly. Eggs (but not to an extreme), cats, furry creatures, some plants, quite a few cleaning products and bath products. It drives me mad and i've gotten no reason for it.

Normally hives disappear pretty quickly though and they're more like raised bumps than actual blisters.

It's a shame cos my brother has just got the CUTEST little kitten lol.

 

[prlaclair]

trileptal and dizziness

Bandmom, I'd love to talk to you about your experiences regarding bad double vision and dizziness from Trileptal. My son, 12 yrs old, has been on Trileptal for 3 years now and is missing lots of school due to dizziness and double vision. Trileptal has controlled his seizures well, but his life is really being altered by these episodes. Has your daughter changed meds since the dizziness and double vision and did this resolve her issues ?

Loopy Lou, I'm a little late in replying, but wanted to say that my daughter had bad double vision and dizziness from Trileptal. It started a couple years into taking it, she had double vision so bad for an hour in the mornings that she often came home from school.

Also your rash sounds to me like hives; they are itchy and usually on the back, chest, face and arms. Daughter has had that several times too, but it was before she was on medication. Usually an allergic reaction.

 

[Belinda5000]

I take Tegretol and when I'm toxic yes I'll have double vision.With Tegretol when I get toxic I feel like I'm drunk.