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I have a question about going blind.........

Chronic Illness Forums
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Diabetes
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I have a question about going blind.........  
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SophiaBella
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 150
Posted 1/23/2008 8:21 PM (GMT -7)
Hi Everyone, its been a long time since I have been here. It is known that diabetes can cause blindness.  I had a massage therapist who was blind since her 20's due to diabetes. I have been seeing double every once in a while in the past few weeks. Mind you I do have a raging sinus infection, and I am taking antibiotics for it.  And thanks to all of you, I learned about how to keep my blood sugar under control, and I have been doing really well, up until a month ago.  I have kinda gone overboard with the splenda/brown sugar thing.  I love it on my toast, in my cereal....Its really good IF it is used in moderation, (its 2mg of sugar for 1 packed tsp) I have to admit I have been using way too much of it, and with that I have not been checking my blood sugar either.  I KNOW!! nono   I think its become a comfort thing for me since the loss of my husband, but I need to get a grip on it, like yesterday! My bs was 141 this am before I ate, and so far today, I have not gone overboard with my addiction to brown sugar/splenda. (gees I may need a 12 step program for it! haha) Anyway, how do people lose their eyesite from diabetes?  Do they wake up and everything is black? Is it gradual?  I thought I had read somewhere that if you look up to the ceiling and see double it is a big problem. (now I know that every single one of you just looked up! hahaha)  I know this is not a funny thing, and I am scared, because I do see double, but not all the time.  Does anyone know how the blindness happens? 

 

Hugs to all of ya,

SophiaBella


Diseases: Fibromyalgia,Chronic Myofascial Pain Disease,Diabetic II,3 herniated neck disc's,3 bulging disc's mid back, mid back arthritis,clinical depression,major grieving the loss of husband, anxiety disorder,hypertension, chronic fatigue,restless leg syndrome, high cholesterol, repeated tail bone fractures that have healed,but created a nerve pain so I cant stand more than 4 minutes & it cramps up so have to lay down, Diabetic neurapathy & carpal tunnel.  

Meds: Methadone, Dilaudid,Lyrida,Cymbaulta,Hyzaar,Metformin/Actos,Flexeril,Xanax,Vytorin and Zanaflex 

"IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE, WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT IN THE INSIDE OF YOUR HEART AND SOUL THAT MAKES YOU THE BEAUTIFUL OR UGLY PERSON YOU ARE" RANDY J SULLIVAN 8/5/65-9/6/07

 

Post Edited (SophiaBella) : 1/23/2008 8:29:23 PM (GMT-7)

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ceebee
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2006
Posts : 401
Posted 1/23/2008 10:02 PM (GMT -7)
First, let me say, I am so sorry for your loss. Now, it is time to take care of yourself. Please go to your Opthamologist as soon as possible. There is so much that can be done to save eyesight if caught early. Don't take any chances. My best friend since high school went blind in her early 20's and my other friend's husband went blind in his 30's from diabetes. The first time I see double, the second thing I will see double of is my Opthamologist! Even if it turns out to be nothing, why take the chance? Take care:)
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Lanie G
Forum Moderator
Joined : Nov 2006
Posts : 6504
Posted 1/24/2008 7:31 AM (GMT -7)
Kari, you need to see an eye doctor.  Glaucoma and cataracts are associated with diabetes and you need exams to determine why you're sometimes seeing double.  I believe the onset is gradual, not sudden, and there are procedures and/or eye drops that are used to treat these conditions.  I think yearly eye exams are important anyway, regardless of being diabetic, but as we get older there are more age-related conditions that happen, so make an appointment with an opthamologist as soon as possible.  Sometimes you can get exams at clinics affiliated with medical schools; these are less expensive than private practice doctors.


Lanie

forum moderator - diabetes

diabetes controlled so far by low/no carb diet and exercise; no meds

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gelchick
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2006
Posts : 477
Posted 1/24/2008 8:45 AM (GMT -7)
In my case, running sugars in the 400's caused me to have visual problems. I had trouble seeing signs while driving. Some days I couldn't see the type on my computer screen without cranking up the zoom. My normal glasses always seemed to be dirty and filmy- but they really weren't. I thought I was just getting old and needed a new prescription.

I had pressure from the high sugars in the back of my eye and in the front. I had microaneurisms (bleeding) and beading all over my eyes.  Keeping my sugar under 100 at all times has caused the pressure to go away. I had a laser procedure to stop the bleeding. I will need several more clean-ups before the problem is quenched-

My eye surgeon told me that its NOT unusual to see people with pre-diabetes come in with the same type of problems. She thinks that anyone that has sugars running over 100 should be diagnosed as diabetic- and immediately scheduled for a fully dilated eye exam.

One lady in my hospital support group woke up one morning and literally couldn't see a thing- like a white cloud over her eyes and not able to focus, not dark- but fuzzy- she went to her doctor and found out she was a diabetic.

Other than the microaneurisms- my vision is fine now. I actually needed a lesser prescription after my eyes settled down.

sandy


I just want to live happily ever after-every now and then. Jimmy Buffett

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judy3
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2006
Posts : 667
Posted 1/24/2008 10:41 AM (GMT -7)
High blood pressure caused double vision for me, you might want to check on that too!

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Jeannie143
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 6056
Posted 1/24/2008 12:02 PM (GMT -7)
My father-in-law was legally blind from his diabetes at the time of his death. The high sugars can actually clog up the tiny arterioles in the back of the eye and small ruptures in the blood vessels can cause scarring at the place where the optical nerve needs to pick up information. Some of this scarring can be removed through laser surgery but the best thing to do is never have it happen in the first place.

I have an annual opthamalogic exam for my diabetes with an eye surgeon. It costs me about $100 and is worth every penny to keep my sight. Most doctors will accept payment over time from patients without insurance if you make prior arrangements with the office manager. Don't wait to get this appointment. It could be very serious.
~ Jeannie, Forum Moderator/Diabetes & Fibromyalgia
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

"People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

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SophiaBella
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 150
Posted 1/24/2008 7:15 PM (GMT -7)
Thank you to all of you who responded to my question so quickly, I really appreciate it! I have noticed that my vision has gotten better as my sinus infection gets better, which is taking a lot longer to fix than an ordinary sinus infection, it will be 20 days on Cipro, when all is said and done, and I really hope DONE IS DONE!!! My doc knows about my financial problems since my husband passed away, so I didnt even have to come in and he is having me take Cipro, which he knows I have a large bottle of it that I had my parents pick up for me while in Mexico, so there is no cost. My eye doc I have been seeing for over 10 years, but is a stickler when it comes to payment. ... No other eye docs know me. He is a grumpy old doc, but he knows me well. If my eyesite does not get better and clear up completely, I will call every doc in the phone book. Thanks guys, once again, your support and guidance is much appreciated!

Hugs,Kari

(For your own protection I've removed references to your financial status. This information is best kept personal in an open forum on the internet. ~Jeannie)

Post Edited By Moderator (Jeannie143) : 1/24/2008 10:30:35 PM (GMT-7)

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quatlox
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 41
Posted 1/25/2008 3:00 PM (GMT -7)
Kari,

I am a chemist.  From looking at the MEDS you are on, it would be very easy for a perfectly healthy person to be seeing double on some of the meds.

I don't want to jump on you, but does all of your Drs know about all of these meds.  It does look like one DR is prescribing  a med and then a different DR is prescribing another med and the DRs do not know what the other DRs are prescribing.

Methadone and dilaudid would not be prescribed together nor would xanax with some of the other things that look like depressants or muscle relaxants that you are taking.  You must be in a great deal of pain, but your med list looks like a near end cancer case.

Please be very careful as you heading in the direction of an OVERDOSE.

We want you to be here with us for a long time.  Tell all of your Drs everything you are taking as this might be what is messing you up.

Bob

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Jeannie143
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 6056
Posted 1/28/2008 10:17 AM (GMT -7)
Bob,
Thank you for that input. Not all of us are fully aware of the consequences of mixing meds. I appreciate your valuable insight.

Sophia,
Do you get all of your medications at the same pharmacy? If so they should be alerting you to which meds to skip while on other ones. And I fully agree with Bob, you need to report all of your medications to your doctors at each visit so they are aware of what you are already taking. Accidental overdoses of prescription meds because of their heightened effect when mixed is a real danger. Best to discuss this with your pharmacist right away. Most of them are more than willing to help you figure out your drug interactions. It's what they went to school for!
~ Jeannie, Forum Moderator/Diabetes & Fibromyalgia
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

"People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

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Another Day
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 1055
Posted 2/1/2008 6:04 PM (GMT -7)

Kari,

I heard you were now posting on this forum.  I just dropped in to say hello.  I hope you are doing well.

Carla


Moderator, Allergies/Asthma

Help support the forums so we can support you:  https://www.healingwell.com/donate

Epilepsy, asthma, GERD, depression, hypothyroidism, tinnitus

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