Excruciating headaches: I was diagnosed with... - Glaucoma UK

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Excruciating headaches

Noelhoney profile image
16 Replies

I was diagnosed with Acute glaucoma 2 months ago, but over the last few weeks I've been suffering eye pain and almost continuous excruciating headaches plus tinnitus on the same side as the headache and clouded vision ! Has any has these same symptoms with Glaucoma ?

It's quite a struggle with it...pan so bad I almost pass out !

Hopefully someone can offer a suggestion as to what going on...

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Noelhoney
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16 Replies
Trish_GlaucomaUK profile image
Trish_GlaucomaUKPartner

Hello Noelhoney. If you are experiencing headaches and severe pain you need to go to the A & E as soon as you can. These could be signs that you are having an acute attack and your eye pressure is rising.

Noelhoney profile image
Noelhoney in reply toTrish_GlaucomaUK

Trish....had my eye pressure tested and they're fine....I still have headaches and eye pain, so tomorrow seeing my doctor to try and see what's going on.

Lynne-H profile image
Lynne-H in reply toNoelhoney

Hi Noelhoney,

I`m sorry to hear that you are feeling so rotten.

I know from your previous posts that you have been very stressed - I wonder if this is causing your physical symptoms. I know what anxiety can do to a person from my experience when I first developed tinnitus six years ago.

Anyway I hope you get some answers when you see your doctor tomorrow.

Take care.

Lynne

Noelhoney profile image
Noelhoney in reply toLynne-H

Thanks Lynne, it may be, however the pain and pressure in my head is still there when I wake up in the night, also I have constant eye pain which radiates to the side of my head which is very uncomfortable, it feels like my eye is too big for its socket....! Hopefully once seen the doctor I can find out what's going on !

Lynne-H profile image
Lynne-H in reply toNoelhoney

Well all the best. Hope it all goes well for you xx

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toNoelhoney

Noelhoney - Good your IOP have not changed. But, the heads and the tinnitus and the eye feeling as though it is bulging out - I had the exact same. Please see a neuro-ophthalmologist. Mine was a GCA - giant cell arteritis - will need the diagnostics to confirm; preferably by ultrasound, veinous Doppler. This matter is an urgency.

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toTrish_GlaucomaUK

Also, suggest you get to consult with a Neuro-Ophthalmologist. It 'could' be a GCA (giant cell arteritis). You need to be checked over asap. As opposed to a biopsy, a 'veinous' ultrasound would 'find' if it is a GCA. Don't let this slip by you. Take care -

Noelhoney profile image
Noelhoney in reply toTrish_GlaucomaUK

Hi Trish....I'm still getting constant sharp pain in top of my affected eye...is this going to be a life long thing as it's not gone at all since my attack 2 months ago...also the headaches are still there...I've been to a&e 3 times and they say just keep taking the drops...it's a very depressing outlook with all this pain !

muddledme profile image
muddledme in reply toNoelhoney

Hello Noelhoney, so sorry to hear about your eye pain recently.

I had a micro shunt implanted 3 weeks ago, after about 4 days I started getting headaches , sometimes just a dull acheing but sometimes a stronger pain around the operated eye.

I told the Consulant who said all looked well, but the pain has persisted on and off since.

I wonder if it is some response to either the local analgesia,the Mitomycin C (anti scarring drug),antibiotics or steroid drops ?

A Doctor advised me to use more artificial tears and the cold drops seem to help.

Next week I shall ask again when I go to the hospital. Meanwhile I find going outside and getting around in the cool air helps me.

Lynne-H profile image
Lynne-H in reply toNoelhoney

HI Noelhoney

I know you don`t live in England but do you have an Emergency Eye Clinic at your hospital.

In the past if I`ve had a problem I`ve rung the Emergency Eye Clinic and they have given me advice over the phone and if they thought I needed to see someone have given me an appointment - usually for the next day.

Lynne

Noelhoney profile image
Noelhoney in reply toLynne-H

Hi Lynn...thank you for the message....I have been countless times and I have another appointment on the 29th Dec...I personally believe my eye and nerves were so damaged over a few hours I was asleep and the pressure was going crazy....it's almost 3 months since my attack and I get pain and discomfort all the time in the affected eye...it's really disconcerting that I have to live every day like this ! I went from good vision to reduced vision overnight and the pain and all the vision disturbances are there to remind me....My wife has noticed my personality change from a once happy man to a shell of a man dealing everyday with a chronic eye disease...it's hard...very hard ! Especially considering these attacks only occur in 1 person in a thousand ! It's decimated my life, my eyes now control my every life...I used to be a very active pro musician but I've had to quit it all as I can't drive very far anymore and I can't read the music anymore...it's devastating !

I've seen that in the uk glaucoma is considered a disability and you can claim benefits for advanced glaucoma !

Lynne-H profile image
Lynne-H in reply toNoelhoney

I`m so sorry that you are having such a tough time. I do appreciate how you feel - like you`ve lost the life you had - all the joy has gone.

As well as glaucoma I also have hearing loss which resulted in me developing tinnitus which I have had for six years and at the beginning it just totally ruined my life - at times I felt suicidal - I was totally despairing and desperate and I thought my life would never be the same again.

Today I still have the tinnitus - it still drives me crazy at times but I feel now that I have my life back.

At this moment in time I know there`s nothing I can say to you that will make you feel any better but maybe at sometime in the future when you`ve had time to come to terms with everything you too might get to a better place.

In the meantime I hope that you can maybe get some help to manage the pain and discomfort.

Have you thought about contacting the RNIB - once when I had a problem relating to my vision I found their advice very useful.

Lynne xx

Daytripper56 profile image
Daytripper56 in reply toNoelhoney

I ve just joined have same problem mate sending me nuts

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply toNoelhoney

What do you think about getting a driver? Also there are many tools to help you see sheet music. Can you see a low vision Specialist that can help you find the right tools to help you?Let me know if you need some recommendations.

Shadowsandlights profile image
Shadowsandlights

Hi Noel, I would go to A and E rather than GP. The chances are you would be referred or told to go to A and E where there is better knowledge and tests available. Hope it gets sorted soon mate.

Rob

Shadowsandlights profile image
Shadowsandlights

Hi Yes A & E is accident and emergency, It was good to hear that the ER got you finally on the right path and on to meds.

I went to my optician initially with symptoms back in May that was treated as an emergency as a first call. On leaving there I headed straight for the eye hospital with print outs of my scans and was on meds from that point. I even had laser treatment that same day.

Worrying times and I can't understand how you could have been waiting 5 months for on referral. The damage that can be done to the eyes on that time can be quite high ( as I found out not knowing the symptoms)

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