Page 1 of 1

Eye issues and MRI

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:05 am
by Wondering
Happy Saturday to everyone

My question today is this: i have had MS symptoms since February. Started with burning feet, numbness throughout, dizzyness and a general feeling of unwell. Have been supplementing with mag, b12 , b complex, and zinc, and some vit D. I recently have been getting blurry eyes, even with my glasses on...worse at night. My brain MRI came back clear and no lesions. If i was having a problem with my eyes wouldn't something show on the MRI? I went to the eye doc for an exam and he couldn't find anything abnormal??? My neuro mentioned the MRI showed something minor to do with my sinuses and didnt eloborate from there.

Do I go to the hospital? Im scared my eyes are going to get worse? I dont have the typical blindness in one eye but my right eye seems worse then the left. Im so confused as to what to do. I have another appointment with my GP this Tuesday. Should i wait and talk to her?

Any advice is appreciated. I know some have said dont wait, go to the hospital and get steroids? Dont really wanna do this if it can be avoided.

Re: Eye issues and MRI

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 11:22 am
by lyndacarol
Wondering wrote:Happy Saturday to everyone

My question today is this: i have had MS symptoms since February. Started with burning feet, numbness throughout, dizzyness and a general feeling of unwell. Have been supplementing with mag, b12 , b complex, and zinc, and some vit D. I recently have been getting blurry eyes, even with my glasses on...worse at night. My brain MRI came back clear and no lesions. If i was having a problem with my eyes wouldn't something show on the MRI? I went to the eye doc for an exam and he couldn't find anything abnormal??? My neuro mentioned the MRI showed something minor to do with my sinuses and didnt eloborate from there.

Do I go to the hospital? Im scared my eyes are going to get worse? I dont have the typical blindness in one eye but my right eye seems worse then the left. Im so confused as to what to do. I have another appointment with my GP this Tuesday. Should i wait and talk to her?

Any advice is appreciated. I know some have said dont wait, go to the hospital and get steroids? Dont really wanna do this if it can be avoided.
Perhaps I have not yet urged you to watch the following video, Cathy; I do recall that you had a serum B12 test with the result of 465 pg/mL, but if you supplemented with B12 before the test, the results are skewed and not accurate (Besides 465 does not meet the cutoff of 550 recommended by the authors of Could It Be B12? ). In any case, a solitary serum B12 test is not adequate to determine whether or not you have a deficiency. Request that your doctor also order #1 a serum folic acid test, #2 a serum homocysteine test, and #3 a serum or urinary methylmalonic acid test – also, ask for your own copy of test results.

You may find information in the following video useful: "Everything You Want Your Doctor to Know about Vitamin B12"



I highly recommend this 50-minute documentary featuring Sally Pacholok, RN, BSN & her husband Jeffrey Stuart, D.O. (authors of the book, Could It Be B12? An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses); Lawrence Solomon, M.D., hematologist with Yale Medical School; Ralph Green, M.D., hematologist at UC Davis; and Donald Jacobsen, PhD, at the Cleveland Clinic (Homocysteine Research Lab).
Signs and Symptoms of B12 Deficiency:
Tingling/Numbness(your "burning feet" and numbness)
Sore Mouth or Tongue
Fatigue
Anxiety
Irritability
Depression
Weakness
Abnormal Gait
Mental Impairment
Visual Disturbances
Migraine
Orthostatic Intolerance
Chest Pain
Tachycardia
Difficulty Breathing
Edema
Elevated Homocysteine
Elevated MMA
Stomach and G.I. Problems
Blood Abnormalities
Neurological Lesions
Limb Movement Disorders
Psychosis
Thoughts of Suicide
From the book, Could It Be B12?: (beginning on page 15)
Ironically, this misplaced concern over the expense of B12 testing costs the medical system far more than it saves, because B12 deficiency is remarkably simple to detect and even easier to treat. Patients treated in the early stages of the disease usually experience complete recovery, with even severe symptoms such as vision loss, agonizing leg pains, paralysis, multiple sclerosis-like symptoms, psychosis, and dementia often receding in months or even weeks. Moreover, unlike many medical problems, B12 deficiency is very inexpensive to treat. Treatment for one year involving bi-monthly injections and a series of six initial daily injections costs $36 per year when patients or family members administer the injections (which are similar to the insulin shots diabetics give themselves).… (Page 16) There is no price one can place on the pain of individuals whose undiagnosed B12 deficiency leads to severe, irreversible physical and mental disability.
By the way, for your information: a vitamin B12 deficiency can develop at any time in a person's life.

In my opinion, this is not a critical situation that requires that you go to the hospital; I suggest that you wait to see your GP on Tuesday.

I also suggest you wait on taking steroids – they have many side effects and will not cure your underlying problem.

Re: Eye issues and MRI

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 8:49 am
by Wondering
Thanks for your input LC, I always welcome your advice.