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first trip in an ambulance

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Posted 8/12/2012 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
well, today was not a pleasant day.

i woke up around 10:30 or so, had my morning tea and probiotics, and started watching tv. all of a sudden, i started noticing these weird mechanical wheels in my vision. they were making everything blurry and i couldn't see. i was wearing my glasses so i started freaking out because there was no reason for my vision to be like this. even when i closed my eyes, all the wheels were there spinning really fast. when i'd open my eyes, i'd be even dizzier and wasn't sure where anything in the room was. i called to my mom in the other room and told her that i thought i was going blind. she called the police and they sent over an ambulance- took like 3 minutes to get there.

when i got in the ambulance, they gave me fluids and checked my glucose levels (that was 79). during the ride, i couldn't say any words in the right order so that was really weird. got to the hospital and they did i bunch of eye exams with like 4 different types of drops. they said i have occular migraines. personally, i contribute it to maybe starting 6mp again 4 days ago and taking 2 bentyl yesterday. i haven't taken it in a while and maybe it's just too much for my body weight.

the wheels are gone right now, thankfully. they sent me home after trying to get blood and not being able to. 5 nurses tried but i was just too dehydrated. i'm so tired from today and can't wait to go to bed! really hoping this was a one time thing.

Posted 8/12/2012 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
That had to be extremely scary! I've had "normal" migraines but have never met anyone before who experienced ocular migraines - I've only read about them. I certainly hope it was a one time thing. One thing is for sure, given all the things going on in our bodies (between the disease and the drugs), it's always better to be safe than sorry! I hope you feel better.
Posted 8/12/2012 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Oh my goodness! How horrific; I'm sorry that happened to you. I truly hope that was a one time event! Feel better and take it easy!
Posted 8/12/2012 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Banana, I am sorry you've had such a stressful weekend. I have never been in an ambulance either. I hope i don't have a first time anytime soon. How scary. I am jsut thankful you're okay.
Posted 8/12/2012 3:49 AM (GMT 0)
Joanna, so sorry to hear about this terrible experience you had, wow.

Is there anything they suggested to prevent re-occurrence of the ocular migraines or is it strictly tied to the meds?

Must have bee pretty scary! Ihope that will be the last of it for you.
Feel better soon. A big hug.
Posted 8/12/2012 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
OMG....what a scary experience! Will you be seeing your GI to discuss the possibility of it being the 6MP?
Do you have a GP who can send you to a specialist who will further examine/test you regarding occular migraines?

Hope you feel better soon,
q
Posted 8/12/2012 8:42 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry that happened to you - how frightening. Yeah, I'd just be extra careful with the meds from now on, and don't forget to keep up on your fluids! Severe dehydration can cause that kind of stuff, too. Hope you feel better and that it doesn't happen again.

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Post Edited By Moderator (notsosicklygirl) : 8/12/2012 1:28:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/12/2012 9:10 AM (GMT 0)
That's scary, I'm glad you're ok! And hopefully it doesn't happen again.
Posted 8/12/2012 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
Omg, when I read your post and got to the mechanical wheels part, I thought "she had an ocular migraine." I've had two, and they are the weirdest things ever. My first started when driving--fortunately made it home ok, and it passed after about 30 minutes. The second happened a couple of years ago during open HOUSE at my school, right as parents were about to arrive. I started to see the "wheel", and then it slowly grew larger. It's a weird, pulsating spinny thing. It was in the middle of my field of vision so whenever I looked at someone's face, I couldn't see it (the face, that is). It passed after about 30 minutes as well. They are definitely freaky and scary! I get regular run of the mill migraines too, so I don't know if that makes one more susceptible. Hopefully that was a one time thing for you!

Chinamom
Posted 8/12/2012 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
I've had that, too. It was very scary, my husband and I were headed out for errands, I asked him to head to the hospital. Then I realized what I was seeing was similar to what he calles 'sqigglies', the aura he gets before a migraine.I get migraines, but never had aura before.When we got to the hospital, I wasn't as scared, realizing what it was, so we just sat in the car for a while, then the aura passed. I looked it up online and found a picture a man had drawn, exactly what I had seen, and it was from 100 years ago.

 My migraines are usually triggered by dehydration, that may have been the cause of yours.

Posted 8/12/2012 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
I get those.  They'll come with some frequency for awhile (once a day for three or four days) and then disappear for months or years at a time.  Now that you've had your first one, you'll know to ride them out.  They're freaky but harmless (and better than a regular migraine if you ask me). The only time I'm worried is when I'm driving, but it's never been a problem.

The only occasional trigger I've noticed is sudden bright light (like a regular migraine) or shifting from bright light to really low light. 

Posted 8/12/2012 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
     Bananagirl, so sorry you went through that experience.  I was hospitalized for two days last week because of dehydration.  I have an ileostomy and I KNOW I don't drink enough water.  I was on the beach for several hours and only drank one bottle of water, then went into the casino (Atlantic City) and drank a mudslide rolleyes .  Big NO NO.  Alchohol is dehydrating in itself.    That evening I went to bed in our RV, woke at 1am and the fluid was just pouring into my bag and I started vomiting.  Hubby took me to a local hospital and they hooked me up to fluids, took CT scan of my brain because I was incoherent and of the stomach.  I have no recollection of my husband even driving me to the hospital or of the treatment I received in the ER.  I also had a headache, but no visions of anything.

     Lesson learned.....drink that water.  I do not know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but it has been unGodly HOT here in Jersey.  Soaking up the sun for an old lady like me, I am 66 today, NOT SMART eyes !

Posted 8/12/2012 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
The one and only time I was in an ambulance is when my OB/GYN accidently almost OD'ed me after out patient surgery - I realized that ambulances are not the most comfortable rides. lol

I had my first Ocular migraine this year - mine was in the form of a wavy ball in my central vision. Freaky isn't it??? I seen my eye doc for mine.
Posted 8/12/2012 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
chinamom, your situation describes mine to a T. the wheel was just so big and i couldn't make out anything because it was spinning so fast!

i'm glad some of you have had these, too, and that i'm not alone. for the future, besides staying really dehydrated, is there anything i can do to help it?

my GI is on vacation as well as my nurse practitioner until next week, but i spoke with multiple doctors and residents at the hospital. they don't think 6mp or bentyl has anything to do with it (of course) and that UC can cause eye problems in general. just as a precaution, i'm not gonna take the bentyl- on the side effects, it lists blurred vision so maybe that had something to do with it. i'm still gonna leave a message at the doctor's office to let him know.

i stayed in the dark most of last night and today my mom drew all the blinds in the house. i'm just really sensitive to light right now and have a horrid headache.

i felt so bad for my sister though! i REALLY hate when other people see me in pain or scared and since she is younger, i try to hide it even more. i just couldn't yesterday though. then she starts crying and freaking out and wants to go in the ambulance but they'd only let one person (my mom).
Posted 8/12/2012 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Aw bananagirl I'm sorry for that scary experience. Hope you feel better, maybe drink an electrolyte drink (gatorade) for the day to help.
Posted 8/12/2012 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
this is what i was seeing. so weird!

http://www.migraine-aura.org/content/e27891/e27265/e26585/e49268/index_en.html

stereo, yeah, i'm staying hydrated today!
Posted 8/12/2012 6:46 PM (GMT 0)

bananagirl said...
this is what i was seeing. so weird!

http://www.migraine-aura.org/content/e27891/e27265/e26585/e49268/index_en.html

stereo, yeah, i'm staying hydrated today!

If you have surgery, you can get rid of all this stuff.

the IBD gods, demand a sacrifice!
Posted 8/12/2012 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
I've had the migrane aura before. It's like flashing in your eye which grows larger. Then it dispassears and I get a massive headache. I hope you feel better and it won't happen anymore.
Posted 8/12/2012 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Wow... this is the most fascinating thing I've read on here in a long time, but how scary for you! I have never heard of anything like this, but then look at the people who have chimed in that they've had the same thing. Amazing! Thanks for posting that link that shows what it is you experienced, because I couldn't quite picture what you were saying.
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