# Visual disturbances



## stuckinbetween (Feb 17, 2012)

So, do many people here experience visual disturbances pertaining directly to the condition? Like mine started the day when DP/DR hit me, specifically I am talking about halos and starbursts around lights at night, increased amount of eye floaters, when looking at the blue or cloudy sky it appears shimmery, also when I suddenly look at a light above me there is like almost a glow of light that moves along its edge (this happens when I look at the light spontaneously and it appears more in my peripheral vision), also I experienced increased glare when looking at a window when its bright or sunny outside. All of the above are constant and don't decrease, well floaters particularly are less noticeable when I am totally distracted.

I found the above very disturbing, and I think these are the main part of my derealization apart from me feeling like my surroundings are strange and somehow unfamiliar. I experience no emotional numbing though, so it must only be derealization that I am experiencing. Can anyone relate? And if so, have anyone tried any meds to get rid of the visual symptoms, the retinal specialist told me that it is not my eyes per se, but psychological, she said that my symptoms mimic persistent migraine aura without infraction and recommended I see a psychiatrist, but in Canada its a year wait which I find totally unacceptable. 
Thanks guys!


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!

My DR developed progessively over weeks - it wasn't sudden. Much of what you say describes my symptoms. Sinemet has been the best med I've used to date.

How did your condition start? Do you know what caused it?


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## noname (Sep 23, 2008)

I dont want to scare you, but if you get your DP from drugs (hallucinogen, cannabis, extasy or prescription drugs like some SSRI), you perhaps need to consider HPPD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucinogen_persisting_perception_disorder

There is many forum about visual disturbance on the web, it should be helpful for treatment seeking. Benzo or anti-epileptic can have some result for HPPD, but I know nothing about "persistent migraine aura without infraction".


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## opie37060 (Jan 9, 2010)

Yeah i got tons of visual symptoms. Prescription drugs made it worse especially drugs like anti-pyschotics / risperdal and for me the antideppressant welbutrin made it worse.


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## stuckinbetween (Feb 17, 2012)

Mine started after prolonged stress and some anxiety (uncertainty about the future, conflict between my parents, fights nearly causing breakup with my girlfriend and at the same time stress preparing for exams). So I thought it was temporary, and once everything resolves it will go, but things are more complicated than I thought they would be. It has been almost 4 months now since it all started, I feel generally a bit better than when it all started. In fact I only found out about DPDR when 2 or 3 weeks into this experience, and I think thats when I did most damage to myself by constantly worrying about the way I feel and analyzing the symptoms, now it is really hard to brush it off. I notice that I do feel better when I am distracted, I sort of forget about it, but every time I go back to checking my environment I tend to feel worse again.

And no, I did not get it from drug use, so it cant be HPPD. I assume this is a result of hyperawareness of everything, like sometimes I will notice even little dust particles flying in the air.

So you guys think its only DR, because I don't have emotional numbing nor any existential thinking, I do though, have random, bothersome, thoughts pop into my head about the past or the things I have seen which were unpleasant, but I relate it to anxiety and perhaps a little down state (mild depression) due to the way I currently feel.


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## stuckinbetween (Feb 17, 2012)

Visual, forgot to mention, I think it started almost overnight, but I remember feeling kind of down 1 or 2 days before, plus its funny but I had these musle tweatches in my chest which I thought were heart pulputations, so I was worreid about it, the next day I woke up and sort of felt out of it, kind of dizzy, foggy, not really knowing whats going on, the same day went to a wine and cheese party with my girlfriend, there were many people and all of the sudden I felt like a rush when my head got dizzy and I felt like I needed to get out of there, so we went home and the next morning I woke up with this shit! So I kind of attribute the onsent to the little panic attack that I have experienced although I have never had them before.


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## noname (Sep 23, 2008)

> So you guys think its only DR, because I don't have emotional numbing nor any existential thinking, I do though, have random, bothersome, thoughts pop into my head about the past or the things I have seen which were unpleasant, but I relate it to anxiety and perhaps a little down state (mild depression) due to the way I currently feel.


I relate to this too... But for me thats more the DP wich is problematic than DR (general problem with sense of self, though problem, unreality of self more than external unreality (last one seem just somewhat off and behind a glass, but its not hyper distressing as it is when into some DR crisis)).

I noticed your visual disturbance wasnt as pronounced as in HPPD report, its perhaps normal part of DR, or anxiety or wathever. Myself have some visual disturbance wich have get worse from DR (and age), and my ex girfriend was seeing huge halos around light at night. Its perhaps a normal part of human being we are more aware.

Anyway there is a specific condition for lightning distortions especially the night, named cataract if my memory is good. Its highly unlikely you have it while you said your problem come from beginning of DR, but you can check quickly if some have it in your family, or go to the optician, at least for eliminating the possible cause.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

stuckinbetween said:


> And no, I did not get it from drug use, so it cant be HPPD.


While my DR had nothing to do with recreational drugs and from what you posted, your DR does not either, you may enjoy this website about HPPD http://hppdonline.com/

Note also: "_Developing HPPD without ever tripping on acid can also happen, but in my experience this is quite rare, and suggestive of another disorder in the nervous system that needs medical attention._" http://amrglobal.powweb.com/hallucinogen-persisting-perception-disorder Dr Abraham has been running drug trials for these visual problems and may have some info published this summer. BTW, this guy isn't some fly-by-night quack - he shares a Nobel Prize so is 'high' in scientific society (pun intended).

There seems to be 3 main meds that help with these visual problems: Klonopin (helps most people), Sinemet (30-50%), and Keppra (few). After that results are as scattered as there are people.

My DR does not have emotional numbing. Halos and some other things you've mentioned seem to be dopamine symptoms. My visual problems do not respond to Konopin. Respond very positively to Sinemet. And partially responded to Keppra but only the first 2 days of trying it.

Also, high stress (anxiety) depletes glutathione and overloads other metabolic support systems - like keeping the accelerator floored in a car. Addressing it (regardless of anything else with your brain and body) is important.

Fifty percent of people with 'full' HPPD eventually recover. You are new (4 months?) with it and may find things work out without meds. Don't know the statistics for DR, especially since it is not considered a condition on its own (not a diagnosis).

Have you seen any improvement since it was at its worst?


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