Sudden Vison Changes from a Vitimin Defficency?

[Curly03]

Hello Im a 22 year old female. First of all I have been suffering from a lot of stomach problems for over a year now and severe pain once every few months since I was 17 years old. I currently have a gasterologist trying to figure out whats going on with my stomach but a few months ago I started developing other symptoms not stomach related. It all started shortly after I went and donated plasma for the 2nd time and nearly fainted from it. About a week later I started having heart palpations, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, feeling off balance, and weakness. My stomach problems seemed a lot worse as well. I couldnt hardly eat anything and ended up loseing a lot of weight over it. One night I got so bad I went to the ER when I didnt have insurance. They just put an EKG on me it was normal so they said I had anxiety and gave me a shot of Adavan and told me to followup with my doctor. the next day I did my doctor did a lot of blood work couldnt find anything so I was stuck like that for a few more weeks then I finally got insurance. During this time I also started having vision changes their more noticeable at night. My eyes seem sensetive to light not to where I have to sqwint but like things just look to bright to me and a lot of times I sit in my room with very little light. I cant go online much because it makes me feel dizzy or like I could have a seizure sometimes I even get minor headaches like Im straining my eyes and it seems hard to concentrate at times. Sometimes my eyes seem foggy but most of the time its like their letting in to much light to see certain things or bright colors. Its hard for me to go to a store without having problems. I was walking down an aisle one night at Walmart and I seen a bright colored object and started feeling like I was going to faint. I started having a little anxiety over it so I had to go and sit in the car while my mom finished shopping. I cant really stay in Target very long because everything is bright red and that seems to bother my eyes like im straining them and my head just doesnt feel right when Im in there very long and I get those minor headaches with pressure and maybe dizziness. After I got insurance I went to a new doctor she did some blood work and found that my chelesterol was high which is unusal for my age and im not overweight. She also noticed that my B12 was low. She said thats also very uncommon for someone my age but since I have to take acid reducers for my stomach she thinks I probably cant absorb the B12 right so I have to get injections probably for the rest of my life. She thinks my B12 defficencey is probably whats causing all of my other symptoms and even vision changes. So far I have only got two B12 injections. The 1st time my eyes still bothered me but I could get online a lot longer without having much problems and my heart palpations got a lot better and I didnt feel as weak and I could eat better but after a week I felt like I did before I ever got my shot so I went back and got my 2nd injection. Somedays I feel ok but I still have problems with dizziness, occasional heart palpations, head pressure and minor headaches. My doctor told me that the B12 injections will take a while to help my symptoms go away but the vision changes worry me. I just worry about going blind or having something more serious like a brain tumor because I use to never have this problem or have headaches. My doctor was going to do a CT Scan but after she seen my B12 was low she decided to wait. I noticed after my 2nd injection my eyes did seem better but they still bother me about every night and sometimes during the day. I still have a hard time going to stores but I cant stand the thought of being a prisioner at home. I would like to just feel normal again and have my life back. I was just wondering if anyone else sufferes from a B12 defficency or if anyone knows what kind of vision problems it can cause? I would like to go to an eye doctor but my insurance wont cover for it and Im not sure if I really need glasses. I notice a lot of times before I go to sleep I will feel real dizzy and my eyes will feel very heavy and hard to move like I took some allergy medicen but after I get some sleep they dont feel heavy anymore. I also wake up a few times during the night I cant ever sleep stright through the night anymore which is very annoying. Im wondering if maybe I dont have some kind of sinus problem but I do know B12 defficency can cause all of my other symptoms Im just not sure about the kind of vision problems it can cause and the head pressure. Anyone else have similar problems or know much about B12 defficency? Any advice is greatly apprecated. Thanks in advance.

[Curly03]

I know I need an eye exam I called my local eye clinic and asked if they would accept my insurance just for the eye exam she saidmy insurance wont pay for it unless I have an eye disease or injury which is true I looked it up on my inusurance policy. It would cost $130 just for the eye exam without inurance which I cant afford right now. I recently just got my 3rd b12 injection and my eyes seem to be doing better then how they were when I first started out. I can stay in lite rooms for a lot longer and I have been going to the store without having as much problems. My other symptoms I was having before I found out I have a defficency in B12 also have gotten better. I still have symptoms that come and go from time to time but not like I was when I first got sick so I guess it is possible it is from my defficency and maybe a little of anxiety. If I continue to have problems Im going to go to a different eye clinic and get my eyes examined.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You need an eye exam.  Medical insurance will cover medical problems in the eye but not a check for glasses.

Dr. O.