Pseudotumor Cerebri Support Group

Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure, in the absence of a tumor or other diseases affecting the brain or its lining. Diagnosis requires brain scans and lumbar puncture. Characteristic symptoms are headache, transient visual obscurations or transient visual loss in one or both eyes usually lasting...

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Dialation

notsurewhat2puthere
notsurewhat2puthere
Ok I have a lp on friday which I am just itching to get over (took almost a month to get into a urgent appointment) will they put me on medicine right away if my opening pressure is high? Also I go back next week to the eye dr at the hospital will they be the ones to give me medicine and make decisions or nuerology? And one last question, when I go to the eye dr will they have to dialate my eyes every time to see if I have paps or will they be able to do it without dialation? I never get headaches but I got the worst headache from being dialated and the lights and having no sun glasses. thanks!
deleted_user
deleted_user
If your opening pressure is high.. IF the neurolgist is at the hosptial, he may or may not send you home with RX for Diamox / Lasix. They willl for sure make a f/u ( follow up appointment with a neuro ) as part of your discharge instructions . But find out what your opening pressure is , and if it is high ( over 18) I would PUSH HARD for a script.. just in case you cant get in with the neuro for a week or two.

The Neuro is the one who handels your meds.. Diamox, Topamax.. things of that nature. So any new symptoms or concerns you are having you want to be sure to express to him , and DON'T BE SHY!!

The Neuro Opthomlogist will do a field vision test -- if they havent already.. the whole thing where you look at the blinking light and press the button.. he will probably want to re-check your pressure after the LP by dilating your eyes.. but generally after that.. your check ups he can do an eye exam .. without having to dialate you.
Just ask when you call... and tell them you'd prefer not to be dialted, but know that it is the best tool they have at seeing Paps.
Just a note to self.. always bring sun glasses when going to eye doc.. just in case!! .. UV rays are harsh on your eyes anyway so its good to wear them anyway!!

Im having mine done Friday too-- so i'm anxious to hear about yours too!!
Best of luck -- Laura
notsurewhat2puthere
notsurewhat2puthere
good luck to you too! I am in the process of getting rx sunglasses I went to pick them up today the guy made a mistake no biggie but sucks because light really bothers my eyes. They did the field vision test I passed it no problems but I get lightning in my eyes. I just know that if I go to the eye dr I will bring food and ib prophen because who knows how long I will end up there...
deleted_user
deleted_user
The dialation, though, allows them to see the pulsations, which allows the eye doctor to determine if the pressure on your brain is raised. If you think about it, the eye doctor is the only one who can really "see" into our heads without MRIs or CTs.
Not everyone has pulsations, but every time I see my eye doctor, he does a full and complete exam, including the dialation, and I always ask, "Are there pulsations." If the answer is yes, that is a good thing. Before I got diagnosed, he did not see them, and that was one of the indicators that I had PTC (the lp confirmed it), but since on the diamox the pulsations have been present. Just throwing in my two cents. (That was just my experience. As I said, not everyone has pulsations,...)