Experiencing Visual Disturbances
I’m uncertain if this is the ideal forum for my inquiry, yet it seems to have a connection to hormonal changes. Ever since my first pregnancy, I've noticed these "sparkles" in my line of sight, particularly while showering. This phenomenon began during my initial pregnancy, leading my doctor to suggest it might be related to a decrease in blood pressure. Fast forward 12 years, and I'm still encountering this issue, predominantly in the shower just prior to my menstrual cycle. However, today was different; I experienced it while strolling through the mall, which was particularly alarming. Although I have had instances where this has occurred outside of the shower, they are quite rare for me, and it has never happened without an apparent reason. It might happen when I'm busy cleaning and frequently bending over. The incident today was unsettling but only lasted for about 20 seconds. My heart rate was stable, and, as luck would have it, I’m just four days away from my period. Has anyone else had similar experiences? My doctor's responses have suggested it could be due to a drop in blood pressure, yet my findings through research don’t quite align with that theory.
Answers (1)
8/10/2025, 7:10:55 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you’re experiencing visual disturbances that have been notably linked to certain situations—particularly when hormonal changes occur, such as before your menstrual cycle. These "sparkles," also known as visual aura, can be concerning, especially because they have occurred during varying activities and times.
Explanation:
Visual disturbances can arise from multiple causes. Some possibilities include:
- Hormonal influences: Fluctuations in hormones during your menstrual cycle can impact blood flow and pressure, potentially leading to visual symptoms.
- Vascular issues: Changes in blood pressure—either a drop when standing or sudden changes due to bending—might lead to temporary visual changes.
- Migraine aura: Even in the absence of a headache, some people experience visual disturbances similar to migraine auras due to changes in cerebral blood flow.
While your doctor suggested it might be related to a decrease in blood pressure, these episodes could also be linked to migraine phenomena or stress on the visual system.
Next Steps:
- Hydration: Ensure you are adequately hydrated throughout the day, as dehydration can affect blood pressure and overall well-being.
- Monitor Triggers: Keep a log of when these visual disturbances occur, including activities and your menstrual cycle stage. This can provide helpful insights over time.
- Manage Posture: When cleaning or bending over, try to do so more slowly and take breaks in between. This may help reduce instances of dizziness or visual changes.
- Self-Care: Practice stress-reduction techniques, such as deep breathing or mindfulness, especially during menstruation, to manage any hormonal fluctuations.
- Observe Symptoms: If you start experiencing more frequent or severe episodes, or if you develop additional symptoms (like headaches, vision loss, or neurological symptoms), take note of these changes.
It's important to trust your observations and seek further clarification if needed. If episodes continue or raise concern—especially since today's incident occurred outside of known triggers—please consider discussing further evaluations with your healthcare provider.
Related Questions
Seeking Answers for Persistent Rash
Greetings, I’m a 37-year-old female living in the central United States. During mid-June, while I was in the shower, my partner noticed two oval-shaped, pink patches above my left breast. Initially, these spots were slightly larger than a dime; they didn’t cause any pain or itching. I assumed it might be a heat rash as they appeared in the area where my bra sits. Over the next few days, there was no significant change unless I neglected to apply moisturizer, which sometimes left them looking a bit scaly. After a couple of weeks without noticeable improvement and no itching, I was advised to use an antifungal cream. I applied it for about five days, but it seemed to intensify the redness instead. I continued to monitor the area and observed that the patches were gradually enlarging. About a month later, I discovered a similar scaly patch on my lower back that took on a pink hue, resembling the original two spots on my chest. Growing increasingly concerned, I conducted some research and found that pityriasis rosea matched my symptoms; I also learned that antifungal treatments could exacerbate the condition. I then switched to hydrocortisone cream, which proved ineffective. A trial with Benadryl cream containing zinc only made the rash appear redder. Fast forward to the end of July, I noticed a spot that mirrored the earlier rash at the edge of my left nipple, along with a small patch at the base of my throat and several tiny spots on my torso, which appeared just last week. For context, my history includes no recent changes in detergents or soaps, no bug bites, and I’ve been under stress at work. During the winter, I experienced two similar patches on the back of my calf and my abdomen's side, which were quite itchy but resolved in approximately six weeks. Additionally, I have a medical history of hypertension, anxiety, and prediabetes.
Facing a Low-Grade Glioma Diagnosis After My First Seizure
On July 9th, I experienced an unexpected seizure, which led me to seek medical attention. Following an MRI, I was informed that I have a low-grade glioma located in the left parietal lobe, measuring 34×43×31mm. I have consulted multiple neurosurgeons, most of whom have advised that I should proceed with surgical removal at the earliest opportunity. Currently, I am considering two primary treatment options: 1. An awake craniotomy followed by radiotherapy. 2. Treatment with Gamma Knife radiosurgery. I have several concerns regarding these options: Based on my research, Gamma Knife treatment tends to be most effective for tumors that are smaller than 3cm, and my tumor exceeds that size. Additionally, I have not undergone a biopsy yet. The neurosurgeon specializing in Gamma Knife treatment believes a biopsy isn't necessary since he can identify the tumor type as an astrocytoma from the MRI images alone. I'm apprehensive about the potential risks to my speech and the recovery period associated with the awake surgery. At the same time, I hesitate to opt for a treatment that may not offer optimal results. My inquiries are twofold: Should I push for a biopsy prior to starting any treatment? Is it reasonable for me to consider Gamma Knife for a tumor of this size? If anyone has faced a similar circumstance, I would greatly appreciate hearing about your experiences and what decisions you made. Input from medical professionals or those who have undergone similar treatments would be incredibly valuable to me.
Is There Cause for Concern?
As a 20-year-old woman with no significant medical history, I recently encountered an unusual situation. A few months back, I discovered a small, firm lump on my left breast. Given my history of experiencing multiple breast cysts, I initially dismissed it as inconsequential. However, during a lull at work today—I'm employed as a veterinary technician—I and a colleague decided to perform ultrasounds on each other, as a bit of light-hearted activity. She identified a lump on her own breast as well. Although I will refrain from sharing any images from her ultrasound for privacy, I do have a picture of my own lump. To my untrained eye, it appears to resemble a cyst, yet I lack the specialized knowledge in oncology to make any definitive conclusions about it.
Seeking Guidance for Ongoing Chronic Health Challenges Before College
I never imagined I'd be turning to Reddit for medical insights, but here I am. For the past three years, I’ve been grappling with severe symptoms, enduring a barrage of tests and procedures, yet I've largely been left without concrete explanations. My condition has recently deteriorated dramatically—just as I'm preparing to start college in three weeks. As I write this, I'm on day seven of relentless vomiting, and I'm desperate for any insights that could help me find answers and improve my situation before school begins. I want to truly enjoy this new chapter of my life, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to address these health issues. For context, I’m an 18-year-old female with a normal height and weight. **Symptoms**: Below are my most troubling symptoms, highlighted in bold. **Gastrointestinal Issues**: - **Severe constipation**, despite taking the maximum prescribed dose of Linzess (290mg daily). I typically only have bowel movements once or twice a week, with instances of going up to eleven days without one. - **Daily nausea**. - **Weekly vomiting**, sometimes occurring for multiple consecutive days. - Acid reflux, occasionally leading to small amounts of vomit. - Frequent sulfur burps, despite not being on a GLP-1 medication. - Gallbladder sludge found during ultrasound, with no known cause; medication for this issue hasn’t alleviated my symptoms. - **Extreme bloating** that hampers my mobility. - **Unusual weight accumulation in my abdomen**, leading to a pregnant appearance even though I'm quite petite. **Autonomic Symptoms**: - My heart rate variations suggest dysautonomia/POTS (as confirmed by a cardiologist), though my blood pressure remains stable. - I experience tachycardia episodes 1-2 times a month without triggers; during these episodes, my resting heart rate can escalate to around 135, accompanied by heavy sweating and slight shaking, with transient elevations in blood pressure. - Temperature regulation issues. - Intense salt cravings. - Persistent thirst. **Neurological Symptoms**: - **Severe fatigue**: I’m averaging 18 hours of sleep daily. Diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia, but the underlying cause is still unclear. - **Frequent migraines**, occurring every few days and varying in intensity. - **Significant light sensitivity**. - A lazy eye. - Motion sickness. - Sudden weakness in my legs. - Intense leg cramps that I have experienced since childhood. **Unusual Lab Results**: - Markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. - High C-reactive protein and moderately elevated white blood cell count. - Mildly raised anion gap and creatinine levels. - Low iron levels that are gradually improving. - Low electrolytes despite consuming a considerable amount of water and salt, which is perplexing. **Testing Outcomes**: - Gastric emptying study showed slightly delayed digestion but no gastroparesis. - Endoscopy and colonoscopy revealed sudden lactose intolerance; I’m now dairy-free, but no signs of IBD, celiac, or other major findings. - Sleep study identified idiopathic hypersomnia, which one doctor suspects might actually be narcolepsy, though the diagnosis was borderline, and given that treatments are similar, a repeat study may not be necessary. - Ultrasound of the abdomen, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder detected sludge in the gallbladder but returned normal results otherwise. - I also want to mention my Jewish heritage; I’m unsure if it’s relevant but thought it worth noting due to potential genetic implications. **Current Diagnoses**: - Idiopathic hypersomnia - IBS-C - Gallbladder sludge **Thank you for taking the time to read this. Your guidance and suggestions would mean so much to me!**
Concerns Over Parental Administration of Hormones to Children
Greetings from the UK! I find myself in a complicated situation that I am trying to navigate, and I appreciate your patience as I explain it in detail. Currently, my mother is under scrutiny by social services after a medical professional uncovered that she has been consistently administering testosterone to my brother since he was 16 years old. Now in his late 20s, he has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, with symptoms emerging at the same age he began receiving testosterone. Medical experts are investigating whether this hormone treatment, which coincided with his rising abuse of recreational drugs, could have influenced his mental health condition. Mom has used Testogel sachets (I believe they contain 50mg), and while there have been fluctuations in dosage over the years, obtaining a clear account of the circumstances has been challenging. Some old emails reveal moments when he received 50mg doses intermittently about four times yearly, yet my father discovered a large collection of these sachets stored in my brother's belongings. I have also witnessed my mother bringing them into my brother’s psychiatric ward without notice. It’s difficult for me to articulate my concerns, but to put it bluntly: how serious is this situation? I find myself oscillating between disbelief and trying to rationalize it. My mother’s obsession with our health dates back to our childhood, making it tough to gauge the reality of what's going on. For some context, my mother has long held the belief (unverified by any GP) that we suffer from a rare hormonal imbalance linked to symptoms like fatigue and anxiety. She's a proponent of ‘functional medicine’—a belief system I’ve come to understand as pseudoscience. During our time living at home, she frequently arranged numerous blood and saliva tests through both NHS and disreputable sources, including physicians who have faced legal actions for malpractice. She is convinced that adjusting my brother's hormone levels and trace elements could remedy his addiction issues. Alarmingly, she has even provided him with cough syrup for misuse and has hidden his magic mushrooms in the freezer. Last year, I requested my medical records, which amounted to over three inches of documents over the past twelve years—half of which consisted of my mother’s extensive emails to my doctor. She even divorced my father specifically due to his lack of support for her theories. Each time I meet with her, I urge that we refrain from discussing health-related topics, yet every encounter inevitably devolves into her lengthy monologues. I genuinely struggle to recall a conversation in the last five years where this didn’t arise repeatedly. Digging through my old correspondences, I found that both my brother and I were given a range of substances, including zinc, ferrous sulfate, and various hormones. I took testosterone daily (50mg) for several weeks and was also prescribed progesterone (400mg per day for at least five months), hydrocortisone (15-25mg daily, duration unknown), and a host of other supplements. I've only highlighted the medications that stood out in my brief searches. I cannot emphasize enough how distressed I am by the absence of a clear response from any of my GPs regarding my mother’s beliefs, despite my inquiries. With the exception of my father—who I was not on speaking terms with—no friend or relative has ever classified this as anything other than harmless odd behavior. As a result, I feel quite unhinged by this entire scenario. This isn’t normal, right? It must be serious? I am seeking professional insights (anonymously, of course): is this as concerning as it seems? Or might it be psychologically troubling but lacking significant medical risk? I’ve gone along with much of my mother’s approach, and now I need to come to terms with my part in this whole situation. Thank you for taking the time to read my account.