My First Diagnosis
Right after having my first child at an early age I became to get reoccurring headaches that would lead to intense migraines that focused behind my left eye. It wasn’t unusual for a family member to experience this type of symptom because it tends to run within our family, probably like many others.
On a random day, I went to an eye appointment with my mother (I was still in high school during this time) and they had found that my left optic nerve was swollen and recommended I got to a Neurologist in town. This would lead to many years of ongoing frustrating experiences at doctor offices, but we won’t get into that now.
The Neurologist I met informed me that I was likely experiencing my symptoms due to my increase in weight. I just had a child which was understandable and was instructed to lose weight and start a diuretic. I still experienced these odd headaches/ migraines that only intensified within the following months which lead to my father taking me back to the Neurologist requesting that a spinal tap be completed immediately. The Neurologist insisted nothing would come from the spinal tap but proceeded to complete it only to find out my levels were extremely high which they had to fix in the office.
I was diagnosed with Papilledema and Pseudotumor Cerebri (aka IIH).
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Condition known to increase pressure within the skull for no reason
Papilledema
This experience with our Neurologist was not only frustrating but draining to have to endure and we were led to believe that the symptoms should resolve itself if I maintain my weight and stay up to date with my eye doctor. Nothing else needed to be done.
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