Unlikely cure?

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Kevin

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Jun 25, 2009, 11:20:23 AM6/25/09
to Scintillating Scotoma
I've hesitated reporting this, but I have not had a CSD episode in
over four weeks. That's pretty unusual for me.

The only thing different during this period is that I now have a new
eyeglass prescription and fancy transition bifocals (which means I
actually wear them). Earlier, my optometrist suggested that my SS and
related hallucinations could be setup by overworking my visual cortex
(he actually said brain) due to astigmatism. I dismissed that out of
hand. But now I'm wondering if he wasn't right.

JelloPat

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Jun 25, 2009, 8:04:29 PM6/25/09
to Scintillating Scotoma
Kevin -

Please keep us posted on this! I'm sure you are on to something,
though if not a cure, then at least an effective "therapy."

I have far fewer SS episodes than most posters on this site (and so
far I haven't had the other face-related hallucinatory issues, nor do
I have the migraine/pain component - at least not yet) but I am
convinced that, at least for me, visual stimulus and overall fatigue,
both physical and mental, increase the likelihood of an SS event at
any given moment. MOST of my SS episodes happened in conjuction with
lack of sleep, during heavy computer use periods - i.e. eye strain,
and often with a memorable trigger - seeing something bright flash in
just the right spot where the SS expands from...

In other words, if you stay well rested, stick to your optical
prescriptions as much as possible, etc... and are lucky enough to
avoid accidental exposure to bright flashes (car side mirror passing
by at just the right angle, for example, or direct sunlight reflection
off water on a table or counter) then I suspect you will have far
fewer SS/CSD events.

But I HAVE had SS events when well rested and in (what I remember to
be) the absence of eye-strain and the normal bright-flash visual
trigger... sort of spontaneously - so I suggest that the rest and
mitigation of actual eye strain will dramatically LOWER the
probability of an SS event at any given moment. But I continue to
suspect that those of us who CAN have them (for whatever reasons) will
probably continue to do so, though at varying frequencies depending on
environment...

Kevin

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Aug 5, 2009, 12:17:31 PM8/5/09
to Scintillating Scotoma
Wow it’s been over two months since my last SS seizure. Ever since I
received my new eyeglasses I have not had a seizure until today. I
really thought that I had discovered the cause of these episodes.
Well, the episode today was very unexpected. It occurred during a
staff meeting while I was seated on a couch. The SS was a deep V shape
with the standard shimmering fortifications. It traveled through the
right side of my vision in both eyes rotating counterclockwise as it
traveled to the periphery. The Scatoma was a neutral darkness and
patchy. I did not suffer any hallucinations or dizziness but I made no
attempt to move from the couch during the seizure.

I’m stumped as to the cause of these things as I have been getting
plenty of sleep, eating very healthy fresh fruit and veggies,
exercising and losing weight this summer. The new eyeglass
prescription coincided with the SS stopping for a while, but it’s
back.
> > hand. But now I'm wondering if he wasn't right.- Hide quoted text -
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