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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sptx2001 on February 20, 2001, at 11:40:32
I am a 34 y.o. male with a long history of anxiety disorder, depression, and obsessive thinking. I have been off medication for several years (was taking Luvox with good results) but recently went back on Luvox due to severe anxiety/panic and resulting depression due to a high stress period. This recent episode was triggered, I think, after I began "obsessing" about my eyesight, following a trivial incident where I was given a wrong glasses prescription at the optometrist. Before then I had no symptoms.
Since this all started, I have had some VERY bizarre visual symptoms! BTW, I am blind (almost) in my right eye due to a massive head injury (I was unconscious for a day or two at least) when I was 8 years old and my optic nerve was partially severed. My left eye is nearsighted (moderately). Anyway, after my recent episodes of panic and depression I have seen flashing lights at night (these have subsided).....also I have experienced changes in how my eye reacts to light, specifically when I go into a dimly-lit room, there seems to be a "darkening" that I never experienced before, and lights in brightly-lit rooms seem to get "brighter" the longer I spend there (this has also subsided somewhat but not completely gone away since starting meds). Probably the most unusual symptom is that when I stare at lines of text on a page or computer screen, they slowly move in a wavy up/down motion! THis is not very noticable unless I really focus on it, but this is causing me even greater anxiety, obviously, and only started after I went back on the Luvox. I don't really remember having that symptom on Luvox before, but I wasn't on such a high dose either (now on 150mg, was on 100mg last time). I have seen THREE opthamologists and nobody knows what's going on (although they didn't hear about the moving text symptom - it wasn't occurring at the time I saw them). My general physician and my psychiatrist say its all a result of my stress and OCD/hypochondriasis.....which it very well may be since I have a history of it (I've "freaked out" over unexplainable physical symptoms in the past).....at least I hope its stress! Because of my "neurotic" history the docs would be reluctant to do further testing. I would love to see a neurologist but don't think my docs would find it necessary.
Could this "moving text" symptom be a Luvox side effect (even though I didn't experience it the first time I took the drug?) I mentioned this to my psychiatrist and he didn't seem concerned. Anyone ever heard of anything like this?!?!?
Posted by SalArmy4me on February 20, 2001, at 13:36:39
In reply to Luvox Visual Side Effects? (and more) HELP!!, posted by sptx2001 on February 20, 2001, at 11:40:32
Well, the optometrists want people to not take their antidepressant on the day of an eye exam, because the antidepressant _will_ affect the vision--and the person will get bad glasses.
But that doesn't mean that antidepressants like Luvox cause bad vision. Only in the rarest of rare incidents would they cause a heinous side-effect like that. The vision side-effect that they sometimes cause is barely detectable.
Perhaps you are developing an astigmatism. I don't think that something really terrible is happening to you.
Posted by Sandy on June 29, 2001, at 19:43:47
In reply to Re: Luvox Visual Side Effects? (and more) HELP!!, posted by SalArmy4me on February 20, 2001, at 13:36:39
> Well, the optometrists want people to not take their antidepressant on the day of an eye exam, because the antidepressant _will_ affect the vision--and the person will get bad glasses.
>
> But that doesn't mean that antidepressants like Luvox cause bad vision. Only in the rarest of rare incidents would they cause a heinous side-effect like that. The vision side-effect that they sometimes cause is barely detectable.
>
> Perhaps you are developing an astigmatism. I don't think that something really terrible is happening to you.I noticed I did have trouble threading a needle and I am wearing new glasses.
This is the end of the thread.
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