Diabetes Talking

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Question:

You’re not crazy. I see sparks too. That is precisely the term I used with the first ophthalmologist. This was 30 years ago. Months prior to the sparks, I had walked into the path of a punch thrown at another person at a party, and had "eye migraines". The doctor thought it was early retinal detachment and did cryogenic surgery, which did not take. I was examined repeatedly over the years. The condition hasn’t deteriorated. I do see colors differently with the two eyes, and I have night blindness in that eye. I think now that the sparks could be associated with the diabetes – or maybe it was that powerful right hook from the just-back-from-Vietnam drunk – but for me, anyway, there has been no deterioration … and I’ve stopped worrying about my own private light show. Susie

Response:

Now that could be a blood pressure spike, I suppose, by way of startle response. — Nanuq of the North Remove grzl to send email: I’m only a grizzly before (decaf) coffee! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I see the sparks also when a sudden loud noise occurs while my eyes are closed.

Response:

Yes, you need to see your doctor even if it is nothing at all. I will tell you that I have migranes and at times I start seeing scantilizing sparks and that’s all I can see for about 30 minutes and then it clears up and a nice dull headache right behind it. Barbara

I saw my Rheumatologist, Monday, and asked him about it. All he said was, "I don’t think the medication is causing it." Doug — The BookStore! CB & Ham Radio, Diabetes, Arthritis, Bestsellers Prepare for the Year 2000 Disaster http://www.lrbcg.com/dougd/books

Response:

I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example.

Yes, I know precisely what you are talking about. I describe it as a glimpse of small burning candles seen from across the room. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly.

This is caused by a brief increase in pressure inside the eyeball, which activates the optic nerves. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such.

Car horns in the night are a plausible phenomenon. However, quite ordinary people can think that they hear something (or even smell something) that isn’t really there.  People who interact a lot with telephones occasionally think they hear the thing ring when it didn’t.  All this is normal experience, which I learned in a course I took last spring at UCSD Medical School called "Basic Neuroscience".  It’s just the *persistent* and/or *repetitive* perception of phenomena that aren’t there that is cause for concern. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty?

Now, as for the "lights".  I finally discovered what was causing it for *me*.  But first, everyone, hold onto your seats.  I am NOT a champion of one Betty Martini.  Her drivel has absolutely no basis in fact. That said, when I quit drinking diet soft-drinks, the "lights" went away pretty much in 2 days or so, completely regardless of the amount of inadvertent pressure place on either eyeball within a week.  This I did last summer And, to corroborate this, in the past several weeks on different occasions, when I did drank another can or so of the stuff, the lights were back the following night and early morning. What is the cause of all this?  Well, aspartame has a certain methoxy group attached ( -O-CH3 ), which when it is cleaved from the rest of the molecule during its catabolism by the body, unites with a hydrogen atom ( H + -O-CH3 ) to yield the poisonous substance CH3-O-H, or methyl alcohol, AKA methanol. According to the Merck index, methanol attacks the optic nerve(s), and in sufficient quantity causes blindness. However, it can be argued quite validly that there is simply not enough methanol resulting from drinking any amount of diet soda to cause blindness.  And I couldn’t agree more. However, according to Merck, methanol’s effect is cummulative. Meaning that it is possible for small amounts to add up to the point that clinical symptoms of inflammation of the optic nerves in the retina can result, causing those sparks of light to be seen when higher than normal pressure is applied to the retina. All this is not to be confused with diabetic retinopathy, which is the result of the enlarging and breaking of the ultrafine capillaries that interspace with the optic nerves in the retina.  I went to my ophthamologist for an eye exam, and he assures me that he can still see no signs of retinopathy at any stage. So, that is my story.  It may or may not apply to you, Doug. At the same time, there could be something in common between us. Michel Martin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Doug — The BookStore! CB & Ham Radio, Diabetes, Arthritis, Bestsellers Prepare for the Year 2000 Disaster http://www.lrbcg.com/dougd/books

Response:

I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty?

Common occurrence. Many people have different versions of the same thing. I hear someone speak my name, when no one is there. A friend hears a phone ring.  this came up in an event in the middle of nowhere, when neither of us could have had a phone with us.  That was how we found out others have this. We have bot been asking around since then, and it seems as common as Deja Vu, and may have relations woth that one. OTOH, it may be something you ate. By all means get teh exam, butr remember, to the carpenter, all the problems of the world can be solved if you have enough nails. "The learned Fool writes his nonsense in better language, but ’tis still nonsense." B.Franklin ‘Poor Richard Improved’ (1754) Lou H. Prolific inventor, Lousy Salesman, Incompetent businessman. (Typical of the Breed) Looking for both around Tulsa OK, USA

Response:

snipped < In other words, the hospital had a good look inside my head and found……. nothing! Beav

So easy to believe, I wonder what Anee Bear sees in him?  Maybe she just sees right through him!  *LOL* — BigAl Who couldn’t resist saying this.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty? I don’t know if it’s got anything to do with being diabetic, but on the odd occasion I’ve had a similar thing happen, it’s been accompanied by a VERY loud bang. Loud enough to wake me up in fact, but on ivestigation, nothing untoward was ever found. In other words, the hospital had a good look inside my head and found……. nothing! Beav

I see the sparks also when a sudden loud noise occurs while my eyes are closed. Bob

Response:

I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty?

I don’t know if it’s got anything to do with being diabetic, but on the odd occasion I’ve had a similar thing happen, it’s been accompanied by a VERY loud bang. Loud enough to wake me up in fact, but on ivestigation, nothing untoward was ever found. In other words, the hospital had a good look inside my head and found……. nothing! Beav — Email me (if you want to) at the usual place: Beavis at nachos dot demon dot co dot uk You can even visit my web-page at http://www.nachos.demon.co.uk

Response:

You need to see an ophthalmologist ASAP.  This could be a serious problem if you already have eye changes. It could be a detached retina or nothing at all, but he sooner you have it looked at the better for you if it is something.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty? Doug — The BookStore! CB & Ham Radio, Diabetes, Arthritis, Bestsellers Prepare for the Year 2000 Disaster http://www.lrbcg.com/dougd/books

By all means go see your opthamologist.  These flashes could indicate 1 of a few things most importantly, an retinal tear or detachment.  Mine did this just before they started bleeding from retinopathy.  Don’t put it off…go see your eye guy asap!!

Response:

I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty? Doug — The BookStore! CB & Ham Radio, Diabetes, Arthritis, Bestsellers Prepare for the Year 2000 Disaster http://www.lrbcg.com/dougd/books

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty?

Could be just static from bed sheets. A common occurrence. To email me remove the NOSPAM from my email address

Response:

I have seen these on occasion along with a "eletric fan" pattern in the center of my vision since as long as I can remember. (I am 24 and have been diagnosed 8 years ago.) Mine are more like the "swarm" screen saver where there are tiny little lines representing bees which dart across the screen, except mine dart around for a second then disappear. I dunno, if I was to guess maybe 50 at a time? Anyway, it only last for about 10 seconds and it’s kinda cool, so….. As for the fan pattern, I can’t say anything else… it’s a 3 fin fan which kind of pulses in the center of my vision, sometimes it lasts for 10 minutes or so. They are about as distracting as the floaters in my eye. Otherwise, my vision is fine. My blood sugar is at normal levels when this occurs, and I see my eye doctor regularly who gives me two thumbs up. (He is diabetic himself.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been having this weird experience off and on for a while now. While lying in bed in the dark I occasionally see what I can only describe as sparks (resembles shorting the battery terminals of a car battery), if you’ve ever had that experience; if not maybe a small sparkler would give an adequate example. This happens mostly when I turn my head abruptly. Also I swear I heard a short 1/2 second blast of a car horn in my room the other night; but I knew instinctively that it was not a real sound although I heard it as such. I was diagnosed type ll about three years ago and my vision has undergone some changes. Is this a common occurrence or am I going batty? Doug — The BookStore! CB & Ham Radio, Diabetes, Arthritis, Bestsellers Prepare for the Year 2000 Disaster http://www.lrbcg.com/dougd/books

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – . I will tell you that I have migranes and at times I start seeing scantilizing sparks and that’s all I can see for about 30 minutes and then it clears up and a nice dull headache right behind it. Barbara Hey Barbara, What you are describing is called an "opthamologic migraine".  I have had several of those over the years, but I’ve never had the headaches with them. Apparantly the headaches are optional. With one of those, you have peripheral vision, but can only see the sparks straight on.  Lasts bout 30 minutes, then it’s gone. Those episodes came only about 4 times, each time I was under an incredible amount of stress, and had extremely high blood pressure. May have also had high blood sugar, but was undiagnosed at the time. I have also seen bright spots, like sparks,(not totally taking over my vision) and recently had an opthamologic exam.  There is no diabetic damage to my eyes, so the bright spots are unexplained.  This may be what he is referring to. Bev

Beverly: When I was in college I studied the use of hallucinogens in the use of ritual. Nueropsychology.  What your see have been called phosphens or entoptic phenomenon.  If you want to know more what your seeing you may want to do a little research using these to keywords. I’m a cultural anthropologist so my understanding of what you are going through is vague to say the least but this may help. Shawn

Response:

Do you have long hair by any chance?  Mine really did spark when I tossed and turned during the winter.  (I finally got it cut to reduce static problems.)  (If the sparks are real, not some visual artifact, you should be able to hear them as well as seeing them.) -D

Response:

. I will tell you that I have migranes and at times I start seeing scantilizing sparks and that’s all I can see for about 30 minutes and then it clears up and a nice dull headache right behind it. Barbara

Hey Barbara, What you are describing is called an "opthamologic migraine".  I have had several of those over the years, but I’ve never had the headaches with them. Apparantly the headaches are optional.   With one of those, you have peripheral vision, but can only see the sparks straight on.  Lasts bout 30 minutes, then it’s gone.   Those episodes came only about 4 times, each time I was under an incredible amount of stress, and had extremely high blood pressure. May have also had high blood sugar, but was undiagnosed at the time. I have also seen bright spots, like sparks,(not totally taking over my vision) and recently had an opthamologic exam.  There is no diabetic damage to my eyes, so the bright spots are unexplained.  This may be what he is referring to.   Bev

Response: