vision with meds , and panic

[Guest guest]

Miriam writes:

The horror story part of all of this is that I spent years and years

with AF without ever being diagnosed with it.........I was told it

was a " panic attack, " it was related to " stress, " , you're a

" hypochondriac, " " go see a shrink, " etc. The Holter monitor did not

show any abnormality. Finally, one day in April of 2005, I was in the

parking lot of the HMO I am associated with when I started to feel

sick..........by the time I got to the pharmacy I could do nothing

but call for help. Long story short - I was rushed to ER and

diagnosed with AF. I guess it could be worse...........I just hope I

don't lose my sight - I'm a photographer >>

Hi Miriam,

Your post really rang a bell with me. I too have noticed a worsening of

vision but wrote it off to just getting older. I worry about this because of my

mom's history of macular degeneration, detached retina, cataracts. Her eye

problems began in her 60s. She was not on blood thinners then, but I am now. I

am sure blood thinners have to make macular degeneration more likely. It only

makes sense and it is *very* worrisome as I have seen first-hand how

devastating m.degeneration is. As for your panic...WOW. Could we ever have a

discussion here about women, particularly, being ignored or worse yet

*insulted* by

their doctors for their anxiety, called neurotic, nervous, take a valium, get

over it, you're just stressed. For years in my thirties my male doctor(s) - 3

partners - told me I was a nervous Nellie type (meanwhile I had MVP, tons of

adrenaline, PVCs, and probably runs of afib for all I know) and pretty much

ignored me. People do not CHOOSE to be anxious. They can certainly learn to

cope with it but it does not make the anxiety go away; physiological anxiety is

a curse and has ruined many lives.

Lil