Diagnosed fairly recently, now on Diamox

Getting diagnosed with IIH was a two month journey. Firstly, around March 25th I noticed a black "cloud" over my left eye.

I went to the health station the next day, where they made a referral for the ophthalmologist in the local hospital. A week later, I haven't heard a thing from the clinic and I have started getting strong headaches.

After a week's time I finally got an appointment at the ophthalmology clinic and a doctor examined me, but found nothing of consequence. He suggested run-of-the-mill eye drops, to use when I feel like my eye "is getting tired". 5 days later I'm traveling to my home country of Greece and since the symptoms were worsening, I booked an appointment at an ophthalmologist's private practice. The man does exactly the same tests as the previous doctor, only he found bilateral pallipedema and was shocked to hear that I've been examined just a week earlier and that the doctor found nothing wrong.

The Greek ophthalmologist, told me exactly what he suspected my condition to be, and phoned a neurosurgeon friend of his to order MRI-MRAs. Other than that, I also did a vision field test, proving that thankfully, I had no damage in my eyesight.

The MRI-MRA results came in and the neurosurgeon diagnosed me with IIH, but to follow protocol, I'd also have to do a lumbar puncture which I did not have the time to do while in Athens.

The doctor wrote a note in English, explaining what he's seen and kindly asking the doctors here to take my case seriously.

A whole month later (and an unsuccessful lumbar puncture where they pinched me 4 times but didn't manage to find the correct spot), about 1000 euros in the hole, I was finally prescribed the Diamox, which has started strong with headaches and the occasional tingle. I have been advised that the only cure to this condition is losing weight, and I still have to lose 14 kg to guarantee relief.

I'm so exhausted, very disappointed and a little bit scared. My wedding is next month and the stress of that combined with the stress IIH causes me is enough to send my heart racing.

I hope you all remain strong, and that I can be strong as well.