Visual Migraines and AF

Does anyone know if there is a link between AF and visual migraines? Many people here report having the latter following an ablation. I first started getting visual migraines (which generally last about 20-25 minutes) at the end of 2017 (about 8 months before being diagnosed with AF-I had never had them before). Usually I don’t get much by way of headache, just a feeling of tension round the top of the forehead. The visual migraines always consist of a sparkling zigzag line which expands them stops. Today for the first time I had two such disturbances in succession. Last year I had about 1 per week, then nothing for about 7 months. Worried these could be TIAs or a tumour or suchlike. Can anyone shed any lights?

[BobD Volunteer]

I used to have migraines with pain etc about forty or more years ago due to stress and they stopped after a few years. Only since ablations have I had occular migraines until about six months ago when I had a couple of weeks of daily such. Had one last week for 20 mins as well. Annoying yes but then so are lots of things that won't kill you..

[Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. How often do you get them? Are there any particular triggers?

[Physalis]

No, please don't think that. I've had migraine since I was about ten and have had all sorts. The type you describe are very similar to most of mine a zig zag glowing circle which expands and then disappears. Takes about 45 minutes, no headache.

However, I have had some with headache, or nausea. When I got older I had just a few, where, as soon as one attack ended, another started. Each one was worse than the one before. If it got to three on the trot, I didn't know where to put myself.

Fortunately, two of these followed eating a lot of cheese, and getting through too many boxes of birthday chocolates. Since then I haven't eaten very much cheese or chocolate. So look for food triggers, that's important. Recently, following Tim Spector's video on the gut microbiome I took to eating red grapes, that was until I realised that was was in red wine was also in red grapes. The dried yoghurt culture I got from Amazon was much more successful.

There is no connection with AFib as far as I know but as soon as I started taking Apixaban, Eliquis a couple of years ago the migraine stopped. That's not counting the migraine attacks I had for eleven days after my ablation. I'm putting that down to the hole in my heart they used to push the catheters through being opened up a bit too much. It's called a patent foramen ovale and I think it took that amount of time to go back to normal. But I guess that's something for another day!

[LordGabriel]

I had 2 migraine auras before my ablation - one just out of the blue before diagnosed with AF and one when I had AF and had been stuck in a lift and ‘rescued’. I don’t like them at all. I’ve had 5 since my Ablation.

I understand they aren’t a danger but still I don’t like them!

[Wasp1954]

Wow! I just read ectopic1's comments. I had migraine as a teenager and they always started with a 'blind' visual disturbance and then the intense pain and sickness. I grew out of them post puberty?! In my 50's I started to get the visual disturbances but with no pain or sickness, about the same time my AF started. I had my ablation two years ago and now I get the occular migraines with the zig-zag visual disturbance, again no pain! I had two the same evening of my ablation. Now I get one every couple of months. There must be a connection.

[KMRobbo in reply to Wasp1954]

I was the same as you, massive disabling migraines with blind patches which sometimes was the majority of my visusp field. They stopped when I got to age 15 ish. I had two of the zig zag migraines within a couple of weeks post ablation, but they were 11 months Post ablation, so not at all sure they are related to the ablation. Never had one since.

[Madscientist16]

I only had 2 migraines with aura before AF diagnosis, but I believe they were caused by menopause/hormone changes. I did have them right after my ablation for 2 or 3 weeks and I did have one last month at 11 months post ablation.

[Janey1955]

I get those and have often wondered what they were. I never get a headache with pain of any type. 22 years ago I started with these visual migraines. They are exactly as you describe lasting 20 minutes. I get roughly 2 a year. I thought it was perhaps related to looking at a screen, any screen TVs, phone, laptop etc. 7 years ago I started with AF but I’ve never made any association between the two things.

Jane

[BongoBanana]

Weirdly I had one yesterday - during my life I suffered from migraines but I related them to hormones as I stopped having many after menopause. No idea what triggered yesterday but took two parcetamol and carried on. Felt "hungover" all day but otherwise fine.

[Doddsey-UK]

Hi

I had an ablation in April 2017. I have been having ocular migraines maybe since that time but to be honest, I cannot say it is related to the ablation for sure as I used to have severe migraines from being a teenager which were extremely debilitating. Once I went through the menopause the migraines stopped completely. A colleague of mine once said to me at work one evening that she too suffered migraines which had stopped following the menopause, this gave me hope at that time that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

As I said, I cannot say the OM are related to the ablation but I suppose could quite easily have been but As I cannot say for certain I tend to take them in my stride and relate them historically but thankfully, without the dreadful pain.

I hope this takes any anxiety away, I don’t relate the OM to anything dietary although they could be but that’s purely individual like allergies. Just stay healthy and enjoy your life without stress as much as possible and definitely without unnecessary worrying about something that might never happen.

Stay safe during these crazy times and look forward to Xmas and a superbly better 2021.

Lindsay 💕

[CDreamer in reply to Doddsey-UK]

See my post below

[kkatz]

Yes I get them quite often now although I haven't had an Af attack for a long time.Getting more of the other migraine symptoms now.These started about 3 months after starting edoxaban.I wonder could it be the anti coagulation.

[CDreamer]

I thought the link was migraines and PFO - which is what happens in ablation - hole is punched through the atrial septum to gain access to the left atria and why migraines are so common after abalation.

I had PFO, only discovered during ablation, had migraines all my life - until I had an ablation for AF. Not had one since.

[quanglewangle]

I thought that it is possible that occular migraines are related to AF as both started around the same time - but maybe it is an ageing thing. My AF has steadily progressed to permanent with no ablations, one TIA and a number of medication changes but the OMs are still very infrequent (with no headache) and I now think that they are unrelated to the AF and just one of those things. Age does not come alone !!!!!

[Milfordhaven]

Hi Samazeuilh. I too have visual Migraines. I have AF, have had it for around 13 years, I have never made any connection between the two. I don’t have any pain, just about 20 mins of zig zag lines, and crescent like lines that expand, on one side then just fade away. Actually after the aura has finished (about 15 mins or so) I get a feeling of numbness, pins and needles just for a minute or two, sometimes in my hand, I’ve even felt that numbness in my tongue, just for a minute or two as I said.My son also used to suffer with migraines, and he had the “tongue”!symptoms too. He swears that keeping hydrated, and eating regularly helped him, he hasn’t had many over the last few years thank goodness. Incidentally my son has AF too.

I used to work with a lady that had migraines, she had so much numbness in her mouth after an attack, and she just had to go home as she could hardly speak, incidentally I saw her the other day, she said she had not had any problems for years now, she seemed to have just grown out of them.Don’t think she has AF.

Actually those migraines are scary I think, but I know several people who suffer the same thing, and they have no AF either.

In my own opinion I think stress is a factor, but knowing that other people suffer like this is quite a comfort.

Honestly, I wouldn’t worry, you may just grow out of those migraines, I haven’t had one for some months, will probably have one today now lol.

[opal11uk]

Hi Sam, I have had P/A/F for over 20 years and about 3/4 years ago had an ablation which although deemed by my cardio to be a success was in fact a disaster so a few months later I had a Pacemaker fitted, together with that and some drugs lead a fairly good life free of symptoms HOWEVER over the past 3 years I have had, what was thought to be TIA's, had CAT scans etc., which showed no problems. Last year I saw another stroke doctor (I had a stroke in 2000), and he said that these episodes sounded more like visual migraines and my symptoms are the same as yours exactly, the only difference I can see is that I feel disorientated and lose the power of sensible speech, it comes out as gobble de gook, unintelligible, I know what I am saying but it comes out all wrong. I am now on Statins which are supposed to help but I have given up driving as a consequence because these episodes come as and when and I worry that the disorientation could cause an accident. So, what do we do, well I guess as with the A/F we live with it and hope for the best.

[Uniform96]

Well I started getting these about a couple of years before I was diagnosed with AF and once commenced the usual medications they appeared to stop and I thought perhaps the Beta Blocker had some effect in preventing them . That was three years ago. Guess what ? Had one for the first time yesterday! So much for that theory!

[Flossie72]

My first visual aura occurred while having an eye test at the opticians. They were so concerned about my poor test results I was referred to an eye hospital for investigation, and the visual aura was diagnosed very rapidly. Since then I have had many bouts. It does not seem to be related to my a fib, and although I expected to suffer after my ablation, the auras did not materialise then. The most frequent triggers for me appear to be strong glaring lights, a too bright computer screen, some shop strip lights, and low winter sun. It is ironic as I have a problem with cataracts and need bright, well directed lighting in order to read.The auras do make me feel nauseous, but if I can sit quietly with my eyes shut, they usually disappear in about 20 minutes.

Best wishes, Sue

[BC50]

I have had 2 ablations. The day after the first one I had visual migraines. Called the EP, he said he never heard of it. They went away after 2 weeks. Knock on wood, have not had any since

[bobby098]

Yes for sure. It’s something to do with the septal puncture from the right atrium to the left. I had 4 Occular migraines of a period of 2 weeks following my ablation. Once the septal puncture closes it usually resolves. Mine did thank goodness.

[meeko45]

Dehydration makes these happen more often for me. Also brings on afib. I've had these for decades.

[BillCook]

I've had these for about a year now. They did start a couple of months after I was diagnosed with persistent AF, but I've no idea whether there is any link. I'm 69, and have never had any sort of "migraine" issues beforehand. There seems no particular cause or pattern to them as far as I can see. Like others above, I have no headache but a very disorienting shimmering horseshoe-on-its-side shape. It starts off small, near the centre of vision, then gradually expands until it disappears outside the visual field. The episodes typically last about half an hour. I believe that the anomaly is medically known as a "scintillating scotoma". I've had them whilst on warfarin, and also after changing to apixaban.

[DK81 in reply to BillCook]

Thank you for your interesting comment. The symptoms you describe are exactly the same as mine, but I have had these attacks on and off for most of my life. Some years I did not have a single attack, but the frequency increased seven years ago, when I was 63, with up to four attacks in a single month. Nevertheless, I cannot identify any connection with AF. This year: 8-1-20 at 10 19, 9-5-20 at 13 07 (very mild attack), 9-7-20 at 16 20, 31-7-20 at 08 58, 10-8-20 at 07 49 (mild attack), 2-11-20 at 08 26 (very mild attack). One possible cause that no-one else has mentioned is a cold draught hitting the eyes, causing a very mild sensation in my eyes that is difficult to describe, but which marks the onset of the aural disturbance. The only time I have ever had an attack when abroad in warmer climes occurred whilst hiking in a strong, cold wind.

[DK81]

You might find the note I have just sent to Bill Cook interesting.