Migraine out of the blue

[jessiejakes]

Hi everyone hope you are all doing well ? Does anyone get migraine ? Mine only started 4 years ago ,had lot of stress going through separation/divorce moved to another area was looking for place to live and looking for work at the time.started with flashing lights zig zags out of both eyes and feeling sick but no headache the flashing lights lasted 30 mins exactly. Then went i then could go weeks or months before it would happen again.saw eye specialist who told me its migraine without the headache.went over a year without anymore episodes then had 2 last week few days apart but this time nausea lasted the rest of the day even though the visual disturbance was the usual 30 mins.this has now triggered my anxiety somewhat as I'm hoping they don't start up when I'm driving as I would pull over and wait till it passes.can migraine go away for a year then come on just like that ? I was having a normal day as was feeling good not stressed or anything.any advise from fellow suffers of migraine appreciated thank you.

[1973m]

Hi , yes I believe migraine to be able to do this , I haven’t personally been medically diagnosed but I do get that flashing lights .. can’t be in bright light , eye floaters etc but my dad has suffered for years when he gets one he gets the whole package where the head pain renders him immobile, sickness etc , he has medication he takes at the first sign of one coming on . Stress is a massive factor and he often has a cluster of them and then nothing for months. Hope this helps and I hope you find some reassurance.

[jessiejakes in reply to 1973m]

Hi thank you for your reply 1973m sorry to hear you dad gets them so bad.unfortunately the migraine tablets they gave me said not to take if allergic to sulphonomides so I couldn't take them.I am going to see my regular Dr next week ( had to wait over 2 weeks for appointment) so I'm hoping he can prescribe something to help with the terrible nausea.i can put up with flashing lights .

[1973m in reply to jessiejakes]

My dad has to have sorppositorys for the nausea , I’m sorry to say !

I hope you get it sorted..

[jessiejakes in reply to 1973m]

Thank you will keep you posted after I see doctor on the 28/6/18

[Cat33 in reply to jessiejakes]

Good luck let us know

[Jeff1943]

Hi jessiejakes, some people call this migraine aura but I know it by its older name of scintillating scotomata. You've described it perfectly, the zig-zag pattern that moves across your field of vision and then disappears after 30 minutes exactly. I find it starts with a little blank area appearing in my vision, like if I'm reading. My first one was 1976 and sometimes they're years apart, sometimes just weeks. Only once have I had two on the same day.

They're nothing to do with your eyes, it's caused by stress/anxiety causing sensitisation of the visual cortex at the back of your head/brain. Definitely linked to anxiety.

Since I've had so many over the last 40 years and I know they pass I don't fear them, in fact I'm glad when the scintillating zig-zag arrives because then I know the blind spot that proceeds it is not a retinal detachment.

I had one about 2 weeks ago while replying to a post here, I just carried on with the post and ignored it (it only affects about 20% of your field of vision).

Only once have I had one when driving in 1988, I'm afraid I just carried on driving, it was a quiet country road. I've never once had a headache with one as people with migraine do. And I don't get nausea with them, maybe ginger root sliced paper thin and then steeped in hot water for 5 minutes at least and sipped would help with that.

As I've had them on and off for over 40 years I'd have known by now if they did any damage, they don't. So just accept them, there's no cure, nothing to worry about, never done me any harm.

[jessiejakes in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you jeff1943 that has put my mine at rest as I must admit it did make me rather anxious as felt a bit dizzy with them to,and hadn't had any for about a year.I to get the blind spot /bright light just as it starts one time I had beautiful colours pink purple blue with the visual disturbances that was rather pretty.I think the dizziness/nausea must of been me getting rather anxious and a bit panicky.you have reasurred me and if another one comes I will read your post and remind myself its nothing to worry about.thank you.

[Krn210]

Hi there! I have suffered migraines both with and without aura for over 10 years now. I agree with Jeff and 1973m, I can have one or more a month for awhile and then go months without one. The aura can be scary...both because of the visual disturbance but also because I’m expecting the dreaded pain. I’m sorry to hear that you suffer as well.

[Cat33]

My migraines just appear when they want to no pattern I can be really relaxed and I get one they are a real nuisance I remember my first ever one I was 14 and at school then I didn't get another one until I was in my 20s I started to get anxious about them then but I don't worry about them anymore I always get a liitle warning by getting a little blind spot before the zig zag lines appear I've never had one whilst driving but I know if I did get one then I would have time to pull over safely and let it pass I know it's easy for me to say but try not to worry about them coming Like you I can have a couple in a short space of time then I don't get one for ages As you know what they are and that you have had your eyes looked at just see them as a nuisance but nothing worse Take care