Aura migraine

[loucie]

Started getting frequent aura migraine. I get patterns, zig zags & partial sight. It horrible. After the aura I get sensitive to light & depression. I fear them coming. Anyone else feel like this. I take venflaxine to help prevent them. Anyone else use prevenative medicine that works with aura migraine? Thanks

[Blackcatsooty]

Dear LoucieMigraines are the pits. I suffered for sixty years, then I had a stroke and was prescribed Clopidogrel. Migraines are now rare, less than three or four each year.. I noted that, when I stopped Clopidogrel and took daily medical aspirin, migraines still stayed away.

So, for me, it’s magic.

Yes I too got so alarmed at knowing a migraine was likely to attack it made the migraines worse.

Best wishes

Colin

[Hidden]

Hello

I suffer with migraines and have the aura to when I have one

Right up to having my heart attacks I was having one at least once a month if not more and sometimes they would last a week or longer leaving me feeling drained

When I was put on a cocktail of medications for my heart it was like a miracle happened I did not have one migraine for 16 months

But then this year so far I have had 2 again which I was so sad and thought not again am I going to have to suffer with them yet again every month

In a way I am used to them but at the same time they do ruin your quality of life as they can come on at any moment

I have never got mine resolved and not sure why I suffer but know you are not alone and speak with your Doctor , yours could be better than mine and get them under control for you x

[RufusScamp]

Like BeKind, I had frequent aura migraines until I started taking various meds for my heart condition, Last week, I had the first one for over 2 years, and not particularly bad. I don't know which of the drugs is responsible.

[Hidden in reply to RufusScamp]

Hello

I remember the Consultant telling me that one of the drugs I am on which I think was the beta blocker would help with my migraines and when I went 16 months without one I thought this is good up till now getting 2 in the last 2 months

I am just hoping maybe they will settle down and I will not get them as often

Migraines are not great are they when you suffer with them x

[Stumpy47]

I too suffer aura's but they have never thankfully developed into full on Migraines. Nevertheless I agree they are very disturbing especially of they come on whilst driving!I've found no reason for their onset nor any cure so far! I live in hope. Best wishes.

[Reuben52 in reply to Stumpy47]

Me too. They last about 20 to 30 minutes while the zig zags expand and leave the field of vision. They vary in frequency: I can go months without one and then experience two or three within a few days.Have had this for years and had been told by my gp that it is nothing to worry about.

Can’t say that I have noticed any change in pattern since my AVR and double bypass 2 years ago and the meds I have been on since.

Hope this helps…

[Hidden in reply to Reuben52]

Me too!Start with a bright white dot in my lower vision. I call that my 10 Minute Warning. If I’m driving I get to a safe place before they start. Then it’s a 20 minute wait until they fade away. ZigZags in bright white light in my field of vision which fade in intensity then disappear into my peripheral vision.

I could drive with them but prefer not to.

Never had the migraine headache thank goodness. Since my AVR I now have white speedy little light dots now and again and sometimes black ones.

The other new vision oddity is what I call my blind spot. It’s small and I think my brain has now discovered how to ignore it. It’s on my right eye vision and if I concentrate I can find it. It can block out a word when reading.

It’s odd how the vision is disturbed after OHS but I’ve never found a medical professional who has an answer.

[Just-Wanna-Run]

I've suffered aura migraines since my teens. My gp put me on beta blockers as a preventative but as i was so young, i got taken back off them. He then got me to stop eating lots of foods then reintroducing them to see if there is a food trigger. Orange juice was one of mine . Stopped eating oranges and they reduced massively but still had the occasional one. I then found that bananas were a trigger. Stopped eating bananas and now i get them maybe once or twice a year when I'm overtired. Since I started on my heart meds (felodipine and rosuvastatin) I've seen no change to the frequency of them, thank goodness.

[Raznic]

I've had these for years. My Doctor called them "silent migraines". Was never offered any medication to prevent them. Probably, because although unpleasant, they don't cause pain. My Mother used to get the full blown migraines where she was in so much pain she would cry, and didn't know where to put herself to ease it. And they lasted for two or three hours. I just think myself lucky I don't get those.

[Leonardo1]

Hi Like others I too get aura migraines - for years the were the precursor to a full blown migraine . As I’ve got older the head bangers stopped and it’s been only the silent migraine . Post surgery they were a constant thing and made me feel a bit yucky but 3 months post surgery they have stopped .

As a younger woman I felt they were hormone related or possibly stress related - now who knows ?

I’m on beta blockers and blood thinners . They are a strange phenomenon but I try to power through them as they never last longer than 15 mins .

Good luck

[VelvetSky]

Hi, all my life I’ve had full blown migraines but since a HA I have had auras without the headache, very strange. I always had the auras with black and white zig zags but recently have had a couple with colour, what’s that all about?I find being tired, stressed or hungry are certainly triggers.

I find just lately the attacks have eased off a great deal, hope your’s do soon.😸

[Nadeje]

Hi, I started having aura migrains age 12 when I started to menstruate. Was freaked out the first time. Told my Mum what's happening, she replied: 'Oh dear, you have migraine '. She had them all her life. She was nauseous and even occasionally fainted.

Luckily my aura ones last no more than 15 minutes, no nausea or headaches. But I can't escape them, even when I shut my eyes I see the flashing vivid patterns - spirals with zigzag triangles, uncoiling, starting somewhere on the side of my vision, then getting larger across whole vision.

I know when one is coming...disturbance in my vision is a sign usually.

I don't take any medication.

They have almost stopped after my menopause. 👏

Now on heart meds I get them only seldom...I have a long pause without and then they bother me on several consecutive days. I have never discovered what triggers them.🤔

My daughter suffers with full blown migraines..🤯 headaches that make her cry with pain, nausea ....she has to take painkillers and lie down. She has been prescribed beta blockers.

I feel your pain, sorry for not offering any solution, I just learned to live with them.🤷‍♀️

Monica

[Manderson27 in reply to Nadeje]

My first Aura migraine came in my late teens. Visual zigzag in right eye accompanied by numb lips and right arm, it was terrifying I didn't know what it was, by time I got to surgery it was gone. Doc said I might have had a little stroke...WHAT? I hadn't of course but he obviously had no idea and I was back to normal. I think he thought I was lying but there you go. Never had one as bad after that though. Optician diagnosed it a few years later and I have had them all my life (65) They have become less frequent and less severe over the years and now they are few and far between. Only last 15 to 20 minutes and my triggers are looking at a very bright flash of light, sun reflecting of a car windscreen for example, or a torch being shone in my eyes. Also if tired and hungry. I don't worry about them and try to ignore them when they happen I find focusing on something else helps. Try not to worry too much they are very common and annoying but much easier to manage than those accompanied by pain.

[verysmallnosies]

Like so many here, I used to get them before OHS - they'd been happening with more frequency and were really beginning to disrupt my life - and now barely get them at all - I'm on 3 new meds and I LOVE this new life of almost never getting them. It's like a miracle. I'm on bisoprolol 2.5, daily mini aspirin and escitalopram 10.

[verysmallnosies]

Sorry, loucie , I meant to add - would you consider asking if you can go on a low dose of bisoprolol? It's a beta blocker - it's not THE beta blocker usually prescribed for migraine, but it's 'a' beta blocker - Apparently it's very gentle and harmless; you can be on it all your life with no issues, certainly not at a low dose (I'm on 2.5). I wish I'd known medication would help, years ago. Wishing you good luck sorting this.

[Shazzy46]

I've had them for years, worse since the menopause. I get the aura, but not always the heachache. I also get numbness weakness in my arm and legs. The Dr put me on propranalol but didn't make much difference, so she referred me for acupuncture, and now I only have a few per year. Recently, I had a retinal migraine, which affected my vision, but hopefully, it's a one-off.

[Qualipop]

I get optic migraines; have had them for years. The only problem is if they start when I'm driving but they usually develop slowly so I can pull off. Most times I can see ok through them. They last around 20 minutes and leave me with a very mild headache. I don't take anything for them. I just close my eyes until they've gone. The optician assures me they are harmless. Oddly I haven't had one since my heart attack yet I'm only on aspirin and a statin. Thankfully they are not like a full migraine with the unbearable headaches. Just the visual disturbances.

[GrannyH101]

Hi Loucie, If I can catch my "Aura" in time, I can get away with standard paracetamol tablets + and this for me is the imp[ortant thing, a glass/small bottle of old fashioned Lucazade. The sugar in the Lucazade helps the absorption of the paracetamol.... but sadly, its timing for me. I can understand how you feel. Since I had my heart attack and 1 stent fitted, I have had far less migraine(I now also take medical asprin everyday)Good luck Jan

[Helenangel01]

Hello Loucie, I to suffer from the aura migranes but since having my heart surgery I do get the aura but (fingers crossed) not the headache with it... very confusing but relieved. So your post caught my eye. It could be the venflaxine but you could also ask your GP to refer you to an eye clinic as they are good and can see if there is any damage in your eyes. Also get your GP to prescribe you something for the pain. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck 👍

[DaveOrange]

Hi loucie, I used get these Aura migraines quite frequent. It would start with a little blurred area then build up to a massive zig zag arc across my vision that had motion. Its definitely in the brain because when I closed my eyes it was still there. If I went asleep before it finished ( usually lasts around 30 minutes) I would have a horrible headache after. So I would wait it out sit down and keep calm. Since being on beta blockers I’ve hardly had one. I call them “ eye attacks “. Fingers crossed you get it sorted. Good luck.

[Petercat1]

Hi,I used to get the migraine aura followed by terrible headaches. I was given Diclofenac and they were brilliant, after a short time they stopped the migraine completely. I seem to have grown out of my migraines but still get the aura and blank spots, occasionally get a headache. I drink lots of water when this happens and it all goes away quite quickly

Hope this helps

Denise

[xxSummerladyxx]

Hi there,I used to have them quite often however since I've more or less stop having caffiene whether in Tea or cola I've not had one ..so fingers crossed 🙂

[Sherob54]

Hi Loucie my migraines started well before my heart surgery I discovered after going to a doctor specialising in allergies that I was allergic to M.S.G. Flavour enhancer E.623. It's called the Chinese food syndrome, although K.F.C. use it in everything. its obviously used in Chinese food, some crisps, ready meals etc. Some takeaways can make it without M.S.G. Also coffee can trigger mine. Just some ideas good luck.

[Astronomyrules]

Hi Louci, I fully empathise with your comments. I've had migraines since I was in my teens and I use to live in fear of attacks. Twenty minutes of lights then pain and nausea both intensified by light and sound. Most of my triggers we're identified at the Hammersith Migraine clinic when I was in my twenties and I avoid them, but I still get a few a year. Pre menapausally they use to last for several days, but now the worst is over in 12-24 hrs and I don't experience the same level of pain. I have found that for me the episode frequency increases for seveal months after operations, presumably due to the anaesthetic. Thankfully I can block most of the migraines if I can take two paracetamol as soon as the lights start. The lights continue, but are not followed by severe pain, sometimes no pain at all just a dull sensation in the head. It sounds so simple, but for me its a godsend and no side effects. I'm not saying this will work for you or anyone else, but if its okay for you to take paarcetamol with your other medications you might give it a try. It only works if I catch it right at the begining.