Hey everyone hope you are all keeping well.
Just wondering does anybody else suffer with these migraines all the time I'm on sumatriptan for my migraines and still get them always affects my eyes had them checked my eye site is fine just don't know what I can do to avoid getting them 😭
Hello. Your migrains do you get the zig zag flashing aora? See I have had them since 15. Now I don't take anything except paracetamol. I do find that stress and dehydration has an effect. Don't have them often but they can be annoying. The aora can last about half an hour and then you get head ache. In the early days the head aches can last all day. There is some interesting items on you tube, which I watched last week. But migrains can cause different effects to vision. But mine has mainly been the zig zag aora. Bit like looking through a tunnel with flashing zig zag shapes to the side.
I had frequent migraines for sixty years. Then had a stroke and prescribed blood thinners to help avoid another stroke. Migraines now perhaps one every three months.
Every cloud……
Yeah the zig zag vision lasts about 40 minutes and covers most of my left eye always same eye.
Never really thought which eye, I always feel it is right eye. However when i had eye tests never found any important issues., except a few years ago a black dot was seen on the back off the eye which can be due to high blood pressure, the dot is not there now, but I have noticed since being on blood pressure medication the migrains have reduced, not saying they have completely gone but I think they are helping. Especially the ace inhibitors, lisinopril, as these help to relax the arteries to allow the blood to flow more easily. But I take these mainly to reduce my blood pressure. And they help to relax the blood vessels, To lower blood pressure. Also I do need to ensure I take at least 1.5 litres of water a day to assist the body while taking lisinopril and spironolactone, a water tablet. So being well hydrated helps to reduce migrains. But I was always told that cheese and chocolate can bring on migrains, which I have had experience of. When I first had one, back when I was fifteen I thought I was going blind. Plus I was in bed in the dark for most of that day. But I do soldier on. One thing I do, do once I get the aura. I take two paracetamol. So the head ache is not so strong.
Hello 
Yes I suffer with them to and have done since been very young the first one I ever had I still remember shouting I was going blind because I did not know what was happening
I know when one is coming on I can be looking round and all of a sudden half of anything I look at I cannot see and then after about 10 minutes the zigzags start as well as flashing lights mine to goes on for about 40 mins then I get the headache which feels like someone has hit me with a brick they really are very draining
I found that they got even more frequent when I was going through the change I would have one every 4 to 6 weeks
Since my heart issues it was like a miracle not sure if it was when I was on Ticagrelor which is a gold standard as they say blood thinner I never had one migraine the whole time I was on it and as daft as it sounds I never related it to been on that but when I came of it the migraines came back
Now I seem to have bad periods with them and good one's
Have you been to see a neurologist ?
I went once years ago but that is another story
But you could ask for a referral if you have not seen one already
Sorry you suffer to as I know how they affect you x
I did go to the GP and they did neurological check and said its just migraines but its annoying doesn't help that my heart med causes headaches I always got them anyway but even more with the verapamil 😰. Yeah it's horrible innit sometimes I literally can't function properly have to just lie on the sofa and in the summer had the worst one! My head was pounding had to sit in the dark and put a cold press and sleep for bout an hour and then took all night to get rid of so awful. Sorry to hear you suffer with them aswell it's horrible 😬💔
Hello
Yes I know how you feel I have to be careful as certain things will trigger mine things like lighting and the heat as well like you in the Summer as well as the Sun believe it or not if it is really bright
I know you will have already asked and I know you need the medications for your heart but is there not an alternative they could try to see if it helps ?
I think I have just learnt to accept it now , I don't like it but seems something I suffer from
Hope you are having a nice weekend x
I used to, about 5 days a week and sometimes more than once a day. They improved when I was on a blood thinner prior to my heart op, but then returned when I came off the medication. I was then put on clopidogrel and have only had one short episode in two and a half years. I think it’s worth having a chat to your doctor. I don’t think thinners or anti platelets are licenced for migraine treatment on its own, but they might be able to prescribe as part of a trial. I might be wrong on the licensing as I do know one other person who used to have really severe headaches, and part of his medication includes clopidogrel.
Hi,
Have suffered from these episodes for quite a few years, both before and since my AV replacement and double bypass on 26/02/2020.
I can always spot one coming as my focus becomes less distinct, then the central bright area appears developing into zig zags which fan out and eventually expand out of my field of vision. The whole lasts about 20 minutes to half an hour and it sounds like I’m lucky to not suffer from headaches afterwards.
Told by GP that this is nothing to get alarmed about and I have learned to live with it. No idea what triggers it or why I can have 2 or 3 episodes in a couple of days followed by gaps of up to a couple of months.
Best of luck dealing with it: I’ve come to regard it as a relatively minor inconvenience and carry on with whatever I’m doing, with the exception of driving!
hi, this is exactly how I suffer from them but sometimes when I can get them every day for a week or more I get quite scared by it especially if I am out shopping etc alone. Then sometimes I can go a couple of months without them. I used to get migraines but no vision change now I get the aura but no migraine pain after but it does make me feel tired after.
I get these too. Can be either eye. The zigzags block one side of my vision then gradually move, drifting to the side, and diminish. In my case they last 20 mins, though occasionally 40 min. Weird. There's a slight headache too. I get between 4 and 8 a year. I find them really upsetting, but just shut my eyes now and try to relax till they go.I saw a neurologist who explained how the blood vessels constrict causing the blood flow to the eye to be restricted and causing the visual effect. Then the blood vessels gradually relax and the normal vision returns.
He said it is worth keeping a food diary so I did and I find some cheeses may be a culprit, but not always... I think lifting weights, like when you lug shopping about in hot weather, sometimes contributes, also dehydration, and especially looking at bright light. But not always... anyway I now wear a hat or cap with a brim in bright sunlight and have blue filter lenses on my specs. Another thing is looking at my phone can put my neck in a tense position which probably constricts the blood flow. That can trigger it. But not always ...! Confusing isn't it?
This is a good explanation.
nhs.uk/conditions/retinal-m...
PS I was on blood thinners and blood pressure medication long before I started getting these episodes, so in my case there's no route to treatment there.
thank you for passing on your neurologist's explanation, i find it reassuring
Hi I have had them most of my adult life. They are so debilitating but as I've gotten older they are fewer & less severe. I can't tell you why or offer any help in reducing them as mine had no pattern to them but I'm guessing they were something to do with my hormones hence why they have reduced (I'm now in the menopause)? Or possibly it could be my meds I take bisoprolol now? Hope you feel better soon x
I used to get them, mainly visual problems, not much of a headache, however since I've been on all my heart meds, I don't get them any more. Twice after angiograms I developed migraines in recovery - don't know why.
My husband gets what he calls wiggly eye and at the first sign takes 2 paracetamols and this works for him , the zig zags slowly disappears and sometimes no headache or a very mild one .But I suffered for a long time with migraines and a couple of paras would not have touched it
hi - I too have occular migraine - I used to have migraine with blinding headaches years ago but as I got older I just get the vision disturbance.
I had ohs for a valve replacement in 2021 and post surgery they were almost constant; when I discussed this with doctors they said it was as a result of anaesthetic. I have my eyes tested regularly and all ok .
I’ve spoken about them to various doctors and the opinion has always been they arnt a worry they arnt anything that indicates anything sinister and really not to worry about them at all .
I do recognise that they are more frequent with stress and I can’t associate them to any food types - I think they are just part of my make up .
Lots of info on the internet but it all indicates they don’t mean anything more serious .
Hope that helps
Good look CH
Yes I have had them since my early teens. First time was acompanied by numbness in lips and down right arm. Doctor said nothing wrong with me, I thought it was a stroke. Optician diagnosed as Occular Migraine. Starts in right eye, travels across my eyes in about 30 mins. Sparked by a flash of bright light or if I am tired. I don't take anything as no pain, just wait it out. They have got less frequent as I got older.
I've had debilitating migraines since my teens. I get them very rarely now. I used to be on imigran for them but it left me feeling spaced out. I had a fab GP who made me do a detailed diary of what I'd eaten and how tired I felt, etc. Turns out my triggers are orange juice, bananas, tiredness and dehydration. Even one banana will trigger it for me It may be worth looking at your food. Many things can trigger it such as brown bread, red wine, citrus fruits, chocolate. Thank goodness chocolate wasn't one of my triggers. You can find lists of potential triggers online and there are even diary apps to help you find your triggers. I hope this helps. Knowing my triggers has massively helped me.
Thanks! I wish I knew my triggers all I did yesterday was get dressed and brush my teeth and I sat down and I had the bright and fuzzy lights in my eyes and to get rid of it I took my migraine tablet. I reckon being tired and severely stressed and anxious is probably triggering it.
I get the migraine within one or two days so may be worth checking what you ate in the last two days. Also, were you particularly tired or dehydrated? Definitely worth keeping a diary. I hope you find your trigger soon
Hi Yumz, sorry to hear of your issues with migraines. I am interested also in what may trigger these. I had OHS 7 weeks ago and was fine up until about 10 days ago when they upgraded my aspirin to edoxaban. Since then I have been getting to these occular migraines daily. I first thought they were actual migraines, but no headache just the sparkles in vision. I would have thought if they were part of my OHS recovery I would have had one earlier? But when something like this comes from nowhere to a daily occurrence I can't help feeling there must be a trigger (like change in meds). I will be asking my gp to try a different thinner if it continues. Otherwise it's quite manageable for me (lie down in dark room for 20 mins) but I am concerned I planned to start driving again soon and it can't be safe if one of these comes on suddenly? Hope you find some answers.
Had them for years and driving used to worry me but I found that if I wasn't in a place where I could pull off, I could actually ignore them and see past them as it we re until I got somewhere safe. They do also start slowly and usually give me time to pull off but a few times I've been on a motorway and been forced to continue quite safely.
Yep; I get them quite often but they seem to happen in phases. I can have 6 months of them then they will stop for a year or more then suddenly start again. I never get normal migraines. I don't find them painful except a mild dull headache afterwards but "when" they start can be a nuisance like when I'm driving. Luckily they do start slowly so I get some warning and can usually stop but over the years I have found that I can function while having one and can see through them. I don't think there's any way to prevent them from happening. They are harmless and don't affect your sight. I've had them for 30 years or more and learned to ignore them but oddly , I haven't had one since my heart attack when I was put on aspirin 4 years ago. Maybe the blood thinning effect has something to do with their disappearance.
Yes I have suffered from them for years and I put it down to low blood pressure and or temporary imbalance of electrolytes. Do you also go numb down one side or loose vision completely?I've found over the years having a mug of warm milk and sitting down with your feet elevated just as you feel it starting can sometimes stop it in its tracks.
Cool flannel on the back of the neck also helps me
Yeah some times get a tingling sensation on one side on my head and fuzzy zig zag visions, and headaches aw it's so annoying hits you at the most inconvenient times innit, I will definitely try the cool flannel trick.
I have suffered with Ocular Migraines since my early 30s. It took several years to diagnose the root cause….irregular sleep patterns initially caused by young children. OMs were usually worse after a deep sleep following several bad days. OMs normally lasted 30/40 mins without headache.
Unknowingly at the time, I had a stroke in April 2022 when I had what I thought was a very intense OM that lasted a few days. My GP referred me to Neurologist and Opthalmic Surgeon for tests and they identified a mild stroke.
Many forms of migraine are caused by an adverse reaction to tyramine and/or phenylethylamine in the diet.
I don't have migraines myself, but my wife has suffered since she was a teenager. She has found that by avoiding foods with these substances in them, she is free of migraines. The biggest culprits for her are cheese, red wine, yoghurt, aubergine and chocolate. Large amounts of orange juice or tomato juice and over-ripe bananas can also set her off.
It may be worthwhile trying to find if any foods trigger them for you, then cut them out of your diet.
Thanks this is good advice. I cant stand oranges or bananas don't eat much chocolate but definitely will think about what I'm eating.
Migraine sufferers
Migraine and heart conditions 
migraine after stopping aspirin 
Vasospastic angina and migraine. 
Bisoprolol 2.5 for high BP & to prevent migraine
