Retinal Migraines: Good morning everyone. Has... - Headway

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Retinal Migraines

BooSocks10 profile image
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Good morning everyone. Has anyone experience of retinal migraines/visual disturbances following ruptured aneurysm repair? I've had coiling in one and a web device fitted in another one eight months ago. I have had migraines most of my life but the visual disturbances have just happened after surgery.

I'm getting them 2-3 times a week and it is stopping me from driving too far in case it happens when I'm driving.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated x

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BooSocks10 profile image
BooSocks10
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cat3 profile image
cat3

Hi Boo.

I've also had migraines most of my life but they're less frequent since my coiling op for a bleed on the brain. I've had an aura whilst driving a couple of times recently (like shimmering light on water starting in left peripheral vision and moving across to the right). Luckily I had a passenger to take over before it blinded me. I don't always have an aura, so often no warning.

But the strangest one was in between laser eye treatments. I saw something resembling an old black & white film in my left peripheral vision which was scary (thought it must be a psychiatric event). But my opthalmologist explained that such hallucinations were typical of 'Charles Bonnet Syndrome' ; usually a symptom of eyesight failure (which I didn't have) but sometimes related to migraine.

Can you describe the visual disturbances Boo - and do they come before or during the pain ?

Cat x

BooSocks10 profile image
BooSocks10 in reply to cat3

My vision disappears for a few seconds (right eye only) and then the jagged lines appear (half moon shape) and they get bigger and bigger and then move out to the edge of my eyesight - lasts about 10-20 mins. Dr is trying to medicate me for them so I assume its just trial and error :-( I'm very fortunate that's all I'm left with after the surgery x

cat3 profile image
cat3 in reply to BooSocks10

When I was a teenager I told our GP that my mum's weekly debilitating pain and sickness was scary and upsetting and asked if they might kill her. The GP laughed and told me she could prescribe medication which, if taken immediately the lights started, would prevent the attacks.

Apparently they'd been available for years but my mum didn't like to 'bother' the doctor ! On the first onset of an aura, she reached for the tablets and then described how the lights receded and how she felt fine. Such a massive relief.

Sadly I couldn't benefit from meds as I rarely had warning auras. But I hope you'll have great success with your new meds Boo ! Let us know how you get on.. xx

Alibongo60 profile image
Alibongo60

Hi boo, I used to have migraines with visual disturbances, before my aneurysm ruptured and coiling, but haven’t had many if any since. I do have constant head pain with little relief from analgesia but not not like migraines.

BooSocks10 profile image
BooSocks10 in reply to Alibongo60

My head pains just appear as a result of mental fatigue which is bizzare (only in work). The visual disturbances are jagged lines - the consultant mentioned it might be migraine activity but that was it! I've suffered migraines my whole life but the light show is all new after surgery

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