Frequent auras no headache..

[Pinkcat21]

Hello I am new to this site. I am a 53 year old female and a coule of years ago I started to get frequent auras and no headache (well on odd occasions abit of eye or sinus pain). These auras stopped and I put it down to menopause but since June I have been having about 5 or 6 a month (only August I only had three!) I think that lights can trigger them and sometimes perhaps caffeine, but sometimes they come out of the blue and I dont know what has caused them. I have kept a diary and they mainly happen in the mornings but I have woken up with them on the odd occasion. For someone who has never had migraines I get a little bit stressed about it. I went to see my doctor but she wasnt that helpful and made me feel some neurotic middle aged woman. I really feel that I want a proper scan or something to rule out some other underlying cause for them. Please any advice and help would be great!

[Gaia_rising]

Hello Pinkcat21

I had a similar issue in Autumn 2013, and my GP was similarly dismissive, I'd had historical issues with photosensitive migraine with aura, and one of the GPs at my practice brushed off my concern that the 'low sun' in autumn was triggering the attacks with "Oh, you're a bit of a SAD-girl, then?" I had 23 episodes of aura without headache/vomiting between October and December 2013, and was prescribed Sumatriptan, which only held-off the full-blown migraines.

Please go back to your GP, you are experiencing symptoms that are out-of-character, i doesn't matter if it IS 'just' hormone-related, it needs looking into, because i's unusual for you. I'm probably the exception, rather than the rule, but, after accepting the 'triptans, instead of pushing for further investigation, I had a massive brain haemorrhage in February 2015. Life is very different now, if I'd pushed for scans at the onset of the spate of 'silent migraine', rather than accepting being patted on the head, and told to get on with it, the aneurysms might have been corrected before the largest one ruptured.

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Gaia_rising]

Thank you for your reply, I am sorry what happened to you and if you had been followed up properly it wouldnt have happened, I will go back and ask to be checked further, thank you

[Gaia_rising in reply to Pinkcat21]

It 'might' be nothing, it 'might be just your age', but if it's unusual-for-you it needs checking out, too many of 'us' roll over when a GP tells us not to be neurotic, we're not neurotic, we know our bodies.

I'm not trying to worry you, that's the last thing I want to do, it could be a B-vitamin/hormonal issue if you are approaching that stage of life, it could be any number of things, but my GP heard 'low light' as seasonal affective disorder, and completely ignored my history of photosensitivity, because I was 'just a woman.'

[Frodo in reply to Gaia_rising]

Gaia_rising how absolutely terrible this happened to you.

Your story does reinforce my sense that triptans are not very safe. I tried to discuss this with a neurologist a few years ago and he was scornful, saying they are 'statistically safe'. Except we are not statistics, are we? They may not be safe for any given individual, especially if you already have concerning symptoms. In fact there's a new medicine under trial currently that doesn't have the same effects on blood vessels that triptans do, so somebody somewhere has accepted there is a problem with them.

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Frodo]

Thank you for replying but it wasnt me who took the triptans but gala rising who replied to me on here.

[Frodo in reply to Pinkcat21]

Ah yes - sorry. Edited.

[Gaia_rising in reply to Frodo]

Thank you for your reply, Frodo

I genuinely don't know if the Triptans had any effect on the aneurysms, I'd had 'hemiplegic photosensitive migraine with aura' from the age of about 9, and been on various carousels of medication on and off for years, depending which pharmaceutical company was giving away the best free pens to the GPs, I suppose. I imagine there's a moment of "Oh, no, it's HER again!" every time my GP sees my name on his appointment list, because I've stopped being a compliant little woman who'll be told to run along, because I'm bound to be fine once I hit the menopause. (Having passed the 'once your cycles settle', and 'once you've had a baby' milestones, and not miraculously been cured of all that ails me.)

I know that's a bit snarky, but it IS a 'thing' that some doctors trot out to women, I can't see them telling male patients "Wait until your testes descend, you'll be fine then.", or "That probably won't bother you so much once you start to experience erectile dysfunction."

I'm 'that' patient now, the one who goes in, explains what's wrong, and suggests what I'd like doing about it, none of that "What seems to be the matter?" malarkey, I know my body, and I know how it usually functions (or doesn't, quite a lot of the time.) I know what's weird-for-me, running along and waiting for things to self-resolve isn't a viable option for me.

I know that the NHS is over-stretched, and under-funded, but I can't be a guinea-pig again, you can bet your bum that every time I go to a medical appointment, I already know the generic alternative of whatever the flavour-of-the-month prescription is going to be. I'm not doing that to be difficult, I was close to death when the ambulance staff were dithering about whether I might just be having an unusual migraine episode. I know my body, and I know how it usually behaves, when it behaves in an unusual manner, I insist it's checked out, and don't take 'wait and see' for an answer.

[Pinkcat21]

Yes thank you, I was worried about the stroke threat but when I put it to my gp, she checked my blood pressure and because it was normal didnt say anymore about it, were you aware of what your blood pressure was?

[Hidden]

Hi PinkCat,

I have auras continually, with migraine, without migraine, for over 20 years. The only that has helped with my auras is Niacin, non-flush, 500 mg a day. I went to the optometrist, nothing wrong with my eyes. I've had a cranial MRI, all healthy, except that I get 3 migraines a week. Western medicine isn't very helpful with neurological disorders.

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply and information, I will prob have to go back to doctors and get something for it (I will take your advice) the only concern is that I never suffered before (only since menopause)

[Kzwalls]

Hi Pinkcat21

Im not sure my reply is helpful but i wanted to at least say you are not alone! I am 46 and started with chronic migraine (6 clear days in 6 months only) and have now had to resign from my job as i cant function! Anyway recently having had a blood test found out im also on menopause but my neurologist dismissed it as being the reason why mine started although stated (thought id found the answer)! Lots of great advice on here just try different things to see what if anything works for you! Unfortunately ive not found my magic remedy yet but hope you find yours soon, take care, your not alone

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Kzwalls]

Thank you so much for your reply, poor you not having much of a break from it! Yes they seem to dismiss menopause as a cause for many things but I was amazed at how many symptoms menopause has and I seem to have had a taster of them all. Due to family history I had my ovaries out so although going into menopause I was suddenly plunged into it. I did have these auras a couple of years ago and then they stopped, I thought I had finished with them but oh no that wasnt the case. Although I dont get the pain (well occasionally a bit of eye ache) the auras really unsettle me! I'm so sorry you had to give up your job because of it.

[Katielong]

Hi, I would recommend going to a neurologist, if this is New it should be followed. Aura and eye pain can be precursor’s for neurological problems. I wouldn’t wait either, not to scare you but my family and I have dealt with some serious neurological problems that started out quite similar.

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Katielong]

Thank you for your reply, when I had similar symptoms before I did see a neurologist but nothing came of it or went further and the auras did stop but now they have returned I will get it checked out. What neurological problems were they if you dont mind me asking?

[Mavary]

Hi Pinkcat 21. I was having aura migraines with no headache and I was advised to see my Dr. I went and was prescribed aspirin. Since taking them I have not had any more aura migraines. I've suffered on occasions with painful migraines all my life. Luckily they have now turned to just miserable headaches. Nothing however will touch them apart from my Naramig tablets. Within one hour it is gone. The aura migraines however came out of nowhere.

[Pinkcat21 in reply to Mavary]

Thank you for your reply, yes I have read about aspirn, I have had gastitis in the past so a little wary of taking too many tablets but will discuss with doctor!

[Mavary in reply to Pinkcat21]

I’ve got a hiatus hernia and like you I was very wary but the Dr has given me coated aspirin and I’m fine with them.

[Kelli0905 in reply to Mavary]

Just a low dose aspirin? Everyday?

[Pinkcat21]

Oh OK thanks

[Mavary in reply to Pinkcat21]

Just a normal 75mg coated aspirin. The coated ones will protect your stomach.

[Kelli0905]

I’m sorry you’re dealing with the aura, it’s honestly hell! When you can’t put words together and can’t see straight and you go numb in limbs, it’s just terrifying. I have not found anything that helps, just waiting it out. The regular meds for migraine don’t help auras at all. It’s frustrating! Hang in there!!♥️♥️

[Pinkcatfairy in reply to Kelli0905]

Hello Kelli

Thanks, yes i wrote this a year ago or so and this year (especially the second half) the auras seemed to have ceased. I have dry eyes and have been using eye drops for this and since then, the auras have ceased, coincidence? I'm not sure! But I'm glad whatever!

[Pyrola]

I have had auras for years, they are so frustrating. I should probably push for a further investigation, but I have so many problems. I know my doctor gets weary of trying to figure them out. I hopeyou can stay aura free. I have dry eye also and been using eyedrops forever but still get the auras. We are all different. Good luck to you.

[Tigipus]

Me to started getting dry eyes after auras and sometimes couple days before heady after but more fuzzy and washed out couple days after.