Aura

[Nessy50]

Does anyone get auras without migraine just light headache but the vision thing is so scary. Wondering if hrt related as just started 4 days ago & first time it’s happened. Eye test tomorrow.

[sja11]

Yes. I do.

Since having the menopause nearly all my migraines are visual, sometimes with a vague headache and slight disorientation.

Each time is different. Sometimes it’s like a potato in the centre of my vision, other times a semicircle of moving geometric shapes either multicoloured or black and white, the latest one felt like my eyeballs were squeezing in and out and I couldn’t make any sense of the images I was seeing. It feels slightly like there is an electric storm in my brain. I agree it is a bit scary.

I got them when I was taking HRT (I haven’t been taking it for a couple of years) and i get them now I’m not taking HRT, if anything the migraines are more often now.

[Nessy50 in reply to sja11]

Thanks for reply definitely sounds hormononal then, took a few hrts but this is suppository one so not sure what’s different. Yours sound scary & varied. Was lucky I was home at the time just in when it came on.x

[MaisieGray]

Yes, they're common and generally nothing to be worried about. I have pain-free migraine with different visual disturbances - often like looking down a brightly coloured kaleidoscope, or at zig zag horizontal lines, or a spiralling circle like a Catherine wheel going off, or blurring, or anything really. I've never taken HRT so no connection in my case. I suspect they are more neural than optical in origin. Look up 'pain-free migraine'.

[Nessy50 in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks for your reply dread it happening when out, scary enough at home. It just seemed surreal at the time was so tired after it, I’m better now was out driving a bit but I’m off to relax now. I’ll look it up the headache on top must be awful. X

[AlisonL]

I get this too and am sure in my case it is hormonal as I always used to get them at a particular time of the month. As far as I know they aren't really anything to worry about apart from being a bit of a nuisance.

[Nessy50 in reply to AlisonL]

Thanks I’m menopausal now thanks goodness the monthlies are long gone. Just hope they don’t pay a visit again.x

[Framboise]

I have had this happen three times, each time it was in the morning soon after I'd woken up and due to tight neck muscles, and I haven't had any since an osteopathic treatment on my neck some years ago. I've never taken HRT. My husband began getting them after a car accident in which he suffered whiplash. His are also just aura and last about 15 minutes then go, they happen perhaps once a year. They can be alarming and having an eye test is a very good idea in case they're caused by something else, but they're usually harmless.

[SianJane01 in reply to Framboise]

Ocular migraine - I get sparkly disturbances in front and to the sides of my eyes, lasting about 20 minutes. Pain free but makes focusing on reading, writing, watching tv etc during difficult. I have asked an eye consultant about them (was already seeing him for other eye problems)and he said make a diary of them and try and find a pattern for cause eg, tired, hungry. I can’t find a pattern other than they first started when I was hypothyroid. I also had neck whiplash in a car accident but this predates it from years ago although I regularly get a stiff neck so your neck comments are interesting x

[SianJane01 in reply to SianJane01]

Hmm I started getting them when I was peri-menopausal so maybe hormones do play a part..

[Nessy50 in reply to SianJane01]

Thanks for your reply, funny you say that I find if I turn my head at times to speak to people can get really sore & backs been really sore today after but comes & goes anyway. Sound like I’m falling apart.x

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I went through a patch of aura-only migraines. Absolute classic visual disturbances.

Luckily, only lasted a few weeks and each one was, perhaps, around a quarter of an hour.

Hopefully yours will fade away in time.

[Nessy50 in reply to helvella]

I hope so it’s scary when you don’t know what’s happening at first. Are you on hrt? I only took 4 days but not today.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Nessy50]

No - I am the Male admin. 😊

[Nessy50 in reply to helvella]

Hahaha love it💕

[Angel_of_the_North]

I used to. But not any more. I'm not sure if it was the B12, bioidentical HRT or T3 that stopped them.

[Nessy50 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Glad yours have gone now, I’m on plenty B12. Trued bio hormones & can out in rash I’d rather be on that. It’s put me off hrt, want to see if that’s the cause so will stay away for a while or good maybe. X

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Nessy50]

I was lucky: bioidentical hormones saved my life. I've had migraine with and without aura and aura without the headache for most of my life. So I'm sure yours will go eventually.

[Luna1390]

I have Hashimoto's and have had this happen one time. I had the kaleidoscope/zig-zag lines, followed by a bad headache. It hasn't happened to me again since (it's been about 18 months).

[MariLiz]

I have had migraines ever since puberty, they became much more severe during the menopause, so I think there is a hormonal trigger. Other triggers can be tiredness, low blood sugar ( missing a meal), red wine, chocolate, oranges, flickering light (through trees or a dodgy fluorescent light). These days I get the aura with only a mild headache, but it does leave me feeling tired and a bit as though my brain has been scrambled! 🤪

[guysgrams]

I've had them in the past but not recently. The two times I had them it was like looking through a kaleidoscope. Very weird. Nether time was there any pain.

[t3rr]

yes, I get them, used to be about 6 times a month, it is a neurological proboem, mine usually are caused by flashing lights, or sudden bright lights, now down to about 2 a month, recommended to take vitamin B2. There is a world migraine summit starting next week, see if you can get signed up to it, email [e-mail]. I have listened to the past two years summits, and got some very helpful advice.

[Nessy50 in reply to t3rr]

Thanks I'll sign up & try to listen if not too late at night. That's a lot, convinced it's the estrogen I took, been fine since. Got hospital tomorrow about the bladder problems & menopause so I'll be telling her I've stopped.

[Nessy50 in reply to t3rr]

Can't stand bright lights the opticians is so bright couldn't work in there