View Full Version : Oh dear...migraine aura!
Hey guys.
After spending the past 12 months a nervous wreck over my migraine auras it now appears that my 12 year old daughter has inherited the dreaded gene!!!
I'm really worried how I'm going to deal with this. I've been freaking out since the school rang me to collect her this morning! She had all the same symptoms that I experience but I keep worrying how am I going to fix this! I don't want this for her! I'm so so scared. I worry so badly about what they could do to damage her health! I remember being 11 when my mum got the call many years ago and she freaked and raced me to the dr thinking Something serious was happening to me! Since that episode, I didn't have another one until last year at the age of 33!!!! But i didn't stop at one...I ended up with 10 in one year! I know my mum has had the odd one over the years but not as frequent as what I experienced last year!
Could someone please shed some light and reassure me that my daughter will be ok and these are just nothing to be afraid of???
Kel x
Hi Kelley,
I used to get migraines when I was young, sometimes severe phsical excercise would bring them on like school athletics. But I grew out of them. My son also had one when he was about 14 - whether this was inherited or not I have no idea. But he has not had one since. The way to deal with your daughter is to reassure her because although they are rotten they will not damage her. Try to stay calm when your daughter is having one.
All the best,
Baggs.
Thankyou baggs.....I will do that. Have you or your son ever experienced an aura before a migraine? I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.
Kel
Hi
I started with migraine during my first pregnancy when i was 18, i havent had many since, maybe around 10 in total and Im 39 now, dont know what causes them with me.
My daughter had 2 or 3 when she was about 14 and then hasnt had any since - shes 20 now. My son had his first about a month ago after being on his computer for a long time, started with the aura then just a slight headache, I panicked, but im sure theres nothing to worry about - there very common in children x
Hi Kelley,
Not too sure what you mean by aura - the first sign I had of a migraine coming on was disturbed vision. There was a blank patch dead centre. Then I knew what I was in for. Then came the headache then came the puking. By the next day I was okay. When your daughter is going through this she needs a calm and reassuring mother. I wish you all the best.
Baggs.
rubynoodles
31-05-12, 09:57
Hello Keeley
My first migraine with aura came during my two pregnancies 7 & 4 years ago I found them sooo frightening.
I dont know what your symptoms are but I would suddenly notice that parts of my vision would be missing and then the classic zig-zag thing would come in my vision and then a headache an hour or so later.
I never experienced them after pregnancy until this last year when I have had several 'attacks' during my period for some reason.
My mum started getting migraine with aura when she was pregnant with me and has had them ever since (nearly 40 years!) so I imagine they can be heriditary(sp?).
Although my 7 year old son hasnt experienced the same symptoms he often complains that 'everything has gone small'. The opticians and gps were'nt much help so I googled it and it is called 'Alice in wonderland' syndrome which they say is a form of migraine!
I hope your daughter doesnt suffer too much with migraines but if she does it is common and although we may feel like nervous wrecks inside worry about them, hopefully if we can reassure our children and they will grow up to accept them and not worry too much about it and let it pass. Failing that my friend suffers from terrible migraines but has some fantastic medication from the gps which really help:)
Hi its very common to start them during puberty, you will see many of the posts saying they started in teens. Try and stay calm with her as at least you have experience with them yourself so know she will not come to any harm. I have had migrains and my son developed them when he was older. x
Oh thankyou so much to all of you! It helps so so much.....my auras always start with the blind spot in my vision and progress to having no perephial vision in that eye and all up lasting half hr, which is exactly what my daughter had today then followed by a headache and numbness / tingling in my hand and arm and mouth....this is the symptom that freaks me out! Bella had it too today and I kept telling myself it was just a migraine! Does any of you get this? I really hope she is like you guys and doesn't get any or many more before she's an adult! So scary to think what caused it and how to avoid it happening again! I keep panicking thinking what if it keeps coming back!!!
xxx
If it does come back you know what it is, but take her and have her checked just so its on her records that she has started having migraines.
When i first had one i was driving and i looked at a road sign and the middle letterss were missing a complete blank in the centre, then in the distance i could see orange/yellow zig zag lines it looked as if i would be able to reach out and touch them. I ended up terified in a eye hospital where they checked me over and said oh yeah migraine ... nothing to worry about.
My son gets a strange feeling and a feeling like the light isnt right then he gets a curtain of orange come over one eye which goes black and he cant see for a while in one eye, his arm and face tingle. If he goes into a dark room he can see zig zag lines on the outside of his vision and within half an hour it clears. However he is 23 and it still scares him every time and he rings home :)
My god daughter ( 13) has just started having them and she has had about 5 in a month and the doctors said this can happen when they start and are not concerned. But take her to the gp because he may suggest a medication that suits her better x
Thankyou Rocky Dog. Your reply has helped me pull myself together.....it just seems to be something that not alot of people get or talk about. I don't know anyone within our circle that suffers other than my mum who gets them a bit different to me and can't remember having them at a younger age cause her memory isn't fantastic! Although I remember her complaining of them when I was young so she would've been about my age.....I guess I'm still in denial and disbelief....
Your experience sounds just like mine...I get the blind spot for like 10 mins then some mild squiggly zig zags and then just squiggly all over my perhephial and I then lose the sight in the perephial and then it's over. But I also have the pain on the opposite side by the end of it.....are you male or female rocky dog?
Hi im female :) i know lots of people with them. My friend has a really bad time with it and loses vision and can smell strange things. Her speach even goes, you would honestly think she was having a stroke, but has had this for 20 years lol
I don't mean to pry, but is it anything to do with her time of the month? Hormones can cause them and I used to get them a lot at that age, always around my time of the month. May be worth making a note of the date/day of her cycle in case it happens again.
That's very reassuring rockydog! So bloody scary though aren't they! It's like 11pm and I keep going in and checking on her.....Its not good. She's been fine though for most of the day.
Lauz Lea, thanks for your reply.....I did ask her when she last had her period and being the very private girl she is, she just kind of said, I dunno, not long ago...but the thing is, when she first started her period a year ago, I asked her to keep a diary of when and how long they go for but she hasn't! And she won't tell me if she has them either! She's so private and doesn't like to talk about it, this doesn't help. I was just thinking today that I may have to push her to tell me when each month so I can keep track myself....
How did you deal with them being so young? Did u have auras?
Kel x
---------- Post added at 23:04 ---------- Previous post was at 22:58 ----------
Rockydog......does your friend panic when she gets them? That's so scary. Does it run in her family too? My mum and her mum don't and have never really spoken about health things or family history (no idea why) I have to really nag to get any info! They're just ignorant I think...my mum has no recollection of having migraines before these last two she's had this past 2 years but I certainly remember her complaining about migraines when I was younger! How can she not remember? Maybe cause it didn't bother her to stress about it?? I asked my nana if she gets them and she said yes! Especially when she's been stressed and she gets pain at the back of her head and so do I so it surely is a genetic thing for us wouldn't you say? Even though I've gone through a lot of my life not knowing about it or suffering while young.....It just seems all too surreal...I've never considered any of my family to be migraine sufferers but since my bout last year I've been putting the jigsaw together and now my poor daughter is on the band wagon! The thing is though, if my mum and nana can match theirs up with stressful times, why is it that I would get one regardless of stress? And Bella certainly hasn't been stressed...it has to be hormones....surely
Yeah it sounds like a family thing. My brother gets them and my sisters children do. Its always a worry when your kids have anything, but she will be fine.
The one thing you can do for her is remove the fear you had, you can react calmly and remind her that you have them and dont let her doubt its anything but a migraine. You clearly didnt have anyone with this experience when you first suffered so are now still suffering from the time when it scared you so much. (i think) lol
My friend still dreads them although knows what they are, but most people would panic a little at losing their sight.
When my son rings i try very hard to play it down and say ah ok how longs it been going on, ok we know it always lasts about this time... have you got the tablets... go and take one and drink loads of water and it will help. By the time he has done this his sight is usually back ( and im still feeling panicked for him ) But its the one thing you can do to try and prevent her having more anxiety as she gets older. My sons last one, last week, was on the first day of a new job. x
Migraines are nothing to worry about and nothing anywhere near serious, especially as it looks like it runs in your family. I've only ever had about 7 in my lifetime but they're awful and so painful! The best thing to do when you have a migraine is to remember they are not harmful and sleep it off with a few painkillers.
If you experience a lot of problems with regular migraines, your doctor should be able to give you pills which help prevent or stop migraines. My friend is on pills like these, she suffers from them regularly and they do the trick.
So far, science has come to no understanding of what actually causes migraines, but it is common knowledge that they are not dangerous or harmful in any way.
Personally, I get this blind spot where my vision goes into a little hole, which then wears off quite rapidly, then on comes the awful headache which only gets worse until I turn all the lights off in my house and go to sleep. My nan also suffers from them and gets zig zags. Some people get no symptoms at all and just the headache.
There is nothing to worry yourself over, so you and your daughter should try not to panic :)
Thanks so much jsp. I truly appreciate you all sharing your experiences....because there's not anyone around me who can sympathize or reassure its all been a very terrifying experience. You would think by the sound of it that I should take comfort knowing that my mum has had a couple in the last couple of years and that I remember her complaining of them when I was young, but like I said, she doesn't really speak about things and obviously she hasn't had them like me for them to be a problem for her and really I must admit we aren't all that close either so I do feel bewildered with this. Without the help from you guys that are experienced with this thing, I don't know what kind of mess I'd be in this morning! I think I may have googled a little too much last year when I started getting them and read some pretty horrific info about them being potentially dangerous!!!! But I guess evidence shows with sufferers like you and others on here that the likely outcome is not what I have read.......
Do any of you or your families avoid triggers? Or do you just live as usual? I'm worrying thinking that I should tell Bella to do this and don't do that to avoid them..??? I've already told her to be careful when coming inside to dull lighting from being outside and not to eat cheese! Eeek! Maybe I shouldn't have put this into her head?? She spends alot of time on her iPad too and I told her she's now on time limits with it and to turn the brightness down and don't read small font......
Well it depends on what triggers it. Normally I do not avoid any triggers as they just come on completely randomly. Well, without any known triggers.
If she notices a pattern, of foods she eats or other random activities, then she should discontinue the activity and see if that helps preventing the migraines. Does she suffer from migraines regularly? Like a few in a month?
It took me a long time to realise mine where to do with my hormones/TOTM but the doc gave me some pretty good pills at the time which did the trick. My migraines also got worse when I went on the pill, I'd be in bed for days. The aura's weren't as worrying as the pain but I've had lots of migraines in my life, the worst ones have been when I lose vision in one eye, they don't hurt, they're just scarey as hell.
There are so many things that can trigger migraines, and until you recognise the signs of one coming on its hard to know what triggers it.
I think you're right Lauz lea...I tried so hard to find the pattern with mine and its almost impossible.....
Jsp...this was Bella's first ever one! Which is why I'm in a state of panic over it....I desperately hope that she doesn't get another one, or at least for a very long time! I'm sure this is what all of us wish for especially when it's our kids suffering.
I started taking vitamin b2 a few months ago because I heard it can help with migraines and I haven't had one since but I'm not holding my breath! I'm aware that they can come in clusters and then just vanish for no known reason and this is what it could just be...I've started Bella on the B2 as of today also and also some magnesium....these minerals will do her good anyways even if they don't do anything for her in the way of migraines...
Kel xx
Well it sounds like your daughter doesn't have much of a problem! As this was her first ever one, it looks like she will be similar to most of the population and only have a few, if any, a year :) this is nothing to worry about. Migraines are very common, just painful, and remember they're NOT dangerous.
Just make sure that if she has one again, give her some standard painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen if she is able to take them, turn of any lights so the room is dark or stop any loud sound which also makes it worse for most people.
The multi-vitamins may indeed help prevent migraines if the reasons for it was because of deficiency, although science has not yet discovered any causes of migraines, but it won't help taking them :)
Hi. I've suffered from migraines since I was 23 (I'm now 47) and its a family thing with us also. My mum gets them, my brother and now my kids who are 13 and 15 get them. We just have to carry on as normal with them. I have had medication from the docs to take when an attack starts (as soon as the aura appears) but to be honest these tablets made me feel worse so now I just take migraine stuff from the chemist if I need to. My kids are used to seeing me having migraines over the years so they know what they are and take it in their stride really. I wouldnt worry about it too much but maybe mention it to the docs when you are next there. For me, I dont think occasional migraines are too much of a problem and I certainly dont want the kids or myself taking medication every day unless the attacks become very frequent, which luckily at the moment they are not. Really stressful situations can trigger them with me but usually they are just random. Good luck.
Thanks humly. I only wish the family connection was a little more obvious so I could put my mind a little more at ease....I have an older brother and two younger sisters and apart from one of my sisters having her first and so far only one last year after giving birth, none of them have ever suffered and I would've thought that by now surely one of them would've shown a similarity??? It's also strange that I had my real episode with these auras last year and they were regular until jan this year and then not long after my daughter has had one! Isn't it strange with the coincidence? I dunno, clearly the whole migraine thing just doesn't settle with me because other then the one incidence I had with my eye at 11 or 12 I haven't had anything like it until 33! I only hope that Bella gets a big break before the next one!
Thanks again for the reassurance
xx
I have had auras all my life will be 70 this year-no ill effects-I am lucky that I just get auras and no pain at all-it start with a flashing half circle in one eye gets bigger and seems to move under my nose because for a while there are no lights then comes from inner other eye and works its way across then goes.Fell a bit tired after but that is all.My mother had them as well.
Hi. I see you've had a lot of replies, and I haven't read them all so I'm sorry if I'm repeating what someone else has said.
I started getting migraines when I was around 18, and I got them from my Mum. Sometimes I get them with an aura beforehand (I get very clumsy and have a sense of unrealness) and other times I don't. Our GP believes that it's a hormonal thing that was passed to me when my mum was expecting me - she started getting her migraines when she fell pregnant with me. I haven't yet overcome them, but my mum has and she attributes that to taking Feverfew and Magnesium supplements. You could perhaps have your daughter's mineral levels etc. checked at a complementary health clinic, and ask about if she is old enough to take a dose of Feverfew daily?
One other thing: I know it must be awful to see your daughter suffer, but please try not to worry that she will experience things exactly the same as you have. Even though my mum and I both had migraines, we experienced them in very different ways, so there is no saying that your daughter will suffer as you have (for example, my mum got a blind spot and flashing lights, which I haven't had). Not knowing whether that will be the case or not is the most anxious thing though, I know.
Also, I try to take some comfort from getting a migraine attack in a weird sort of way, because I know how to deal with it, and I recognise it. I take my medication when I first recognise the symptoms, I go and lie down and I wait for it to go away (usually asleep). I know then that that will be the end, which is a feeling I don't get with the anxiety/panic attacks.
Good luck.
Oh, and I forgot to say: I also have a younger sister, who has never experienced a migraine, even despite mum and I both suffering, so it seems to me that sometimes these things skip siblings, much the same as siblings aren't guaranteed to have the same hair/eye colour etc.
I get migraines with aura just like you describe. Flashing zig zag lights on the periphery of my vision and then the vision itself goes weird, blank spot that kind of thing. Lasts about 25 mins and then comes the thundering headache and vomitting. Only had 3 in my life (I'm 33) thank god.
I don't think they cause any harm beyond how awful they make you feel when you're having one. I used to work with someone who had them more than anyone I've ever known. They'd be once a month easily and she'd have to run off and sit in a darkened room at work for ages waiting for the flashing lights/vision probs to go so she could make it home.
They're horrid things - I tend to get them at times of v extreme anxiety.
Thankyou to all of you for sharing your experiences. Please know that everyone of your replies has brought me extreme comfort.
I just had my first one in 5 months 2 days ago!! And i honestly think it was the worst one!! The aura hung around alot longer then the typical 30mins!!! And i was in bed the entire next day still having the migraine pain.
I really have a feeling mine are both hormone and eye strain related? I have been reading alot lately and spending hours and hours on my iphone reading small print. Can anyone relate?
Kel x
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