was this a migraine?

[toria]

Hi just after some advice I went to a wedding yesterday long story but I went with people I don't no to well I was driving and it was about half a hour away I got so worked up ad not keen on weddings and driving at night I was on edge all day and felt very nervous anyway when I finally got home I was so glad I went to lay in bed and I suddenly got a zigzag Za line in my eye it was only there for about 20 minutes and then it went but I was so scared I got a very slight headache and today I feel a bit low and scared it will come back was this a migraine aura or something else when I was pregnant over a2 years ago I got a blind spot in vision twice but this was a zigzag line I got it checked at time and they thought it was a retina thing as I am very short sighted and with the hormones, please help any advice would be appreciated thanks toria x

[Mark13]

If you're feeling up to reading about these things you might want to check out Scintillating scotoma on Wikipedia (it's a migraine aura).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma

[toria]

Thank-you I have read it,it was very helpfull do you get them x

[Mark13]

No I don't but get other visual problems:

Visual snow
Phosphenes
Floaters

So I've read up on eyesight problems :)

[rb1978]

I've only had a few migraines in my life but each time they have started with visual disturbance - pretty much how you described to be honest.

In each case I've had a kind of shimmering, flurescent zig zig line just outside my field of vision for about 20-30 minutes. When I get this my vision has also been affected and it's really weird to describe it - I can see things but if I try to focus on something specific (like a face on tv or some text) I can't see it properly.

I tend to find after about 30 minutes tops the shimmery zig zag and vision probs go and then a heaache follows. I once got off lightly with a mild headache but the other times it's been the mother of headaches. I was once sick with the pain of it believe it or not.

I've only ever had a few migraines but each once came at a time of great stress.

[Col]

Hi toria, I get this and from what you've described it's a migraine! I get full blown migraines have done since primary school. I start with a flash of light like a camera mark in my vision,
Then I get where I can see half a person infant, half of everything in my field of vision. Then that clears the half thing , but my visions just generally darkend ( frightening ) like I feel faint and light and weird???? At this time I get a zig zag line in my vision and when this FINAL visual thing clears I get a feeling like I've been punched at the side of my head!!!!! I was shocking when I first got struck down by panic attacks last years, having to deal with this as well!!!! Sorry for rant , but yea from my experience it does sound like you were experiencing some kind of migraine.

[Catalyst]

I've had migraines with aura a few times. The zig zag thing - which stays when you close your eyes. And losing the centre of your vision (like people's faces sort of turn into a blur when you try to look right at them. Its horrid & really freaky, especially the first time it happens!

I was really anxious after my first time (which came out of the blue in a supermarket) I worried about it happening again. It did, but not for about 10 months. Then I had another one 9 months later & another just 2 months after that. The last 3 all occurred during or straight after competitive sport - so as there was a clear connection, I put the cause down to exertion, dehydration or perhaps a lack of sugar. So I started hydrating better & eating properly when playing sports and it hasn't happened since (its been 25 months for me now). I'm sure it will happen again one day, but my advise (and what the doctor told me!) is to take some ibuprofen as soon as an aura starts as this will hopefully lessen the subsequent headache pain. :wacko: