Terrifying visual disturbance - migraine or Brain Tumour?

[cattia]

I had a terrifying experience this evening that is unlike anything that has ever happened to me before. I sat down on my bed at the end of the day and started to look at my phone, then I got this sort of blind spot, like you get when you look at the sun. At first I thought I must have looked straight at a bright light, but it got worse and then I started to get this line of bright, flashing zigzag lights that floated in my vision. They seemed to be more in one eye than the other. When I tried to focus on the screen of my phone, I could not see it properly to type or read. I picked up a book to see whether I could see that and I could make out some words but not others.

I went downstairs to tell my husband who was totally unsympathetic. I could still see around me but the flashing line was very bright and right in the middle of my vision. The whole thing lasted about 10 minutes. There was no pain at all.

Of course I googled this and the most likely explanation would seem to be ocular migraine but why would I suddenly have something like this now when I have never had it before? I have been in and out of BT fears over the year and of course I am terrified that this is some sort of seizure caused by BT. I will try to book an appointment with my Dr. I'm really worried about it happening again, especially if I am driving or on my own with the kids as it was so scary :(

I should also add that I am 33 weeks pregnant. I have been under a lot of stress the past few days and I also have developed a cold today. My DH is in a stress with me now because I said I was worried about cancer and he has no time for my HA.

[toria]

Hi it sounds like a ocular migraine where you get the aura but no headache I never had ocular migraine before but when I was 23 weeks pregnant a few years ago I had my first one it frightening me I went to the hospital but said I was fine I got another one just after my son was born but again the hospital staff were not concerned and only had one other one when I was extremely stressed, if you are concerned pop to drs or mention to midwife but have heard its sometimes common in pregnancy hope that helps take care x

[cattia]

Thank you so much, I am hoping it's that. It was just a horrible thing, although I think it wouldn't have been so bad if I knew for sure what it was!

[judipat]

It was definately an ocular migraine, had my first one a few years ago (I;m 57). It frightened me to death. I've suffered migraine for years, but never with aura or an ocular. I've had a few since then, usually in one eye and with no migraine pain. They usually last 20/30 minutes - I just sit with my eyes closed else it makes me feel quite sick.

[cattia]

Thanks so much, for once google seems to suggest the less scary option (although I know I still shouldn't have gone there). I just hope it doesn't happen again any time soon. I do suffer from regular migraines that are one sided, but this was something new.

[DaisyP]

I have had this and the first time it terrified me!! It was a visual migraine - so migraine with aura its called. I couldn't even see anything on my computer screen. It's terrifying! Hope it doesn't come back - ive had it once and touch wood it hasn't come back although I do suffer with migraines too! X

[F2Fmma]

I can tell you first hand that its just a migraine. I get hemiplegic migraines that start out like that. Mine cause stroke like symptoms. Loss of speech, numbness in one side of my body ect. I've had them since I was 17 and I'm still alive and kicking. Hope this helps :)

[DaisyP]

F2fmma, I have just had this form of migraine. Awful! Hence why I now have massive Ms fears. Off the neurologist this morning.

[cattia]

F2fmma, I have just had this form of migraine. Awful! Hence why I now have massive Ms fears. Off the neurologist this morning.

I have a friend who has these, it sounds terrifying.


Thanks for the replies everyone. I am feeling a little more reassured but there is still that nagging voice of anxiety telling me this could be something bad! I have booked into my Dr. for next week so fingers crossed.

[DaisyP]

I don't think it hurts to get it checked out (not saying you should because I know us HA sufferers panic when someone says get it checked out). Maybe an eye test would be good, they can see so much from your eyes but I have no doubt it's what I had too.

Luckily I don't get the speech part of it but the numbness was terrifying.

[Serenity1990]

As far as I understand it with eye symptoms as an indicator for brain stuff, the serious stuff comes and stays, whereas this came and went. I understand you are scared, I would have been too. And by all means do mention it to your doctor, if you're getting migraines you need to get them treated!

[Hck80]

I get these too, they started beginning of last year when I was pregnant and got them bang on every 6 weeks. I've had two wince my daughter was born, and when it first happened I was terrified. Sometimes I would get the banging headache after but often I wouldn't. It was put down to hormones

[flipsake]

I've had them for the last 5-6 years. No pain. Stress triggered but sometimes am stressed and nothing happens.

[cattia]

Thanks so much for all the replies. Interesting to read that others have also suffered this when pregnant. I will ask my midwife about this when I see her tomorrow but will also see the GP next week. I'm really nervous about it happening again, more because it was so scary and I don't know what it was rather than because the experience itself was awful!

[thehypochondriac]

Ocular migraine. I've been a migraine sufferer all my life but when i was pregnsnt, they changed. It's just your hormones going crazy!

[DaisyP]

Hi Cattia, my friend got massive headaches when she was pregnant and also when she had her baby about a few months later when she was sleep deprived she got a migraine with aura - the dr said they can be bought on with sleep dep. x

[WalkingWithSpiders]

Agree with the others that it sounds like an ocular migraine. I used to get migraines with aura a couple times a month, and they got worse when I was pregnant. I'd have some zigzags in my field of vision--a couple times I lost a small part of my vision. Also have had tongue go numb (weird sensation!), and the scariest time, I was slurring my speech like I'd had a stroke.

Interestingly, I mostly stopped getting migraines (at least the kind with aura) after giving birth and also stopping the birth control pill, which I'd been on for about 10 years.

One way to help that's safe during pregnancy is taking magnesium and riboflavin (one of the B vitamins) supplements--learned this from a neurologist. I don't recall the exact amounts, but you could probably google it. Good luck!