View Full Version : Afraid Ocular Migraines are actually mini strokes
Anyone else suffer from ocular migraines? I have had 3 in my life. They started at 22 and now im 33. I haven't had one since last March. They always happened as I was studying on a computer while looking at my phone every 5 seconds and texting. My breathing would also have been very shallow.
The same things happened all three times. My vision was a bit blurry in the sense I coulden't read words off a white page and I couldent read the words on my phone. This lasted for about 20 mins with some zaggy lines on the outside of my eyes which gradually left my vision. I only however got a headache after two out of the three times.
I was beginning to accept these were just migraines until during the week I read an article about Frankie Muniz having these mini strokes which sound an awful lot like ocular migraines. I Then stupidly researched this online and found they can be a precursor to actual strokes. From that point on iv been in a constant state of panic. I'm so afraid my migraines were misdiagnosed as mini strokes. Now im terrified i will have a stroke at any moment. I feel like a complete ticking time bomb.
I went to the doctor today and he said he would be very very surprised if they were mini strokes which makes me feel awful since he wouldent give me 100% assurance that I was looking for. He said to me I have no risk factors in that i'm not overweight, not diabetic, not got high cholesterol and most of all im young. He said he never would have seen anyone my age with mini strokes. this didn't make me feel better though since he didn't give me 100% certainty that they weren't mini strokes which is what I wanted.
does anyone know much about mini strokes and ocular migraines? Can someone please help me put my mind at rest i'm desperate. I literally dunno how il deal with the next migraine if I think il be having a stroke.
I also read somewhere online that anxiety may cause a stroke or stress might cause one which made me more anxious or stressed.
What you're describing is the scintillating scotoma associated with migraine with aura. I've had them since I was a kid. It doesn't occur in stroke, mini (ie, TIA) or otherwise. Migraine with aura does slightly increase your lifetime risk of having a stroke, though, so it's important to keep all the lifestyle risk factors in check.
What you're describing is the scintillating scotoma associated with migraine with aura. I've had them since I was a kid. It doesn't occur in stroke, mini (ie, TIA) or otherwise. Migraine with aura does slightly increase your lifetime risk of having a stroke, though, so it's important to keep all the lifestyle risk factors in check.
Oh god thats me not sleeping tonight :roflmao: Thanks for the reply though
---------- Post added at 22:03 ---------- Previous post was at 21:59 ----------
It doesn't occur in stroke, mini (ie, TIA) or otherwise. I read that
frankie Muniz lost his peripheral vision when he had his first episode of TIA and I lost my peripheral vision too the first time I had an aura...than again my doctor told me today TIAs don't come with an aura
Yes, you can lose peripheral vision during a TIA, but it's not the same as a scintillating scotoma, which has that distinctive kaleidoscope/herringbone effect. I sometimes lose my ability to speak coherently with my aura, and also get pins and needles in my throat and down one side of my body. It's still NOT a TIA.
Yes, you can lose peripheral vision during a TIA, but it's not the same as a scintillating scotoma, which has that distinctive kaleidoscope/herringbone effect. I sometimes lose my ability to speak coherently with my aura, and also get pins and needles in my throat and down one side of my body. It's still NOT a TIA.
Thanks thats actually a bit more reassuring. I guess the fact I had three clear triggers is something to put it in the migraine category aswell
I was about 10 when I got my first one. I'd been doing somersaults on the trampoline in the sun and I went inside and FREAKED OUT when it started. I was so scared it was never going to go away and I'd never be able to read again. It was a few years before I even knew what they were, and a few more again before I stopped worrying and started to sit back and enjoy the show, lol
---------- Post added at 15:22 ---------- Previous post was at 15:20 ----------
PS I'm 49 and haven't had a stroke yet :yesyes:
I was about 10 when I got my first one. I'd been doing somersaults on the trampoline in the sun and I went aside and FREAKED OUT when it started. I was so scared it was never going to go away and I'd never be able to read again. It was a few years before I even knew what they were, and a few more again before I stopped worrying and started to sit back and enjoy the show, lol
That would literally be my dream to be able to be so relaxed about them. The sickening thing is for my last migraine I was relaxed for the first 15 mins of the Aura than the last 5 minutes I just lost it and freaked out. As long as they aren't TIA I should be ok.
---------- Post added at 22:25 ---------- Previous post was at 22:23 ----------
[/COLOR]PS I'm 49 and haven't had a stroke yet :yesyes:[/QUOTE]
Right on, imagine I get to 49 and don't have a stroke yet I spend all these years nearly killing myself with worry:weep:
anxiety really is poison :D
Well, my last one I had three auras back to back and that *did* make me nervous because that hadn't happened before. But apparently it's just another variant. And it's still NOT a TIA.
But yeah, once I understood what they were, the fear of them mainly went away.
Well, my last one I had three auras back to back and that *did* make me nervous because that hadn't happened before. But apparently it's just another variant. And it's still NOT a TIA.
But yeah, once I understood what they were, the fear of them mainly went away.
What is so mad is that another Doctor told me they were nothing serious and brushed me off. They didn't even seem to have TIA on their radar but yet I still worry like mad about TIA
Well, they are nothing serious in and of themselves. No need to worry. Lots of people have them. Your migraine is not going to turn into a TIA.
My first post here after years of lurking but I had to respond as I can totally relate to every word in the original post especialy mini strokes being misdiagnosed as ocular migraine .However the symptons you describe are far far less severe than the symptons you would experience if you were having a mini stroke I E facial muscles drooping on one side severe pins and needles in hands arms face incoherent speech and temporary paralasis down one side of your body .I have suffered with severe ocular migraine since my early teens and I am now 52 and I haven't had stroke yet ,thank god .I hope this gives you a little comfort as I completely understand your concern.All the best to you.D.
I've had one but, I'm 17 and don't think I'm going to have a stroke anytime soon. Strokes before 40 are not very common.
WorryRaptor
14-12-17, 18:10
I've only been diagnosed with regular migraines. Ended up in A&E with numbness in left side of face and arm weakness and they ran a CT scan. Said everything was fine but then I read that CT scans wont pick up a TIA as its such a temporary thing, only a major stroke.
I expressed my worries but was told that some migraines can cause these symptoms. I randomly get tingling and facial numb patches in left side of my face now, and a 'weak' eyelid with slightly dulled vision that gradually improves over a few hours (all ticks the TIA box aggghh), and am terrified each time that I'm having a mini stroke. Wish I could reassure you, but I'm more or less in the same boat. The good thing is that you have a history of occular migraine, which makes it more likely to just be a side effect of those, rather than a TIA.
You'll be grand!
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