View Full Version : How Long do your Visual Migraines Last?
Hi All
i am not very happy at the minute :( after going 20 months without a visual migraine I have now had 2 in a week.
the first was one in the middle of the night but I justified it as I was on holiday drinking more alcohol, not taking magnesium, hormones (just before period) and change to sleep patterns. It lasted about 20 mins so normal length and then I felt a bit rough the next day but overall ok.
however a week later I was on the excercise bike and noticed a small blind spot, then the wavy line started and I knew it was happening again. I rushed back to the hotel room and sat in the dark and I think it lasted about 5 minutes.
i have since read that a “red flag” is an aura that lasts less than 5 minutes. I am now terrified it is a brain tumour as I read a study on presenting symptoms of brain tumour, I have no reason for why the second migraine occurred.
are your migraines always the same length and same eye?
No my optical auras aren't the same length or the same eye. I have had only the optical variety in the last couple of decades, prior to that I used to get migraine proper. So, I have had them in clusters, like 2 or three in the same week and I have had lengthy gaps of 1-2 years, seems no rhyme or reason. I have also had it where I will have it come and go a few times during the day, so 20 mins, then another 5 minute one a short while later, and then another one for a few minutes a short while later. This isn't a medical opinion, but it is my theory that the shorter ones are ones that naturally are stopped quickly rather than the usual 20 minute jobbies. So, if you manage to keep it below the standard time then the body has bounced back more quicklr - or something like that - makes sense to me anyway. I've not had one now for 9 months I think.
I've occasionally had five-minute ones, they scared me at the time but didn't do me any long-term harm.
Thank you so much for replying.
I hate them so much. They send me into a panic more than anything else ever could, almost like a panic attack.
I read that magnesium can stop them that’s why I take 400mg a day but if I start getting them now even with the magnesium I am going to be in a real state ��. I have had a headache all day starting in the middle of the night. Though I have just got back from holiday and moving house tomorrow so stress is fairly high lol.
Its nice to hear other people get these visual auras (I am sorry for your suffering though). I am counting down the hours since I last had one and won’t be happy until it has been a month.
I have just upped my citalopram to 40mg. So far it hasn’t really made a difference.
They still scare me too and give me panic attacks, its the most horrible feeling. I think its not suprising you have had one today, given all thats happening in your life. I try to remind myself to be positive, that they aren't full-scale migraines which make you really unwell and last all day.
Phoenixess
21-10-19, 19:47
My first ever visual migraine was on the eve of my 29th birthday two years ago and i was terrified i read online it can stay up to 20 mins or so before the wavey circle disappears...mine got bigger and bigger and then vanished so yer....i wasn't too scared despite it being my first. Try not to worry, i could believe alcohol, stress and hormones can all trigger it.
take care
A visual aura lasting less than 5 minutes would only be a "red flag" in someone who has never had a visual migraine before (there would also be some other "criteria" applied, but I won't list them as I don't want to feed your/anyone else's HA reading this)
Tumours in the occipital lobe (I assume that's what you're worried about) are ultra rare (less than 5% of glial tumours occur in this area) - in simple English, a tumour in the occipital lobe is the "rarest of the rare"
On the less likely hand you're worried about a stroke, I assume the "1989" in your name is your year of birth, which makes you 30. Unless there is a strong family history of atherosclerotic/vascular disease, you can also rule this out.
I am very sure you have nothing to worry about :) good luck
My first ever visual migraine was on the eve of my 29th birthday two years ago and i was terrified i read online it can stay up to 20 mins or so before the wavey circle disappears...mine got bigger and bigger and then vanished so yer....i wasn't too scared despite it being my first. Try not to worry, i could believe alcohol, stress and hormones can all trigger it.
take care
Thank you for your reply.
my usual ones are 20 minutes which is why the 5 minute one scared me so much. I am now just living in fear of another one coming on, like every minute of the day I am noticing sun spots/floaters and have a panic because I think it’s another
A visual aura lasting less than 5 minutes would only be a "red flag" in someone who has never had a visual migraine before (there would also be some other "criteria" applied, but I won't list them as I don't want to feed your/anyone else's HA reading this)
Tumours in the occipital lobe (I assume that's what you're worried about) are ultra rare (less than 5% of glial tumours occur in this area) - in simple English, a tumour in the occipital lobe is the "rarest of the rare"
On the less likely hand you're worried about a stroke, I assume the "1989" in your name is your year of birth, which makes you 30. Unless there is a strong family history of atherosclerotic/vascular disease, you can also rule this out.
I am very sure you have nothing to worry about :) good luck
Yes you are right I’m worried about a tumour.
i would go to the doctors but I am 100% sure they will just be like “have you upped your medication yet? Have you started seeing the psychologist yet?” And however much I insist they take it seriously they won’t. I am not knocking him though he is a great doctor, I will only see certain doctors because I know they listen to me. But in this instance I know as an outsider it sounds like it is just a visual migraine but I HATE myself for googling and coming across a study. If it wasn’t for that one study I would be ok right now, and it only involved 3 subjects.
sorry if I’m rambling, it’s my first day back at work and I’m already running late lol x
Sorry, but read this again.....
A visual aura lasting less than 5 minutes would only be a "red flag" in someone who has never had a visual migraine before
SO, what are you worried about, you've had visual migraine many times before ?
And however much I insist they take it seriously they won’t. I am not knocking him though he is a great doctor, I will only see certain doctors because I know they listen to me.
They won't take things seriously that don't merit being take seriously. 'Listening to you' seems to be a synomn here for 'take my HA fears seriously and start testing, despite their years of medical training indicating there is nothing physically wrong'.
Here's a list of some of the weird aura phenomena I've had before.
* Aura with no headache
* Aura with mild headache
* Daily aura for several days, finally developing a severe headache
* Three auras in one day
* Two auras in three hours
* Aura lasting five minutes
* Aura lasting two minutes
* Aura starting with three separate blind spots
They're weird, they're scary, but they absolutely don't mean you have a brain tumour.
Here's a list of some of the weird aura phenomena I've had before.
* Aura with no headache
* Aura with mild headache
* Daily aura for several days, finally developing a severe headache
* Three auras in one day
* Two auras in three hours
* Aura lasting five minutes
* Aura lasting two minutes
* Aura starting with three separate blind spots
They're weird, they're scary, but they absolutely don't mean you have a brain tumour.
You are probably one of the nicest people I never met. I see how you always comment on people’s posts to reassure them and I hope you realise how invaluable it is to have someone respond to you in your time of need.
Its been 4 days since my last migraine hoping to make it at least a week :)
Sorry, but read this again.....
SO, what are you worried about, you've had visual migraine many times before ?
They won't take things seriously that don't merit being take seriously. 'Listening to you' seems to be a synomn here for 'take my HA fears seriously and start testing, despite their years of medical training indicating there is nothing physically wrong'.
I agree and I feel so stupid worrying like I do. HA has took 14 years of my life and it is only getting worse as I get older.
it is a constant voice in my head and the more I tell it to go away and ignore it the louder it shouts until I have no choice but to listen.
The minute I get over one worry my brain is trying to think of something else to worry about, whether it was something that happened weeks ago or something that is happening right now.
I really hope the pschologist can help. I thought that the anti depressants were working but i believe they were just placebo.
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