Optical migraine sufferers.....

[Mostu]

I recently made a thread about this. I never suffered from migraines nor headaches, yet a few days ago the middle of my vision went weird I couldn't read the letters I was looking at, but I could see the ones around. Soon, a horizontal colorful line appeared above the middle of my vision, and then, the whole left peripheral was foggy and shimmering, kind of like a heat wave on a hot day. No headache followed. I'm hoping that it was a silent migraine, but given that it was my first time and that I already had cancer, it's probably a tumor or metastasis for me :( don't wanna die at 26 years old... Booked an MRI for September 28 and my anxiety is through the roof

[Cptdebbie]

I get migraine auras without a headache. I’ve discovered that mine come on right after a stressful situation is resolved. For example: I was super stressed once about something and my friend talked to me, made me feel better, and soon we were both laughing. Before long I started seeing the blind spot on her face and the flashing zig zags. Sometimes I will get auras on the drive home after a doctor visit that I was worried about.

I know they are harmless. It still unnerves me when they happen. 😟

[Phill2]

I've had them without a headache for the last 30 yrs or so.
When I had the first one I rushed to the GP thinking it was a brain tumor or worse.
Turned out he gets them too!
His advice was to take 2 Paracetamol and they would go away in about 20 mins and it works.
Staying away from screens and bright light while it's happening and wearing sun glasses on bright days works well for me too.

[Joystick]

Mostu - how did your MRI go? I hope things went well for you and it is just a migraine. Take care.

[Joystick]

Thanks Phill2 - I must admit bright lights are a trigger. When driving in the summer I try not to look too long at the polished cars as that hurts the eyes and I always wear sunglasses. Unfortunately I'm allergic to paracetamol so I either let it run through or take sumatriptans if it feels bad.

[Mostu]

Joystick, my MRI came out fine. No tumors, just an incidental finding of a vascular loop which is benign. Funny thing is that I talked with my dad and he suffers from the same thing every now and then, I'm wondering if that could be genetic.

[Joystick]

I'm so glad to hear your MRI was OK - what a relief! I have had two auras recently - one this morning that did not fully develop but then a headache which moved around the head. I am stressed due to better half now having MRI for prostate - it was hard work getting him to see a doctor at all. I'm sure this triggered the aura and I now have PMR so on steroids and not coping with stress as well as I used to.

[ErinKC]

Yes - you described it very well! I get them infrequently, but usually mine start with the one little sparkly part in the middle of my vision - like when someone takes a picture with a flash and that spot lingers, but shiny. Sometimes it'll just stay like that, but then other times it will expand into a circle or half circle and sometimes it will spread across my whole field of vision.
They usually last for 10-15 minutes.

[carriewriting]

I woke up with one a few years ago when I was under a huge amount of stress. I had an image like a kaleidoscope with my eyes open and closed. Eye doc said it was an ocular migraine and the way to tell is if you can still see the image when you close your eyes. Haven't had one since, touch wood.

[Joystick]

I had another aura recently. The centre of my vision went so that I could not read so I knew what was coming. As it was in the evening I decided to get straight into bed and let it run through. However, weirdly the aura did not develop BUT, my left hand went completely numb from the wrist down. I could articulate it - clench the fingers etc. but I could not feel myself doing it. I found this a little unnerving but I am due for a telephone consultation with the GP re PMR next week so I shall mention it to her then. I am hoping I don't get to the stage where it looks like I am having a stroke - I know I have talked rubbish in the past when having one. Today I have a sore upper left arm, an aching sensation up that side of the neck and through the jaw and a dull headache rumbling around all over the head, so I am hoping this is not the lead up to another one. If only I could understand the reason ... Thanks to everyone on here for posting - it helps to put things in perspective. These only started after I was 50.