Any Aura Migraine sufferers out there?

[RhodaCamel]

How do you cope with them?
I think mine are hormonal as I got them during my first pregnancy, then my second pregnancy, two years later. I then didn't experience anuthing until my early 40's. Now at 47, I get around 4-6 per year (usually on the 3rd day of my period) and they seem to be getting more frequent. My mum used to get them too. But even though I've experienced them for 15 years they scare the hell out of me. They usually start off with a blind spot in my vision which turns into a zig zag like flash which spreads right across my vision, over 20-30 mins, sometimes I get a headache, sometimes not. There is no warning sign, it just happens and leaves me panicky and washed out. I hate them. Has anyone had this? Do you have any advice on how to prevent them?

Hi
I get these very occasionally. They are horrible. I read that propranolol is good for taking when you get one. Luckily I am already prescribed these so the last time I had one, last month, I took one a the start and it passed quite quickly.

Yup, I get them.
The headache is usually mild and not anything like as bad as people tend to describe migraine headaches. But the visual disturbance is awful - zigzags like looking through broken glass. Mine seem to be triggered by stress and/or tiredness, so I'm watching for advice.

Thank you, it’s always good to know there are other sufferers out there as it’s such a disconcerting thing to go through.
twocatt I have read that propranolol can help. Do you suffer from any side effects from it, I hate taking meds but would like to see if they help.

Mine are often caused by sunlight, glinting off windows, car windshields etc or looking into bright light and then into dark.
I wear sunglasses religiously when its bright outside .
If I start to get the zigzags, I'll take paracetamol and lie down with my eyes shut where possible. If I'm at work or out, I just try to sit quietly with my eyes shut.
It will usually pass in about 30 mins or so.

Me! I’ve had them every six months or so for a few years, but just had three in the space of four weeks, which is worrying me and causing anxiety about having another one.

Eye test, sunglasses, turn brightness on all screens (including telly) down and blue light filter on phone.

If one starts I take paracetamol and drink cold full sugar coke. Helps it go faster.

Yes I get them, always exactly as you described. If I take painkillers when the zig zags appear I can usually head off an intense migraine and it's just a mild headache but if I don't get painkillers in time I get the full blown intense pain migraine with nausea.
Changes in the weather pressure can trigger mine, stress and pregnancy but often they occur with no obvious trigger. I don't get them too often thankfully, maybe 4 a year?

I had to have a brain MRI for different reasons and the consultant showed me bright spots on my scan which shows I'm a migraine sufferer. It's also linked to pre-eclampsia in pregnancy apparently, if you get migraines, you are more predisposed to having PE (which I did)

I get them probably once or twice a year, especially if I am really tired. The first time I experienced it I thought I was having a stroke! I just couldn't focus on anything, really bright flickering light in the centre of my vision. I can recognise what it is now which makes me feel a bit calmer but it's a real nuisance. I just try to sit quietly with my eyes shut, breathing slowly and deeply until it starts to calm down a bit.

Used to get them very regularly (twice a week at least). Since I started HRT almost 18 months ago - none at all!!

The app Migraine Buddy is very good at tracking them and trying to identify triggers.

This is my front page today (I've cropped personal details!)

I used to get them but haven't had one for a while. Mine is triggered by too much coffee.

There's a variety of preventatives available. You tend to try one, see if it works, then move onto the next if not. If you google you'll find lots of good info. They do all have their side effects so really it comes down to whether you can cope better with the side effects or the migraines IYSWIM.

I'm at the stage of using Aimovig injections which help prevent them somewhat, although I get fewer now, rather than none. I'm not sure the NHS covers them though - I get them through my health insurance in the US.

I take Rizatriptan when I get a migraine, and they really help. I used to take Sumatriptan which worked, but the side effects weren't great.

Speaking of which, I'm going to take one now, as I have a day of bright screens and meetings ahead of me, and I feel the warning signs.

I had to have a brain MRI for different reasons and the consultant showed me bright spots on my scan which shows I'm a migraine sufferer. It's also linked to pre-eclampsia in pregnancy apparently, if you get migraines, you are more predisposed to having PE (which I did)

So interesting! I also had PE.

I got them constantly through my teenage years then they seemed to stop as an adult but have recently started up again over the last few months. I think during my teenage years it was hormonal but now it seems to be triggered by my sleeping patterns being messed up.

The ones I've been getting as an adult for the most part aren't anything like as bad as when I was younger; the scintillating scotoma (zig zag lines) is horrible but the pain is much more manageable. I just use ibuprofen.

My mum gets them too, she says she started getting them when she went on the pill. I've never taken the pill as due to the migraines with aura I'm not allowed.

I've had them for over 20 years. I get exactly the same as yours OP. They still scare me when they start and I lose letters in words if I'm reading or on my I-pad. I can go a few years without any and yet last week I had 3, 2 on Wed. and 1 on Friday.

I get them exactly as described in the OP. I know when one's coming as I can't see people's noses! Then the arch of zigzag lights starts and contines for 20 to 30 mins.

I get them about 3 times a year, but had a nasty cluster of 4 or 5 over the Christmas period.

I associate them with hunger and lack of sleep.

I’m definitely going to start tracking my sleep and stress patterns. I’ll look into the various meds and have a chat with my gp, I just feel they are going to get worse now I’m in my 40’s.

I get them, also can be caused by sunlight bouncing off things or flickering lights. They got much more frequent around the menopause (early menopause) and I didn't get on with any preventative treatment, but I used acupuncture. Much better now as I don't get them too often.

I have exactly the same as you OP. I finally learned what my triggers were as I was getting them almost monthly, so no doubt a slight hormonal connection, but hormonal in conjunction with not drinking enough fluids and/or a flickering lightbulb brought mine on.

If I notice the blindspot quickly I take a couple of ibuprofen. I'll still get the aura (or kaleidoscope effect as I call it!) for 20-30 mins but once it's gone I don't get a raging headache. I get a dull headache and still feel washed out.

If it comes on overnight so I don't get a chance to catch it, I get a horrendous headache and feel washed out for a few days.

Best tip by DP ever gave me was to lie in a dark room with a cold, damp, flannel on my forehead. It really did help.

I'm grateful I don't get them as badly as my mum used to (hers have stopped post-menopause!) as she was cooped up in a dark room with a sick bucket for 3 days when she got one.

My trigger is flashing lights, particularly florescent ones. If i can get to it in time, I can head it off with a half hour lie down in a dark room and 800mg of ibuprofen. Its definitely hormone related for me too. HRT has been the best preventative for me

I get them. I think with me it's hormones and stress. Sometimes I will go a few months without one and other times I have quite a few only days apart. A couple of weeks ago I actually woke up in the morning having one.

They are unpleasant and I had to stop taking the pill a while ago because of them.

Starts with a blindspot and then the zig zags for about 30mins. Then a dull headache afterwards.

Mine are definitely hormonal. They started when I was first pregnant and I then had them with all three of my pregnancies. They stopped after the births, but started up again during my menopause. I've just realised reading your post that I haven't had one for about a year, but I was getting them quite frequently in the previous four or five years.

I found the best way through them was to sit quietly in a darkened room if possible (or the staff room when they happened at school) and they usually passed in about 20-25 minutes. I even got to the stage where I found them quite interesting if you followed their progression to the outer edges! I am lucky in that they were very rarely followed by a headache but they did make me feel a bit spacey afterwards.

I get them too, in fact I had one this morning. I also lose the right eye and nose of people I look at their face and then get the zig zags. If quick enough I take the pink migraleve tablets, sit quietly and it's gone within 45 minutes. Afterwards though I feel really dizzy and quite 'out of it' which isn't pleasant. Thankful not to have the terrible headaches or nausea though.

I saw a neurologist and he recommended ...grrr. Another after-effect is that I forget words and I genuinely can't remember what it is. I'll come back when I remember. I don't take enough of whatever it is that's evident!

I get them. Little ball of disturbance in the middle of my vision which gradually expands to flashing zig zags in the shape of a reversed C. The GP prescribed sumatriptan and I'm not getting so many in the last few years.

Reading with interest.

I had these very frequently a few years ago.
I was in the perimenopause stage.
Triggers? Not sure but could have been stress.

Knock on wood I've not had one for a couple of years or more