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?

I get them. Been suffering migraine since I was 16, always with an aura which led to debilitating headache with vomiting, but in the last couple of years are mostly limited to aura.

Starts as a blank spot in the middle of my vision and then spreads outwards into a zig zag, sometimes a c sometimes a reversed c shape. Takes between 40-60 minutes to expand to the edges of my vision. Very occasionally I get the headache, but mostly now I feel lethargic and yawn a lot afterwards.

Stress, tiredness and a crash in blood sugar seem to be the triggers.

yep, was every few years now every few weeks, with no identifiable trigger at all. A ruck of blood tests and checks at the doctor revealed nothing beyond time of life. Fortunately it is just half an hour of visual disruption and nothing else, I hope that it gets no worse!

worth asking for some checks just in case.

I have found that if I take paracetamol as soon as the disturbance starts it goes no further and the head ache doesn’t happen. Only once as far as I can remember did that not work. Even the time it happened so fast and so badly I couldn’t see a thing, it was over in 15 minutes after taking paracetamol.

Me too, also definitely hormonal. I talked to my GP, and she recommended a high dose of evening primrose oil - you can take more than the recommended dose stated on the bottle - up to 320mg GLA per day. Been taking it for years now, and not had a migraine now for over two years, when it used to be several times a month. Not usually a believer in herbal remedies, and one time I ran out - a week later I had three attacks in two days! Back on them now, and no migraines.

I’ve got them ever since puberty - they are definitely hormonal and are getting less severe as I get older ( late 40s and perimenopausal) . I get 1-4 a month around my period ( whenever that might be :-)) What hasn’t changed as I’ve got older is the aura symptoms ( exactly as you describe ) . Triggers for me are stress/ release after a stressful situation and bright lights . I live in sunglasses on sunny days .

On the whole I just try and keep going through the aura symptoms ..luckily I’ve only been driving a couple of times in over 30 years and needed to pull over for half an hour.

Oddly coffee seems to have cured mine (for some people coffee is a trigger) I always knew caffeine eased them, so I started drinking coffee in the morning - no visual migraines since. I used to get them weekly, and they’re grim so you have my sympathies.

It's really interesting seeing so many of us have similar experiences. I was in a restaurant yesterday morning, and when I sat down I realised a light was bouncing off some shiny metal straight into my eyes, and I knew I'd have a migraine if I stayed there, so I moved to another seat.

DD sat in that seat instead, and I asked her if the blinding light bothered her, and she said she hadn't even noticed it.

I live somewhere that gets a lot of snow, and in winter I really struggle with blinding light bouncing off the white snow. Once it starts flashing I know I'm in trouble.

I get them too. They were frequent when I was in perimenopause, but in the last 18 months I’ve had about four. It’s definitely emotional stress related with me.

They start with a little shimmering spot and then the aura widens into a scintillating arc that moves out of my field of vision. Sometimes the first thing I notice is that a person’s face looks a bit odd. They last 20-30 minutes, and sitting down quietly with 2 paracetamol and (oddly) food seems to reduce the hangover/headache afterwards.

This thread is so timely! I've just started getting them, 2-3 times per week (headache is mild if at all). I'm going through early menopause (31) and my various symptoms seem to come on very intensely. Should be starting sequential HRT soon and hoping that will help with the migraines as I've never really even suffered from ordinary headaches before.

I get them, usually without a headache although (strangely) ibuprofen seems to help anyway. Triggers are hormones and/or fluorescent lights (especially the old ones). I don't mind the shimmering zigzags but the blind spot is annoying.

When I used the mirena coil (more hormones) the symptoms got much worse and lasted for weeks (along with other weird symptoms which were also apparently migraine).

I had them, 2 or 3 a week with my first pg (couldn't take any meds. That was grim 😵) and for quite a few years before and after that pg.

The way I tackled them was with breathing : deep breaths into my stomach (not shoulders), actively slowing right down the second I got the spot. I'm doing the breathing now as I'm typing, it's instinct for me now! I also took paracetamol which completely stopped the (ter-rib-le) headache from developing.

I also looked at my fear of them. Big fear and dread! When we're afraid, big adrenalin gets released, breathing becomes shallow - the deep breathing turns off the adrenalin response. The last migraine I had I carried on sewing (and breathing, regular big sighs, actively staying calm, shoulders relaxed) even though I couldn't really see. I faced down the fear I suppose and I never got a migraine again.

This worked for me, obviously doesn't work for everyone. But deep breathing can't hurt at the first sign.

I get them. Had my first one was I was 41. Had no idea what it was at first but was at home with my baby and it really freaked me out. I have black spots over eyes, then tunnel vision, then a black and white jagged flashing half rainbow. It’s so specific every time. Mine are happening more frequently. I am wondering if it’s the approach of the menopause

Mine can't be hormonal surely. I'm early 70s.

I get a couple of these a year, ocular migraine is what I know them as. The last one I had came on swiftly while driving on the m3.. luckily there was a services a mile or two away but otherwise I think I’d have had to have used the hard shoulder until it passed.

I had one when pregnant with dd (6 years ago) then none for ages. I'm now 43 and having them every few days so definitely hormone related for me. I don't get a headache so they don't really bother me.

Full sugar coke, preferably from a fountain/very cold helps sometimes with mine if I can catch them quick enough. Otherwise I tend to just ride them out as I get the aura but no pain. They’re not fun though - the first time I thought I was having a stroke, as I had numbness and tingling fingers and suddenly couldn’t remember words :( all checked out ok thankfully.

Yes, this is exactly my migraine pattern.There’s no way I could cope without the Zolmitriptan I get on prescription.

I take it as soon as I know it’s going to be a headache one and not just the aura. It works best if I then lie down and it will usually make me sleep for around half an hour to an hour. When I wake up, the headache will be gone. Very occasionally I need to take a second tablet, which is OK as long as there is a two hour gap.

The downside is that I do feel a little groggy for the rest of that day and maybe some of the next day, but I actually think I feel like that after a migraine anyway.

I am not one for taking medication frivolously, but in the case of these migraines I will always say that drugs are the answer!