Aura migraine - does anyone experience these?

[Dustmaiden]

I’ve suffered with aura migraines since pregnant with my son, 18 years ago. My mum gets them too and occasionally so does my sister.

I’ve always put them down to being a hormonal thing as they started in pregnancy then after I’d always get them on the 3rd day of my period.

However, 18 months ago I had a uterine ablation and an iron infusion and haven’t had one since so thought that had ‘cured’ me.

To my absolute dismay (and panic as they scare the life out of me). I’ve just had one come on. Classic weird blind spot which turns into a flashing zig zag which arches across my vision which lasts around half hour then fades leaning me with a mild headache and weird, shaky spaced out feeling.

Of course, me having health anxiety im
now panicking why they would disappear for a year?

Yes I get these too. Used to get full blown migraines which would last for around 3 days. They then stopped when I was mid 30's. Had a period of no migraines for a good few years then about 10 years I started to get aura migraines. I'm not really sure what triggers them, possibly stress.

I have had them since I was a teenager, but unlike you, I didn't get them while pregnant. When I noticed this pattern in 3 pregnancies, I asked the doctor to give me the pill or something that helps control hormones. I could only take the progesterone only pill but it was magic- no migraines since then.

I had an ocular migraine for the 4th time yesterday. Wavy shimmery lines.
First time it happened, I was bending over scrubbing the floor. I'd got up to read the paper and couldn't make out a word followed by wavy lines.
I was absolutely terrified so just went straight to specsavers. No messing about. The optician more or less diagnosed me straightaway.
Yes I was pushy but no regrets as I was very very scared.
Second and third time I was relaxed about it but yesterday for some reason it scared me again.
So on to optician again who reassured me.
I feel a bit stupid today but I forgive myself as heck these things ARE frightening!! It's not as if I'm nagging them about a broken toe!
I also hadn't slept well which ramped up my anxiety and probably triggered it in first place.

I had something like this just before a big storm. It lasted about 40 minutes and was a half moving kaleidoscope effect in my left eye. Never had it before or since. It really freaked me out.

I've had them since my early 20s and I'm now in my 60s. Mine seem to be triggered by stress, poor diet, oranges and bright or flickering lights. They are classic zigzag flashes, blind spots in my vision and a headache over one eye. I sometimes feel very sick too.

Now that I no longer have a stressful job I have far fewer attacks, but they can still suddenly blindside me (excuse the awful pun). They continued after I went through the menopause so I don't think mine are hormonal.

I used to take Migraleve for them, but now I take paracetamol and ibuprofen.

I get them about once a year. Started after my second child. No reason for when they come on.

Yawning seems to be a sign I’m going to get a migraine, excessive yawning always followed by an ocular migraine. They don’t happen a lot these days thank goodness, and if I do get one I don’t get the headache and vomiting, I feel out of sorts for a day but I can function.
I’m on beta blockers for high blood pressure, within two months of starting beta blockers my migraines almost stopped.

I've had these for many years, but thankfully no headache with them. I did read somewhere that fear can be a symptom which could explain your anxiety OP, I always feel that sense of doom when one is coming on too so I do sympathise. I have no idea what triggers mine, it used to be hormonal but I'm way past the menopause now.

I have them. Sometimes I can get 3 in the space of a day, sometimes I can go 3 years without them. There doesn't seem to be any pattern or reason about it. Had my first one when I was 10.

I had one 7/8 years ago .
At the time my periods were irregular (every 2 weeks ) I had no sleep the night before . I was bending over taking shopping out of some bags , everything was blurred .
I was terrified thought I was having a stroke 😳 it lasted around 10 minutes until it moved through my vision out of the corner of my left eye.
Never had one since .

I've had them occasionally usually triggered by very bright light, they come and go without any pain but the blurry side vision is annoying and makes it hard to see/read for example.

Totally understand Carmargo, they are very scary indeed. I should have gotten used to them myself after 19 years but every single time has me in a panic. I wish I hadn’t had that one last week because I’m now obsessing again like I use to, looking for any weird visual sensation.

I get these now (minus the headache) so my eyes do floaty and unable to focus for about half an hour or so. I’ve been checked out by the optician and doctors so I’m not worried but ‘concerned’. I think it’s stress and being overtired that triggers it.

Yes I find it hard to logic away the fear. The opticians must be sick of me. Lol.

I have had them frequently at this time of year for about the past 5 years. They can be problematic if I’m driving or lecturing. I just have to wait them out. It takes about 15-30 minutes. I am often clumsy afterwards. Right now they are about 2x a week.

They start with a blurry spot in my vision and then turn into a full blown light show with flashes and rainbows.

I have no idea why they are an autumn event. My HRT is good. For a few years I had my eyes checked and got new glasses, but that doesn’t explain it.

I get them too! But I'm really lucky I get them without the pain, that must be awful 😞 Also lasting around half an hour. I've actually just finished an aura and it was completely random, no external trigger for it whatsoever. I did note them down in my calendar to see how often they occured and it was so sporadic but always lasting between 27-32 minutes tops. It's so strange.

Mine started after menopause! I really can't identify any triggers - sometimes they come and go all day, sometimes I don't get one for weeks. No hormonal link for me.

Apparently they're not worrying health-wise, though of course they're bloody inconvenient and knackering.

Mine were definitely hormone related. I had the first one a few days after giving birth. Then I was on the combined pill and had several more, but when I was taken off that pill and put on the POP instead, I've not had another in 10 years.

That’s interesting SwottyDaisy, wonder if it’s a rise in atmospheric pressure or something similar during this time of year?