Migraines

[Flute56]

I get migraines from time to time but never to headache I only get visual disturbances which only last for about 10 minutes

When you have the migraine, write down everything that you have eaten and drank on the day, if you had a poor sleep the night before and whether you feel stressed or not.

After you have some data, look to see if there are any common themes and eliminate them.

I used to get the aura only migraine monthly, sometimes more often & realized cacao/chocolate was the main trigger after embarking on an autoimmune diet. I also realized walnuts, cheeses especially mouldy types, beetroot smoked fishes were triggers that I avoid now. I barely get them now unless I'm about to catch a cold or other upper respiratory virus.

I was recently told by a private neurologist that you generally don’t get brain scans for migraines now unless they suspect a stroke e.g. hemiplegic migraines. It’s to do with cost.

I’m really sorry your doctor seems so dismissive. There really isn’t a lot they can do for such short migraines. Triptans generally take upwards of half an hour to start to working so would only be helpful if you had symptoms in the run up (prodrome) or had a ‘hangover’ afterwards you need to manage.

I have those short-lived ocular ones in one eye now and again, they last about 30 minutes and I can't see in that eye. I think it's stress related. You are best off trying to work out the trigger. You are not going to get scans for something so infrequent and short.

I also get 2 day long migraines that are incredibly painful, every few weeks. I had to go private for scans for it, there was no resolution except triptans.

I'd say if you had one 3 months ago and now another you're not having frequent migraines. In bad times I get them every few days but mine cause vomiting that if I don't get meds soon enough, need an injection to stop.
I doubt you need meds look at what's happening before the event ...stress, lighting, activities and see if you can find a link

There's an app called Migraine Buddy where you can record the above

How often are you having them? They're over and done with within 10 mins that's not really a major thing ,is it? They ARE just one of those things.

I never get vomiting and although i get aura in one eye i can still see put out of that eye

Mines like illuminated sharks teeth with weird pixelation like the Predator movie. I think there are a few triggers. A freind had his crippling migraines ameliorated with acupuncture.

I am coming back to this thread because I have just had another migraine

ARe you taking anything for them? I seem to remember that you can get sumitriptan OTC

No I am not taking anything because whenever I have a migraine it's over in 10 minutes so I have been advised on here that it's not worth taking anything because my migraine is so short-lived whatever I take would not do me only good because by the time the medication gets into my system the migraine would be over so what is the point and last night I phoned NHS 111 and they got me to speak to a nurse for some advice and she was absolutely useless because she kept telling me that I migraine is ahead pain and I kept telling her I don't have a head pain I just get aura and then she kept telling me that this is not a migraine which I'm having and I said yes it is because if you have the Aura only it's called an ocular migraine and then she said to me have you been diagnosed with migraines by a doctor and I said no because I know the difference between a migraine and a headache and although I don't have the painful migraines it is still a migraine because I have Aura and she kept saying to me but a migrate is a pain in the head and I said to myself you are a nurse and your disputing the facts that a migraine can be an aura only and I said to her who don't seem to be helping me very much and you don't seem to know what you're talking about so I put the phone down I just said it's not worth continuing because she was acting as if she didn't know what she was talking about so I said we'll have to end this conversation because I don't feel your doing me any good at all and then she said to me but I'm listening to you I said but I am telling you I have ocular migraines and then she kept on repeating herself do you have a pain in your head and I said no and then she said a migraine is a pain in the head and I got so frustrated I put the phone down

I have quite a busy job and I use computers and last night I was working very concentratedly for a number of hours trying to get my work done and it was the same the week before and on both occasions I had a migraine so I don't know if that's the factor I really am at a loss

One of the doctors at my surgery actually told me that because I don't have a pain in my head when I get a migraine and I just get the Aura then it's nothing the doctor can do and I need to see an optician

In which case, you need to look at your triggers. Some are obvious, some aren’t. Some are smells rather than food, some are weather changes.

I posted a link earlier so, I repeat https://www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/factsheets-by-symptom/headaches-and-migraines.

A good dietitian with knowledge the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Clinic (which is the world gold standard of elimination diets) is likely the help you need. The site I linked from has a list of dietitians. Some are UK based, others will take Skype consultations.

Some people above mentioned chocolate, oranges, shellfish - all are amine contributors which are well known as migraine triggers but they aren’t necessarily your triggers. You will need to search with the appropriate assistance.

People here https://www.facebook.com/groups/380347182034474 can help, too.

I get ocular migraines and retinal migraines regularly and good old fashioned migraines occasionally. Computer screens are a trigger for me, so I use dark mode or a yellow orange filter on the screen to help.

Response to migraine treatment really depends on the healthcare professional you get. After finding a lovely GP I now have sumitriptan which really helps if I take it at the first sign of anything. Although the actual visual affects may only last ten minutes and you dont get pain (I get some like this) it doesn't mean the pre- and post-migraine stages don't affect you - I get mood swings, wipe out tiredness, find it very hard to concentrate, and get incredibly hungry. It does impact.

For me, I always drop a sumitriptan and a migraleve at the first sign, with a full sugar ice cold coke (sugar and caffeine) and eat something salty. This combo does seem to see off the worst effects although still feel off for 24-48 hours.

@Flute56 You do need to go and see an optician to rule out an issue with the retina. We can see if there is a hole or tear in the retina, or if the vitreous jelly is pulling on the retina causing the visual disturbances.

Otherwise, as PP said, you wouldn't need treatment/investigations for them. I get visual migraines once a month or so, mine are usually when I'm hungry and I find that eating a few dried apricots helps (that is very niche though!!)

@CallThatCloudy there's nothing actually happening in the retina, during an ocular migraine, it's happening in the visual cortex. The reason the GP asked the OP to see an optometrist, is to rule out a retinal problem.

@theeyeofdoe Point taken, but bilateral v unilateral will quickly rule out retina. GP should be able to do this. Retinal checks and scans always worthwhile, of course.

Sounds more like eye strain do you look away every 10 minutes and take breaks every hour?

It doesn't unfortunately, visual fields overlap, which then confuse people and as the vitreous jelly deteriorates slowly, you can get a bilateral PVD in around 10% of people

I have already been to the optician the last time I had a migraine and the doctor I saw told me to see the optician and the optician had a look at my retina and gave me a thorough examination and said there was nothing wrong

I have an appointment to see one of the very good GPS at my surgery and I have known her for 30 years and she is not the type of GP to fob me off like the others have done

I know this is not related but as a teenager as suffered from a seizures and blackouts and no doctor could ever find out what was wrong with me or what triggered those blackouts they thought I was epileptic but it turned out that I wasn't after various tests and they suddenly disappeared and I haven't had a seizure or blackout for over 40 years

I was never given any medication for the blackouts because they said I wasn't epileptic so they didn't see any point in giving me anything so I'm not taking any medication to prevent seizures and I haven't had a seizure for 40 years

@Flute56 that’s good.
you just need to accept that you have migraines then, work out your triggers and get on with your life.