Aura migraines - are you a sufferer and do you know your triggers?

[WearsblackLoveschocolateAvoidspeople]

I’ve suffered from aura migraines since pregnant almost 20 years ago. The first time I was about 3 months pregnant and it scared the life out of me.

For me, it starts with a weird sensation in my vision, like I can’t quite see but also can not quite locate it until the blind spot turns into a flashing zig zag. This then grows bigger across my vision and renders me useless for up to an hour. I find the best thing is to go to bed, close the curtains and try to sleep it off but it effects me mentally and physically. I have this weird panicky feeling, my hands and feet become very cold and at times numb, my stomach gurgles loudly and I just can not rest, it leaves me so agitated. Lasts no more than an hour but afterwards I’m left exhausted and very light sensitive.

I’ve always attributed them to hormones due to getting them during my pregnancies then later in my late 30’s. I would get them on the 3rd day of my period. Weirdly they became less frequent following a uterine ablation and iron infusions in 2022. Since then I will experience them only a few times a year but no longer during my period, more odd random times.

Just experienced one this morning, I was sitting chatting to dh at breakfast time and realised I couldn’t see his arm 100% clearly, 15 mins or so later the zig zag flashing came followed by the panic, confusion and cold hands/feet (even though it’s boiling here today). It has now passed but I’m left exhausted, feeling slightly headachy and just weird (never really get a full on migraine). Not really sure what had triggered this one. I’m 51 and in peri and worry that will trigger more in time.

Even after all these years they still scare the crap out of me.

Anyone else experience these? Do you know your triggers?

@WearsblackLoveschocolateAvoidspeople yep I had a phase of these years ago and occasionally get them now. On reflection it did coincide with menopausal symptoms and also stress. I managed them by taking a couple of paracetamol the minute the aura started especially at work. To be honest whilst they sort of worked I just put up with the process of the aura going but then having a headache. Some were worse than others and the day after always felt awful like someone had hammered inside my head. What I would see is if your dentist has any idea as I notice on my recent visit to my dentist he advertises having a new speciality in discussing symptoms of migraine. Might be worth also keeping a diary of when you get them in more detail and if you have eaten anything to trigger them. Obviously get some proper medical advice as well.

I get these usually triggered by tiredness but got loads when tried hrt so some hormone connections

Mine sound very similar to yours and also started whilst pregnant 8 years ago. I had another whilst pregnant with my 2nd and then a couple since. I’ve found my triggers are dehydration and feeling stressed (so high blood pressure?) - I now make sure I drink plenty of water and to try and relax as much as possible. They are super scary though, I’ve been to the doctor and been told not to worry too much about them.

Not sure of my triggers but I think they are caused by hormones and lack of sleep.

I get the aura migraines and it's not just the vision problems but also mild headache, can also affect speech, balance and makes me feel odd for a day or two.

They are horrible and nothing seems to help. Even meds from the doctor.

Yep, mine are cycle-related so I haven’t had one at all the whole time I’ve been pregnant!

My first warning signs that one is coming are slurred speech and dysphasia. As soon as my words start coming out jumbled, I know I’m in for a rough time and take a sumatriptan and go to sleep to try and see it off!

I get these too.

My triggers are dehydration, tiredness and bright sunlight.

I get these, disturbed vision, feel sick, giddy and intense pain in one hand. Sometimes have 4 or 5 episodes in a day, then I can go for a few days without having one. I also have MS so I assumed it was my MS playing up but Neurologist said no, migraine with aura possibly hormone related as I am menopausal age. But I wonder if it may be caused by spasm in my brain. I know I have white matter lesions on my brain and brainstem from MRI scans. I often wake in the night with these too. HRT didn’t work to stop it. GP has now prescribed a beta blocker to prevent migraines. It’s really horrible I know.

Forgot to add, I never get a headache with these symptoms, and there are NOTHING to do with me having MS, in case anyone is worrying

Yes I get these. They are really annoying. I get the zigzag light things where I can’t see properly, and then half hour to hour later the headache starts.

I find if I take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibruprofen as soon as I notice the aura then the headache isn’t too bad. I don’t normally have to go to bed or anything, I can just get on with my day as normal once the vision stuff is gone. If I don’t take the meds quickly the pain is a lot worse and sometimes it makes me feel sick too so I’m pretty paranoid about having the painkillers available. They leave a hangover feeling for a few days.

Triggers are definitely hormones as they went crazy when I was pregnant. Also sleep deprivation, dehydration, blood sugar drops. It’s always the day after though. So we were at a wedding yesterday and up very late last night, hot day, alcohol, and it’s likely I’ll have a migraine later today or tomorrow at some point. Sometimes I have none for months and months, sometimes I have a lot in a few weeks.

Bright sunlight for me- particularly when I've been in the car (driving past trees on the motorway on a sunny day, flash flash flash flash with the light). I try and remember to wear sunglasses on sunny days as this helps.

I am also triggered by too much sleep. If I have a lie in/ sleep for an extra cycle on the weekend, for some reasons it makes it more likely.

Yes, I get them every few months. I had the last one a week ago. Exactly as you describe.
I thought it was hormone related as I had them a lot when I was younger and then again when I was on HRT but I stopped HRT earlier this year.

I think stress is definitely a trigger. I’d had a very stressful week. Nothing major but lots of little things. I was a bit off colour all day beforehand. We were in a shop and I suddenly felt very hot and dizzy and sick. The aura didn’t start until about 8pm though.

I felt rough for a day or two after as well.

Yes, mine are like yours. Had my first one when I was about 40. I thought i was having a stroke - it was terrifying; I'd never heard of them before. I can't seem to figure out a specific trigger although I think lots of bright light doesn't help. They do seem to be very random though.

That's interesting, I hadn't made the connection before. I'm on HRT and only started getting aura migraines in the last year or two, so that ties in.

I find them disconcerting, but they only seem to last half an hour or so which is a relief.

Ah yes I find bright flashing lights hard too, especially flashing sunlight, but any flashing or flickering light I try to avoid.

I don’t know if they actually trigger the migraines or they just look like the aura zig zag visual disturbance and so it freaks me out. Sunglasses v helpful

Mine used to be triggered by light shining through Venetian blinds especially if the blinds were moving slightly in the breeze and the light was coming from the left.

I read somewhere that caffeine and sugar, particularly the caffeine helps with the pain or something so DH always knows if I have a migraine cos it’s the only time I ever drink a full fat coke or a strong black coffee

You've described my migraines perfectly!
My trigger (which has taken me 30 years to work out) is changes in the weather, but alongside something else, eg lack of sleep, stress. Like a pp, I find if I take painkillers whilst the zigzags are still there, I can cope with the headache. I've found soluble aspirin best.
I also have signs that one is on its way before the aura starts, yawning a lot, numb patches on my face, everything sounds very loud, jumbling my words.
They can be scary but there's some comfort in knowing what they are and how to deal with them in a way that works for you.

I get the zig-zag aura thing, but they tend to come at the end of a fortnight of cluster headaches which then stop.

I don’t really get a headache at all but more of a spaced out feeling.

Unfortunately for me, caffeine & sugar are triggers so this method doesn't work. Some people find them helpful though.

Other triggers for me are flashing or strobing lights, bright sunlight, night driving, tiredness, high stress, dehydration, eye-strain from excessive use of screens (phone & laptop mainly, even with filters on). Also, recent migraine is a trigger for it, so if I'm in the 24-36hr 'hangover' period post migraine, I'm much more susceptible to another one.

I take a daily preventative at a high dose, plus baby aspirin (as per neurologist recommendation). When I get attacks (aura migraine & the painful kind), I take normal dose aspirin (600mg) and then a 100mg triptan. Plus eat a salty snack and drink an electrolytes replacement drink.

I get standalone aura migraine and aura as a precursor to migraine with pain and vomiting. Sometimes my painful migraines don't have visual disturbances but that is rare.

Had only one so far in my life. Also made me question what the heck is that, never heard of them before. 111 asked me am I pregnant and I said: may be, I just had sex this morning and she said: oh dear....sarcastically. I still think I should complain about her to our local NHS trust

I get these infrequently. Well past menopause though but i have noticed that its at times of stress that i am more prone.
I think for me it must be high blood pressure along with some additional stress as i do have a diagnosis of HBP and am on medication for that. Ive had 2 occurrences this week ( tiny bit of extra stress - self inflicted) and they freak me out.
Thankfully the headache I have got so far is more of the pressure type so i manage to largely ignore it. I know im lucky in that though and keep a stock of painkillers just in case there's a change to that.

It used to be bright lights or rushing about. Now it's just random and they wipe me out for hours which is new. I was at the opticians yesterday and asked if they knew any causes. She asked me if I drink enough water which to be fair I don't. I'm going to try drinking a lot more water and see if this makes any difference as they are becoming more frequent and making me feel awful.

I don't really get the headache and if I do it's mild so I should be grateful there I suppose!

Dehydration, bright and / or flashing lights (I permanently wear sunglasses even in winter) and oranges (but not orange juice) and pork (but not bacon / sausages / gammon).