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?

Mine were hormonal, went back on the mini-pill and from having 3 a week haven't had any for over 5 years, life changing.
I would genuinely recommend going on the mini-pill, it take a a couple of months for the hormone levels to regulate to where you won't have any. I was on beta blockers, looking at triptans, unable to plan or commit to anything as they were so regular, childcare hugely difficult, can't recommend the mini-pill enough.

I always thought mine were stress related, but the past couple of years have shown that I also get them if I'm out in the sun for too long without shades.

I always know when mine are coming because I feel sick, and not many people get what I mean when I say this, but it's a different type of nausea. The vision changes within 5 minutes of the nausea but I know it's coming just because of the specific sensation.

Mine started with peri and come the first few days of my period. My biggest symptom is.an.impending sense of doom, like at any moment a huge and painful migraine is going to attack. My neck feels stuff and I feel I can't move my head. I don't see properly around the periphery of sight. Twice they have then developed into full blown.migraines where I though I might die, it felt like something was about to burst in my head, I couldn't lie down, or move.

The flashing trees/sunlight in cars I have always found really threatening but it has never actually triggered a migraine however it does trigger the beginning of the doom feeling. Mine are obviously hormonal bc they only come around my period. My mum got migraines during her menopause and they disappeared after her period did so I am sure they will go that way for.me

I suffered migraines though out childhood and until my 30’s. I realised, in my late 30’s when I had therapy, that my trigger is stress and anger. I’m not usually an angry person but growing up with a violent father and emotionally abusive mother effected in ways I didn’t recognise until I had my won DC. One was I was angry about the way my parents treated us and had no safe way to express that.

I emotionally separated myself from my mother when I moved away from London. The migraines stopped until I started working with a psychologist. It was suggested I write a letter to my mother, not to send but just to get things down on paper. I struggled to write the letter, couldn’t focus on the page, couldn’t see what I writing. I had to go to bed and get a friend to collect DC from school. Next day I realised was trying to be polite and always minimise my mother’s behaviour. Once I let go of that and freely expressed my feelings and grievances the migraine stopped and I haven’t had one since.

I've had them for as long as I can remember. Mine are triggered by stress. They usually start by blanking out a bit of text e.g...hello (blank), what are you (blank), today?", then flashing zig-zags out of the corner of my eye to full on kaleidoscope vision. It lasts around 10 minutes and apart from feeling a little drained I have no side effects from them.

I get this once a month

sumatriptan helps

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I'm sorry you all suffer too but it's a welcome relief to find others who's experiences are similar to mine.

Not sure what triggered mine this morning. I have been suffering from chronic stress for quite some time and it is playing havoc with my mind and body in general. I have been experiencing some weird dreams this last year, in particular false awakenings and I did have one of these this morning so maybe that was a trigger?

I get the nausea too, still have it after this mornings attack. It is a weird nausea because I know that I won't vomit, it's like a hungry nausea and I feel as though I need to stuff my face with carbs or protein in order to quell it.

I have been prescribed Cerazette due to the fact that my decades of heavy periods have actually turned out to be endometriosis, I only discovered this 6 months ago following an MRI at the age of 50. The gynae wants me to take the mini pill until I can get my laparascopy next year but I have been hesitant in case it triggers more aura migraines so it's reassuring to hear they are helping you.

Either related to my cycle, or flashes of sunlight, once after quickly looking up to see a hot air balloon in the sunlight. Get zigzags like bunting on one side, can't see properly. Closing my eyes and resting shortens it. Feel sort of wowy and woozy afterwards.

I get these, I think it's stress for me .
As soon as the zig zag appears I take a sumatriptan and it solves it within about ten mins.

Wears black- I would definitely go on the mini-pill if you've also been recommending it by a medical professional. Like I said, I haven't had a migraine in over 5 years, not even an issue anymore and I've 100% got my life back.

Peri was the start of mine, and I get them when I'm overtired, anxious or in hyperfocus mode. A nice C shape full of black, white and red zig zags and the occasional yellow bit. I don't get a headache with them, but do feel a bit hungover afterwards. They last around 20 minutes and happen between 1 to 3 times a week.

I’ve been a regular sufferer for years OP . My triggers that I’ve identified are hormonal ( this has lessened in menopause ) and my migraines are less severe ( now no sickness) . I get aura for about 20/30 minutes , sometimes tingling hands and mouth . The headache ( sickness ) five hours .I take painkillers as soon as the aura starts.

Other triggers for me - are flashes of bright light - I once got one from a flash of reflected light off a reversing car ! Also release from stress and MSG in Chinese takeaway . Eating Cheese and Chocolate on the same day also had an impact when I was young and at the peek of my migraines . There may be others!

The only comfort I can give is that aging has improved things for me and both my parents who also suffered

Lack of sleep, hypoglycaemia, having my neck in a particular position, hormones. Have had them for 30 years, and still worry that 'this time' it's a stroke.

A stroke is always at the back of my mind tbh as we have a stroke risk in the family. Saying that my 81 year old mum has suffered with aura migraines since pregnant with me 51 years ago so I’m hoping it’ll never come to that. Doesn’t stop the thoughts of it though.

Dairy products are my trigger.

Seeing Flashing and movement in the corner of my eye always feels like it may trigger one. I can't sit at certain angles to tv screens.

I'm dreading getting hormonal ones during peri.

For those with concerns about approaching menopause - I had a Mirena coil fitted alongside oestrogen patches and this seems to have reduced the frequency of migraines for me. I realise this is subjective

I can't figure out my triggers but hormones (peri now) stress and glinting bright sunlight are likely culprits.

Definitely much much worse now I'm peri. I have to take painkillers as soon as I get the aura to have any hope of functioning for the rest of the day. If I don't/can't I have to stop and rest. If I don't and try to carry on I get a cluster of them for 3-4 days in a row until I basically crumble into a heap and sleep. I hate them, viscous things.

I am working with gp on prevention. The one thing that seems to have made a real difference is Q10 supplements. There is some good evidence these can help some people and in the 6 months I've been taking daily I've only had one, fairly mild attack as opposed to almost one a week.

Mine are hormonal. If I take ibuprofen and full sugar coke in the early stages I can avoid a headache but I still get very sleepy and struggle with words and numbers.

I started getting these in my early twenties. I only get about 2 a year but hate them. Dehydration is a big trigger for mine. However, likely also to do with hormones as I found they disappeared for the few years I had the contraceptive implant and came back as soon as I had it taken out, then disappeared again when I was pregnant.

I would argue that there may be an underlying issue, eg hormones that can put your at risk of a migraine and then a trigger which sets them off.
My underlying issue was hormonal and then flickering lights or a bright light would set them off

The underlying condition is migraine which is a neurological condition. Hormones would be a trigger.

If you have migraine with aura you're more at risk of stroke, which is why you can't take the combined contraceptive pill if you have this type of migraine.

I believe the overall risk of stroke is still low though, so it's nothing to panic about, just to be aware of.

I deeply regret opting for a uterine ablation over a mirena. The ablation has failed abd now they can’t get the mirena in. Deep regret as I think it would have helped me now I know I also have endometriosis.

That’s interesting, I’ll look into Q10, my sister suffers awfully with regular migraines so I’ll pass that info in to her too.