Does anyone else suffer from Aura Migraines?

[Twoweekcruise]

Sorry, this isn’t an AIBU, I’ve put this here for traffic as I am so scared of these auras. I’ll get it moved if needed.
Does anyone else get aura migraines?
I first experienced them 16 years ago age 32, when pregnant for the first time then again 2 years later during my second pregnancy. I had very few after that, during my late 30’s.
I am now 48 and for the last 8 years or so I have been getting more and they seem to becoming more frequent.
My trigger must be hormonal because I get them during my period, usually the 2nd or 3rd day. My mum also got them and my younger sister also occasionally sufferers.
I absolutely HATE them. Even after 16 years they still scare the hell out of me and trigger panic attacks.
They start off like I suddenly can’t see properly, if I look at someone I can only see some of their features or on a clock face numbers will be missing, it then turns to a definite blind spot which then becomes a small curled up zig zag which slowly unfurls until I then have a huge psychedelic zig zag right across my vision. I have no choice then but to sit or lay and cover my eyes for about 20-30 mins until it passes. Sometimes a headache will follow but often there is nothing other than a weird spaced out/washed out feeling which can last a day or two.
I have mentioned it to my GP several times but they don’t seem particularly interested. I have had two this week and have booked to have my eyes tested.
Can anyone relate to this? Do you take any meds for them? Is there anything which can be taken to prevent auras starting? I drive for a job and am in constant fear I will get one whilst driving down the motorway.

Should add this. This is basically what I get across my vision.

Oops, didn’t load.

Oh well, there’s two visual descriptions now lol!

Sorry this won’t be very helpful. But I’m watching your thread with interest to see if anyone does take meds or has any suggestions. What you have described I have the exact same could have been myself writing your post. They scare the hell out of me too.

Yes I get that. I had two the other day and the one time I was driving and had to pull over for half an hour until it went. I don’t always get the headache straight after (I get headaches a lot anyway) but I do feel weird and fuzzy for a while after.

I sometimes worry they are a sign of something serious but I think they are quite common?

I get these sometimes. No pain, just lose my vision. It's annoying and a bit scary but a good sleep tends to right them

Yep, pretty much exactly the same as you. Weird visual disturbances that last anything up to an hour and then usually an intense headache afterwards.

I've never worked out what triggers them, they just come on at random. I find eating something really salty helps massively though, think dumping a shitload of salt into some crisps and giving them a good shake. Normal painkillers usually take the edge of the headache if I catch it early enough, and for a day or so I'll feel fuzzy and detached.

GP was also completely useless about it.

Yes. You have pretty much described my migraines
I don't think there is any actual research but a daith piercing helped me. I was having them in a cluster so lasted several days.
The covid jab triggered them again. Still in a cluster, the worst one lasted 9 days! The GP prescribed sumatripan which helped a lot

Yes I get them. After an initial panic with my first (thought I was going blind- exactly as you describe with patches of missing sight) I actually find the aura quite useful as if I take co-codamol the minute I realise the aura has started, I can stop the migraine developing. Without the aura I wouldn't get the pre-warning. No idea if this would work for others but it's never failed for me.

Hi OP, I get exactly the same thing, rarely get a headache, just the aura. Sometimes I can go weeks without them and other times I get them every day.

At various points I have thought i was having a stroke, so I understand your anxiety. However having read a lot of the research on them they are mostly harmless, you just have to be careful with some medication like contraception.

There is a specific type of CBT you can get that helps you manage your anxiety relating to a chronic condition such as this. It would absolutely help with your anxiety

Yeah I have that sometimes, maybe once every 3 months?
No headaches at all though, just the zig zag thingy. I don't know what triggers them at all.
Generally it goes away in like 30-45mins.

I get them, they're pretty common. I take sumatriptan at the first sign and that sometimes helps them fade away without getting too bad. Some people recommend full fat coke but I've never found anything other than triptans and sitting in the dark to help.

I get these too, doctor not concerned. I find I get them a lot when I need my glasses prescription changing, so could be worth a trip to the optician?

I've had them since I was 16, now 49. If I'm driving I pull over and wait for the aura to pass, I can usually tell if one is coming on, I get about 10/15 min before my vision I really impeded.

I don't tend to get headaches at the moment, just a carb craving and feel washed out and sleepy for a day. Mine are either stress related, so if I've been stressed and relax too quickly, like have a wallowish hot bath, that will trigger one, or hormonal, for years I had them with a three day headache around my period, thankfully that phase seems to have gone for now.

Painkillers don't touch them, apparently if you get auras, the pills that some people have to stop them aren't advised (I think that's what the docs said). I used to take codeine when the pain was unbearable, but sparingly, for obvious reasons.

A bag of frozen peas to the back of the neck or on top of my head can help but I just have to stop and wait it out. The visuals normally pass after about 15/20min.

Sorry, not much help.

I get them, I once went almost completely blind for a couple of hours! Can't help on the medication side of things, but I generally just have a lie down and wait for it to pass. I don't find it scary, I know what's happening and it won't last long. The only worry is if it happened when I'm driving, not been that unlucky yet..

I get migraines with the aura and headache, this has improved as I have got older. Sadly my dd 13 has started having the auras only, GP did full neuro check no problems and said to get an eye test, she is shortsighted in one eye so has glasses now but no real improvement. Optition suggested it is hormonal and ask GP for blood tests and maybe the pill.

Yes. Had these since I was 11yo and got my first period! Exactly as the pictures show. Usually a pms symptom but had them particularly frequent during my second pregnancy. I prefer these to my other type of migraine though - the visual disturbance with those is more like being under water (everything goes wavy) and then I get the most agonising headache that builds and builds until I vomit and then it eases. Usually comes on at night and the whole thing lasts til the early hours - it's horrible. Luckily I get those less regularly! My mum and grandmother get both types of migraine too.

Yes I get these too. There's no trigger for me they just come from nowhere and like you I need to lie down for half an hour and let it pass. I had one the other day while I was working so couldn't lie down and had to keep working (physical job). After around half

an hour it passed but shortly after I had another one. That's the first I've ever had 2 and I'm assuming it was the fact I was active during the first one it triggered a second one. I also had one when I got into bed a few weeks ago which took me by surprise as I've never had one at night before it's always been during the day.

I get these. Had them on and off since my 20s. Mine seem to be triggered by dehydration. I didn't know what they were for many many years until I thought to mention it to an optician and he says they were "eye migraines".

If yours are becoming very frequent then do mention it to the optician but ime they aren't anything to worry about so try to calm down about it. You really are getting very anxious unnecessarily and that's making the experience of these so much worse for you. If you got one whilst driving you could just pull over. They pass very quickly as you have said.

mindfulnessmeditation.net.au/arrow/

I only occasionally get the headache though and even when I do get one its only minor. Had one a few weeks ago where my headache was worse than usual and one side of my face went numb. Actually now that I'm writing this down its made me realise that's the 3rd noticeable difference in recent weeks. Ive had these for about 10 years and it's only been recently that they've been different to what they normally are.

You've described my auras perfectly! Like a PP if I take painkillers whilst the flickering is still happening I can stave off the headache. I also get auras without the headache but at the time I don't know which it will be. I get other pre migraine stuff too (yawning, numb patches on my face, speech problems) usually well before the aura so I have a good warning.
Since the menopause I have been much better but this isn't the case for everyone.

Your first image is pretty much identical to what I experience. Always starts as a small sparkling dot missing in the middle of my vision. Usually I only realise when I'm talking to someone and their nose appears to be a sparkly dot. The dot turns into an arc shape and slowly moves up and to the right hand side of my vision. Then it slips out of sight. I usually feel hungover for the rest of the day, but don't always get a headache.

It started when I was pregnant in my late 20s. Sometimes it would be twice a week, then nothing for 3 months. I wasn't allowed to take the contraceptive pill because of it. However, I'm now in my 50s and on HRT and they seem to have stopped. I've just realised I've not had one for about 2 years!

Yes! I too had my first one when I was about 11 weeks pg and it scared the shit out of me. I get them occasionally now. There isn't much of a headache, just the visual disturbance.

Like @SusieBob, I find salty carbs (crisps/pringles) and water really help and after a few minutes I'm generally ok. I have been known to teach through them, but that's only a couple of times.

Yes, have had them most of my adult life. Mine are triggered by weather and hormones. I can’t do much about the weather but I have Mirena and HRT (I’m peri menopausal) to try to even out fluctuations.

There are various preventative medications your GP can prescribe for migraines if they’re becoming more frequent and if you’ve no control over what triggers them. I’m now on monthly Ajovy injections, but that’s not an option unless you have 15+ migraine days per month.

Failing all else, there are various medications in the triptan family that you can take the minute you get a hint of them coming on and which may be able to head things off.

Other things that help me, and people can differ on this, include full fat coke, red bull, Purdey’s, Kendal Mint Cake, and a hot curry with lots of garlic, ginger and turmeric.

Migraines are horrible, so it’s worth talking to your GP about them to get help. If you think the frequency is increasing, it’s worth downloading an app like Migraine Buddy to track symptoms, as it will allow you to share reports with your doctor and support treatment decisions. Hope your GP can help you get some relief soon

I get them too, no headache, no pattern I've identified, probably 3 or 4 times a year since I was about 25.
(No advice either I'm afraid, just wanted to show you how common they are)