To ring 111 or is it ridiculous?

[beigelamp]

34 weeks pregnant and feeling completely fine until about half an hour ago when I was watching TV and my eye slight suddenly went really funny. All I can explain it as is a coloured flashing zigzag in my left eye. I've no other symptoms except this. I wear glasses anyway, but my eyesight really doesn't feel right. Kind of like double vision but not extreme.

I don't know how to explain it other than that.

Am I being ridiculous? Is this just a type of migraine?

Op if you feel like you're making a fuss or that you're being silly, please don't. Pre-eclampsia generally feels pretty mild, I had a slightly dodgy ankle and the odd headache. Please please go.

Call your triage unit and go and get a BP check. This happened to a colleague at 34 weeks. BP high and ended up unwell in HDU having a c section that night. I don’t mean to scare you but don’t take a chance.

That was my first symptom of preeclampsia, you need to get it checked

If you don't usually get migraines I think you should call maternity triage for a check.

If you weren’t 34 weeks pregnant it would probably be ok to say it’s a migraine with aura, but at this stage of pregnancy and with symptoms you’re describing you need checking. Just ring the maternity triage and arrange to go in. If it’s nothing you’ll be home in an hour.

Thanks all, I'm going in to be checked. DM thinks I'm wasting time but I honestly don't really care.

DM doesn't make the call here. It's you and the baby

So glad you're getting checked! Chances are you're ok but it's better to know for sure having been checked out by qualified professionals than to make that call yourself (and possibly have the worry hanging over your head). Let us know how you get on.

Op you’re doing the right thing, don’t worry about people saying your overreacting just get your baby checked that’s the most important thing.

I had this at the same sort of stage. Turns out my BP was sky high and it was the first sign of pre eclampsia. Always better to get checked. Don't listen to your mum, it's too dangerous to ignore.

I had this a few weeks ago. I rang 111 and they told me to go to a&e so it is good you are getting checked out.

Glad you are getting it looked at.

Just to reassure you though; I had the exact same thing happen when I was 30ish weeks pregnant. I had never had it before and I freaked out - I was convinced I was having a stroke. My doctors surgery were dismissive so I called maternity triage. They did some quick checks (took half an hour max) and confirmed I was fine and to follow up with a GP.

Unfortunately I do now get migraines with aura semi frequently now, so be prepared it might become more regular!

@beigelamp another thing to consider is retinal issues. Flashes can be a sign of retinal detachment. Can I ask what your wear glasses for? If you are significantly short sighted you are at high risk of retinal issues anyway. So if maternity is fine, I’d get seen by an optician asap too.

Fingers crossed you're OK but I think you're making the right call

I had what you’re experiencing for the first time when my baby was 6m old. I now get them about once a year. The doctor said they can be triggered by changing hormones. That said you should get checked out. I called 111 when it happened to me

Ignore this poster anyone who reads this for advice in the future.
@beigelamp absolutely the right thing to go in to get checked.
It might be your first ever migraine but that is only given as a diagnosis after exclusion. No one on the internet should be telling a pregnant woman something to make them not seek help.
Im sorry your mum doesn’t understand your first ever possible migraine in pregnancy is something you need seeing.

everything crossed it’s “just” a migraine.

Just odd as I literally have no other symptoms apart from that episode and the headache, which is not severe but still. I'm just waiting for a lift to hospital

I had something similar in pregnancy. I decided it was a migraine. Turned out it was a TIA and they delivered the baby by C-section after I had a worse one. Get checked out please.

Definitely right to go in and get checked. There should be no messing around with any chance of pre ecclampsia.

They would much rather see you, reassure you, and send you home well - it’s not wasting anyone’s time

Youre not being ridiculous. If you are worried you must seek help. Hope everything will be OK x

Good luck OP - you’ve done the right thing by going in to be checked. Hope all is well

I had this with no headache. Was a migraine aura. I went for a check. Good you are going to as well. Good luck!

Having had pre eclampsia 3 times and eclampsia once, please go & get checked!

OP you're not being silly at all. I was in similar situation at 37+6 weeks fine in the day seen by midwife at lunchtime. By 730pm I had a headache that got worse and worse then the rib pain started which ive never felt such pain and pressure in my life. Got rushed to triage and had sky high BP and pre eclampsia only hours after being fine so never chance it. I also suffer with migraines. Always best to get checked out. I hope you and baby are fine.