Migraines

[PerkyOchrePeer]

I get ocular migraines. No idea why. My doctor has prescribed tablets but because my migraines are only 15 or 20 .minutes, the tablets won't help because by the time the tablets get into my system, the migraine will be over. Any advice?

I'd suggest seeing if you can find out what your trigger(s) is. I have migraines that can last 3 days so 15/20 minutes seem a breeze. Having said that I don't know how painful yours are and I guess if they occur at a poignant time then it's not ideal.
Keep a food, weather and stress diary, time of day etc.

My ocular migraines are nit painful. When I saw my GP last week she said it may be due to lack of sleep or iregular sleep patterns or dehydration or skipping nèaks.i dont skip meals and am trying to get more sleep at the same time each night and am drinking more water. I never gad a migraine in my 20s or 30s or as a teenager

Like I said, I do not get any pain with my migraine. I get flashing lights for 20 minutes and that's all. Last time I got a numb hand but that went away when the migraine stopped but I ended up feeling exhausted for a day. This time I just had the flashing lights and no exhaustion, but when it wore off I was at work and felt a bit confused as to how to do my work but it soon came back and I continued working for the rest of the day. I dont think my migraines are food related. I have asked to be referred to get some sort of neurological test and the answer is no. I've now been given migraine tablets to take when I get one of these attacks, and my GP said they are not a painkiller as I'm not in pain.. I dont think there is any point taking them because my migraines is over too quickly and they will not get into my system quickly enough to stop the migraine and to be honest, the migraine goes anyway.

I really want to know why suddenly from the age of about 45 I've been getting these occular migraines. No doctor us willing to send me for tests. I am so frustrated because if I was tested then they might be able to give me something to stop them happening in the first place. What's the point of giving me a tablet to take when it's happening when it's over so fast

When i googled up the tablets I was given it said they were to eas the pain of a migraine but I dont get pain and was assured by my doctor that these are not a painkiller but google says otherwise

The optician told me that ocular migraines are common in middle aged women. Linked to hormones.

I was sent for an mri just to rule out anything more sinister but maybe your GP thinks it's a simple diagnosis of migraine? Obviously not a doctor but just wondering if that's why he won't send you. You can either keep going back/see another GP for a second opinion or if you can afford it then have one done privately if you think it will help. Mine are sleep/stress related. If I'm stressed doesn't matter how early I go to bed as the stress will kick in and then I have a poor quality night's sleep. It's good that you don't get any pain as it's horrendous but the way you describe yours and the exhaustion afterwards sounds typical of migraines.
Try looking on The Migraine Trust. I didn't find them particularly helpful for me but many people have found them to be good plus there's lots of info on their website.

I live in an EU country with very good healthcare. When we first came to live here my gp said he couldn't prescribe migraine medication without me seeing a specialist. Mine are quite debilitating, very painful, each one lasts at least 48 hours if untreated.

I had an MRI, an EEG, saw a neurologist about 3 times, who asked a load of questions about frequency, lifestyle etc. Answer- probably hormonal (which is what UK gp said), take the same medication UK gp used to prescribe.

There often aren't any concrete answers I'm afraid, even if you see the specialist.

Most migraines are usually hormonal and yours have come on at around the time that would also suggest that

If they're over quickly I would just continue putting up with them.

Is it triptans that have been prescribed? They're not a painkiller as such they just release pressure from the blood vessels at the back of the neck.

I get ocular migraines also and have done for around 6 years, during the ocular part which lasts up to 30 minutes I have no pain but sometimes after the ocular part clears I can take a headache but it's not severe and paracetamol usually sorts it out. Yes they can make you feel tired and washed out after. I've never been offered anything by opticians or GP by way of medication always told it's just something you have to put up with and I was happy enough with that response because they're not that debilitating for me. Obviously the only thing I can't do is drive during one but other than that I can usually carry on with house work, school run etc during one knowing that it'll be over shortly.

I have seen a neurologist about my migraines but as I have epilepsy it wasn’t a referral. More of a while I’m here what about these headaches.

i am prescribed a triptan brand name Maxelt Melts. It’s a wafer that dissolves in the mouth. I have to say they are very good. However if I make a mistake and the headache is not a migraine I feel bloody awful plus still have the headache . They also make my kidneys go into overdrive and leave me peeing for England the whole day.

Original neurologist sadly died a couple of years ago. New guy said limit caffeine to max 2 cups of tea a day. I tried and it did help but I am so addicted to tea, I just couldn’t do it.

Mine started the same time and although gp never confirmed it I reckon they are affected by changes in hormones. Nothing stopped them but several years later they are very infrequent and this is something I can cope with now.

in the past year I stopped drinking coffee and this maybe has helped. 🤷‍♀️

I feel for you because although they are not sore they still disrupt your life.

Have you ever had your bloods tested? I had these and found my red platelets were very high. I was advised to take low dose aspirin and the problem has gone!

Are they triptans? You can get one of them in nasal form, so it gets into the system almost immediately.

I have had these occasionally for years. Then I had about 6 months where I was getting them 20+ times a day for very short periods which was horrible. Lots of tests including MRI - one showed my Vitamin B12 as low.

I tried three things at the same time, and within a few weeks I realised they’d stopped.

1. switched to decaf at home. I drink a lot of tea. Still have the odd proper coffee in a cafe etc.
2. magnesium glycinate supplements
3. Vit B12 supplements.

I’ve since learned that Lansoprazole can cause B12 and possibly magnesium deficiency and I’d been on that for years. Am now trying to come off these (not easy!). But the ocular migraines have gone, thankfully.

The migraine tablets I was prescribed are called sumatriptan

Probably hormones, it is really common for women to fist experience migraines during peri or for existing migraines to worsen and "morph" e.g. regualar migraines become vestibular. They can also be linked to stress- neuro always asks if I've had a stressor on past 6 months.Go see an optician and try to get an MRI just to be sure. You could explore HRT/Mirena hormonal treatment route

Natural things you could try:
Go to sleep at a regular time, get up at a regular time - even at weekends.
Cut out caffeine, alcohol, high histamine foods ( try the 5c's migraine diet)
blog.cefaly.com/5-c-of-migraine/
Take magnesium, riboflavin, Coq10
Live a quiet(er) life, avoid strobing of sun and flashing lights
See if you can simplify your life in any ways to ease your burdens.
Walk and look at long vistas.
Stay super hydrated

Migraine Trust has good info

I am speaking to a GP later thus afternoon on the phone about my migraines

The GP is sending me for blood tests

I was given the nasal form which worked but every so often I'd get a sinus infection complete with a headache

OP - have you used migraine buddy to keep a diary to try and work out your triggers?

The GP is sending me for blood testsno because I dont think there are specific triggers. I've had them travelling on a train. Just sitting there relaxing