Occular Migrane

[Roadtrip]

I woke this morning feeling a bit off. I found it hard to wake up like roused from a deep sleep. I'm normally very much a morning person and light sleeper. I was getting ready for work and shook my head (like one trying to clear cobwebs from the head, not a violent shake) from side-to-side, which triggered a sudden numbness / weakness of the right hand and left foot, followed by an aura a few minutes later, partially obscuring my vision in my right eye... Like looking thru a prism of shine light.

It felt like your hand falling asleep or going numb from lack of blod flow. I couldn't comb my hair with the right arm as it just wouldn't be cooperative. The sudden onset of this is what scared me. My mom has a history of migraines and I've experienced the aura before, which was once of accompanied by a speech issue where I found it difficult to form words. Once I saw the aura I was pretty certain what it was.

Strange to have a migrane and no splitting headache. It lasted less then 30 minutes, tho I've been tired today with a low-grade headache, but feeling better which has me less stressed about the whole thing. Has anyone here extreienced similar things??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinal_migraine

Shannon

[malkin]

Yes and have the occular migraine dx or whatever the current term is.

It is VERY IMPORTANT to rule out the possibility of stroke when you have these symptoms. The 9-11- or the Emergency Room will not think you are over reacting.

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=symp


Stroke symptoms include:
SUDDEN numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg - especially on one side of the body.
SUDDEN confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
SUDDEN trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause.

[Becky]

I get them infrequently, with mostly visual symptoms and little or no pain. For me, the aura looks like a wavy pattern of light off to one side of my vision and only in one eye. It often happens after an evening workout on a day that's been particularly stressful.

There's no numbness, weakness, confusion, or loss of coordination. It's just the altered vision and it predictably happens within an hour of de-stressing. All I can do it down some advil and wait it out.

I've seen my doctor about this, and she's confident that they are in fact occular migraines. It's still disconcerting though.

[indysteel]

I agree with Malkin that you need to rule out a stroke. I've had ocular migraines myself but never experienced anything but visual disturbances. No tingling in my extremeties. No loss of speech. No ill feeling.

[OakLeaf]

I had a migraine episode once. They called it "acephalgic" which I guess is more generic than "ocular," even though all I had was the visual disturbance. It was like there was a line through one of my eyes and the halves of what I saw were offset, if that makes any sense - like it was a photograph that someone had cut more or less vertically and put the pieces next to each other but not matching. Yeah, they had to rule out stroke. That's when I found out I was allergic to IV contrast. :rolleyes:

Actually, once in college I had a really awful headache. Took a couple of T3s to tone it down. After I had the acephalgic migraine, I got to wondering whether that might've been a migraine headache. IAE those are the two events I've had in my 52 years. Let's hope it's all.

But I agree - with disturbances in the sense of touch and in strength I'd definitely rule out stroke/TIA. Sooner than later, as in go to the ER if you haven't already talked to your doctor...

[Catrin]

I have ocular migranes, just visual problems but none of the other symptoms you mentioned. I just get flashy lights/aura that starts in the center of my vision and eventually expands. I agree with the others that you should be checked out just in case something else is going on.

[ny biker]

Feeling very tired before and/or after a migraine was pretty common for me for years.

I've had the shimmery blind spot, sometimes as a precursor to an actual headache but often as the only symptom.

But never any numbness or tingling anywhere. That would send me to the neurologist right away.

[malkin]

Hey Roadtrip, call your doctor, ok?
Like now.

[Melalvai]

I get an aura where I lose part of my field of vision. Across the blank space is a jagged thing. One time I googled "migraine art" and saw several renditions that were exactly like mine. I told my dad that, because he gets the aura too, and he picked his aura out too-- his is different than mine. Isn't that fascinating!

Usually I also get a splitting headache but not always, and anyway it is the vision loss that is scary.

One time when I had one of these migraines I couldn't remember some of my words. I was trying to say I needed to heat up my lunch and all I could come up with was "feed". It sounds a little like heat and it was to do with food. But the word "heat" just wasn't quite there. I did go to a doctor. They said it was a mild ischemia-- a mini stroke. They didn't seem too worried about it.

My biggest concern was that my grandmother died of a brain aneurysm but it turns out there is no link. In fact it's beneficial to have a history of migraines because if I ever do get an aneurysm I'll know that it's not a migraine, which is what it is commonly mis-diagnosed as.

I don't think you need to feel too worried, but it is important to get it documented in your health history. So I also advise seeing a doctor, for that purpose. Just don't let them bully you into taking medications that you don't need.

[colorisnt]

This sounds like a complex migraine. I get them. I got the first one I ever had 3 years ago. I woke up in a daze with a terrible pain and the inability to move one of my arms and legs (right side of my body). My best friend and sister told me I had to go to the ER. They found me like that. I was terrified. I can understand why you are scared! Definitely see a doc and get checked out. They did a CT and then cleared me. I'm lucky it was just a migraine.

I'm currently sitting here with aura waiting for the worst or the best if my meds kick in, ironically.

I am hoping you see someone that can help. Not much has worked for me, but definitely get it checked!

[sashadieken]

This morning I was trying to make a birthday card and was finding that I couldn't see the paper very well. Then I saw zig zaggy lights around my field of vision, mostly in the left eye, while the center was sort of fluid and watery. First time that had ever happened to me, and it was scary! I'm in the middle of a summer cold so, after I looked it up and decided it was an ocular migraine, I attributed it to sinus pressure.

I lay down to see if that would help and all I could think of was, "I can't go blind now, I'm just learning to ride a bike and kayak!"

I hope you're feeling better!

[tulip]

This morning I was trying to make a birthday card and was finding that I couldn't see the paper very well. Then I saw zig zaggy lights around my field of vision, mostly in the left eye, while the center was sort of fluid and watery. First time that had ever happened to me, and it was scary! I'm in the middle of a summer cold so, after I looked it up and decided it was an ocular migraine, I attributed it to sinus pressure.

I lay down to see if that would help and all I could think of was, "I can't go blind now, I'm just learning to ride a bike and kayak!"

I hope you're feeling better!

Might want to get that checked out. Retina problems (detachments) have bright light flashes.

[chatnoire]

I also get ocular migraines, which don't include head "pain" per se, but leave me feeling pretty wiped out after. They come in times of stress, poor diet, and sometimes just out of the blue. I can best describe them as the light appears to be reflecting off those metallic pinwheel toys, but just outside of my peripheral vision. Then things tunnel through the center of my vision, so that I cannot focus on whatever I am looking at. I lose the ability to concentrate and continue conversation, but maintain enough control to explain what's going on. After ~30 minutes, it goes away, but then I need to sleep.

However, the suddenness of this, plus the numb extremities makes me add to the chorus that you should get it checked at the ER, roadtrip. And then, when you're safe, check in and let us know you're ok.

[colorisnt]

Any update?

I woke up with numbness (typical complex symptoms) early this morning and was thinking about you, OP. I'm hoping you saw someone, got cleared, and are feeling better!

[Roadtrip]

Feeling much better today and even finished (mosly) putting together my new arbor for the garden after work. I plan on calling my primary to talk to him about what I've been experiencing... It's past time for blood work anyhow!

Thanks for the concern!!
Shannon

[skinimini]

When I was younger, I had the full-blown migraines--but no aura. The first "ocular" migraine was about 15 years ago and I thought I was having a stroke. Shimmery, jagged, pulsating lights with the inability to focus for a couple of hours. Called my husband at work (he's an MD) and went immediately to an ophthalmologist. Confirmed the ocular migraine--can't remember what the docs call it.

Now I have them a few times a year, but can't predict and never as severe as that first one. No numbness or tingling anywhere else. Although, I did have a typical migraine with severe headache a few months ago--the first one in years. Got the aura and thought everything would be OK in a few minutes. I felt horrible for two days.

I think if there's numbness or tingling, a trip to a neurologist would definitely be in order.

[colorisnt]

Glad to hear you are feeling better! Definitely best to bring it up to your GP :)

[Roadtrip]

Visited the doctor today and he confirmed my thought that it was a migrane. I had an extensive eye exam with nothing wrong there either.

Hopefully will get out riding this weekend!!

Shannon

[malkin]

Glad to hear you checked out ok.
Hope you get a good ride with no migrainey nonsense!

[2wheelr]

I get occular migraines as well. For me they make me a little dizzy, so I stay where I am until they pass. They are very infrequent, so I'm no inclined to do anything about them. But I'll tell you, the first time I had one, pregnant with my youngest (he's almost 7 now), I went right to the ER.

It's weird, and hard to describe them-I found many videos on youtube that actually show what they are like to those who never had one. My kids found it very cool. :rolleyes: yeah. I'm cool cause of my migraines. Who knew?

[malkin]

Yah--pretty freaky, isn't it?
Some people take risks to achieve this effect, and we just want it to stop.

[colorisnt]

Good to know you got it figured out :)

[2wheelr]

Yah--pretty freaky, isn't it?
Some people take risks to achieve this effect, and we just want it to stop.

I don't like anything that leaves me feeling less than in control of myself. That's probably why I just lie down until it subsides besides the dizziness.
People are strange, to quote one of the strangest.

[WindingRoad]

Just curious if anyone who has migraines has ever had soft spots on their scalp afterwards. I had a very bad migraine last Friday and it lasted a full day with lots of prodrome after effects. One weird one was the sore spots on my head. They were so sore I thought I hit my head. It's a week later and they are mostly gone however my neck muscles feel like they are pulled. It's an odd sensation almost like neck muscles can hardly hold up my head. It's freaking me out a bit.