migraine

[EdamAnchorman]

for the past 5 or 6 years, i've had intermittent migraine headaches, probably about one every 6 - 8 months or so. every time they are preceded by a visual "aura" that lasts about 30 mins each time, then the aura stops and the pain comes, usually to one side of the head only. my auras look remarkably like this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLJ00o-vmh0

 

i just started seeing the aura about 10 minutes ago so i quickly ate something and took an aleve. now i am getting ready to go for a pretty shitty ride...

[Guest Gary C]

Damn, I hate migraines.

 

I had them for a few years, pretty regularly between the ages of 10 and 14, I think.

 

The flashing of that video is very true, especially as it flicks in your peripheral, but my shapes were never so defined as that.

It was just spiky colour, incessant flashes, and fast repetition of a droning noise (or sometimes a word or phrase from my memory repeated over and over again. Last time it was The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe).

Edited June 16, 2010 by Gary C

[Squee]

Migraines fucking suck.

I got my first migraine about 8 years ago after exercising on an empty stomach. I remember it clearly. I was at my computer and all of a sudden I couldn't read. I could see the letters but I couldn't put them together and everything ended up being one big blur, and then, like in the video, I started getting the visual aura in the right side of my vision. My mom gave me some painkillers and told me to go to bed.

 

You know, you could try and getting rid of the migraines with acupuncture. A lot of people in my family sufferered from migraine but got help after a couple of acupunture sessions.

[Guest ruiagnelo]

I don't think i have ever experienced this.

[mcbpete]

Woah that's a strange coincidence, I had an migraine earlier this evening and was thinking about posting this exact same topic.

 

I too get migraine's with aura, and the video above *sort of* is similar to the ones that I get - though instead of moving to the right side of the vision 99% of the time it'll be a mirror image of that video and move to the left side. Mine are less flickery than that video makes out, mine are more pulse like (like the plasma effects you got on old amiga demos) and more colourful with usually greens, blues and purples - though in the more defined 'polygonal'-like parts the close banding of the colours can sometimes look monochrome. Mine also take up a much larger portion of my vision with probably at the peak of the size of the aura taking over about 50% of my vision.

 

Mine generally follow the structure of this over time:

 

 

But end up this sort of size with similar colouring (though the colours quickly cycle):

 

[SCONES TO DIE FOR]

I used to get them from mostly from age 14 to 18, with the last one probably at age 21. I would get a blind spot/aura, my fingers and lips would get numb, then that deathlike headache that would last about 12 hours, which I would try to sleep off in a dark room.

 

Mine seemed to be induced by stress and also being outside in the sun with lots of glare (beach, pool a bunch of times).

 

One time some one offered me pot while I had a migraine and holy shit I would recommend it to anyone as a remedy. It's the only thing that ever worked.

[EdamAnchorman]

the size and location of my auras have been varied, but they are pretty colorful, like some of you have said. mine seem to be triggered by lack of sleep, stress, and/or looking at a computer screen for too long. thats all i did today at work, was work on things on the computer. i need to remind myself to take breaks every once in a while.

 

the aura this time was fucking huge and pulsating very fast, much larger than any other time. it was even to the point where i considered going to the hospital because i had almost no peripheral vision on my left side. but luckily the pain has not been too bad so far, this may just be a minor one, thank god.

[kakapo]

Hmm, interesting simulation, nothing like I experience though. I have migraine bordering on the chronic, it's not that unusual for me to go every day for a couple of weeks with some kind of aura symptom, and to have on and off periods lasting months, although fortunately I'm about 95% aura and only about 5% headache. I do however run pretty much the full gamut of aura symptoms and get quite spazzy, including problems with speech, memory, cognition and sight. I have quite 'unusual' vertigo episodes. At its worst I can have quite pronounced motor problems, and at one point they were testing me for MS. Sound tends to be a trigger or irritant rather than light. In the past I've relied on 'lifestyle' to minimize it as I only take prescription drugs as a last resort, although I had a really bad extended episode a couple of months ago. I'm currently waiting on my neurologist writing to my GP and myself with some suggestions (he's pretty good and rather than being 'take this, do this', he's happy for me to make an informed choice). I'd be interested to hear anybody's experience with prescription meds.

[mcbpete]

I remember the first time I got one (I was typing up a BASIC listing from a magazine - yeah, I was a hip kid, pretty fly you might say !) I was completely convinced I was going blind and I played through the entire life changes I'd have to make if I did happen to go blind. Then the headache kicked in and I don't think there was any brain capacity for more thoughts as it was 100% dedicated to pain processing !

[chaosmachine]

That aura simulation is pretty good.

 

I've had this happen twice. I don't get a headache, though. Wikipedia calls it "Scintillating Scotoma".

 

The first time, it was caused by using this really shitty florescent desk lamp for about 3 hours.

 

The second time, I clicked some picture on Digg and it started immediately. I can't remember exactly what the picture was, sort of a black and white line drawing with a weird interference pattern. I guess it crashed my visual cortex or something.

 

 

 

 

 

It's amazing how consistent the effects are; everyone seems to be drawing pretty much the same image.

[SCONES TO DIE FOR]

I was also referred to a neurologist by my doctor, but then they stopped. Not sure if it's related, but that was around the time I got glasses.

[EdamAnchorman]

Hmm, interesting simulation, nothing like I experience though. I have migraine bordering on the chronic, it's not that unusual for me to go every day for a couple of weeks with some kind of aura symptom, and to have on and off periods lasting months, although fortunately I'm about 95% aura and only about 5% headache. I do however run pretty much the full gamut of aura symptoms and get quite spazzy, including problems with speech, memory, cognition and sight. I have quite 'unusual' vertigo episodes. At its worst I can have quite pronounced motor problems, and at one point they were testing me for MS. Sound tends to be a trigger or irritant rather than light. In the past I've relied on 'lifestyle' to minimize it as I only take prescription drugs as a last resort, although I had a really bad extended episode a couple of months ago. I'm currently waiting on my neurologist writing to my GP and myself with some suggestions (he's pretty good and rather than being 'take this, do this', he's happy for me to make an informed choice). I'd be interested to hear anybody's experience with prescription meds.

 

this sounds like my sister-in-law, almost spot on. she went through the MS testing and everything. they even found lesions on her brain, but ultimately said no to the MS. her worst episode involved her being at home watching the kids (young kids) and having a very bad episode, finally managing to call my brother and mumbling into the phone trying to communicate until he figured out something was wrong... :/

 

edit: i dunno if it is related or not but my eyesight is really bad and sometimes i wonder if my contacts have something to do with it or something, because i often get regular headaches that feel like they are in the back of my eyeballs. i also might have keratoconus, which is something that can cause high pressure in the eyes, so i am sure that doesn't help.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Charles Nelson Reilly

[Guest Drahken]

Interesting. I've had similar experiences and an aura much like these though I've never really labeled the experience as a migraine. I can think of only a few occasions I've experienced this. The first, and most frequent at the time, was the result of playing Half-life 2 and getting what I assumed to be motion sickness. At the time I had no idea why I there was such a weird onset and aura followed by an incapacitating headache. Even with changing POV settings I gave up on HL2 after several bouts of this.

 

The other instance happened when I ate some old acid that I had stashed away for five or six years. In that instance a really clear overlay of that jagged shape appeared within about 15 minutes and was interfering with my vision to the point of making it impossible to read through it. I was concerned initially that a blood vessel had blown in my eyeball, as I've heard it has a paisley like pattern, but it slowly faded away over about an hour followed by a wicked headache.

[SCONES TO DIE FOR]

I was also referred to a neurologist by my doctor, but then they stopped. Not sure if it's related, but that was around the time I got glasses.

 

 

edit: i dunno if it is related or not but my eyesight is really bad and sometimes i wonder if my contacts have something to do with it or something, because i often get regular headaches that feel like they are in the back of my eyeballs. i also might have keratoconus, which is something that can cause high pressure in the eyes, so i am sure that doesn't help.

[kakapo]

 

edit: i dunno if it is related or not but my eyesight is really bad and sometimes i wonder if my contacts have something to do with it or something, because i often get regular headaches that feel like they are in the back of my eyeballs. i also might have keratoconus, which is something that can cause high pressure in the eyes, so i am sure that doesn't help.

 

I'm no expert on the area, I trust my neurologist and avoid spending all day on google like a hypochondriac, which I'm happy to do with other ailments. But my experience is that the longer lasting sight problems, which is essentially blurred or double vision over a period of weeks, are intermittent. When I get my eyesight tested when I'm in 'remission' it's 100%. If your eyesight is a bit crap all the time, you're probably ok. No harm in getting checked out though.

[TwiddleBot]

wow, so many people with migraines.. they suck.. had my first cluster headache this winter, lasted a good week and a half. hopefully never again. headache is a gross understatement.

 

i do get optical migraines all the time which don't hurt, thank god. just constant warbling zigzags in my peripheral vision for at least an hour or 2 per diem

[Caretstik]

I usually find the visual fuck-up the worst part, pixellated vision and, yeah, that mockup to an extent. Once that subsides, the head pain is an absolute bastard but bearable in that at least I'm eventually able to read again.

[EdamAnchorman]

I was also referred to a neurologist by my doctor, but then they stopped. Not sure if it's related, but that was around the time I got glasses.

 

 

edit: i dunno if it is related or not but my eyesight is really bad and sometimes i wonder if my contacts have something to do with it or something, because i often get regular headaches that feel like they are in the back of my eyeballs. i also might have keratoconus, which is something that can cause high pressure in the eyes, so i am sure that doesn't help.

 

 

yeah my eyesight has been bad since i was in 3rd grade but i didnt get my first migraine until i was 23 or so. i just wonder if having contacts in every day with vision as bad as mine (-8.0) fucks with my brain. glasses are no better because they have to be like coke bottles.

 

[Guest Rabid]

The worst headache I've ever had was a sinus headache for 4 days - probably not as bad as a migraine but ... it was torture.

[Guest leprechaun]

I had atypical migraines as a teen, but luckily I've had very few as an adult (haven't had one in years actually *knock on wood*). They do indeed suck. I actually had to have an MRI since I had stroke-like symptoms with mine. My visual aura involved being able to see through things - it was very fucked up. For example if I was looking at someone's face, it would be as though there were a blank spot on the right side of the person's face that I could see through to the background behind. Then the headache and vomiting would come on and I'd be out of commission in a darkened room with as little sound as possible for the whole day. When I started having numbness down the left side of my body, the doc sent me for an MRI (which thankfully came back normal). Anyway best of luck with yours, try taking some Exedrin Migraine. That used to help with mine.

[Guest abusivegeorge]

Yup, I get EXACTLY the same thing, and have done since I was 16. About 30-40 minutes of aura and pretty lights. Then the pain comes down the left hand side of my head and I begin to physically throw up, horrible.

[tipper]

The 'aura' is probably not is fun to see as this thread makes it look.

[EdamAnchorman]

The 'aura' is probably not is fun to see as this thread makes it look.

 

you're right. while there is no pain involved with my aura, it is a harbinger of pure shit. just imagine having no pain right now but KNOWING, with absolute certainty, that in 30 minutes you're head will be decimated with pain.

[Guest abusivegeorge]

My Aura can range from dream like hallucination to as if I'm watching slightly more colourful static.

 

It's fucking horrible and just induces sickness.

[Guest all_purpose_sandpaper]

The video seemed like a weird approximation but I do know the aura. Had a causal case of migraines during my 19's--rods and cones firing for hardly a reason. Had an urge that I did follow to sit down in a cold shower during the attack. Usually ended up upside down on my bunk with my head in my hands. Once I went blind during one (all white) and when my vision returned my room mate was handing me a bowl of cheerios with concern. I had suffered a nosebleed also, not from an impact. No migraines since college though.