Migraines & MS?

Having a DUH moment here.  I am waiting for my LP results but have read that visual disturbances can be a symptom of MS.  4 years ago when I was PG I had a blind spot in one eye for a couple of hours then got an aweful headache for a couple of days.  Not sure if it was just a migraine or a symptom of something else.  In guess I am just trying to play doctor here & self diagnos while I wait - finding I am not as patient as I thought I was  :)

Janette

[OperaMBA]

My migraines are always both eyes.

I had a "one-eye'er" yesterday, no headache though.

It was different than my migraine visual disturbance...

Funky stuff.

[Janette2836]

Are you better today?  It sure is a strange feeling when it happens isn't it?  Thanks

Janette

[Momzilla]

Hey, guys!  (It's Richard, isn't it?)

I have been sort of a migraine 'expert' for the last few years -- enough to sort of guess that there really isn't such a thing as a migraine 'expert.'  So, I suppose I consider myself the forum migraine Fool.  

Migraines and their symptoms are VERY VARIED.  And transient.  (Or not.)  But usually transient.  I think it's fairly safe to say that if someone has eye symptoms such as a blind spot, whether it's in one or both eyes, and it lasts only for a few hours at most, it can likely be attributed to migraine disease, rather than something like optic neuritis or demyelination.  Especially if it's followed by a headache.

Unfortunately, it doesn't rule it out if it's not followed by a headache, because these migraine episodes can be 'silent' or 'without headaches.'  There are eye migraines, too. I'm guessing you probably know this.....

This makes it all the more frustrating for those of us (this Fool included) who have migraine disease and other symptoms that cannot be explained by migraines, but the doc just can't fit into a tidy package.  (Grrr!)

I can say though, with reasonable certainty that blind spots that are so transient are most likely related to migraines.  Believe me, I have had them myself and have posted in a HUGE panic!  So, I applaud your calm!

There are times when you do need to go to the ER with blindness.  Like when a dark black veil is descending over your eye.  But, apparently you both have the sense not to have gone for these migraine episodes.  Good for you!  It is freaky stuff.  Migraines are freaky, wacky, good fun!

Hope to get to know you both better!

Feel well,

Zilla*

[Janette2836]

Thanks for that information & I am just sorry that you have to know about this firsthand.  Guess I was just trying to grasp at straws & put all the pieces together by myself & that is a pretty crazy idea  :)

Thanks!
Janette

[OperaMBA]

I did have a little visual weirdness today, but not as bad as yesterday.

My migraines for 10 years were absolutely identical.   Flashing lights, bilateral tunnel vision that culminated with the central vision dead zone - tremendous pain all over the head and usually nausea and vomiting.   I had them weekly from 13 to 18.   In the mid 20's they got much less frequent to where now I have about 2 a year with generally the light show vision-wise, as described above, and only a little pain.   Weird, but I am glad they are mostly gone!

Janette, I only hope that what you and I have experienced over the last couple of days is migraine related!!!!

Richard
OperaMBA

[Deej70]

I have a long long history of migraines with aura.  They started when I was about 10 and into my 20s they got worse and more frequent.  My case is odd because I almost always have visual problems...I get the blind spot (if I'm reading the text will be missing in places, very weird) then the zigzag flashing light comes across one eye from the middle then spans out to completely cover one eye.  I've never had it in both eyes.  It lasts about 30 minutes. I sometimes have a headache, nausea, light sensitivity, but about 50% of the time, I only have the visual aura! very very bizarre.

What's even more strange:  my recent "episode" this summer started with a numb toe, then I had a sudden numbness of one side of my face and one hand, slurred my words and went to the ER thinking stroke and the ER doc said "complex migraine".  Only a few days later, my left foot went numb, pins and needles spread up into my leg, lots of dizziness, extreme fatigue, strange sensations down my right arm...this lasted for over one month.  Still having weird symptoms even now from time to time.

My neurologist mentioned migraines to me a few times but I'm thinking, good lord that is SOME migraine to last weeks and weeks every single day and with absolutely NO headache!  Very frustrating as I know my migraines have something to do with what's wrong with me but I'm still clueless as to the overall picture.

[Janette2836]

Thanks for the post.  Sorry you have had this for so long.  I was thankful to only have it a couple of times.  My doctor thought at first that my numbness & fun stuff was from my migraine but the last time I had a migraine was at the beginning of July & I am still numb!  Go figure  :)  I am waiting for LP results to see what else might be going on.

Thanks for the info & guess I am not in the STRANGE boat alone  :)

Janette