Question about Aura

[lynxgal]

I have had migraines, migraines with aura and just the visual aura no migraines for about 20+years.  I am in the midst of an aura right now and have a question.

the visual aura (squiggly black & white lines) is in the peripheral vision of my right eye.  I would assume that if it was "eye" related, if i close that eye I would be able to see just fine with the other eye.   I can see the aura with the right eye closed in the inside (near the nose) of the left eye.  

Also my aura does not stay in the peripheral vision and it usually encompases both eyes eventually.  Then I have visual loss.  Not a black out but a white out.

Does anyone else experience similar auras?

[JaimeBH76]

I am interested in speaking with you. I am on day 19 of aura with pain on and off, mostly pressure. I have dizziness, light sensitivity, ringing in the ears, inability to concentrate, and visual disturbances. I have no idea what to do. I had this happen for 6 weeks once, and it spontaneously aborted and I felt normal for 2 years. Now that it's back again and I'm almost 3 weeks in, I'm depressed. All I want is to discuss this with someone who understands. My doctor thinks I complain too much, and my coworkers think I'm milking this. I am so upset. How do you cope?

[kaysus]

Hi!  I have what they call "Visual Snow".  It is like snow on a tv channel - but there isn't any white stuff just the black squiggly lines.  They are constantly there and they are always moving.  I used to just get a visual aura right before I would get  a head a migraine.  But the visual disturbance is all the time now.  I don't really have any visual loss though.  I have side by side diplopia (double vision) and an awful lot of blurred vision.  I also often see little pinpoints of light, especially at night and even when my eyes are closed.  I have severe photophobia (sensitivity to light).  I wear sunglasses almost all the time.  Have you been to an ophthamologist?  I go to the Eye and Ear Institute in Pittsburgh.  They do a Visual Fields Test.  It checks your peripheral vision and stuff.  I have posted on this form about the same subject and one of the docs replied and said that "visual snow" is often related to autoimmune disorders or other diseases.  My visual disturbances have become increasingly severe over the past 3 months or so.  Because of that, this friday they are sending me to see a neuro-ophthamologist.  The appointment is supposed to take 4-6 hours.  Hope you get some answers soon -  Kayleen

[Turiko]

hmm, i can consider myself lucky. My migraines happen semi-random (biggest chance is in 1-3 hours after dinner) but they only last for one day tops, and the next day i'm just tired and have an after-effect of the headache. I usally don't have my other sences knocked up; i can taste very well (if only after puking, yech :(), i hear perfectly fine, and i only sometimes have numb body parts.

Like you, i would like to learn more. i've had my migraine for quite a few years, but i've only started identifying it as migraine since about 4 years ago. As a child i would have the same things too, but in lesser extent.

[lynxgal]

Thank you for the reply.  I don't really have a consistant trigger either. I get a lot of sweet food cravings a day or so before mine as well.  I have experimented with induldging verses avoidance of the craving and it doesn't make a difference either way I get the migraine.  I also get phatom smells and metallic like tastes.

I am also curious about clusters of migraines.  My longest run of migraines is 7 weeks with a day here and there without pain or aura.  Then I had a week of some relief and now back into a migraine cycle.  This morning would be day 5 of head pain.  

Would like ot hear other people's experince with clusters of migraines as this is new for me.  

[Turiko]

I have just about the same thing; usually thigns start out with a numb feeling in my hand, the feeling getting worse, then headache, then loss off sight. I don't really see lines or anything, but just a pulsing white over my normal view. It goes over both my eyes too.

Also, i don't think anything in particular triggers my migraines... i've had it from lots of different foods (including eating nothing...) but it always has the same effects.