visual disturbance

[arachnaphob]

I have been told that I get retinal migraine. I have never had a headache with the visual disturbance. The vision problem starts with a small bright dot in the centre of my vision that increases in size and becomes a semi circle with jagged flashing lights at the circumference. This increases in size over 20-30 minutes until it becomes so big that it is too big to see any more. This has happened 3 to 4 times a year over the last 5 years or so.

I got this again today but this time (I still have it as I type) it is accompanied by left sided facial pain (about 6 out of 10 pain level) which I get frequently and have been told is trigeminal neuralgia.  I have also developed a little nausea. My left hand has gone tingly. The room feels as if it is moving a little.

My question is: is this still retinal migraine?

Thanks

Chirley

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Thanks for writing in.
Yes your symptoms could be due to retinal migraine; however since you have neurological symptoms also like tingling numbness and vertigo it is important to rule out stroke. Please get yourself evaluated by your family doctor and get an MRI of the brain done just to make sure that your symptoms were due to migraine and not stroke.
Migraine definitely is a greater possibility since you have positive history.
Take care!

[arachnaphob]

Another update.

I took 2 Nurofen an hour ago.

Vision is normal
Vertigo gone
Nausea slight
Occipital headache 2 out of 10
Facial pain 4 out of ten
Left leg still tingly
Left hand normal

Wow, interesting experience that I don't wish to repeat too often.

Chirley

[arachnaphob]

It is now 30 minutes later.  I have left facial pain 7 out of 10. Left occipital headache, 6 out of 10 pain. Nausea ++. Vertigo, slight to moderate. Left hand tingly and left foot and up to mid calf tingly, numb. Visual disturbance had gone away but has come back with central bright gold coloured circle that is increasing in size again.

Hope it doesn't get worse.

Still migraine type thing ?

Chirley

Oops, now have central vision loss. Just started. Weird experience, hard to see what I'm doing.