August 27, 2015

Ophtalmic migraine

Animation by jandr1ch on Youtube

Up until I started getting those ophtalmic migraines (also known as eye migraines...and several other names) I had never heard of the condition. Everyone has heard of regular headache migraines...so it's easy to assume they're the same thing but nope (though you can have both at the same time, if you're really unlucky).
My "normal" eye migraine is pretty similar to what this little video shows. I get bright sticks in the middle of my vision and then they morph into a light garland. I get blind spots, I see things like through carnival mirrors. I have heard of people seeing upside down during a crisis. Though my thoughts stay clear, I find it hard to speak...like I have marshmallows in my mouth...and as if my mind is no longer connected to my mouth. When the vision problems recede , usually after 30 minutes, I am very tired,I forget things (like that time I couldn't remember a single irregular verb in Dutch) and sometimes get a very light headache.
Up until recently I'd have a crisis once in a while...2 or  3 a year...and the triggers would always be the same: some white wines, MSG (sodium glutamate) or being very hungry.
But a month ago, I started getting some crises without any of my triggers...and several crises a week too.
And it just got worse 2 weeks ago. Now I am getting several a day...with many other typical migraine symptoms: nausea, intolerance to light and sound.
At first I thought I had gastric flu...and that it was triggering the migraines...but it turns out it's the other way round...and it's a vicious circle, being nauseous makes me unable to eat and being hungry triggers a migraine   ARGHHHH  I am just glad I am still not getting the headaches though ;)
This is making me really grumpy now...and not very productive ><

4 comments:

StaroftheEast said...

This doesn't sound like fun :( Hope it will stop soon!

Heyme said...

ay.. never heard of these before either. Hope you find what is triggering this. Must be something that is causing this? Sounds like a bad LSD trip... no chemical plant nearby? Or eating lots of apples from a farmer who sprayed a bit too much?
I would start with eating only basics and drink water only, and slowly add something to my diet to see if this helps.
Hope it stops soon.. can't believe people take drugs to create these effects on purpose..

AToM said...

I am really sorry this is happening to you Nathalie! :(
I never had this type of migraine, but I rarely have headaches..
Anyway, hope this will end soon!!!

Stephanie Kilgast said...

Ouch :/
I had awful pain because of my menstruation this afternoon until I send JY out to get ibuprofen. It was awful, so I especially feel for your pain :/
Many hugs!