Flashing Lights

[Janeti]

I have had the flashing light thing but not with a major migraine. I get an arch on the outside area of my vision with connecting triangles that flash. It starts off slow and picks up in speed and intensity. It usually lasts for about 15 minutes and then my neck muscles are stiff and my vision gets very blurry in that eye for several hours. The first time it happened I really freaked and called the Dr. I was told I was having a migraine and to go lie down in a dark room and take some Ibuprophen. I never got the headache. My mother is the same way. I have since noticed that stress and a really bright day and not putting on my sunglasses will make one come on.

Yellow Rose

Yellow Rose,

I get tears in my eyes when I see postings like yours. I have days where I just don't think that I am going to make it through. I have been gluten free for 6 1/2 months, and some things are better, so are not. Sometimes I am afraid to wake up (that is if by some chance I slept the night before), I never know what new thing I am going to find with my body, and it freaks me out. I still have intestinal cramping, why, i'm not sure. The new one the past couple of days is now my whole mouth hurts. can't wait to find out about that one. My eyes do get blurry, and my necks muscles are stiff and sore. I feel strong sometimes, then others I just want to cry. I feel that no Dr has the answers that I am looking for. When you tell them what is going on with yourself, they give you that blank stare. And I'm thinking, ok, again you have no idea. I just want to feel better, I know I am here somewhere deep inside...thanks for listening, Janet

[KProc]

If you get these visual symptoms before a migraine headache it is an "aura" or "schatoma" ( i can't spell today)

You can get these symptoms independent of a headache, but they are migraine related most of the time.

Of course get an MRI if you haven't recently.

You should see a neurologist because there are lots of medicines that can make the auras/migraines stop...or prevent them from happening in the first place. And a neurologist will know the most about your symptoms.

They work for most people...but I'm not a good example. I think I've tried every migraine medicine known to man. I am on a preventative med right now and I don't get migraines, but I live with a 24/7 aura. SUPER ANNOYING.

Isn't it the weirdest sensation? You feel blind, but not. And if it didn't make you feel so dizzy and nauseous (and usually signal a wretched headache) it could ALMOST be cool.

[KProc]

If you get these visual symptoms before a migraine headache it is an "aura" or "schatoma" ( i can't spell today)

You can get these symptoms independent of a headache, but they are migraine related most of the time.

Of course get an MRI if you haven't recently.

You should see a neurologist because there are lots of medicines that can make the auras/migraines stop...or prevent them from happening in the first place. And a neurologist will know the most about your symptoms.

They work for most people...but I'm not a good example. I think I've tried every migraine medicine known to man. I am on a preventative med right now and I don't get migraines, but I live with a 24/7 aura. SUPER ANNOYING.

Isn't it the weirdest sensation? You feel blind, but not. And if it didn't make you feel so dizzy and nauseous (and usually signal a wretched headache) it could ALMOST be cool.

[fedora]

my friend rarely gets auras, but they are related to the stroke she had years ago.

I see moving moons across my vision sometimes. They follow the movement of my eyes. My doctor says I am actually seeing a part of my eyeball! Interesting. I have sensitive vision sometimes and things are sparkly and alive looking. Sometimes I see movement in the air, like white waves moving all around. Honestly, I always thought it was energy(some of you may think I am crazy for that) and never found it scary or disturbing.

[darlindeb25]

I get the flashing lights just before an optical migraine. If I see the flashing lights, and can get some meds in me fast enough, I can shorten the migraine time significantly.

Open Original Shared Link

Sometime in our lives, we experience headaches that come and go and are often so severe that our daily routines are affected. Oftentimes, when these headaches occur, we also experience some form of visual changes. Then we say,

[ShayFL]

Ive had 2 optical migraines in my life. The first one scared the crap out of me. I was in my early 20's. I was sitting there reading a newspaper when all of a sudden I could not focus or read the words. Everything was "moving". I thought I was going blind.

So I called my Dad (optician) and he had the doctor he worked with call me. The first thing the doctor asked me was if I was on birth control pills (which I was). So he said it was common for some women to get these visual migraines while on the pill. Well I never too a birth control pill again. I dont remember where I was in my cycle, but that was my last pill!!!

Then about 4 or 5 months ago (I am now 39), I thought I would have some wine (I have not drank any in probably 10 years). I had maybe 1/4 of a glass. The next day......optical migraine. At least this time I knew what it was and was calm and relaxed until it passed.

So hormones and certain foods can trigger these.

[tiredeyes]

I am new in here and do not have celiac disease myself but my daughter who has just turned 4 was diagnosed earlier this year. Every now and then she tells us SHE sees flashing light also, she sometimes askes why the lights flashed even though they haven't but no headaches have been mentioned. In reading many of the replies I am starting to wonder if I should get her checked out to. She also suffers from verbal dyspraxia, and a small muscular VSD (small hole in the heart). Although my daughter is younge she understands her conditions but would hate to put her through any more tests if not needed.

[little d]

I have had the same thing, I looked it up on the internet, and the three possiblities where:

1. Occular Migrane

2. Diabetic neuropathy

3. Detached retina

I will choose to go with #1 because I did have a headache after I had these flashing lights, which started with the flashing lights just like people have described lasts for 15 - 20 and then the headache comes after for a while.

donna

[Wonka]

I used to get these and my neurologist called them "ocular migraines." Usually when I was really run down in grad school - 4 hours sleep, really stressed, lots of coffee, no food. He wasn't worried about them but they were scary to have. They didn't last very long usually; quick sugar fix followed by carbs would usually help but I would keep getting them if I didn't rest. Eventually I stopped getting them and started getting regular full-blown pain migraines - at the base of my skull! I didn't realize they were migraines at first, so I didn't get treatment for a long time.

Are you sure the base-of-skull headaches aren't migraines? Could be triggered by stress and hormones.

best,

grey

You have just described my journey with migraines as well. I started out with ocular migraines and now I get the full blown pain migraines. I get them on day two of my period, if I get glutened and if I get highly stressed. This past month I had almost daily migraines. I was the communication person on the grade 7 grad committee and had to field all the stressed out, angry volatile parents (our principal is on painkillers for two broken bones in his foot and dropped the ball on grad, so I took over), while staying calm and reassuring to them. All this while dealing with extreme fatigue from anemia. It is all done now, and was a great success, and my hubby has taken the entire household camping( 3 - 12 year olds and the 20 year old) and left me home alone, with the cat and bunnies, to recoup. Life is good.

[MyMississippi]

Some good news for you younger women who suffer from migraines.--------

I had horrible migraines at least once a month (hormone triggered)---

And now that I have passed menopause----- NO MORE BAD MIGRAINE headaches---- ( just mild ones, easily relieved with Excedrin ) No more hours of ice bag to the head, pill popping, floor pacing, want to shoot myself headaches.

So hang in there til menopause----- ( this is the only good thing I've found about menopause, by the way )

[Fifi]

I have these too and I am wondering if they call these visual migraines or migraine replacements because they don't know what else to call them. I never get headaches from them. I have had a seizure recently. I so wonder if all this brain stuff and celiac and everything else is all tied together. How can I be 49 years old and all of a sudden be celiac. Something just doesn't seem right.