OCULAR MIGRAINE anyone get them or know someone who does?

**h*bunter** · 10.25.06, 06:24 AM

Hi.

Just wonderting if anyone out there gets ocular migraines?
It appears that I now do as per my optomitrist and doctor. I get the flashing in my eye, then the twirly spectrum.
What I don't get are the headaches, or anything else.
Both opt and dr say it was brought on by stress, fatigue and anxiety. It is true. I have been under stress, etc.
The other weird thing with this, is that I can actually stop it while it is starting up. All I do is look a certain way with my eye and it's gone in a few seconds.
I can usually tell when it's about to happen too. It's been going on and off now for a couple weeks, but may only occur once to three times in a day and have had days where nothing at all happened.

So, if anyone else has these or knows someone with, or anything about this, please share with me, your stories and thoughts.

Thanks!

**Rocket** · 10.25.06, 07:20 AM

I started getting them about 10 years ago. My dad explained it as a cramp in an artery that goes to the eye that constricts the blood from circulating causing the flashes. And just like a cramp in your leg, the area can be sore afterwards (i.e. headache). Sometimes I don't get the headache either. In my case it's usually brought on by getting a bright light in my eyes or when I am really tired. Lots of people get them. In many cases it make them vomit and or the headache are so bad they are stuck in bed for a day ot two. You are lucky to have such a mild case. As far as I know there are no long term effects from having them.

**smithjc** · 10.25.06, 09:14 AM

Never heard of that. I've been dealing with what I think is a migraine since yesterday. Pounding on one side of my head that just won't let up, and nausea on top of that. As soon as I got home all I was good for was lying down. At about 1 in the a.m. I finally got up the nerve to take something for it which helped but then I was awake til 2 or so b/c I couldn't sleep.

That's interesting tho. I used to get real bad migraines with the visual stuff like zig zags and halos followed by the pounding headache I've got now. This last one came on real fast with no warning tho. Hopefully it'll be gone today.

**loveevhsince79** · 10.25.06, 09:23 AM

Excedrine Migraine JC. It is amazing....

**smithjc** · 10.25.06, 09:25 AM

Whatta coincidink. That's exactly what I used. Of course I waited til 1 in the a.m. to try and hold down any meds.

Better late than never. But the effer's still pounding!!

**sixstring** · 10.25.06, 10:02 AM

I've been dealing with those for about the last ten years. Sometimes they're easy to deal with and don't bother me much but sometimes they're terrible...

**FORD** · 10.25.06, 10:02 AM

You guys might want to check your blood pressure regularly (you can get a decent home BP tester at any drug store for under $50).

Also blood clotting is something that could be contributing to this, and clots in the eyeball, or anywhere near the brain are nothing to fuck with. Aspirin is a good blood thinner (and this is how the Excedrin works, although it also contains caffeine, which might not necessarily be a good thing if blood pressure is an issue) Many people concerned with heart health take aspirin daily for that reason, and it doesn't take much. In fact they make a low dose aspirin just for this reason. Another great natural blood thinner is the active ingredient in hot peppers, capsaicin, so spice up your food as much as possible, for good health

(and for you wusses that can't handle eating hot peppers, believe it or not, you can get cayenne pepper in capsule form wherever herbal supplements are sold)

**smithjc** · 10.25.06, 10:50 AM

My BP was fine during my last doc visit about two weeks ago altho I'm thinking of getting it checked again. This headache thing's gettin a bit scary.

It sucks getting old!!!

**mistere** · 10.25.06, 04:53 PM

My dad has historically suffered such debilitating migraines that he had to
give up a pilot gig - they literally lay him out to where he can't move.

I've tried to explain that modern medicine can be a wonderful thing, and
that the likes of codeine will knock that fucker out. But he - ever of the
straight edge - is always "I'm not going to do a bunch of drugs!".
Fine. Have another worthless asprin. Love you, old man.

**C5150** · 10.25.06, 05:49 PM

I've been getting them on and off for about 8 years!
I went to the doctor, and when I told him what was going on, he told me I was lucky that I don't get the headaches!
Just let it pass, it only takes a min. or so!

**FORD** · 10.26.06, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by mistere

My dad has historically suffered such debilitating migraines that he had to
give up a pilot gig - they literally lay him out to where he can't move.

I've tried to explain that modern medicine can be a wonderful thing, and
that the likes of codeine will knock that fucker out. But he - ever of the
straight edge - is always "I'm not going to do a bunch of drugs!".
Fine. Have another worthless asprin. Love you, old man.

As I said above, aspirin is far from worthless. It may or may not be the most effective headache remedy, but it's probably the safest, considering what acetaminophen and ibuprofen can do to the kidneys. Of course you could always trick your dad by picking up some Tylenol w/codeine in Canada (where it's legal without a prescription) put the pills in a regular Tylenol bottle and sneak them into his medicine cabinet. As long as he's not flying anymore, of course.

**vh_chick** · 10.26.06, 12:47 PM

I used to get them constantly. It was damn scary before, because I would get a blind spot in my vision. I mean, who wouldn't think "BRAIN TUMOR!!!" if that happened to them? I sure did! I'd get the flashing thing, then the blind spot would be there. Sometimes it would last only a few minutes, sometimes a few hours. Never a headache with it, tho.

I finally went to the doctor and got this diagnosis. I joked about a brain tumor and she said it wasn't that - she'd checked! Eeeeek! Anyway, I haven't had one in quite a while now. Several months, I think.

I'll have to try that next time I feel one starting up. It'd be cool if it worked for me, too!

Shari

**Rocket** · 10.27.06, 10:11 AM

My dad recommended keeping a can of Coke or some no-doze near by as that is mostly made up of caffein which is the number one ingredient of the migrane medicines. It really does work t down a coke upon onset.

**Cabot** · 10.27.06, 11:57 AM

I get this too. Not to often but three weeks ago I experienced it on two different occasions, both in the mornings.

I can remember my first one like it was yesterday. I was about 10 or 12 and fell backwards off my bike, hitting the back of my head. I next experienced it ten years ago after flying over the handle bars while mountain biking down the Widow Maker at South Mountain Park.

Three weeks ago I returned from New England for my 20th high school reunion. I partied hard, like it was 1986. I came home with an upper body rash and a fever of 100.4. I was home from work for a week. During that week I had an ocular migraine on Wednesday morning while at home. Then Thursday morning around the same time while driving on I-17 at 75mph I had one. It lasted for about 15 minutes.

Shit, glad to finally learn what this is. A simple google led me to this:
http://www.perret-optic.ch/optometri...symflot_gb.htm