Was it a migraine??

[ICEQUEEN20]

Had a very strange attack of disturbed vision and flashing lights this morning. It came on all of a sudden, I can only describe it as one flashing zig zag light that duplicated after a few minutes, then had lots of little blind spots in my eyes - lasted for about 20 minutes. I took a nurofen and laid my head down and shut my eyes - the lights sort of cleared from my central vision then went toward the outer sides of my eyes, then totally went, I am left with a headache and my eyes now feel very sensitive to light. It scared the life out of me - I am just glad I wasnt driving. Was this a migraine? I remember having something like this as a teenager about 20 years ago? Didnt like it at all.

[invisibleLL]

poor you. This does sound like a migraine, although im not a doctor. Im prone to them and I have very similar symptoms. They can feel quite frightening and they can just come on or gradually build up. Thankfully a lot of the time you should get some notice! when I have one coming, I get 'floaters' in front of my eyes and I start to feel a little light headed. My vision can then become a bit blurry and sometimes I feel sick and this is before any of the pain.
If you dont have them regularly something could have triggered it, maybe stress or anxiety or something you have eaten that doesnt agree with you.
If there is going to be a next time, at least you will have an idea what to expect.
This should be disappear within the next couple of hours, being in a dark room away from bright light will help ease it. drink some water too and you should be fine.

[Mosaic]

Yes, this is a feature of migraine. I get these, exactly as you describe - sometimes as they disappear they look a bit like a Chinese kite with a long tail....often feel a bit spaced when they happen but pain doesn't always follow them. In me, the triggers seem to be tiredness, stress and low blood sugar. They knock out the vision on the side that they disappear to, so I can broadly see but not read. Fortunately, never had one when driving.
I'd just have a think about how you were when the attack occurred - were you still tired? Had you gone a long time without eating the day before? And as Invisi says, they might not happen again, but if they do, try and pinpoint what is triggering it.

[sara3]

migraines can be different for different people, but what you have described is a "classic migraine".

if you've not had one before it might be an idea to run this by your gp.

[ICEQUEEN20]

It was as if a small camera flash has appeared in my eye and just multiplied. Felt dizzy prob where my vision was disturbed. I have now just got a muzzy headache and feel a bit drained. Thanks

[pastafreak]

Yes...that's a classic migraine...typified by the 'scintillating scotoma' that you saw..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV_37cao38U

I've been getting them for a number of years...they never get any worse,and an attack usually will last no more than 20 minutes.
Food may be a trigger,along with stress...or even being very relaxed.

[pastafreak]

I should have said...take either dispersable aspirin or paracetomol as soon as it starts....that helps nip any pain in the bud.

[Sqad]

Typical migraine

[ljdksa]

Hiya. I have had exactly the same, although I wasn't left with a headache, but an oversensitivity to light. I was working and it scared the life out of me! I dropped in at an optician to check my eyes. She said could be retine detaching but she couldn't see anything there. My sight had come back then and she told me to see a doctor. My doctor sent me to a specialist and did all sorts of tests. They decided it was a painless migraine, although they did say there are many other things it could be. Have had two of these in the last eighteen months. Hope that's it now!

[LoftyLottie]

See your GP. Probably migraine. I had this and it was

http://www.rnib.org.u...reous_detachment.aspx

I also suffer from migraines.


Worth checking out.

[Sqad]

Lofty...hi! my love ........she hasn't ´t got a retinal detachment.

[Robinia]

Sqad I believe Lofty was talking about Vitreous Detachment 'cos I had that too a few months ago & I've talked about it with her.

With the zig zag light I've found that if I don't focus on it and constantly move my eyes and look past it it doesn't grow & disappears quite quickly. I don't know why but it works for me. It's very alarming the first time it happens I agree!

[boxtops]

Yes icequeen, I used to suffer badly, and my GP explained 4 phases
pre-migraine - when you feel weir and not with it
aura - flashing lights and visual disturbance
headache, without without vomiting
post-migraine, when you feel as if you have been hit by a bus

He explained that you can experience any one or more of these four symptoms and all are migraine but not everyone gets all of them - I rarely had the aura but I certainly had the other 3. Mine were regular and hormonal, a nightmare for daily living.

I found it helpful to identify the stages since people who have lights but no headache often don't realise that yes, it is migraine, and appropriate medication at the right moment certainly can help.

Mine started when I was about 30 - and stayed until I was about 45. Very rare now, thankfully.

[boxtops]

^^that should say Weird, not weir

[Sqad]

Robinia/lofty.....I agree with all you say.........but what has that got to do with ICEQUEEN´s condition?

[boxtops]

I had that too, lottie, but PVD is a very specific set of lights IMO, it was for me. Vision while you have a migraine with aua is like looking a life through a moving prism with blind spots, it's really disorientating. There was a movie clip posted on here a while back to show people what it's like - I'll see if I can find it.

[Sqad]

Boxy....the other HUGE difference is that PVD is not associated with a headache......migraine usually is.

[boxtops]

This isn't what I was looking for, but it's interesting http://www.theanswerb...s/Question918650.html

[boxtops]

This is what I was looking for - scroll down and watch the little video, this is what I get at the aura stage http://www.knownjohnson.com/?p=73

[Robinia]

Visual disturbance Sqad?

PVD wasn't specific for me boxtops...first day was like the start of a migraine, one spot in my eye, it lasted an hour or so....but the second day was like the tail end of migraine - ie, lots of faded zigzags to the right of vision...third day I knew it wasn't migraine & they sent me straight to hospital.
I'd had a bad headache on and off for the previous five days.

[boxtops]

I guess we are all different then robinia - my first experience of PVD was in the dark in the night, all I could see was like an eclipse of the sun, with tiny flame-like shapes chasing round the edge. Very unnerving, but it had gone by the morning.