Part 18b: The Aura
The weirdness of ocular migraine aura
Since September, around the time my mother began to become unstable, I have been having episodes of ocular migraine aura. Almost all of the “episodes” have been in my home and most seem to have a light trigger. It has been triggered as well by computer screens and cell phone screens. The “aura” usually begins to present as a small blind spot that grows into a black C-shape with gold zig-zags. it starts out tiny and then expands, so that perception is that something from afar is approaching. The C-shape can face either direction and is perceived in both eyes. It appears to shimmer and intrudes on my field of vision. Sometimes it seems like I am looking through water. The episode usually lasts, if it goes to fruition–occasionally it doesn’t, twenty to thirty minutes. Although it is relatively benign, it is annoying, if not scary, as it comes on suddenly when I think “all is well.”
The first episode was about a year and a half ago when I got up from putting something down on the floor and looked at my dining room light. I became terrified, I thought I was having a stroke, but I tried to stay calm and it resolved. The ophthalmologist assured me it was an ocular migraine but sent me for an MRI just to make sure. Nothing was evidenced. Then, after a long period of time the episodes began again, this past fall when I was stressed by a number of issues. It was so unnerving at one point: I had ten episodes in one week, that I went to see a neurologist. Again I was assured that it was no big deal. I began noting the times, types and length of the auras. Strangely, I rarely get any of the usual stress headaches I have had for years. The ocular migraine is not painful. They are due to a spasm in a blood vessel of the head. No big deal…?
But, they continued, and I saw a prominent neurologist who sent me for an MRI of the head, neck, brain, three total. He assured me I wasn’t having or would have a stroke and told me to avoid the usual medication of possible. That would be a calcium blocker. If I could live with it I should as best I can. He also told me that my brain was much younger than my chronological age and looked well exercised. That sounds nice. I think at this point I’d prefer to have my brain complimented than other parts.
But they still continue. I started taking a German product but I am not sure if it is working. Sometimes the aura begins but doesn’t last more than ten minutes which is an improvement.
My mother has always been interested in health and medicine and natural healing and she was actually the one who originally learned about this product. Leave it to my mother.
The product is made with buterburr which is supposed to keep the blood vessels in the head open. It takes two-three months to make a difference and I hope it does. As benign as the auras are, they are sometimes unnerving as my vision is affected.
I had one this morning and just as I was typing and looked up at the screen, another began. It is rare that I get two in a day, but there you go, the computer screen initiated the spasm, I have a small shimmering blind spot. I wonder if other people have this problem and if there is some kind of screen protector.
What ever happened to Winky Dink??
This series is linked: see “continued here.” Also, below the line there will be links for the previous post and the next.
Oh, those photos are great because I believe they describe what I actually experience myself. In the second photo, though, what I see is really bright and actually is spiky (the line is bright and spiky). It is a real problem at work. It decreases productivity. And… I have the theory that it is related by too many hours in front of the computer.
Your brain deserves complimenting in any case. Look what you have achieved with your blogs: waking the consciences of countless readers and making them aware of issues that are all but banal. Things one sees but their real, deep value one rarely catches. Thanks for everything, Sue, for alerting me among others. I’m in your debt.
I haven’t had auras so far, but “floats” in my right eye, by now almost permanent. It isn’t a painful condition, although it can make reading a little difficult at times. It’s age-related, so nothing serious.
You are too kind, Dani, and you are eloquent as always.
I have floaters, too but this takes the cake, so different in effect and source, I never would have believed this would be happening and yet it could always be worse.