The Aura Continues…Blame It On The Mafia
Curiouser and curiouser. I am going back to the topic of ocular migraine aura. (see this blog) I have been keeping track of the episodes and becoming disconcerted. After a significant lessening of occurrences for a few months, and the taking of Petadolex which appeared to be working, the auras are coming back in full force. Sometimes two, three times in a day or in an hour! I consider a good day just dealing with gold lights zooming through my field of vision.
It is the strangest feeling and the strangest event. What I think is so disconcerting is the feeling of loss of control: there is nothing I can do but ride it through. There is no pain but occasionally a dull headache before or after. The tip off to what I call an “episode” is a small burst in my line of vision that is not always perceived but then becomes a blind spot which is perceived (in both eyes) as looking through water. There is usually a shimmering effect and often a squiggle with gold zig-zags. This is, as I said in the initial blog, not related to the eye but related to the eye’s perception; it is a spasm in a blood vessel of the brain. I am told it is not life threatening or serious. It does not appear on an MRI. It is downright annoying!
For my own edification, I began tracking in November. The episodes began in September around the time my mother started having health issues:
| November | 15 |
| December | 5 |
| January | 9 |
| February | 13 |
| March | 8 |
| April | 3 |
| May | 5 |
| June | 14[2 episodes (x2/day)]
June 30: 3x |
Last night I watched an hour of the Sopranos to honor the late James Gandolfini. There was a violent scene I couldn’t watch–hearing it was enough. And wouldn’t you know it? I had an ocular migraine!
Who knows what the cause is?
Food?
Weather?
The computer screen or phone screen?
Indoor light?
The sun?
An allergy?
Stress?
The Sopranos?
sue, i have had several but infrequent occular migraines which i would describe as you do commencing with a small blind spot etc. which starts as a small burst of light in one eye and progresses to a blind spot as if i had been staring into a bright light as when a bulb goes off during a photo. my most recent episode occurred when i was under extreme stress due to a friend’s imminent demise. the prior ones occurred when i had eaten all the forbidden foods, preserved meats,aged cheese, chinese food, dried fruits, wine etc. you have been under inordinant stress recently.yoga and meditation, a short vacation in the country may help mitigate these episodes. when i had the last one i tried to relax through it and i think that shortened the episode. good luck.
I’m with you: if you blame it on the Mafia you can’t be much off the tracks. More seriously: have you tried different drugs than Petadolex?