ocular migraines?

RTaylor12

Some of you may remember my slightly scary trip to L&D last week, when I got really dizzy at work, followed by some unwelcome eye-fireworks that didn't go away for about 30 minutes. Well, they monitored me for about an hour and sent me home with very little explanation. Since then, on probably four separate occasions, I've had similar "spells" that don't include the dizziness, but the bizarre visual disturbances. Basically my vision is kind of like I've been staring at the sun. Sometimes it's in both eyes and sometimes the right eye only. Sometimes when it's in only the right eye, the best way I can describe it is like I can see a moving ceiling fan in the corner of my eye that's not really there. It's really weird and scary. Every time, it's gone away in 30 min or so. I did some googling and it sounds like what I'm experiencing is ocular migraines, which can be common in pregnancy. According to what I've read, they're annoying but not harmful. Sometimes I feel fine after, sometimes (like right now) I'm left with a real migraine after, which super-sucks. I've never been prone to migraines in my life and I'm hoping it's just pregancy-related and will go away after LO gets here. I've taken a couple Tylenol but that was about an hour ago and my headache is still pretty wicked. My next doc appointment is Monday, so I plan to bring it up then. Anyone else experiencing anything similar, or heard of it? Everything I've read has convinced me it's not dangerous but it's starting to really bug me.

apollonia10

I'm sorry you're going through that! It sounds really painful and scary. I don't get ocular migraines but I do get regular migraines, and I'll say that nothing makes them go away like coffee, especially espresso. I "save" my caffeine consumption during pregnancy for migraine days. A grande latte from Starbucks only has 150 mg of caffeine, under the daily limit.

If it continues after pregnancy, there are some very effective prescriptions you can take (all of which are pregnancy no-nos, unfortunately). 

RTaylor12

Can caffeine also be a preventative for migraines, or just a cure? I have a cup of regular coffee at home every morning before work and it doesn't seem to keep them from happening. Ugh. No coffee here at work but I could go next door and get a Coke...maybe that will help a little. Thankfully the ocular part has passed but my head is raging right now.

apollonia10

RTaylor12:

Can caffeine also be a preventative for migraines, or just a cure? I have a cup of regular coffee at home every morning before work and it doesn't seem to keep them from happening. Ugh. No coffee here at work but I could go next door and get a Coke...maybe that will help a little. Thankfully the ocular part has passed but my head is raging right now.

I don't know if it can be preventative, but it does constrict the blood vessels that become dilated with a migraine...or at least that's what my doctor says. Good luck! 

Lisa Oliveira

I have been experiencing the SAME exact thing! I have been suffering from migraines since I was 12 and never has it affected my vision...until recently. At 26 weeks I basically went blind in my right eye (same thing....it's like I was staring into the sun and had a bright light flashing in my eye). My vision came back within a half hour but then like 15-20 minutes after that I got a migraine. Then a couple of weeks ago I was at work and it started again....went blind in my right eye for about 30 minutes, was left with a migraine. I called my doctor who told me to go directly to the ER to make sure it wasn't something more serious. I went and everything checked out ok. While I was at the hospital, one of the nurses said that she would get the same thing while she was pregnant with both of her children and that it stopped after she delivered them.

About a week ago I started to go blind again, so I took two Tylenol and I never ended up getting a migraine.

It's definitely annoying that it's been happening, but these migraines are nothing compared to other migraines I've had over the years. I am just hoping the eye thing stops after delivery.

MrsC0409

I might be getting really annoying with the same response to all these posts, but ask your doctor to check your blood sugar. I went in a couple weeks ago because I thought I had had a migraine and never fully recovered from it. I had the "migraine" on a Monday and by Friday I was still feeling a little lightheaded and woozy and I could feel my pulse through my whole body. I went to the Dr. and told her that I wasn't sure if it was a lingering result of the migraine I had or if my blood pressure was getting high. They tested my BP- that was fine- and then ran a full blood test just to rule anything else out. Turns out the "migraine" I had wasn't a migraine at all but the symptoms of low blood sugar. They can be very similar. My vision was affected, my speech was affected and even my hearing. It's definitely worth checking out because apparently low blood sugar can be just as bad as GD. Hope everything is ok!

RTaylor12

Lisa Oliveira:

I have been experiencing the SAME exact thing! I have been suffering from migraines since I was 12 and never has it affected my vision...until recently. At 26 weeks I basically went blind in my right eye (same thing....it's like I was staring into the sun and had a bright light flashing in my eye). My vision came back within a half hour but then like 15-20 minutes after that I got a migraine. Then a couple of weeks ago I was at work and it started again....went blind in my right eye for about 30 minutes, was left with a migraine. I called my doctor who told me to go directly to the ER to make sure it wasn't something more serious. I went and everything checked out ok. While I was at the hospital, one of the nurses said that she would get the same thing while she was pregnant with both of her children and that it stopped after she delivered them.

About a week ago I started to go blind again, so I took two Tylenol and I never ended up getting a migraine.

It's definitely annoying that it's been happening, but these migraines are nothing compared to other migraines I've had over the years. I am just hoping the eye thing stops after delivery.

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this irritating symptom as well, but glad to hear I'm not alone. It's nice knowing that your nurse said she experienced it as well, makes me not quite so scared that it could be a sign of something worse.

RTaylor12

MrsC0409:

I might be getting really annoying with the same response to all these posts, but ask your doctor to check your blood sugar. I went in a couple weeks ago because I thought I had had a migraine and never fully recovered from it. I had the "migraine" on a Monday and by Friday I was still feeling a little lightheaded and woozy and I could feel my pulse through my whole body. I went to the Dr. and told her that I wasn't sure if it was a lingering result of the migraine I had or if my blood pressure was getting high. They tested my BP- that was fine- and then ran a full blood test just to rule anything else out. Turns out the "migraine" I had wasn't a migraine at all but the symptoms of low blood sugar. They can be very similar. My vision was affected, my speech was affected and even my hearing. It's definitely worth checking out because apparently low blood sugar can be just as bad as GD. Hope everything is ok!

Good to know, I'll ask on Monday for them to run my blood sugar and make sure everything checks out. The first time I had a dizzy spell (this was about a week before the trip to L&D) I noticed that my speech was a little stuttery as well.

smalpotato

Mostly a lurker here, but I get them during pregnancy.  I got them with my first, the first time was when I was on the freeway on the way to work.  Scary!  It was only about twice last pregnancy and I never had one until I was pregnant again.  I get them maybe every other week with this one.  My husband suffers from migraines with the ocular part too and his advice was to lay down in a dark room asap and try to sleep.  It helps him from getting a full blown migraine and I've never had one following his advice.  Funny thing is I was going to ask at my next appointment if my blood sugar was low.  I've been having other symptoms of low blood sugar and never thought to link it with the ocular migraines.

snickersforeveryone

My mom started getting ocular migraines just a few months ago, and her doctor said she would be fine.  They are annoying, and can be dangerous if you are driving, so be careful.

I've been getting migraines during pregnancy, so my doctor recently prescribed me something called Fioricet.  It really works if you can manage to take it at the first sign of headache.  Not sure if it would work on the ocular migraines, but it may be worth asking about.

oncoRN

I have ocular migraines, and they sound similar to what you are describing. They are very scary if you don't know what's going on (I seriously thought I was having a stroke the first time!). I don't get them very much anymore, but there was a point where I would have one almost daily!

I don't usually get the migraine headache, just the visual disturbances... I noticed mine may be triggered by certain foods, especially anything with artificial sugars-- and also the flourescent lights that they have in large department stores (they happened to have them at my old job, and the migraines almost vanished after I left haha).

Hope you feel better soon!