DAILY AURA FOR 2 YEARS! CONSTANT DAILY VISUAL DISTURBANCE - Chronic daily migraine

First of all, stop all GLUTEN. It is a free treatment and will not hurt you to try to detox your body. It's easy - don't eat anything with wheat. Natural fruits and veggies, meat, fish and poultry. Try it for a month and see how you feel. You seriously have nothing to lose.

I have been battling various symptoms (headache, dizziness, eye muscle/fatigued eyes, all over muscle aches and stiffness, shakiness, neck pain, hot flashes) for almost 3 years, with no answers. I keep a daily diary. I am in the middle of menopause now.

But the one disturbance I want to find an answer for is this: Every day I wake up with what appears to be an ocular migraine. It is a spinning shiny circle in the middle of my vision. I cannot tell if it is one eye or both eyes. I get up and with 15-30 seconds it is gone.

I have had MRI's, an MRV, CT scans, bloodwork, vestibular testing, etc. Everything is "normal". I feel like this is related to my daily headaches - that something somewhere is pressing on something and we just haven't found it yet.

My doctors look at me and shrug their shoulders. I do have one doctor, however, that is thinking outside the box and we are trying different tests and different supplements. She is an MD but gears towards a naturopath in her thinking. We have resolved the hot flashes, but are still looking for answers to the other issues. I have been doing the MELT METHOD and have gone gluten-freefor my aches and pains for the past month and they have almost disappeared. ( Fibromyalgia my ass. ) Accupuncture also helps, but you have to do it regularly. I had bad lower back pain a couple of weeks ago, went in for treatment and within a day my lower back no longer hurt - and it was BAD.
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I had a cervical epidural for my headaches last week, but that triggered an even worse headache. That whole side of my head and neck hurts so bad and nothing will take it away. I have to deal. I have had trigger point injections, botox injections, tried numerous medications. I give up on medications. The supplements I am on now are based on neurotransmitter test results. I started the protocol last week. We need to give it a month. I will let you know if I experience any relief.

They changed my diagnosis from migraine to occipital neuralgia, but the insurance company will not approve occitpal nerve blocks. If this epidural doesn't work I will try those and just pay cash. The doc gives a good cash discount.

Health to you all. Someday I will find my answer. I refuse to give up and trudge on.

Karen from Arizona

aajohn05 i feel like we have very similar stories here ( i am also 24y/o female with auras) my auras began when i started taking loestren. i was in a daily, persistent, constant 'fog' and severly depressed, self harming, and attempted suicide. i stopped taking the birth control when my mom called me to tell me stroke risks related to taking estrogen. i was convinced i was about to have a stroke....anyway i didnt have a stroke but my migraines have since permanently converted to auras. meaning, i used to have migraines monthly, hormonally, starting when i first got my period. once i went on birth control (i caved after years of my gyno telling me birth control was the solution to the migraines) the migraines were accompanied by aura which was a terrifying thing in a time when my gyno, the ER doctor, and even the first neurologist i went to were not aware of migraines with aura and told me i was having panic attacks, bad eye sight, you name it. anyway, now that i am off the BC i very rarely get the headache part of the migraine it is almost always exclusively the optical disturbance. which is psychologically harder for me to handle and occurs much much more frequently. i have had one for 3 of the past 4 days.

Kaymarina or anyone else,
Have you found any medications to prevent these aura episodes. Mine last around 6 to 8 weeks at a time. It drives me in sane.

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum, and found it my chance. I live with constant visual disturbances which are making my life unbearable as they are continuous and getting worse by the day. Nobody has a clue what is wrong. I have advanced glaucoma and for a long time the specialists kept telling me that this was the cause, but now they seem to think it is neurological.

I have had migraine with aura since I was 12 (I now now 56.) When I hit my mid 40's the auras disappeared, but came back unexpected when I reached 50. I had two multi-coloured auras in 3 days (they had always been white zig zags before) and these were preceded by very blurred vision and tingling in my hands and feet as the aura was subsiding.

A day or so after the second of these new type auras I was ironing a white sheet and realised that it did not look white, it was as if it had a pink lacy pattern all over it. Since then this pattern has been joined by patches of other colours, although they were quite muted and did not stop me driving, etc. The only thing which was really a nuisance was a permanent runny nose and flashes of colours out of the corner of my right eye when I was stooping or exerting myself. My vision also used to blur whenever I bent forward, and was accompanied with pain between the eyes when I did the hovering, mowing the lawn, etc.

Then, two and half years ago I had another bout of blurred vision and thought that another migraine was on its way, but it never came, and the blurred vision has continued to get worse. I had to give up driving last year and can no longer see to read or watch television without difficulty. The vision is getting more cloudy by the day, and for the past three weeks it is as if I have a permanent migraine aura - my vision is covered with little coloured dots and a big coloured shape in the right eye. The vision shimmers and shakes. I also have awful pressure behind my nose and in my throat - it feels as if something is swollen there.

I have had so many tests you wouldn't believe it - several MRI brain scans, two lumbar punctures, blood tests, ENT, max fax, cardiology, etc. The only thing that has been found is that I have a very narrow coronary artery, although they don't think that this would cause the visual disturbances. The latest thinking is that it may be something to do with a cerebrospinal fluid abnormality, so I am due to go in for ICP monitoring at some point in the future.

Nobody has ever heard of the coloured patches before. I have found a Daily Mail article online called 'The Girl with Kaleidiscope Eyes', and her vision is very similar to mine, although she is also living with it constantly. It would seem there is no treatment.

I have seen a migraine specialist at King's who says I have visual snow, but it's more than that now. (He's a very good specialist if you have migraine, chronic daily headache or cluster headaches by the way.) The effect on my life is awful though, and it's good to know that I'm not alone. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has anything like what I am living with.

Thanks so much.

Here Is The Solution

You can be sure that I went through some severe pain trying to find it, and I only have Auras without Headaches. You can trust me since it worked for me, I solved my crazy, bizarre constant vibrations in my vision. No drugs and no surgery can do that, just an understanding of the causes of the problem.

What exactly is sensitivity to light?

Exposure to a specific light, even for a second, causes the periphery of the vision to vibrate in variable frequencies and strengths, that sometimes can include vibrating shapes. It can also vibrate the middle of the vision: the farther the object is placed – the more noticeable the vibration in the middle. The more you are exposed, the longer the vibrations will last, the more strength it will have along with higher frequencies. The larger the eyes pupils sizes at the moment, the stronger the exposure effects, so one second of exposure just after waking up is equivalent to much more exposure time at daytime. There are no direct relationships between those variables, so those vibrations can lasts for days even after only several seconds of exposure. It can also start in the same time of the exposure in the following days following a non exposure period, something that is probably related to the Circadian Rhythms. The problem does not related to the brightness of the light. Sometimes it's like falling asleep with it and waking up with it, as then it can be even stronger than the other day before sleeping. Also, night vision is severely disturbed, as it's severity depends on the strength and on the frequency of the vibrations at the moment. Regular auras do not affect night vision that much.

To make an educated guess, this sensitivity is seem to be due to a permanent association that is created at the peak of an aura Scintillating Scotoma flashing zigzag shape between it's vibrating level and the vibrating level of the lights that are being exposed to during this specific time. In order to acquire such an association, the frequency of that flashing zigzag (or any vibrating aura shapes) should so be so high, that it probably reaches close to the level of those of the lights outside. As it happens, the eyes get sharply hurt. Usually, it happens around the peak of the development of the zigzag shape, so it gives enough time to respond and shut down any powered lights. If you did not do that, like me, do it next time and keep on reading this article.

Any AC/DC-Powered lights that you were exposed to during a strong flashing shapes, usually so severe that it accompanied eyes pain, will permanently creates lighter, dimmer vibration of that specific shape event along with more general vibrations all over the visual space. Note that some events can creates just constant vibrations without shapes.

There are 2 types of vibrating lights in the modern era:
1. DC. If you were exposed to one type of a battery-powered screen during a severe flashing zigzag aura, you will probably never be able to look again at, even for ONE second, ALL types of DC-battery-powered screens: laptops, tablets, cellphones, smartphones, MP4, MP3, Clocks, emergency lights, etc.
2. AC. If you were exposed to regular light bulbs or florescent lights during a severe flashing zigzag aura, you will probably never be able to see your houses' lights again, even for ONE second. Now that can get tricky, as the voltage supply that creates those vibrations in the AC-Powered lights can vary at different places around your house, or it can be the same for the entire neighborhood, so trials and errors must be done cleverly to isolate the specific causes. Note that any lights connected with an AC cable or directly to the walls will vibrate just as the lights in the ceiling. For examples, TV screens, Computer Monitors screens, small lamps, wall-night lamps, monitoring spot lights, radio screen, microwave screen, etc.

If you were exposed to only one type of the two, you will probably be able to live your life using only the other type of lights. If, like me, you were exposed to both types, you have to MOVE to a new place, somewhere else, with some trials and errors to ensure safety, and drop off immediately any battery-powered screen. In your new place, use only AC-Powered monitors and use only telephones with AC-Power cable and with a wired receiver. Never ever expose yourself to those lights again, it is in your control. As you prepare to check your new apartment, go vibration-free for at least several days by living outside your house so that you will be able to assess the new places's lights immediate vibrating effects (to do so in daytime, go to a dark place, such as a bathroom, and look at the wall to see any vibrations). If not possible, restrict your life temporarily to sunlight hours, and put on an Eye Mask Shade at your house and be as a blind-person for a while, because only closing your eyes is not enough to prevent a dim light to come in, as it does related to brightness. There are no better options right now, and people will think that it is weird, but who cares. You should also keep in mind that, unlike me, you may not be able to be exposed to any AC/DC light anywhere, EVER. Even then, you can survive well, believe me, at least as well as our ancestors did.

Notice that if you are not exposing yourself for several days to those lights, the vibration will begin to diminish, even though you will probably have temporal and even strong relapses probably due to the Circadian Rhythms at certain hours, especially at night times, due to heavy lights use in these hours and the large pupils size at this time.

In addition, those vibrations alone cause stress, impulsivity, anxiety, depression (and probably many other mental problems) after controlling many other variables in numerous cases. The moment their strength and/or their frequency get to a moderate level toward an exposure-depended recovery, you will suddenly feel a lot better, as if you are a new, not mental-degraded, person. No CBT method and no relaxing technique can help you as the vibrations do not respond to these methods, and you will quickly discover that you cannot really experience any relaxation whatsoever, perhaps also due to the short of focusing ability that the vibrations impose. In addition, a history with anxiety and the co-morbid depression can be involved in the simplicity of getting those periodic "relapse" processes.

As the vibrations occurred for prolonged periods of time, no other aura symptom can be clearly noticed other than those vibrations in the space vision. If suddenly the vibrations become stronger without greater amount of exposure to those dangerous lights, it can be assumed to be triggered by the other new symptom that was probably blocked by the constant vibrations. Moreover, vibrations in vision is probably not a migraine aura, just a devastating constant association of it, and perhaps of the whole migraine. As you get better and be able to notice other aura symptoms, for example Micropsia, Foggy Vision, or "Heat Waves"/"visual snow", Enlarging Objects, Double-Vision, any other Alice in Wonderland Syndrome symptoms, any new real Scintillating Scotoma shape or any other normal symptom, you can be sure that you are getting better.

No new real advances have yet to come up in recent years. In fact, not only that there are no solutions to auras, there is a great mystery around it, as today scientists admit that they don't really understand its processes and its causes.

Good Luck

Post Edited (redbull007) : 8/6/2014 2:59:46 AM (GMT-6)

Hi becky , so sorry to hear you been in so much pain , I was also a 24/7 migraine sufferer for 3 years and know exactly how you feel . I had everything from mri to mri contrast , Botox , nerve blocks , aquapuncture. Ect ect the list goes on ,. Anyway to save boring you with all the horrid stuff I finally found something that gave me releif and was like a miracle , its a device called Cefaly its amazing I have it on my head right now seriously lol, I got mine from a website migraineheadacherelief.org.uk and they delivered it next day and that was that, it was expensive at around £300 but its mine for life and their are 0 side effects so I can use it as mich as i like, and to be honest after getting relief i consider it a tiny amount of money even though all I had at the time . ;)

I am so relieved that I stumbled upon this thread because I have been researching my aura problem and until now I haven't come across anyone that was going through the same symptoms as often as I have been going through them. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in may of this year but before that I was suffering from the occasional aura without migraine. My very first episode was in mid April of 2013 and it terrified me! I thought I was having a stroke. After that I was getting them occasionally, sometimes a few days a week then it would go away for a few months but it still caused me extreme anxiety. I had a brain and spine MRI done and I saw an eye specialist last year and both tests were normal so I didn't think much of it because the episodes were not happening very often. As of now I have had 4 aura episodes in a row the past 4 days and its really affecting me and my quality of life. I just started a new part time job at a nursing home as a receptionist and Im scared im going to have episodes while at work because I have to use the computer screen and be around fluorescent lights for an 8 hr period 4 times a month. Not to mention the extreme anxiety I feel during an episode, even though it only lasts about 25 minutes. I also experience vision problems throughout the days lately that include blurred vision, dots in my eyes and any type of exposure to light affects me. I am 36 years old and I don't want to be housebound and it seems like it is heading that way. Thanks for listening.

shawna

Hi Kitty, thanks for your kind words and support. This is still a little new to me so I'm trying to not panic as much with each episode but it's really hard sometimes because I hate it when I can't see, even if its temporary. I have friends that have had aura migraines but not as often so it makes me worry, wondering if something else is going on. I talked to my doctor today and he did refer me to the same neurologist from last year, I will probably have to wait awhile to see him though. It's frustrating though because my doctor, as well as many other doctors, treat me as though I am crazy or just that it's my anxiety and it really upsets me. I can't stand it when people treat you as though you're a hypochondriac. They should try having these episodes frequently and see how they would react.
Anyway, I just hope I get some answers and preventative treatment soon because I feel like I am going crazy. Hope all is well, thanks again kitty :)

Yah i heard about how bad aspartame is and i check my food to make sure there isnt any in the ingredients. All i did all day today was wear sunglasses because i spent most of the day at the hospital waiting for my dad to have surgery and the lighting was horrific! Hate hospitals sometimes.

How about you guys that have been experienceing this visual problem, how are you today?

I was diagnosed with migraines. The doctor said I have had them since I was young. Well I don't remember that . Ur he said well you wouldn't because migraines cause lost of memory. In 2009 I was diagnosed with fibromyaglia. It got worse over the years and the more I think about it i use to put a heating pad on the back of my neck and on my head. In 2012 I had a fall if which I fractured my back and cause sacrum problems with a nerve. Fractured my tail bone. I just iced my back that night and went to work the next day. Need mind you I was already on pain pills but felt pain in my back. Just thought it was muscular . I was going threw a bad divorce and kept going cause I had bills. A year later when I finally got diagnosed with my back. And whipped my neck. Don't remember hitting my head on the stairs. This occurred in my basement. Then I was diagnose w post concussion syndrome and now PTSD. So I am on a lot of meds. But I get migraine every day . Since then from the fall my fibro got intensely worse. So for my migraines I take topamax daily. Sumatrphan and diflocen sodium if needed. Well the sumatrpban works well but the insurance only covers 9 pills a month. I wish I could take them every day. I have had nerve block shots and botox shots for a year until the last nerve blocks gave me three bald spots on back if my head. So in due time my primary told me to go to a radiology place to have my nerves reset. It is sulllse to lessen your migraines. They place a catheter up both nostrils and put lidacaine on them. It was a difficult procedure for me as I have anxiety . I get so depressed because of all my pain. I don't like taking antidepressants because they make me tired and bring me down. I take xanax and that helps to level me out more. I have sleep problems and have to take three at night 0.5mg each. And another during day if needed. Well k need more then that but it also helps my migraine. It has been two weeks since I had procedure done. The first day I smelled better heard better but my anxiety was everywhere and is. But then again I just started depakote which is suppose ty help migraines but makes very nervous and can t sleep . But they are red and I am allergic to red dye as it makes me hyper . Going to see doc tomorrow about my meds. But I have tried everything . The boss procedure helps a bit. I now don't wake up in morning with migraines. Now they start mid afternoon and last all day still. Going to get docs opinion tomorrow. And go over meds. Have u ever thought u may have fibro? As they can go hand n hand....but trust me I know the pain. I have to hold the top of my head sometimes just to have a conversation. I hope u will get better....or some type of relief!!

Question 1: Were you ever on any medications long term prior to the symptoms starting?

Question 2: Have you ever had a Bubble Study? This is an echocardiogram with bubble study for your heart and to check for a PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale). Evidence shows that a PFO (flap opening in your heart) can allow "dirty" blood to pass and get to the brain which sort of aggravates the brain and can lead to visual phenomena as you describe.