Scary visual aura yesterday

[WantsALittle1]

So yesterday I randomly went blind in my right eye for 10 minutes. All I could see was weird dancing triangles and flashing lights in my right eye. It was terrifying, but oddly not new for me. The same thing happened when I was 25 weeks along with DD. We rushed to the ER thinking I'd had a stroke but they said it was just a silent migraine with aura, and the only explanation they had for it was that my magnesium was low.

So yesterday when it happened, I wasn't as panicked. Called the OB and they weren't overly concerned about it, to my shock. They just told me to take some magnesium and make sure to bring it up with the doctor at my 16 week appointment today. I then proceeded to smash my head into a door jamb because my right periphery was totally messed up for about 30 minutes and I couldn't see anything on the right side, so I had no idea that I wasn't clear of the door jamb. But besides that no lasting effects from it.

Sigh, pregnancy. Always something weird and shocking hiding around the corner, what will it be next

 

[justplay91]

Yep, I had these too. In fact, hormonal fluctuations have always caused them for me. Anymore, I usually get just one every few years. I had my last one a few months ago when I was pregnant with dd. Sometimes I get the headache after, sometimes not. They're scary, but mostly harmless.

 

[RedButterfly]

Yup, I suffer with migraines with aura! Especially more so when pregnant. Not fun when you can't see out of one eye!

 

[hanni]

I've had these a few times while not pregnant. They're so irritating!

 

[laila 44]

Wow that's insane!!! I would be terrified. Can u go to an optometrist and do a full work up of your eyes? Just to be sure there isn't any underlying cause in your retina etc?

 

[Nadja86]

I've had migraine with aura since I was a teenager, and it always seemed to be correlated with my cycle. In recent years, the headache part of it isn't so bad, it's really the aura that bothers me. I have to drop everything for 30-60 minutes. It's a horrible feeling!

Since I've been pregnant I've been getting them really often, sometimes as much as one a week... and I'm only at 16 weeks

 

[Powell130]

I've had these since I was a teenager and like PP it seems to correlate with my cycle.

 

[Lues]

WOW.

I would have melted down (and i'm not really a melt-down-er) and absolutely thought I was having a stroke or something.

I'm so glad I read this!!! In the off chance that it happens, I'll know!!

I guess they can't list ALL the things that can possibly happen with pregnancy. Such a strange time...

 

[Nadja86]

WOW.

I would have melted down (and i'm not really a melt-down-er) and absolutely thought I was having a stroke or something.

I'm so glad I read this!!! In the off chance that it happens, I'll know!!

I guess they can't list ALL the things that can possibly happen with pregnancy. Such a strange time...

If this does ever happen to you, especially later in pregnancy, I would go get checked out just to be safe. Vision changes could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. But at least you know that if it happens it doesn't NECESSARILY mean that and you don't need to panic! Just best to get it checked out like OP.

I think auras can vary, but most people I know who get them talk about the dancing triangles... Mine usually starts out small and spirals out until it's out of my vision (does that make any sense? haha). I get it on either side of my vision.

 

[WantsALittle1]

Laila: Visual aura/ocular migraine is a neurological problem rather than an ophthalmic one, so I think they'd probably end up referring me to a neuro doctor if it became worrisome. My OB clarified today that what I experienced was definitely an ocular migraine and that migraines in general are quite common during pregnancy, and sadly that there's nothing they can do about them because the meds they would use to treat migraines are not recommended for pregnant women. So she told me to start taking a low-dose magnesium and increasing my hydration. I'm just crossing my fingers that I don't have any more of these!

Nadja: I know what you mean. I was hit with the visual aura, and then about 3 minutes later the headache came, and at the same time I got a huge wave of nausea and dizziness. I was out of commission for about an hour, even though my vision started coming back within 10 minutes. It took about 30 minutes for the last weird shapes to clear out of the bottom right corner of my eye, and I really felt out of it that whole time Have you had your magnesium checked, and/or do you have a tendency to get low blood sugar or get dehydrated? I know that all of these things can bring on migraines.

Powell: Interesting, I just assumed it was my magnesium or hydration level but maybe it was just changing hormones. I know 16 weeks is a milestone, when the placenta has fully taken over, right? Hmmm

Lues, it's best to let your doctor decide if it's a stroke or not, I wouldn't assume that a visual disturbance is visual aura unless you've seen a doctor about aura before. The first time this happened to me, we went straight to the ER. The only reason I didn't rush into the ER this time is because 1) I gave myself the stroke test (https://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20030213/got-minute-you-could-diagnose-stroke) and passed all three measures, and 2) visual aura has happened to me before and I recognized the pattern. Visual changes during pregnancy can be a sign of really serious things so I'd contact your doctor right away if you ever have a visual disturbance and let them decide how to proceed x

 

[WantsALittle1]

WOW.

I would have melted down (and i'm not really a melt-down-er) and absolutely thought I was having a stroke or something.

I'm so glad I read this!!! In the off chance that it happens, I'll know!!

I guess they can't list ALL the things that can possibly happen with pregnancy. Such a strange time...

If this does ever happen to you, especially later in pregnancy, I would go get checked out just to be safe. Vision changes could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. But at least you know that if it happens it doesn't NECESSARILY mean that and you don't need to panic! Just best to get it checked out like OP.

I think auras can vary, but most people I know who get them talk about the dancing triangles... Mine usually starts out small and spirals out until it's out of my vision (does that make any sense? haha). I get it on either side of my vision.

^wss.

Nadja mine too! It starts as a dot/shadow in the center, and then it gets bigger and I start to see the triangles, and then it starts to expand until it looks kinda like this: https://geometricon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/01nautilus-shell.jpg

What was weird about this one is that it hung out in the lower right corner of my eye for a really long time, and I had no peripheral vision even though the center of my vision had already cleared.

 

[Nadja86]

WOW.

I would have melted down (and i'm not really a melt-down-er) and absolutely thought I was having a stroke or something.

I'm so glad I read this!!! In the off chance that it happens, I'll know!!

I guess they can't list ALL the things that can possibly happen with pregnancy. Such a strange time...

If this does ever happen to you, especially later in pregnancy, I would go get checked out just to be safe. Vision changes could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. But at least you know that if it happens it doesn't NECESSARILY mean that and you don't need to panic! Just best to get it checked out like OP.

I think auras can vary, but most people I know who get them talk about the dancing triangles... Mine usually starts out small and spirals out until it's out of my vision (does that make any sense? haha). I get it on either side of my vision.

^wss.

Nadja mine too! It starts as a dot/shadow in the center, and then it gets bigger and I start to see the triangles, and then it starts to expand until it looks kinda like this: https://geometricon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/01nautilus-shell.jpg

What was weird about this one is that it hung out in the lower right corner of my eye for a really long time, and I had no peripheral vision even though the center of my vision had already cleared.

Yes, that is exactly what happens to me! And sometimes the aura hangs around on the edge too... I've even had two auras in the same migraine attack. I asked my doctor though and she said it was nothing to worry about.

 

[Misscalais]

Wow how scary! Ive suffered migraines since i was a teen and never experienced that, id be terrified.

 

[loeylo]

I had this when I was 20 odd weeks. It was so scary! Mines started when I was in the car (as a passenger, luckily) - it was raining and looked like a raindrop on the windscreen, I looked down at my knee and still saw the distorted part so I thought I had fluff in my eyelash, wiped my eyes and it didn't go away, it gradually got bigger and was like a black hole and then a coloured snake appeared twisting all the way around it, I was hysterical! My OH pulled over and called my mum who came over, she had them too but was still worried about a stroke. Called my GP who told me it was not an emergency (wtf?!) and I should get my eyes tested. Called maternity who had me up to check bp which was fine. Diagnosed as migraine with aura.

Its so scary, I also went numb down my left side. Started at my tongue and moved down my arm and then legs. This is a normal side effect apparently! I never had a headache. It never returned luckily but apparently if you take two paracetomols at the first sign it can stop it forming.

 

[WantsALittle1]

loeylo, wow! Sounds like your first time was pretty scary too. I was convinced I was having a stroke when it happened during my first pregnancy.

It's funny you mentioned that you felt like there was something in your eye and you kept trying to wipe it out. When mine started yesterday, I was looking at my son's face and I was like... uh... There's something weird about his face. It was distorted, and then this shadow appeared right over his nose, and I was like oh, I got a lash in my eye, that's all. And I was trying to wipe it away too and it wouldn't budge and I was frustrated for a second.

Then the dizziness and nausea hit and I was like ugh, okay, nvm I know what this is...

 

[Qmama79]

I've had a few visual migraines without actual headache. Pretty scary as half my vision disappeared in both eyes. It did make me drowsy fr about 24 hours. Glad it's been a long time since I've had it. I hope you can get it under control.

 

[Powell130]

Laila: Visual aura/ocular migraine is a neurological problem rather than an ophthalmic one, so I think they'd probably end up referring me to a neuro doctor if it became worrisome. My OB clarified today that what I experienced was definitely an ocular migraine and that migraines in general are quite common during pregnancy, and sadly that there's nothing they can do about them because the meds they would use to treat migraines are not recommended for pregnant women. So she told me to start taking a low-dose magnesium and increasing my hydration. I'm just crossing my fingers that I don't have any more of these!

Nadja: I know what you mean. I was hit with the visual aura, and then about 3 minutes later the headache came, and at the same time I got a huge wave of nausea and dizziness. I was out of commission for about an hour, even though my vision started coming back within 10 minutes. It took about 30 minutes for the last weird shapes to clear out of the bottom right corner of my eye, and I really felt out of it that whole time Have you had your magnesium checked, and/or do you have a tendency to get low blood sugar or get dehydrated? I know that all of these things can bring on migraines.

Powell: Interesting, I just assumed it was my magnesium or hydration level but maybe it was just changing hormones. I know 16 weeks is a milestone, when the placenta has fully taken o ver, right? Hmmm

Lues, it's best to let your doctor decide if it's a stroke or not, I wouldn't assume that a visual disturbance is visual aura unless you've seen a doctor about aura before. The first time this happened to me, we went straight to the ER. The only reason I didn't rush into the ER this time is because 1) I gave myself the stroke test (https://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20030213/got-minute-you-could-diagnose-stroke) and passed all three measures, and 2) visual aura has happened to me before and I recognized the pattern. Visual changes during pregnancy can be a sign of really serious things so I'd contact your doctor right away if you ever have a visual disturbance and let them decide how to proceed x

I've been prescribed Fioricet during both pregnancies and it works really well!

 

[eva1978]

Its so scary, I also went numb down my left side. Started at my tongue and moved down my arm and then legs. This is a normal side effect apparently! I never had a headache. It never returned luckily but apparently if you take two paracetomols at the first sign it can stop it forming.

Wow I'm glad I came across this post! This happened to me today (I'm 15 weeks).
I've experienced migraine with aura since my teens and the pain is variable (usually low), though I often get nausea, the odd time numbness, and rarely speech problems (like I know what words I want to say but they come out all wrong - messed up and stroke-like)! Today though was different. I first had the numb/tingling in my left hand, then in my mouth (left side), and only 1+ hour later I got the aura. Every other time, it's ALWAYS been aura first. Popped a paracetamol and lay down in the dark for half an hour, seemed to help.

While it's annoying and sometimes scary, nice to know others experience very similar symptoms!

WantsALittle1 - great to know about the magnesium! Funny cuz I was prescribed that by my old doctor for my other two pregnancies, but not this one... and this time around I have had a tonne of migraines! Though they mostly happened earlier in 1st tri. Anyway I'm totally going to take an Mg pill right now!

 

[minties]

I have been having the aura and not the headache every couple of days during this pregnancy, drives me nuts! My midwife did say that it can be an indication that I could have a higher chance of developing pre-e but didn't explain why.

 

[WantsALittle1]

minties, doesn't magnesium have something to do with pre-e as well? So interesting, I wonder if it's all connected