Am I getting migraines?

Hello everyone. This is my first time on this forum.

I have been told by a specialist that I have migraine but I do not have headaches. Several times a month I do, however, get visual disturbances (nearly always in the middle of the night) which last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They are mostly circles (some colored) and have sometimes changed shape. I was assessed as I stumble several times a day (up to 170 times) and my specialist is quite insistent that this is what is happening but can this really be a migraine everyday for the last 2 years. The number of stumbles is increasing (it started with an average of 7 a day but now is an average of 100 a day). I don't understand it. I did have one extreme headache with projectile vomiting 5 years ago but apart from the odd humdinger of a headache I don't get that many.

My specialist keeps talking about visual migraines being the cause. I have had physio but that doesn't work. The reason I am questioning my specialist is as he has given me 2 other 'weird' diagnoses which have turned out to be incorrect. I have one negative MRI brain scan.

What are your thoughts?

Hoping to hear from you. Take care.
Patricksmate

I really have no clue if your doctor is correct or not. I did want to share with you that before I got "real" migraines, I had what the doctors referred to as opthamolic migraines. My vision field would narrow and dim, sometimes leaving completely for a few seconds to a couple minutes, and then return. Hope this helped a little.

"freak"

Hi and welcome to the forum!

It certainly sounds like you may have migraine aura without the headache. This does happen quite frequently. My father had migraines as a teenager, but now only has the aura part of the migraine. This is often called "silent migraine."

One question- does the stumbling occur at the same time as the visual disturbances. These could be related if do. I have a fainting problem and headaches make the fainting worse.

Welcome, again. Everyone here is wonderful and many have tons of knowledge of migraine,

Pain free days,
sailingm

I would see another doctor. I saw several, and none seemed to mind treating me. Take your MRI and get another point of view.

Hello

Thank you to those of you who have posted a reply. Glad to hear from all of you.

Sailing Muffin, the stumbles happen every single day, unlike the visual disturbances. Today, at present, I have stumbled 170 times but have had no visual problems for 4 days. It was 56 stumbles yesterday and about 140 on Tuesday.

My specialist said people with migraine have weaker balance systems - does anyone else stumble or fall?

Take care

Patricksmate

Hi,

I have a fainting problem. Basically, I fall to the floor multiple times each day, I am out for a brief period of time- I usually come to as soon as I hit the floor. This happens anywhere from 10-20 times a day on average. (The current record is 62) Mine came on after an illness and has progressed over the past 3.5 years. It has been diagnosed as Neurocardiogenic syncope, but this may not be the case. I am in the process of getting a service dog. These dogs seem to be able to predict when I am about to faint, at least it gives me some time to get down and would offer more independence as I cannot drive due to the fainting and must rely on family and friends for transportation.

I am not sure about the connection with migraines, but it does seem to be worse if the headache is bad. I would definitely get another opinion on both conditions. They may be connected in some way. I hope this information helps.

Pain free days
sailingm

It sounds as if it could be a migraine without headache. The visual disturbances sound very much like auras. I can't say if the stumbling is definitely from migraine, but I can tell you that I am extremely clumsy now when I didn't used to be. I do stumble, bump into things alll the time and drop things constantly.

If you're concerned, definitely get a second or even a third opinion. As far as your MRI being negative, it most likely would be with migraines. They usually are.