Clear as the blindspot in your eye

Hey guys,

I just wanted to share that, like Tam (who I've just read has discovered that anxiety might be a prodrome symptom rather than a trigger) i've also made a discovery today. I feel a bit confused about it though. I've just realised that I get auras a lot - like every day or two. For the past 10 years I've semi regularly gone to optometrists and told them that I get blind spots and they have checked my eyes and said there's nothing wrong. I thought I was getting macular degeneration even though they showed me the scans of my retinas which were fine. In the past I have had what I knew was aura because it was massive shimmery weirdness that took away half of my sight in both eyes. So I guess I just figured that was the definition of aura and nothing else was aura. Until today...I realised I get them all the time. Little tiny ones. They start of teeny and then get bigger but even at their biggest they're still quite small - like enough to blot out the face of a person standing about 20 metres away. Nothing like those massive few that I've had in the past that blocked out half the street. No wonder i'm always getting migraines. At least now I can take the triptans earlier now that I realise what the blind spots are. But it feels so strange that I could be so ignorant of what's going on in my own darn eyes!!! I told a few people today and they're like, yeah so? But I'm totally blown away by it. And a bit scared. It's so odd to make a discovery about something so basic after so long.

Anyway, thanks for listening.
xx

No, it is not odd - no matter how many years you live with migraine, there are always some new aspects to it, that come to us as a great surprise - things we "knew" or noticed, but did not connect it with migraines.

This is such a complex condition, and it changes all the time, so this is why this place is such a blessing, because we can compare notes and ask such questions.
Do not feel bad about it Living, this is how it is.

I found that such discoveries are great comfort in a way, since they make it possible to get some more control over this condition - like taking medicine as soon as we become aware that migraine is coming for example.

My brillant neurologist kept telling me time and time again, that it is most important to take something like triptans, as soon as possble before migraine establishes itself properly. This is when medicines are at their most effective.

I think by observation and gathering more information many of us get in the end a considearble improvement over the years in handling migraine.
So, all this is a positive development, Living - look at it this way, and forget people who refuse to understand what you are going through.

Hi mini

Thanks for your wise words. I did take those triptans yesterday, as soon as I realised the blind spot was aura - before the pain had even started. I actually was thinking this is too early surely - there's no pain. But although the pain still tried to come a little bit it was only 1/10 and it didn't recur like most of my migraines do a few hours later. So i think it was definitely more effective to take it before the pain even started. So you're right, it's a positive thing. Even though it took me so long to figure it out, at least I finally have.