migraine, migraine aura without pain

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I recently discovered that the transitory visual effects I thought were associated with asthma were actually a form of migraine.

When i was a kid i had the typical kind: intense pain, extreme photosensitivity. that went away with puberty, but then the glowing rings and geometric lines started. i thought that was a side effect of low blood oxygenation, but now understand it as a form of migraine.

I wonder if there is any correlation with autism and/or epilepsy?

At least you don't get the pain.

LOL....I've never heard of "transitory visual effects" associated with asthma. I had asthma as a kid, with a few attacks; I never reaped the benefits of a fireworks show in my mind!

It would be interesting to find out the results of a fMRI, especially when you're actively in the midst of your "visual storm."

Who knows? Maybe there is a correlation with both, since this is a neurological manifestation. The question is: how direct is this correlation?

I get painless "aura migraines"! !

I have no idea if it's anything to do with autism or not, but I've had those for most of my adult life as far as I can remember. They start without warning or seemingly without a cause I can identify. It's just that suddenly there is a tiny bright point of life in the middle of my vision. Then the point expands to a ring of geometric shapes that kind of dance/sparkle in movement. I can't see anything behind "the ring" and so it's incredibly annoying because I'm not seeing properly while this is happening.

The ring of jagged lights expands until it kind of dissipates outward "beyond my field of vision" in a sense -- and when that finally happens it's all over and gone. I've timed this whole thing and it seems to take about twenty minutes, from the first moment of noticing the tiny spot of light, to the growing into a larger ring of lights, to the ring fading out and returning my vision to normal again.

There is no pain, headache, migraine pain, nothing, just vision interference, and it's a drag. I have to stop everything I'm doing until it goes away, because I literally can't see properly in the place where the ring of lights is taking up space.

My sister used to get classic, painful, light sensitive migraine headaches before puberty, so I think it kinds of runs in the family but takes different forms.

I have wondered if the vision disturbance comes on in stress, either emotional or physical -- sometimes I've wondered if I've compressed my neck in a bad position while either working or sitting, and maybe it's constricted blood flow that is causing the problem. I had a transient ischemic attack arising form a nasty whiplash injury, but I seem to remember getting the aura migraines prior to that, so I don't know...

I always get colorful visual "shows" when I close my eyes tightly.

The visual effect that obviously comes with a bad asthma attack is tunnel vision: the periperal areas of your vision lose color and darken, then close in toward the center. This only happens when you already feel like you are drowning in the air...

you can also "see stars" little bright sparks that drift around your visual field. This only happens when you are in an emergency situation.

ASTHMA TANGENT:
I have a pro tip for asthmatics who face this situation and don't have an albuterol emergency inhaler handy: black coffee.

Drink a couple of cups of coffee and get yourself in a situation where you won't be hurt if you pass out and drop. Where the albuterol will hit you in a few minutes and be seriously effective in 5, the coffee takes about 15 minutes to have an appreciable effect and close to an hour before the full effect comes, but it is just about as effective as the albuterol. This can save your life if you get caught out without the inhaler.
/TANGENT

What I get is a diffuse area of glowing light in the middle of my vision, like an elliptical galaxy. This radiant area is opaque. I can't see beyond it. It can be mostly white or have a strong color. It grows into a sort of ring or series of arcs, and the periphery of that ring tends to have a lot geometric stuff.

The geometric stuff is something between the ordinary shut your eyes tight stuff and Bowman entering the Monolith in 2001 (how many people will get that reference?).

I never associated it with migraine until a friend told me about the aura stuff and I looked it up.

I believe that migraines can be hereditary, so I was wondering about the genetics. I saw that a number of the genes now statistically associated with autism are also associated with epilepsy, and this led to speculating about migraine. I guess it's useless musing unless I can dig up some data.

Sorry, I forgot to mention above that I also have asthma but it's very mild these days. I rarely need to use my puffer. Mine is brought on by cold - air conditioning, cold weather - even cold food.
I've discovered that taking cod liver oil helps a lot with mine. I do drink more coffee these days so maybe that's a factor in keeping it under control as well.

kraftie -- these are with eyes wide open and are very alarming, as you can't turn them off by just opening shut eyes.

Get one while driving down a freeway and it's frightening until you can pull over.

Raleigh -- relieved to hear someone else gets the same thing and I'm not alone -- yes, it's a lot like those censor pixelations on a face on TV, but more intense colors and sparkly movement, yes.

I have had two migraine auras in my life, and three actual migraines (would have more if didn't avoid triggers).

I actually really enjoy the auras, because it's a fresh experience and does not really bother me. That said, I haven't had one outside of my home yet, so it hasn't really interfered with anything.

_________________
Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

I have severe chronic basilar migraines which I take 2 medications for (not including painkillers). One of my medications (gabapentin) controls it fairly well, considering that I was incapacitated and in bed for days when I was on the old medication that did f*** all.

I get quite powerful auras. But not primarily visual. I get severe vertigo, shaking, increased problems with coordiation (more so than normal), severe nausea (not vomiting as olanzapine has a side-effect of preventing vomiting), sometimes I lose my speech, I get blotches in my vision (like dark patches), sometimes I can collapse, or be unable to walk properly.

I also notice that I get a prodrome of a couple of hours before the aura, which includes extreme tiredness and inability to think properly.

I also experience increased autistic symptoms during migraines, not sure if that is due to stress or if there is some bizarre connection.

The actual headache phase sometimes makes me cry, and that's even with my increased pain threshold. Sometimes it lasts for days, fluctuating slightly if I take painkillers. (But cannot take painkillers too often as they cause "medication overuse headache").

Medication has much improved my migraines, after several trials of failed meds. I recommend meds.

I get them, I hate them...

They are call Scintillating Scotoma >Link to wiki page<

Sometimes I get them while driving, I end up having to pull over for a couple hours till it goes away. I always feel wonky for the rest of the day.

I also get really short sharp super migraine that essentially knock me out. Those happen less frequently thankfully.

This is very interesting.

When I was a kid, it was like a metal band being ratcheted around my head, cracking my skull and light became intensely painful. The doctor told me that was migraine, so it's fascinating to learn that it is all these other things too.

I also get knocked out sometimes. Throws me off for hours.