Let me preface this by saying that I should probably go to a doctor, and I am planning on it. I've just had a lot on my plate lately and keep "forgetting" about my health related issues, putting things off, etc.
I'm having what I can only classify as migraines, but I don't know if they really fit into that category. I had the first one that I remember about 2 years ago (or maybe 3). It started off with a small "spot" in my left eye which reminded me of what you see when you stare at a bright light. It was kind of flashing, and slowly spread through my field of vision. It was like everything I was seeing with my left eye was "dull" except for the flashy areas at the edge of my eyes. My peripheral vision was shot as this flashing thing spread. Eventually it faded, but was followed by a headache. The headache was not really severe this first time. It was in the right side of my head, and hurt the most when I sneezed/coughed, almost like I didn't know it was there until I "strained" that area. I took some over the counter pain stuff, and that was that. I didn't have another of these episodes for several months.
Lately, in the past 4 or 5 months, I've been having a lot more of these episodes. They come out of the blue, but always start with the flashing lights in my left eye, and end with the pain in the right side of my head. Usually, I know what they are indicating, and I take Excedrine migraine as soon as I can. I've been hesitant to call them migraines, as the pain following the light show usually isn't that debilitating. I actually go get quite a few headaches when the light thing doesn't happen, and those can be a lot worse. In the past 2 weeks, I've had 2 or 3 "normal" headaches (no light show), and twice I've gotten headaches preceded by the lights.
I don't know, but it seems to me that I've "lived with" headaches for most of my life. Not that I ever got them a lot, but maybe once every week or so I'd be in some sort of pain. I've got allergies, so sinus pain/pressure is a common occurrence. Maybe 3 weeks ago was the worst of the light show headaches I've gotten. The pain was super intense after, and all I could do was lie in bed all day. No pain medicine got rid of it. DH says I should go to the doctor, but I feel like such a whiner. I don't know if what I'm experiencing is serious, or just...I don't know.
Has anyone ever heard of this?
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-- Kim --
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Married 6/29/2007!
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Dx February 2003
Meds:
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Married 6/29/2007!
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Dx February 2003
Meds:
Prenatal Vitamins
Vitamin B6
DHA
I would say it is probably something you should take serious and definitely go to the doctor. I've never had the light show you described, but my eyes will shade over a light gray, dizziness, light senstive, etc, etc, etc. I put off going to docs also so I should heed my own advise more and probably wouldn't be in the situation I'm in all at one time, but I can definitely sympathize with you.
I get migraine headaches every once in a while. I do get the severe throbbing pain on one side of the head that's how i know it's not a sinus headache plus i get the really bad common symptoms which are nausea, Sensitivity to light and noise, dizziness.. they make me miserable. They have gotten so bad that i have to miss work. Usually i need to take pain meds and sleep all day in a really dark and quiet room. That's the only thing that makes me better. Couple of times the pain was so bad i had to go to the dr for stronger pain killers.
If i was you, i would go to the dr epecially because it sounds like they are getting worse. I also found this info that might be helpful. It sounds a lot like what you describe. HTH
Migraine headache symptoms vary and may occur with or without a warning sign called an aura. People who get an aura, which usually begins within 30 minutes before the headache starts, may see spots, wavy lines, or flashing lights. Some people have numbness or a "pins-and-needles" sensation in their hands, arms, or face during the aura. However, most people do not have an aura before they get a migraine headache.
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I get the same migraines- and they are migraines-I had a terrible one this last Friday. I read up on it and they are called "migraines with aura". the light show is caused by the blood vessels in your brain spasming. They are not fun, that's for sure, but from what I can tell they are not a big neurological scary thing.
__________________ Melissa
Married 7/9/2005 DX PCOS 9/22/2005 BFP!!! 11/6/2005
Migraines, or something else? 
