Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: oldsheep on August 05, 2014, 10:41:31 AM
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We've had an 18 year old daughter of an old friend staying. Went out on Sunday night to a local live music venue. Then yesterday I showed her round our part of London, we had a very light lunch, then by boat to the Tate Modern for the Matisse exhibition, then more walking and on to dinner with another friend in town. Got one of those nice meal offers you get in August. 2 sips into my free glass of prosecco, suddenly everything started shimmering in both eyes and stayed like that for an hour. Eased up after I ate a stodgy risotto starter and some potatoes with my main - (funny as was a whole lemon sole and I couldn't see the bones, so was pulling them out of my mouth like pins).
Didn't sleep well and today feel exhausted.
I'd forgotten to change my Evorel patch yesterday too, but think (I have stable, but annoying CFS) it was probably doing too much and eating too little.
At least it resolved so didn't have to totally ruin the evening for the other 3. Just hope it doesn't re occur. Only similar I've had was when put on to ADs which pushed my serotonin right up and I got sudden visual disturbance and headache for days. I'm sore around my neck and shoulders with this this time, but only a mild headache (aspirin is good stuff).
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I would check with your Doctor oldsheep and make an appointment with your Optician just to rule out things.
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The best local optician has booked me in tomorrow.
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Not eating enough, excitement and walking miles ???
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I suffer from Aura migraines ....don't get much of a headache,more the visual disturbances.....shimmery lights, and blind spots, also Can't read as the word is all jumbled up....Lasts for about half an hour, then slowly goes......It's horrible and quite frightening as I never know what brings it on....Also I can have a few a week and then go a couple of months with nothing.
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Sounds like not enough to eat/drink. Lots of walking in this heat wears us out more than we realise. Maybe even a bit of heat stroke.
However, glad to see you've got an optician's appointment booked. Always best checked.
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Thanks ladies! I think I did too much.
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Optical migraine perhaps? Although I think that's in one eye, not both.
Ariadne xx
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You can get ocular migraine in both eyes although this is more unusual. The important thing is, or so I was told when I had to have a visual disturbance checked out at the emergency eye clinic, is that ocular migraines never last more than thirty minutes. If they are lasting longer than this then you do need to report it to your GP as it can have other causes especially if it is a new symptom. This seems quite a good link re ocular migraines http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/ocular-migraine.htm
Taz x
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Let us know how it goes oldsheep.
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What a super article, Taz. I've had two this week. One last ten minutes, but I knew it was coming for a half hour and one lasted 35. Mine, like Ellie's come in a few and then not for ages. Mope you feel better, old sheep and get a benign report. I get mine sometimes after following stress, when I relax. Probably why I don't get many. Ha.
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thanks everyone and for the article, Taz. I'm still feeling a bit 'starey' in the eyes and extremely tired, with sore neck and shoulders. Not slept well for a few weeks.
It definitely lasted about 1 hour. Will see what the optician says today. Couldn't get GP until next week now anyhow. Am also going for 1/2 hour to the physio to try to loosen it up and help the pain.
My head wasn't very sore, just still feel like someone bonked me on the head (exhausted).
My mum had menopausal migraine but the nausea/proper headache type. She wasn't on HRT though. The GP will panic and try to take me off HRT I know....I had been feeling fatigued prior to the young girl's visit. Had been making umpteen stupid mistakes, forgetful etc. It was also stupid to not eat much during the day.
During the attack apparently I went very pale, then normal colour after eating and it had worn off. I didn't have any weakness or smell, hearing alteration etc. Just visual.
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Yes, loved the Matisse too.
Optician couldn't find a cause, so he says migraine most likely. Said I must try to work out the triggers and go to the doctor if it happens again. Also might be an idea to bring my meno clinic appointment forward from January, just in case my HRT gets threatened by migraines.
Nice young bloke. I think I didn't do too well on the mouse-click peripheral vision test as it seemed endless so I just kept blinking. I think a break would have been good.
So anyhow it's generated by the brain. The physio is going to do an hour tomorrow; today she did an assessment and 15 min treatment. Very sore muscles along the rhs, just under the ear was particularly owww.
Thanks for the support everyone x
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sparkle - did you notice a distinct smell of novocaine (dentist smell) in the museum? I thought it was just meno/fibro me, but my young visitor said the same thing. Coming out of the air ducts she thought.
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Novocaine is local anaesthetic. I would ring the Museum to find out whether they were cleansing in the area, i.e. a chlorinated solvent, i.e. paint stripper - have any of the paintings been recently cleaned?
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I am also prone to optical migraine. My trigger is caffeine but there are many others. You said you had a 'very light lunch' so low blood sugar could have been a factor.
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The novocaine smell was near the lifts and in some general areas. I didn't notice it in the Matisse rooms but I can't rule it out. Weird.
My eyes were better in the eye test than they usually are. I could read the bottom line with only one mistake. But still feel a bit like I've looked into bright light.
Just hope a fuss doesn't start about my being on HRT. Last time I had one was years ago when I'd been on Premique for 9 months. Meno clinic put me on patches.
I've had my prescription renewed by the GP last week during which he took bp. Didn't tell me what it was, but didn't say high. I might try to bring forward my meno clinic routine appointment as it's in January.
How long do you think I should avoid all wine for? We are going to friends this weekend and I want no health dramas.... Thanks everyone x
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I am also prone to optical migraine. My trigger is caffeine but there are many others. You said you had a 'very light lunch' so low blood sugar could have been a factor.
Had a little piece of gluten free choc cake and a bag of haribos yesterday! Monday had a tiny trout salad for lunch albeit with a lemonade. I usually eat little and often, but not on Monday.
I think I need carbs when I'm flagging though. I hope you're right as it's easier to control. Thanks
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Interesting reading about the novacaine smell, it could well been solvent cleaner. I know I have to avoid nail booths in shopping malls, where they apply false nails, just the smell of it makes me start to have a headache. How they work with it I do not know, it must be worse in the enclosed nail salons.
It could well have been a silent migraine caused by the "smell" oldsheep.
Did you have a photo of the back of your eyes too, this can rule out such conditions as cataracts forming etc. I always have this at my two yearly eye check ups, it costs about £10s extra.
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Hi oldsheep,
I used to have migraines with visual disturbances when I was younger. My triggers were fresh orange juice, chocolate, the smell of oil based products like petrol, gloss paints, solvents like turps, and even oil-based paints in the art room at school. I would get the visuals first, followed by an almighty headache with vomitting. Then afterwards I would feel limp, spaced out and washed out for about 48 hours, during which I needed to eat carbs. Oddly enough, I would be really hungry just before the aura started and would yawn uncontrollably (not ideal in the school classroom).
Your visual disturbance sounds very similar to mine but without the crashing headache.
Galadriel x
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I can certainly remember the yawning sessions, I still get them and that I know am due for dull headache, years ago it was a sick migraine that lasted there days and left me exhausted.
Thank goodness I don't get those type now though I am still sensitive to my trigger smells.
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craving for carbs yes, and yawning session, yes, neurologist told me it's lack of oxygen to the brain (?). The museum hasn't emailed me back about the smell. Must think I'm a nutter.
Just spent a fantastic weekend in Oslo with friends (brief swim in the fjord too ;D) in lovely sunshine.
My friend there gets bad migraines with visual disturbance. He said he's been told to lie on the ground against a wall and put his feet up against the wall. Not too easy in a public place! He has a very tightly wound neck too. I'm sure there's a link there.
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That was my next suggestion, a trapped nerve at the back of the neck. If I move my head suddenly I go 'oh' as it makes me woozy, I am aware of a sensation about half way down the back of my neck and if I bend the chin to the chest, the sensation is replicated.
Wear and tear ::)
Were you skinny dipping in the fjord? OH!
I HATE being anywhere enclosed where people wear purfume or aftershave >:(. Starts my stomach 'off' and I have to leave. Bu...r when I've paid for tickets :(.
I would keep on at the Museum too, answers are important if smells become triggers!
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I've had three visuals in past two weeks. Usually get two or three a year and my neck is killing me. It creaks and is sore and has many serious issues. Neck has been much better until increased stress.
As to smell CLKD is right as my guess is it could be xylene, which, for me, can be lethal. Sends heart rate up and irregular and eventually headache with increased ringing in ears. It is used as a cleaner and has quick dry properties. It can be very dangerous and our rules here are very specific on ventilation. Just a thought.
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I had another headache last friday but mostly severe pain in the neck (literally!), no visual aura other than my right eye was a bit blurry and I didn't want to watch TV. It's been stiff and sore ever since.
Gentle swimming and a trip to the physio help a bit and OH is longsuffering enough to put on some french muscle relaxant cream too. Aspirin time otherwise.
It's very annoying. I took it easy on friday, just a trip to the shops, as felt exhausted before it struck.
Even ran into someone I know locally who said I looked knackered and that was before the headache started.
I can only think to get as much physio done as affordable to loosen it up?
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:'(The last visual aura I had was six weeks ago, and then I had a nasty one on Sunday and another one yesterday......no headache just the wavy flashing lights and sight affected......
Last week I had an epidural for my cronic back pain, and now I am wondering if that has started them off again.........just sitting here today and hoping I don't have another one.....they really wipe me out...... :-\
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I go with two visual migraines in a year and then three in a month. Had two this past week. I always get a weird feeling before they hit and sore and tired after. Hate them. My neck is somehow involved and fluctuating hormones as well.
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How does an epidural help chronic back pain? apart from taking the pain away for a while? :-\ …….. there will be a local anaesthetic with that so that may well have started the visual aura!
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I was offered a cortisone injection for my back this is one of the standard procedure for long term back pain, not heard of epidurals though surely these would be short acting.
I did cancel the injection though because it was procedure under a local with a Xray guided needle (so as not to hit any nerves), sorry to say I was a coward, it freaked me out :o
Maybe the tension of having the injection and holding a certain position irritated muscles and nerves caused the visual aura oldsheep.
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Depo Medrone injections were 'common' in my day ::) epidurals only used for delivering babies ...........
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An 'epidural' is simply an injection into the epidural cavity in the spinal canal (your brain and spinal cord are protected by a tough membrane called the dura - just outside is a sac containing fat and blood vessels called the epidural sac - 'epidurals' go into this sac/cavity).
The type used for childbirth (and some surgery) is an epidural anaesthetic, during which local anaesthetic is injected to 'numb' the nerves.
For back pain, steriods can be injected in the epidural cavity - most definitely an epidural injection.
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:thankyou: how long do the effects last?
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I've had six epidurals and as Scampi said, simply steroids injected thru the epidural space and I will never have one again. Steroids decalcify bone and in my case I had a CT which showed tremendous lack of calcium in that very space and in no where else in my bone structure. CLKD the results last from none to indefinite and depend on the cause of inflammation. For example a fall with inflammation might be reduced permanently, whereas degenerative disc disease will recur immediately, after a week or possibly two weeks. I think it is a very stupid procedure, not without risk. I am very lucky to have a cold laser which stimulates healing with no side effects and because there is not a high profit motive drug companies will try to avoid people learning of the laser. Although Getting more and more recognized in US for traumatic brain injury, stroke, shingles, muscle, tendon, ligament, back and neck. Drug companies rule....
I think visual disturbances somehow tie in with neck and stress and hormones. I've had them since I was fifty.
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To be honest Trey had told me about the above it was another reason why I cancelled the steroid injections, my back hardly bothers me now since I bought the cold laser Trey recommended.
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another seized up neck and jaw last night, bad sleep and scratchy eyes when I opened them when I got up 4x in the night. I think I'd better bring my meno clinic appointment forward if possible, from January.
The grey weather kicks in my brain sensory symptoms but I've not had this headache/exhaustion thing before with visual problems.
I take 100mg progesterone each night and am wondering if progesterone is too dominant? How can you tell?
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To be honest oldsheep it could well be the daily 100mgs of progesterone, our bodies are not designed post menopause for this large daily amount.
Progesterone cause blood vessels to constrict and be adding to your symptoms.
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I don't want to change anything on my own, so will ring tomorrow to see if they can bring it forward.
I so wish I could find a fibromyalgia consultant who is excellent in London (must be one? how to find out)
as this could be a flare.
I've been reading this on fibro and a lot of it makes sense. Warning: it's long.
http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_connective_joint/fibromyalgia_03.htm