[Sweets]

I am diagnosed as having migraines, and they seem to be related to light. And granted I do believe I have typical migraines but sometimes I wonder if that is really the issue?? And I was hoping to get a little advice

I am very sensitive to light but not necessarily my eyes, it's my brain (or so I believe). And many of times that is the biggest trigger for my migraines. I work in a retail store & they have hundreds of bright, flickering, florescent lights. And I tend to have more or severe migraines during a full work week versus vacation time. As well, I tend to get triggered when watching movies or TV, as well after being on the computer/phone/tablet longer than a couple of hours (quicker if in the dark).

My main concern is that migraines are not the only symptom I get from lights. I also get nauseous, light headed, spacey, brain fogged, anxious & even sad. I even at times completely space out, or feel drugged for a few seconds.

I understand those are some of the same symptoms of certain migraines. However other things that make me wonder is: uncontrollable yawning (during the episode). As well: sometimes I get NO HEADACHE with them. I just feel completely disoriented & light headed.

It's so complicated when talking about seizures & migraines with aura. I have no idea how to differentiate the 2

[Porkette]

Hi Sweets,
Welcome to the forum! What you need to do is see a neurologist and have them do an e.e.g. on you where they will flash different color strobe lights one at a time by doing this they will be able to tell if you are photosensitive meaning certain colors are causing your migraines and possibly seizures. I had this done a few yrs. ago and I found that bright white, florescent green and amber were the colors that were triggering seizures for me.
when I was a kid I started to have migraine headaches and that led to absence (petit mal) and complex partial sz. for me. Each time you get the feeling that you may be light headed, foggy, etc or possibly having a seizure write it down on a calendar what time it happened along with a description by doing this when you see a neurologist or Epileptologist they may be able to see a pattern in your seizures. What days of the month or what time of the day/night you have any seizures. Try taking vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day this will help calm the nerves and reduce the problem. It has worked great for me and I've had epilepsy for 41 yrs. now. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Darlene]

Sweets,

It is great to have you come and be with us. You will fine a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please, just let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Sue has given you some great advice to go by. Also avoid flashing lights like you see at movie theaters. If there are those lights just turn your head and shut your eyes.

Please keep us up to date on your situation. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Sweets]

Thank you Darlene and Porkette for such a warm welcome It's so great to be on a forum with support like this; especially at ATM where my support system isn't as strong as I would like it to be. It's a fresh cup of water here

Thank you for the Advice Porkette! But I do have one question, can an EEG tell if your migraines are caused by photosensitivity, or just if they are seizures?

I have had an EEG once before (more than 5 years ago) and it had the small 2 minute strobe light. But I wasn't as photosensitive as I am today, which is one reason why I was diagnosed with Migraines w/ and w/o Aura.

Also Porkette, I am journaling what is happening. But putting little 'comments'
And Darlene, I'll have to try to see if those avoidance suggestions work

Thank you ladies
Sweets

[Porkette]

HI Sweets,

An e.e.g. can tell if you are having seizures from being photosensitive because when they flash different color lights and it affects your brain their will be a spike that goes up on the e.e.g. reading if they don't see any spikes going up and down then they can tell you it's just migraines. I'm glad to hear that you are keeping journal this will help your Dr. a lot. You may want to have a SPECT or PET scan done also this can show a lot more detail in the brain and what's going on, sometimes an e.e.g. can't pick this activity up because the problem is to deep in the brain to show anything. I wish you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Sweets]

Thank you for clarifying Porkette!

I have been being stubborn lately and trying to not get an EEG, however today kind of changed my mind. I was at work, and got the first signs of one of my 'Optical Migraines'; my right eye hurt, I was feeling disoriented, nauseous, and shaky. However I never got the migraine headache associated with migraines.

It's time to see a neurologist again.

I see my Gastro Doc tomorrow about my leaky gut and gluten sensitivity. I will mention it to her and try to get a referral. I have some journal entries from the past few days which should help my referral request.

Thanks again

[Porkette]

Hi Sweets,

I wish you the best of luck and your neuro appt. if you can't get in my advice is for you to see an Epileptologist this is a Dr. that specializes in epilepsy as well as other neurology problems. For yrs. I saw a neuro and I was given drug after drug but when I started to see an Epileptologist things changed for the better the Epi (epileptologist) found the cause of my sz. and migraines, cut me back on meds and really knew how to treat my epilepsy and migraines so that I no longer have migraine headaches and my sz. were reduces over 50%. You can find an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy Center which are at large hospitals or university hospitals. I wish you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Sweets]

Should I request to see a regular neuro first or see if I can get a Epileptologist?? And do Epi's only specialize in seizures or do they also specialize in migraines without seizures?

I apologize for all the questions

I see my Gastro doc in about 2 hours. Not really sure what to tell him about it. If I should say anything at all

[Porkette]

Hi Sweets,

If I were in your place I would request to see an Epi because they know how to treat epilepsy and other neurology problems like migraines, MS, parkinsons etc.

The difference between a neuro and an Epi is that an Epi specializes in epilepsy and is more updated on how to treat it where a neuro does epilepsy along with other neurology problems but they don't specialize in epilepsy.
Also an Epi works with a team of Drs. neurosurgeon and neuropsychologist and they can find more detail as to what's going on with a person and the cause. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue