I find them very debilitating actually. Worse when they start when I was driving the car. Would have to stop completely for ages until the light show stops. I get a strange feeling before the onset of the migraine usually though. Bit like a panic attack... I can sense changes and basically can tell one is going to happen. Mine were worst in my mid 30's. Still get one occasionally but very rarely now thank goodness.

If that is what you're having, [nd I'm not a doctor so wouldn't like to speculate especially as I think you said you also have seizures and I'm not sure if any auras like that are similar with seizures], there are medications to prevent them that people find really helpful. I've never taken anything long term myself. If I was having them all the time again I'd certainly contemplate taking medications or having a better check up than I did. Would have saved a lot of wasted days of feeling totally YUK.

Edited to add; forget a couple of things.
I totally understand that feeling of panic as well because they are frightening. Don't feel you're alone in feeling scared when it's occurring. So many times I thought I was having a cerebral haemorrhage. ugh. The other thing is triggers... certain foods can be a trigger for my migraines and I hate to admit this but for years I thought it was chocolate. The other trigger for me I believe was hormonal changes. I had my children in my mid 30's and that's when they were worst.

Yes Lara, that's IT exactly: I got one ONCE in church and bolted out the door. Luckily I only live a few blocks. I could drive it was just difficult and it was just a straight shot with no turns 4 blocks. it was getting IN the building and up the 5 flights of stairs that was HAIRY.

See, mine starts with a funny little transparent blind spot that gets bigger then starts to twinkle. It grows larger then turns slowly into an Arc. It takes up the entire LEFT side of my visual field and moves off slowly, getting larger and fainter until it disappears. Usually takes about a half hour, I time them. BUT if I have a really short one, I usually get another one right after it. I'd prefer getting the FULL Blown one to getting two in a row.

Mine come out of nowhere. There does seem to be a trigger for me, an emotional one. Fear mixed with frustration and anger. Those three things together for more than a few days will start me on a series, day after day attacks.

BUT I read somewhere and I may have mentioned this before. There are 3 things that contribute to this also. Lack of sleep, low blood sugar and the mental state I just mentioned. Then you get the visual over stimulation and BAM there it is. In other words, for myself anyway, I have to take care of myself. Get enough sleep, EAT and stay away from people who upset me.

It's so nice and comforting to read Lara that You get them too. For years I felt like a Freak. BUT my Dad also got them, we talked about this a few times. He was Really in the dark about what the Heck they were.

Hi Wiix,
I've had absence and complex partial seizures for over 30 yrs. and many times before I have a complex partial seizure. I begin to see colors flashing back and forth in my eyes, then I blank out for a few seconds not realizing what has happened and I have a terrible headache after the seizure.
Often this will happen when I see certain colors, my Dr. did a special e.e.g on me and flashed different color strobe lights one at a time to find out that I was photosensitive which means certain colors can trigger seizures for me. I found florescent green, amber and bright white were the 3 colors that caused me to have seizures.
The next time this begins to happen to you tighten all the muscles in your body and make your hands into tight fists by doing this it can sometimes stop the problem. I know it sounds strange but my neuro told me to do this back in the mid 1970's and it has been a great help. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

Yes, Bright White Light does it too. All of a sudden if I look directly into it.

holy sheep! that last graphic - totally psychedelic. would make me wonder if i was hallucinating. hehe. i stopped here in this forum, perusing, although i don't suffer from seizures. well, i had an eeg done a year ago and it came out inconclusive. funny. and duh, i'm almost totally deaf and blind in my left eye, as i have been my whole life. so, i wonder???? how do i know if i have seizures if my disabilities mess up the eeg? i've read that you can get it even conscious. i've had an experience once as a kid that i didn't tell until i could explain it, as i grew up thinking it was made up by my overactive mind. i also had experience of shaking in my sleep 14 years ago. i told my doc, and he just dismissed it. of course, i've had problems with mental fog, which could be caused by a wide variety of conditions or medications. i've disorientation, too. i even ended up in the e.r. last year because i was way out of whack mentally and my coordination was messed up.

Most nights I shake in my sleep too and wake myself up. I Hate it. I can't get back to sleep until it stops. Usually takes 20 min to a half hour.

Don't forget the Disco Lights and Strobe Lights and
must I go on? ** groans ** - You might as well start
playing the 60s and 70s songs --- *sigh*

I have a "affectionate" name for those 'new' headlights
they have on cars at nights, I can't stand it, even at
low beam (they're not really new, just expensive)...
it's:
#*&#$(^#%#$&$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



While they're supposed to be pure white or bluish white,
but I see it as purplish hue? Am I seeing it wrong? Every
one tells me those halogen lamps are actually off-bluish
white. And even with my eyes closed and with sunglasses
on, I CAN STILL SEE THOSE BLASTED HEADLIGHTS!



But they're coming to me as PURPLISH WHITE!

Never mind the freaking friggin' headache I get
from them! But my son and his buddies and the
neighbors do tell me that I lapse into CP's (?)
after when my headache subsides. I tried telling
this to my 1st Epi; but I'm not very good with
words.

Oh Hell yea southie. I hate those lights and there are more and more of the on the road everyday. Just don't look directly into them and you'll be ok. None have triggered anything YET for me but you never know. I hardly ever drive at night so I only see them in the daytime. WHY did they make cars now that the lights are ON all the damn time?? So we have to replace the bulbs more often?? I bet I could get those whitish purple bulbs. Just kidding.

hi

some of us still looking at the thread and i totally get your point. i'm kind of in the other category to you...i was told by my neuro that i had "rare complicated migraine" a few years ago where i get huge blind spot and lots of flashing,zig zags, spirals or even concentric circles which spread to all of my visual field except the very bottom right hand corner...which is fairly useless. i too do not get a headache and it lasts around 30mins. in recent years i have developed buzzing in the ears, seeing the air particles, strange smells and concepts and now they are thinking i possibly have partial seizures

Well, it's been a while since I have been in this thread. I haven't had any problems for quite a few months now. Whenever I start to have a problem when I am on computer IMMEDIATELY I turn down the brightness to 30 to 35 % and the problem STOPS.

Too much visual input triggers mine AND I also noticed if I get too warm OR I am fearful about something that also triggers an "Incident".

PEOPLE who scare me trigger it, especially men who try to act all macho and intimidating towards me. When that happens I have no choice but to say " Hasta la vista baby " and run like Hell.