Do you ever feel like if it's not one thing it's another?   I am totally out of my CH cycle!  Off all meds.  Yeah!    Now though, I am having ocular migraines a couple of times a week.  They are not all that painful but are as annoying as hell!   I just can't see when I have one and then when my vision corrects, I have a headache for the rest of the day.  It's just enough pain to to make me feel crappy.  Does anyone know how to get rid of these?

As always........ Thanks for your help!

Jeannie

See an opthomologist.

I had those for quite a while. Looking back, I think they were silent hits. I didn't have any pain with them - just the cloud that moved across my vision.

There can be different causes and triggers.  Some are from the vision part of the brain.  Others come from the eye or optical nerve.  

I get them from time to time.  Once, I was able to shut it off with massage - there were tender spots around the eyes (especially under the middle of the eye, even with the bottom of the nose), and pressing on those and massaging them had a dramatic effect.  The last one I had, no luck with that approach.

As far as I know, there is no way to get rid of the aura (ocular) part of the migraine.  I've gotten these since I was a teen, although the headache part ceased for me years ago.  I'll still get the ocular symptoms a few times a year, and for me, they have no association whatsoever with my CH.  They are a separate condition from CH.  But going blind for 30 minutes at a time certainly puts a crimp in my day.  I've found that lying down and doing some slow, counted breathing can shorten things if I'm in a situation where I can do this.

Sorry the ocular migraines are giving you a hard time Jeannie.
I have been getting ocular migraines since my mid 20's and they are a pita!!  I have never had any pain with my ocular migraines, only visual disturbances.  Some are mild and some have been so bad that I have had to pull over on the side of the road because I could not see.  Thank God they only last about 30 minutes at the most.  I usually take a couple otc pain meds and lay down until it passes.

Yes Jeannie, it is always something!!  Glad to hear that your ch cycle is over and your are pf!!  

I'm not sure if what I get is the same thing because once my vision comes back I have a horrible headache and I end up in bed until I can sleep it off, maybe 2 hrs. I recently started using relpax and take it as soon as my vision starts going. I have one tablet placed in the same part of my purse so I don't have to hunt for it. Usually within 15 min. my vision is back and the headaches is dull and managable.

Charlotte

Yep - They suck!!!! I have been getting them for about 2 years now (come and go). Most of the time I just get the visual disturbances but when the pain comes I hit it with 5mgs of percocet. Seems to do the trick. The visual disturbances do suck  :D.

I used to get them about twice a year or so.  But if I'm taking verapamil, I get them 3-4 times/week.  I've seen MDs, neuros, and eye doctors - nothing freakin helps.  Just shut your eyes for 20 minutes is about it.  I'm rarely left with pain when I have them though.  But I also pop a pill as soon as I know it is coming on.  There are websites for it.  Check them out.

Gosh!  Aren't we so lucky to have all of these things going on in our heads!?   CH wouldn't be enough.  We need something to go along with it!

Jeannie

Well of course we need something to go along with CH, kind of like a side dish!  I guess my migraines are dessert.  Geez...I think I'm going out to shop for a new head now. :-/

My opthamologist has told me that "occular migraine" is just a name for the condition. A true occular migraine is painless (I get them about 3 or 4 times a year, and while the visual disturbance is a PITA, there is no pain associated with it). I'm wondering if you should see a doc if there's pain associated with it? Maybe there's something more going on?

I have had 2 docs tell me that an ocular is usually without pain; however, it can lead to a migraine afterwards.  I rarely have pain when I have one.  But since dumping that stupid verapamil, I don't have them anymore.  Well, that is not true - I used to only get them a couple times a year.

I'm with Brew on this, you might want to check with your doc about it.  Just to be on the safe side.

I generally don't get headaches with them, but with the most recent one (last week) I felt like $#!^ for two days afterwards - had a craving for stimulants and felt out of sorts in a way that is difficult to describe.

Another approach to dealing with the bastids - switch on some Grateful Dead, kick back, and enjoy the show.

Sorry about this Jean. I've not had any experience with them so all I can do is tell you to pay attention. These people sound like they know what they are doing.

Charlie