My stroke, nearly eleven years ago now, damaged many parts of my system but at the same time it gave me some benefits. One was headaches, a regular problem since a kid. I always bought asparin in jars of 100 when the price was right and that with luck would last me a couple of months. The stroke wiped my headaches and the only way I know if I’m having one is that my vision is affected and I get one of these…
They cause very few problems except when I am driving and it severe I pass the wheel to my wife. The shapes which can be colorless get larger and larger till till they virtually fade away.
Has anyone else a similar problem?
Deigh
I was having similar things for about a year before my TIA, and for a while afterwards. I think they’re retinal migraines, my mother also suffers from something similar and they appear to be stress related. Mine are always in my right peripheral vision, though it’s been a couple of months since I’ve had one. They became much less frequent after a change in my blood pressure medication.
I used to get visual disturbances which the dr told me were migraines even though I didn’t have a headache with it. I haven’t had them since my stroke.
I was getting visual disturbances for quite a while before my first diagnosed TIA, which included “kaleidoscope” vision like yourself and not being able to see the right side of myself in the mirror, or losing the right side of a room. Etc . That stopped when I started on the medication.
Regards
William
I was just checking to see if others had the same problem and had come to the same conclusion!
They are amusing things to discuss with others and they don’t last as long as my headaches did! just have to know when to hand driving over to someone else.
Deigh
@Deigh
Hi Deigh, I was told by my GP that these are visual migraines. I had my first one about 8 years ago and have had them occassionally since. I had one on the day I had my stroke as well. My husband also gets them occassionally, no one has been able to explain to me why they happen. I never suffered a headache with them thankfully and they usually pass within a few minutes.
Yep, that is what I heard too. Difficult to explain! They are better than headaches because my headaches used to cost me a small fortune buying the pills to ease them!
Deigh
I’ve never found them particularly amusing , but now that they’re happening quite rarely I can view them as a minor annoyance. Reassuring to hear other people’s experience of them. And as you say, at least there’s no pain.
Thanks for that info, I’m not sure if I had them before stroke or not! Stroke affects so many parts of the body that one gets confused easily! In my first few days in hospital I found laying down very uncomfortable. It just seemed that any way I turned or twisted something was uncomfortable. I gradually found ways of easing this, Having a pillow between my legs made a lot of difference and it was the hospital’s nurses that showed me that trick.
Deigh
@Deigh
The pillow trick is amazing. I bought the heart shaped one by JML which is designed for the knees and on a good day its amazing, but on a bad knee day, nothing helps. There are others out there and they do a better job than a large bed pillow as they give more support, but if your finances don’t stretch to the 20.00 pounds knee pillow, stick with the bed one at least you age giving your knees some support. Good luck
, but now that they’re happening quite rarely I can view them as a minor annoyance. Reassuring to hear other people’s experience of them. And as you say, at least there’s no pain.