I'm having an aura
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (63638)
United States
September 1, 2011 10:15pm CST
If you've ever had one, you know what I mean.
My first one happened while I was at work - I honestly thought I might be going blind. If I looked at my paperwork to enter, all I saw was white swirls. If I looked any where else, I had rainbow swirls.
I couldn't even see well enough to look up my eye doc in the phone book. I told my supervisor I needed to go on break. I went down to a friend in another office and got her to look up the phone number, tho within about 15 minutes I could tell my vision was improving. It was only effecting my left eye, if I shut that I could see with my right eye, but the aura effect was very distracting.
I called my doc anyway and he got me in a few hours later. He looked at my eyes, took my blood pressure and told me what I had happen.
So, from there I called my G.P. and got in to see him and got my migraine meds refilled.
That first time was scary. When I returned to the office after my break I explained to my supervisor that I couldn't see to work which was why I had to take my break right then. She understood, and since I didn't stretch my break I didn't get in trouble.
The next time I wasn't at work, I was quietly eating a meal and reading a book when I suddenly couldn't see.
Well, I could see out of my right eye, but the left had the aura again.
And then, tonight, I got it again.
It started about 9:30 and is now about 10:15 and it faded finally about 5 minutes ago.
None of the auras actually seem connected to a real migraine, but it probably means my blood pressure is up for some reason.
Have you ever had an aura? How about bells clanging in your ears?
10 people like this
21 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
2 Sep 11
Nope I've never had either. I also am fortunate to not suffer from headaches very often. I don't know what I would of done if that happened to me outside of seeing a Dr asap especially if it lasts more than a few minutes. Did the Dr every say what caused it exactly? Or a way to get it to disapate faster? I get panic attacks a few times a year and it's awful cause sometimes they last a few minutes other times hours.
4 people like this
@ElicBxn (63638)
• United States
2 Sep 11
Auras are related to migraines, sometimes they are warnings of one coming on, but sometimes they just happen. None of mine have been directly related to an actual migraine, but... my blood pressure was elevated when I saw the eye doctor the first time, even tho the aura had been gone several hours by the time I saw him.
Considering I'm 57, my blood pressure is pretty good, but migraines will make it spike high.
Yeah, I've had a few panic attacks, mostly related to money problems, they are not pleasant...
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
2 Sep 11
My first husband would see lights when he did not eat. He did not get hungry
and he would get some kind of a visual disturbance and then get hit with a massive headache. It would go away when he would eat. There was a history of hypoglycemia in his family. When I am overly tired I will get something weird happening in my ears, but it is more related to my pulse.Does not sound like bells, but not exactly like my heart beat either. Are you working somewhere else? I thought you were a home care provider. Is the heat having a bad effect on your blood pressure, maybe making you get dehydrated. I know I am having a hard time drinking enough myself.
and he would get some kind of a visual disturbance and then get hit with a massive headache. It would go away when he would eat. There was a history of hypoglycemia in his family. When I am overly tired I will get something weird happening in my ears, but it is more related to my pulse.Does not sound like bells, but not exactly like my heart beat either. Are you working somewhere else? I thought you were a home care provider. Is the heat having a bad effect on your blood pressure, maybe making you get dehydrated. I know I am having a hard time drinking enough myself.4 people like this
@ElicBxn (63638)
• United States
2 Sep 11
I had finished eating only a little bit before, I don't know why I had it - tho it could be a part of a round of headaches starting. It seems to have passed, tho I was a little concerned before I went to bed that another aura was starting, but it never developed, even now I'm kind of more aware of my left eye, since I'm right eye dominate, when I notice the left one its seems strange.
All the other times I couldn't figure out why I got it, like I said, the second time I was actually finishing a meal.
I suspect it might be related to a blood pressure jump or something, but even neurologists don't really know why auras happen.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
2 Sep 11
Trouble w/your eyes like that is very scary, i think.My eyes are not good at all. every since i had the aneurysm in 2000 i have had more trouble w/my eyes. i have an aneyrysn behing my right eye that doesn't help things at all plus i have cataracts on both eyes.
as for my ears i have noise in them all the time. It sounds like i'm hearing my pulse in them instead of bells. VERY AGGRAVATING, AIN'T OLD AGE GRAND.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63638)
• United States
2 Sep 11
I was only about 30 something when I had the ringing, then I had a bad dizzy spell, I told my doctor about it and he asked if I read medical books. I told him "no, they give you ideas." He told me I had just had a "textbook" tinnitus event.
Happily, that was nearly half a lifetime ago, and I've never had another one.
my ears "ring" but its more of a high pitched buzz from when I take aspirin
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Sep 11
until now i never knew hardly anyone else but my mom and me having this. it always scares me. i didnt know thats what its called either. 
my ears usually ring. i thought it was from panic attacks. i usually have a low dose aspirin and do my inhaler and lay down a bit. till it goes away
my ears usually ring. i thought it was from panic attacks. i usually have a low dose aspirin and do my inhaler and lay down a bit. till it goes away
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
2 Sep 11
It sounds very worrying...I ‘ve seen grey spots in front of my eyes when my blood pressure has been low as mine tends to get every now and again. For me it’s not a pleasant feeling not to be in control of my vision. I hope your doctor is keeping an eye (pardon the pun) on you and keep checking possible causes. Hope all is back to normal now.
2 people like this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
2 Sep 11
The closest I've come to what you described is the shooting stars I see sometimes when there's pressure on my eyes from getting up too fast or a bad coughing jag. It sounds worrisome to me but I guess there are a lot of stuff that happens as we age, eh? Take care of yourself, my friend. Hugs!
2 people like this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
2 Sep 11
Sounds like a totally crazy experience. Can't say it's ever happened to me before.
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
10 Sep 11
i used to get auras with migraines.if you looked at a light,it would radiate a hot pink/white glow and disorient you.
what you're discribing tho sounds almost like pre-glaucoma.i'd have that checked.
1 person likes this
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
3 Sep 11
I've never experienced an aura. My friends who have, have said that it was always in connection with a migraine. As to bells ringing in my ears, I've heard ear noises since I was a ch i ld, but they sound mo0re like the insects of the night.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
2 Sep 11
Firstly, let me say that I sympathise. All that you describe must've been awful for you.
Has it ever happened to me?
Yes..but the last time was over 20 years ago now and I haven't had it since. It was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I just couldn't see! It was horrible and I remember a work-mate telling me I looked "awful" and "as white as a sheet." I felt sick too and there was no way I could do any work as the print in front of me kept jumping up at me, making me feel whoozy. After about 20 minutes it went away as quickly as it came but at the time it was happening I thought it would NEVER go away as it was such a frightening experience.
I have had the "bells" sensation as well. It's horrible!
For years I took tablets that weren't even that good for my migraines. Certainly didn't get rid of them. Since then I have learned there are two types, the one that I had (in puberty) that, fortunately, I have grown out of and the other one (that I think you must have) that lasts a lifetime, so to speak.
It annoys me when people say "it's just a headache" because we all know it's far more than that..and quite debilitating too for anyone suffering from them.
Hope you're feeling better by the time you read this my friend.
For years I took tablets that weren't even that good for my migraines. Certainly didn't get rid of them. Since then I have learned there are two types, the one that I had (in puberty) that, fortunately, I have grown out of and the other one (that I think you must have) that lasts a lifetime, so to speak.
It annoys me when people say "it's just a headache" because we all know it's far more than that..and quite debilitating too for anyone suffering from them.
Hope you're feeling better by the time you read this my friend.1 person likes this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
3 Sep 11
Sounds pretty scary indeed. I've never had a migraine and never had an aura. I think I'll pass on that.
1 person likes this
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Sep 11
This sounds very similar to what happened to me two years ago. I remember I was sitting on the floor wrapping Christmas presents. All of a sudden it seemed like my vision was fading right before my eyes. Things got very blurry and fuzzy. I didn't have any pain or headache. So I grabbed my cell phone and went upstairs to lay down on the bed. I called my husband to tell him what was going on and to call me back in 15 minutes just in case I passed out. Then in about 15 - 20 minutes my vision was fine. I called my eye doctor and told him what happened and he said to come in so that he could check out my vision. He said that I had experienced an ocular migraine. He said they are very common and some people may only get them once or twice in their life. Funny how we can get a type of migraine without having any headache.
1 person likes this
@sanapal_bhar (213)
• India
2 Sep 11
oh thats bad but it is a bad codition, it usually comes befor seizure, do you have epilepsy ,you told that you had migrane, you should be in regular treatment then only your aura will control for some time.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
3 Sep 11
That has never happened to me. It must have been really scary! The only thing that has ever happened to me was tunnel vision and that was scary enough.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
3 Sep 11
Although I am a big headache and migraine sufferer, I don't think I have had an aura. I do see a lot of lines and red blotchy dots from both of eyes and this immediately prompts me that my headaches are turning into migraines.
I hope the heat has calm down a bit for you and that it won't affect your blood pressure.
