Migraine

Oh, yes. I HATE the sun. A good pair of sunglasses has helped a lot, but in the summer, heat can also trigger me.

As someone with blue eyes, I've always had to wear sunglasses, even in winter as my eyes aresensitive to sun, it is worse now with the increase in migraines. Good sunglasses are essential. Wearing hats would be good too, but I can't seem to do that. Don't know why. Both have the added advantange of helping us from not squint and keeping those wrinkles at bay in the corner of our eyes. There has to be some advantages to all the things we must do to protect ourselves from migraines.

Cindy

I don't mind it, usually. I'm much more sound-sensitive than light-sensitive.

quote:

Originally posted by dragondroolHOST:
I don't mind it, usually. I'm much more sound-sensitive than light-sensitive.

Ditto.

Sunlight bothers me a lot. Some of my worst auras were triggered by going outside into sunlight or flickering light through trees. I am just sensitive to light in general. I like a cool, dark house. Sunlight and humidity in the summer are very standard, very persistent triggers for me.

I tend to stay in the house if I don't have to work, though, so it keeps my problems with sunlight to a minimum. Generally to and from work I'm in the car for about 15 minutes and I use sunglasses, unless I am not driving. I should get into the habit; when I buy new glasses this year I'll likely buy Rx sunglasses too.

Intense sunlight is a big trigger for me, one of my few non-stackable ones. I had a miserable time when I was in Arizona last June because the intense sunlight triggered a migraine every day. And, to top it off, the sun always triggers my most severe, bilateral migraines, and those are my hardest to treat.

I guess it's good I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest. The rain doesn't give me nearly as many problems as the sun... though I do love a beautiful sunny day in the spring or fall.

Even on overcast days here though I still wear sunglasses. I'm sure my sensitive blue eyes don't help things.

Me, too! Unfortunately, I live with people who like a bright and warm house.

I remember one particular Sunday when we were traveling 2 hours to Southern Missouri for dh's grandma's Chistmas - there are a lot of straight and skinny trees lining hiway 67 and it was like a strobe light with the sun blinking in and out of those trees. Even dh was bothered.

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I like a cool, dark house

I don't mind the sun at all, in fact, I love the beach and watching the waves. The thing that gets me though, is the humidity...not only is it icky, it can trigger a migraine for me if the elements are just right. Or is that wrong?

I'm with MJ, on a decent day put me outside even in the rain as long as I'm not in pain, and I adore it! I keep praying that when DH retires we don't have to leave the east coast despite the weather patterns

Yes, DEFINITELY for me! I wear sunglasses all the time to minimize the light in my eyes, because it is a huge trigger for me. My husband always laughs at me when I ride in the car with him at night and wear sunglasses to avoid the brightness of the headlights and really bright street lights. But I laugh too, because I know I look like a dork wearing sunglasses in the dark!

This is a stackable one for me - it usually won't trigger me all by itself but if I'm already tired, lots of stress, or coming off a recent migraine, bright sun will do it. Also worst when the sun is starting to go down - if it's straight into my eyes.

By the way, for sunglasses, I discovered that the transitions lenses on regular glasses (photo-gray or photo-brown, the ones that darken with light) are NOT a good migraineur's sunglasses choice. They only darken if the light is shining directly on them. So I'm in my car and it's very bright out and the light is coming into my eyes, but the glasses don't darken because the sun isn't shining directly on them. They get very dark if I'm walking outside, but no good for driving - or for cutting glare when it's dark - like Javagirl was talking about!

- Megs

I have three different pairs of sunglasses. I have my "celebrity" glasses - big and dark - for sunny days. I have a pair with driving lenses that I wear to cut glare at night (only if DBF is driving). I have a pair that are dark on the top and almost clear on the bottom that I wear in stores with fluorescent lights (that way I don't look so sketchy).

On super sunny days sometimes I wear two pairs of sunglasses. I plan on asking my HA specialist about the amber contact lenses that some migraineurs wear for their light sensitivity.

Hi,

I was doing a search on the key words “sun & trigger” and I’m so glad that I found this posting.

I’ve come to realise in the past few days that my triggers are bright sunlight, glaring light reflecting off a window/glass/mirror, heat, windy days & maybe a change in weather/temperature. I had two migraines this week; one because I was standing outside at midday waiting for a cab with the sun glaring right above me & two because I went the swimming the day before which I have not done in 6 months.

Before I was diagnosed I used to live in Dubai, a very sunny, dry & hot country and the brightness used to get to me & a few hours after I would get a migraine, same with glaring light. So I got myself some prescription sunglasses and things were a lot better thought it doesn’t stop the glaring light which means I still had attacks. I didn’t know what a trigger was then.

After 5 years in Dubai I recently moved back to Singapore which can be sunny, humid, rainy and windy. The weather is great most days so I’m outdoors a lot more with my kids hence the increase attacks. It is also cloudy a lot so I don’t wear my sunglasses too often which if I realised what my trigger was then I would not leave home without them.

It’s taken me a long time to realise what my triggers are and now it all makes sense.


Cheers,

Catharine

Catharine,
I think it's great you have isolated such a major trigger. Would a hat help cut down on some of the additional heat on your head or would that just increase it? My kids when they were little like yours (so hard to remember, they are now 16 and almost 18) so loved going to the pool. It was difficult to get them out. I have to wear sunglasses year round. While the sun is not so much a trigger as it agravates any migraine or headache I have. Even on cloudy days.

Good luck as you continue to isolate triggers. You sound as if you are on the right track.

Cindy

hi I don't post here much but have had a really bad migraine this last week-this morning was lying on the bathroom floor in pain and don't know how on earth I got into work today. It's good (in a way) to see others affected by sunlight. This and heat are my biggest riggers. I feel so down when everyone else rushes outside to sit in the sun and I dread the Summer coming. Trouble is I wear vari-focal glasses and honestly can't afford the cost of sunglasses-they's also need thinning too as I have a high prescription. I'm wondering whether to get clip-ons although they're hardle glamorous. heat to me is a nightmare which is hard as I'm a face-painter and often have to spent long periods outside in the Summer.

I had clip ons made for my glasses as I don't like how the standard clip ons look and I have to wear sun glasses. They are not inexpensive, but they are less than presecription sunglasses. Something to considered.

Cindy