Migraine

Yesterday I took my son Ollie who is six and has "complicated migraine" to an Opthamologist. He has missed a few weeks off school now and the last week has been mainly to visual aura and photophobia. He keeps telling me he has a "bubble in his left eye" that comes and goes and when it is there he cant see properly out of the eye. The bubble is white.

The Opthamologist photographed his eyes and showed me that Ollie had a slight blurring on the edges of his optic nerves in the same place in each eye. He said normally they would just monitor such a small difference but given Ollies history it could be raised intercranial pressure and wants him to have a lumber puncture. He is going to contact the Neuro re his findings.

Ollie also had enlarged blood vessels in the rear of the eye consistent with someone who has frequent migraine. His peripheral vision was also down (he had a field test) but given his age the Opthamologist wants to repeat the test in two weeks just to be sure.

The Opthamologist also thought the vision blurring could be a reaction to the phenergan so recommended we give that a break and see the Neuro for more advice.

The drs have looked in Ollies eyes so many times before to examine the optic nerve and seen nothing so this was a bit exciting. Are we finally getting somewhere?

I was not going to take him to the Opthamologist at all as the hospital keep saying it is just aura but by chance a customer I got talking to at work was married to an Opthamologist and got him to call me.

We are back to the Neuro next Friday with the usual huge list of questions. Ollie is back at school but still has mild visual aura stuff going on but no pain.

One of the questions that intrigued me was "Do you still see the bubble when you close your eyes?" Ollies answer was yes. Does anyone else have visual aura that persists when you close your eyes?

Love to you all

Daisy

Daisy, glad to here Ollie's feeling better. Thanks for the report on Ollie's eye exam. Makes me think I need to get in for a check of my eyes. I do see what ever minor visual aura I get when I close my eyes, but I only recently made that connection.

Mary in NM

Hey Daisy,

That's sounds like a very interesting appointment. Maybe you are on to something and maybe a lumbar puncture may be worthwhile. Intracranial Hypertension IH or Pseudotumor cerebri, is unusual, but not unheard of in children. We have information on that condition HERE.

Daisy,

I'm really glad you took him and VERY glad you're going to repeat the visual fields test.

I always suggest that adult Migraineurs have regular exams including the visual fields test. The intraocular pressure is increased during Migraines, and over time, that can be a problem. I would think Ollie is too young for any problems to have developed from that yet, but establishing a habit of watching it is good.

Also, if a lumbar puncture shows his cerebrospinal fluid pressure is elevated, that could help his Migraines because that can be a trigger.

Please do keep us all posted!

Daisy,

I'm so glad your customer's husband called you and got the ball rolling on Ollie's eye appointment. It reminds me that I'm over due for an eye exam.

Please let us know what the Neuro has to say next week, k?

's

Hip Hip Hooray for having a plan of attack!

Boo Hiss for the idea of having to have a small fry go through a lumbar puncture. I will hope with all my heart and every ounce that is droolie that it goes very smoothly, with not a single complication.

As for the visual stuff continuing after closing eyes, I've had it happening with the flickering a few times. I also used to get this bubbling, boiling vortex kind of thing, and that I could still "see" with my eyes closed, too, though it was fainter.

One of the ways I've differentiated migraines from TTHs is by closing my eyes and "looking for fireworks." The "light patterns" I see are very similar to what you see when you press on closed eyes.

Funny, I've never thought to mention any of this to my neuro, PCP, or optometrist. Intraocular pressure and retinas were normal at my last eye exam in May. New glasses may be part of reduction in migraine frequency.

Sorry Ollie is facing such a painful procedure. Kat had a lumbar puncture in the ER when she was 14. NOT fun. Here's hoping all goes well for him, and y'all get good answers soon.

Rebecca

Yes it was Pseudotumor Crebri or IIH. Just back from the hospital and they were very impressed that the Opthamologist picked that up because none of them saw it at all. They have significantly lowered his pressure and now it is a matter of waiting to see how things go.

Thanks all for the support. Cheers Daisy

PS will do a longer post about it all later.