Sleep paralysis/hallucinations and migraines
I have suffered from migraines with aura since for nearly 22years (since I was 6) that have followed a very similar pattern. They were mostly during the day and were a visual aura that was a semi circle that got bigger and lasted roughly an hour.
Over the last 8months or so I still get those same migraines but have started getting completely different types of migraines. These usually start where I am having a bad dream and I am trying to wake myself up from it but can't. I have also experienced sleep paralysis with this too. When I eventually do manage to wake up I will have images in my vision. These visions have nothing to do with what my dream was about so no idea where they come from. They vary from a spider/bug surrounded by a kaleidoscope affect that is constantly changing to writing/numbers and random images. This usually only lasts about 30seconds and is in my vision with my eyes open or shut before I get a headache. They seem to occur pretty soon after I have fallen asleep, sometimes as soon as 5 to 10minutes.
Has anyone else experienced these types of migraines before?
Hi iLouise, thank you for reaching out! I hear how disconcerting these new symptoms feel for you. Any time your symptoms change dramatically, we always encourage you to check in with your doctor so that s/he is aware of what is going on. This also allows your doctor to rule out any other possible underlying cause for the new symptoms. What you are describing sounds like it could be different visual aura symptoms. While you are used to the semi-circle, kaleidoscopic images are another common manifestation of visual aura. I thought this article might be of interest to you: https://migraine.com/migraine-aura/visual-aura/
There are others in the community who also experience sleep paralysis. Another member recently asked about it and I thought you might be interested in reading through the comments: https://migraine.com/topic/sleep-paralysis-a-symptom-of-migraine/
Please keep us posted on how you are managing and if your doctor is able to provide any additional insight. Wishing you a gentle day. ~Allyson (Migraine.com team)
