[sugarkjube]

> For instance, when I get (got: my blood pressure is treated) migraine visual effects, I would say "lightning bolt" but thats just a textual analogue/simile. What I actually saw was more complex than that: lightning is white. My effect was polychrome.

What you describe seems to refer to scintillating scotoma, which appears to be well known and documented: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma

I personally have my doubts whether it has to do with blood pressure (i had it while on medication and normal blood pressure), or that it's generated by the brain, but lack the time/motivation/skill to research this further.

[ggm]

If anything I said implied this was a novel, new phenomena, I withdraw that implication completely. I was attempting to discuss how I subjectively experience and would describe it, and the effects on documentation of that description, not that I saw any perceptual effect nobody else saw.

[spidercat]

>I personally have my doubts whether it has to do with blood pressure

If you're referring to scintillating scotoma/visual migraine aura, it's thought to be the result of what's called a cortical spreading depression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_spreading_depression

It's really fascinating stuff (and pretty unnerving, speaking as someone who experiences migraines with aura).

On the blood pressure connection, propranolol (a beta blocker often used to treat high blood pressure and anxiety) is often prescribed as a prophylactic for migraines, but I'm unsure of the preventative mechanism(s) at play.