MIGRAINOUS STROKE

I have been diagnosed with a migrainous stroke and am terrified. There doesn't seem to be alot of info. on it out there, can anyone tell me about it or share your experiences with me if you have had a migrainous stroke. It would be greatly appreciated, and I hope you all have a migraine free evening.

Hi MissMolly!

I went for five years with a diagnosis of a TIA or ministroke or stroke brought on by migraine.  I ended up in the emergency room with total one sided numbness and partial blindness.  All symptoms passed within an hour and I had a raging headache afterwards.   Just this year, after five years of follow up tests, I finally got to a Neurologist that is a headache specialist and after he looked at all my tests , he informed me that it was NOT a TIA or stroke of any  kind but a 'complex migraine' and they are fairly common. If you look up that terminoligy your search should yield better results and see if your symptoms match

So, I am not sure who diagnosed you, but you may want a second opinion from a headache specialist just to alleviate your concerns and save you years of tests that you might not need.     And if it was a true stroke or mini stroke , you would want proper treatment for that particular issue as well so long term you have the best health outcome possible.

In my case, I have not had any other issues like the one that landed me in the hospital, just the regular run of the mill migraines that annoy the crud of you on a weekly basis    Got good treatment from my new doc and have decent relief finally so my story ends well, so best of luck to you with your health as well

Dear missmolly: Just found your post as I was researching migrainous stroke. Almost two years ago I had a migraine, then experienced stroke symptoms and ended up in the hospital for two nights. I was diagnosed with a stroke. While the neurologists at the hospital dismissed a tie-in with the migraine, I was later referred to a neurologist by my physician. After listening to my description of my migraine history as well as my recent stroke, he called my stroke a "migrainous stroke." He seemed very familiar with the problem, and printed out a lengthy article from a journal that described migrainous strokes.

Fortunately, my recovery has been complete. I had some visual-field limitations for a short while - couldn't pick things up in my left eye peripheral vision - but that resolved the next day.

I totally understand your fears - since then I have had a lot of trouble dealing with a new-found sense of mortality. I must admit it still pervades my thoughts - that's how I found your post, as I was once again looking for any new info out there. What I have done is alter my life style as much as possible - exercise, reduced fat intake, reduced salt intake, no more alcohol. In some ways the stroke was a wake-up that has made me reassess how I'm living my life. I am now on a statin for cholesterol and a calcium channel blocker for blood pressure as well as the headaches. My BP was never really an issue, but during the hospitalization it was elevated and there were some artifacts of some issues shown in all the testing done. I also take an aspirin each day.

Interestingly, my headaches have all but disappeared. There is a report out there somewhere that the same thing - decrease in migraines - has been noted in other victims of migraine-related strokes. If you search enough, there is some info on the 'net, but it's limited and not too informative.

Enough about me - I hope these last few months have been good ones for you, and that you can get your episode off your mind. My greatest advice would be to do everything you can to reduce any and all risk factors you have -

Take care

So sorry to hear you are suffering from these horrible, and scary migraines. They are however called Hemaplegic Migraines. It took them several years, tons of test and an array of meds to figure this out. I am allergic to triptans, but come to find out, if you have such migraines you DO NOT take them, they can lead to an actual stroke. Unfortunately, I have to go to the hospital and receive I.V. medication of..Solu-medrol(steriod) which stops the stroke like symptoms, pain and nausea meds and of course fluids and oxygen. I hope you and your doctor can come up with a preventative med that can keep them from being so frequent. I take Neurontin, which does help.


All the best,
Kristie

I just ran across this. I was sure I had Lyme, and maybe I still do, but after reading this thread and a recent brain MRI, I feel this is what is going on.

OK, so since I was a young teenager, I have gotten migraines with aura. They were never a normal occurrence though. I would have a couple per year as a teen, then go years, then have one one maybe another later that year. I went a good 10 years without having one, then when I was 31, I was going through an exceptionally stressful period, and I got one. Always the aura first with nausea, fatigue, and a headache about 20 minutes after. So, I ended up having 2 or 3 that year. Then none for like 7 years, then 2 within a few month period. I remember I got one while driving and pulled over. I remember not being able to comprehend simple words during the aura period. I remember think I might be having a small seizure or stroke.

A couple years go by and I have another couple. I figured out at that point how to avoid the headache and nausea eating a full meal, drink plenty of water, and taking 2 excedrine migraine capsules at the onset of the aura.

So, I went camping in VA last year last Spring. Found a tick on me, a couple actually, but one on my ankle ended producing the classic bulls eye rash. I ended up getting abx for it and thought I was done with it. Since the bite I have been migraine central. I had 2 in one week one time. Another time I had the aura, it went away, then another aura an hour later. Really strange. Anyway, I have recently started having issues walking. Ataxia like symptoms with my left leg being the worst. I had another migraine 3 weeks ago and since then noticed some tingling in my left arm and difficulty using that hand a little. Luckily I have seen a neurologist 2 weeks ago. At that pointy in time I mentioned the migraines, but told him that I had the feeling that the walking issues I am experiencing is due to Lyme.

They ordered and EEG and brain MRI. The day after my brain MRI, yesterday, I received a call from the neurologist office and they told me i need to go get another MRI with contrast because they found some abnormalities on the MRI and they wanted one with contrast to compare it with. That is all they said and they were about to hang up with me. I was like, Whoa, you can't just leave me with that. I needed some more info. So, they put my doctor on and he explained that it was nothing life threatening, but my MRI had showed some lesions that looked as if I had been having mini strokes. But, he couldn't be sure. He suspects that they might be from the Lyme. And maybe Lyme is involved with the uptick in frequency of the "migraines", but I am almost convince, now, that I have been having mini strokes.

Luckily, I can control them, thus far, by staying hydrated. I have a horrible habit of just not drinking water. So, until I get this next MRI and see my neuro in 2 weeks, I am drinking a gallon of water a day and taking supplements that support healthy blood circulation.

I hope we find out whats wrong and can reverse the walking issue.