How do you cope with hemiplegic migraines? I'm in misery!

The dr thinks I am having hemiplegic migraines.  I have experiences a few episodes of extreem one sided distinct headaches with numbness to left side of face, mouth, tongue, throat, arm, and left leg weakness. I have headaches everyday yet these are very different. I have had two very horrible attacks of vertigo in which I'm like a drunk laying on the comode rim vomiting, though other times the vertigo has not been as severe.  The muscles in my head, neck, shoulders, and upper bach tighten in a death grip during the attacks.  I have undergone lots of testing and have started on a low dose topamax this week and have been taking tizanidine for a while for the muscle spasms. I have had the current attack for a week so far.  I'm in misery! Any ideas or suggestions on ways you have found to cope? 

I had never even heard of this type of migraine before.  I started researching it & the info I found says it starts in childhood & ceaces in adulthood?  I'm 38 and have been dealing with this a little over a year.

Ang

al70,

I have suffered from migraines for over 35 years, I do have the one sided numbness, face, tongue,ect.  I have been to several doctors over the years and this is what I have found out.  I had a PFO (hole in the heart), until two weeks ago.  I was diagnosed several years ago with TIA's(mini strokes), so that could be your problem.  Ask your doctor to do an echocardiogram and a bubble study to see if you have a PFO (patent foramen ovale), if so you may want to have it closed, if your problem is strokes.  I waited for years and suffered and finally had all of this done and feel so much better now. I did have the PFO surgery two weeks ago, and other than a small headache, I feel much better.  Hope this helps.  Take care.

traze