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silent migraines, classic migraines, ocular migraines, tension migraines and a whole lot more....

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Posted 6/5/2007 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
I am new to this forum and I am looking for support. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I have always had classic migraines ever since I could remembered. I had migraines with no auras. They did go away for the past seven years until I turned 29. When I turned 29 I got what they are calling silent migraines. Migraines with no pain. Something was interferring with my vision and I couldn't speak. I was confused. I was dizzy. The whole spell lasted maybe 30-45 minutes. They did a CAT SCAN and found nothing wrong. The spells eventually got worse and Aruas took more of my vision which would eventually come back when the spell was over. I now also have Ocular migraines,Abdobinal Migraines, Classical Migraines, along with the Silent Migraines that I get virtigo with. They also are saying I have another type of migraine that I don't know the name of but it effects the side of my face and neck.

I have only been to one Neurologist who has done this diagnosis- I have an appointment to see another for a second opinion on June 15th. I didn't like the first neurologist too much. Right now I am on Topamax and it seems to be helping with most of the migraines except for the classic migraines. I had to go to the hospital this past friday night. They gave me two shots. Since Friday night though I have been migraine free. Which makes 4 days migraine free since March. YEAH! Hopefully it can stay that way. I guess what I am hoping for with this site is to gain some support since this is very scary experience for me. I keep thinking that the neurologist is going to come back into the room and tell me that I have a brain tumor or something!! I have already been told I don't but you know how you get something in your head??! but anyway sorry to vent. I appreciate any support and time that anyone can find to give. Thank you in andvance.

Posted 6/5/2007 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Snugglesrn,

Welcome to Healing Well. Sorry to hear that you are going through this! I am glad that the shots you were given have given you a few days pain break so far, and hope that you will get some more pain free time!

I am not a Doctor but I doubt that you have a brain tumour, but can understand that you may worry about that sort of thing. To reassure you, I am told that you will get many symptoms with a brain tumour and before you get the last symptom it is usually established that a brain tumour is present - the last symptom is usually headache!

Has your Neurologist given you any preventative treatment? What are you having to abort (take away) attacks?

Please feel free to ask any questions, the only silly question is the one you don't ask! Please feel free to vent here too cos this is what we are here for!!!

take care

Ann
Posted 6/5/2007 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the write back. I am currently on Topamax but the Neurologist I went to did not perscribe it for me. My family doctor did. That is one of the reasons why I am seeing another neurologist for a second opionion. The Neurologists has made it I think more frustrating than needed. The one that was bad, with not prescribing anything and then the one that I am going to on June 15th, which I was told by numberous people was great, saying that he can't get me in for 4 months and that's early usually there's a 6 months wait. Meanwhile I have to wait while I am in extreme pain with a 4 year old at home.
I feel extremely guilty because I don't go outside right now-I am afraid that if I take my 4 year old daughter outside in the yard to play that one of my neighbors will report me for being drunk or drugged up. because sometimes that's how it looks when I have a bad migraine or even with my medication. Sorry to vent-I hate to sound so negative! I am 29 and I shouldn't have to feel so crappy! I should be pushing my kid on the swind set or kicking the ball around with her. You know what I mean?
Posted 6/5/2007 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
snuggles:  Believe me, I understand how you feel regarding being able to do with your child.  I have three children and all are very involved in different activities.  I hate when I have to miss things because I have a headache.  They are all very understanding (even making sure I always have my "headache medicine bagt" with me when we go anywhere) and do all they can to help me out.  The one thing good I can say about all of this is that it has made my children very compassionate towards anyone who is sick.

Hang in there.  Hopefully, your new neurologist will help.  I am fortunate enough to have found a very understanding and helpful neurologist but, I am sure, one of these days he is going to get frustrated with not being able to "cure" me and suggest I find someone else.  I, more than anyone, wish that he could "cure" me and haven't given up hope; however, after reading everyone's stories on here, I am not convinced that there is a "cure" - only ways to help!

Hope you have a headache-free day.  It is storming here in Atlanta so I am waiting on the migraine to start.  My fingers are crossed that this time will be the first time in a long time that with a storm does not arrive a headache.

 

Posted 6/5/2007 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Baseballmomof3: Thank you for your support. I don't know if you realize how much your response means to me. It means so much to me that after reading it I literally sat here and cried. So I just want you to know I appreciate it alot. My daughter is only 4. So she doesn't get the whole thing but she does get up in the morning and ask me if I feel better?
I am starting to figure out some triggers like certain store lights trigger silent migraines-especially the virtigo. so I stay away from those stores as much as I can. My biggest fear is that someone is going to think that I am a neglectful mother (during one of my spells or a bad reaction to my medication) and report me. I am relatively new to my neighborhood and only know my direct neighbors.
I guess I learned my lesson on Friday and that going to the hospital early would have help me even more. I don't handle pain like normal people-apparently this is something else that I learned during this whole thing is that I have a very high tolerance to pain. My pain level at a 10 is a normal person 20. I have to learn to come to the hospital earlier.
There is a big storm coming in PA also. I hope you do not get a migraine along with the storm that's coming in Atlanta. I wish you a migraine free day also.
Posted 6/7/2007 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
As far as the silent migrianes go I feel your pain. I was recently diagnosed with them myself( although I am not happy with the diagnoses). Thankfully I do not have the other painfull migraines but my list of symptoms is alot longer on the silent part. I think the silents are like the others. You have to find the triggers and learn to cope.
My opinion to what everyone else sees in you is who cares. You are doing what you are able for your daughter and what other people think be darned. You daughter might not understand today but she will one day. Hang in there
Mikelean
Posted 6/8/2007 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Mikelean: Thank you for your response. I think one of the problems is that I live in a very small town (lucky if there is 500 people) and they are closed minded-one of those towns where everyone is in everyones business. I sat down and said to myself the other night why am I embaressed that I am sick-it not my fault. I think maybe I feel that way because so many people tell us with severe migraines "you got a headache don't be lazy get over it go take an ibrophen and get back to work" I am started telling people when they look at me odd that I am sorry I don't make sense I am not feeling well and under the care of a doctor. The know it alls and busy body's seem to leave me alone then. So I guess your right! I just got to learn to adjust! Do you mind if I ask you some question in regards to your diagnoses? There is not many people who I have found that know what silent migraines are let alone are diagnosed with it also! It would help! If not that's ok but I would sure appreciate it! Thanks.
Posted 6/8/2007 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
snugglesrn - I 100% understand about people thinking you have "headache, take some Mortrin and go back to your life".  For many years, my brother suffered from migraines all the time - I was the one who didn't understand as I had never had one.  I would get so aggravated with him - thought he was lazy and just didn't want to be out doing stuff.  I always thought it was just an excuse.  Well.........one year ago, I started suffering from consistent migraines - daily or weekly.  I have apologized to him over and over.  I now know what he was suffering through and didn't get one iota of sympathy from me.  No one can understand that a migraine is much more than just your everyday headache - whether it is a typical, cluster, silent, or whatever other kind of chronic headache there is (I offended some the last time I talked about a migraine being worse than a headache so I am trying to cover them all).  My point is that when you have any kind of chronic head pain, it is different than the person who has a mild headache, treatable with motrin, occassionally.  So, I completely understand what you are saying.  Try not to worry about what others think.  My good friends and family now understand what happens to me - I have gone to great lengths to explain to the people I care about what  happens to me when I get a migraine.  My neurologist gave me some good explanations that help all understand.  Your entire body is involved when you have a migraine.  Also, once the pain is gone, your body is still affected for awhile.  Also, before the head pain starts, your body is already gearing up.  That is why some of us have the "auras".  My auras aren't the flashing lights, etc.  I just get this exhausted feeling - my legs feel like they weigh 500 pounds each and every step is an effort - prior to my pain.  So, try to explain to the ones you care about what happens to you and forget the others.  Who care?

Have a great day.

Posted 6/8/2007 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
baseballmomof3: I think you explained it well. I am hoping that the neurologist I am seeing on the 15th will be able to adjust my meds and give me a better abortive medicine that I will be able to get more than 1 day a month without a migraine. I am also looking into sacrail cranium therapy- a friend of mine had great success with her vision and it has been proven to be helpful with migraines along with other things. I am also doing research with Magnesium Deficiency.
I was wondering if anyone new anything about them and what your thoughts on them were?
Posted 6/8/2007 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
I know this thread wasn't going this was but about people being intolearable I DO understand. For over 18 months many family members ( mostly inlaws) watched me go from spell to spell attack to attack. Drove to appointments and held my hand as I cried over the fact that I might have MS ,epilepsy or worse.
Now that I tell them I have been diagnosed with these stupid silent things they say great!!!! Take a pill and get on with life....HELLO if it were only that easy they would have found my problem 18 MONTHS AGO!!!!!The pill works for somethings but I still have to live with the rest. We have to watch triggers and be wary of so many things. it is not as cut and dry as everyone thinks
Posted 6/8/2007 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
Mikelean: I hear you! Oh, do I hear you! My in-laws are insensitive people. As long as they thingk it is seizure don't worry about working but now they think it is migraines go get a job!!! her I am saying to them don't worry that I can hardly stand and the world is moving as I am moving during a silent migraine !!!! Don't worry that my head feels like it going to explode during a classic migraine or that I pray for someone to STAB in the HEAD with a BUTCHER KNIFE during and ocular migraine because it would be less painfull. Don't worry about the fact I am so confused that most people think I am drunk. Oh yeah I am going to do great on a job interview. I can't stand my in-laws. The insensitve pricks!
Sorry to vent but I hear you loud and clear!
Posted 6/9/2007 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I think the bottom line is that until you experience something (whether it is migraines or something else), it is very difficult to understand.  Maybe your in-laws could go with you to your doctor's appointment (only if your doctor is educated about migraines and is not a doc who acts the same was as your in-laws) and help to educate them about what happens when a person has any kind of a migraine.  Education is the key!  My husband is much more sympathetic (my kids, also) since I have explained what happens to my body when I have a migraine.  When you explain to them that it actually affects your blood vessels and so forth, they see that it is not just a "headache" that you can take some Motrin for and keep going.

Just a suggestion but try educating them.  Even print off information that you can read on different migraine websites that truly explains the physical changes that happen in your body.

Hope everyone is having a headache free day!

Posted 6/11/2007 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
Baseballmomof3: You are right education is the key. My husband is very understanding because I tell him everything that is going on. Even when I don't want to tell him. My in-laws I try to tell them and they (very closed minded people)don't want to hear it. All they hear no matter how anyone tries to explain it is you "you have a headache" I have moved on from trying to exlaine it to them. I admit I am short tempered when it comes to them. I try to keep my distance from my in-laws anymore. My husband too because he doesn't like the way they treat me. I guess they showed there true colors during this hard time for us.
This has also effect my marriage at first. My migraines were stressfull for my marriage. My husband knew that stress can sometimes triggers migraines so he tried to keep all stressfull conversations out ,which in life is almost everything. Which meant that he would come home from work and not talk to me. He also thought that sex would trigger a migraine or hurt me. He meant well but was hurting and putting more stress on our marriage than needed. I sat down with him one night and I told him that while I appriciate that he loved me so much that he was willing to put all of his feelings aside hoping it would make me feel better that we can't put are marriage aside just because I suffer from migraines-that it just wasn't an option! He understood and we are doing much better now!
I find it amazing how much things can get effected by one person getting sick in a family! I guess I just didn't realize before this! It is a lot of adjustment for all of us and we are all trying to keep going like we were before some times we can and some times we can't!! In the end we can only do what we can do!
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