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is this still migraine?

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 10/3/2007 11:31 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all, two weeks ago I had what I've come to know as a migraine attack.  It started with a sudden numbness in my left hand and left side of my face, followed by blank spots in my vision, which quickly became so bad that I couldn't see properly anymore.  I went home (this happened at work and I was working on our annual budget at the time, so seemed to make sense), and slept it off.  There was a headache, but it wasn't terribly bad.

The next day I felt a bit depressed and dizzy, but again, I've had this happen before and expected it.  The problem is that it's now 2 weeks later and I'm still numb in the left hand and left of my face, and intermittently I feel a kind of tingling in my left foot, and a heavy feeling in both feet.  I'm dizzy and extremely tired all the time, and struggling to think properly - I forget things like where I put my keys, and sometimes struggle to find the right words.  I'm trying to study French and this is proving too difficult.  Normally I can do 20 things at once, but now I struggle to do one thing at a time.  I no longer have a headache.

I've seen two general practitioners, neither could find anything wrong with me, although they both prescribed medication that didn't work, and which I stopped using last Friday.  I'm now seeing a chiropractor, but this isn't helping either.  I have an appointment with a neurologist, but only next week, and in the meantime I'm struggling to cope with my life.

My question is, has anyone else struggled with what I think is a prolonged postdrome, after an initial migraine attack, or is this possibly something else?

 

Posted 10/3/2007 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi blue_cat,

Welcome to Healing Well. Sorry to hear you are suffering with this. I am glad you are seeing a Neurologist, if you can get yourself referred to one who is a Headache Specialist that would be more helpful for you.

We have no medical training here and can only speak from personal experience, so I am unable to confirm what is going on for you. It is possible that you have got 2 things going on here but it may be part of the extended postdrome as you say. I would be interested to see what your Neurologist has to say, please let me know.

take care

Ann
Posted 10/9/2007 5:54 AM (GMT 0)
Blue Cat-- I'm not a doctor, but some of your vision problems and numbness in the extremities sound like symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, so I would make sure to discuss the possibility with your neurologist. It's a difficult disease to diagnose; they usually do a spinal tap to see if there is myelin in the spinal fluid. But if the paralysis or numbness continues, I would definitely pursue it. My father had MS, and right before his diagnosis, he had a major "attack" where his whole left side was paralyzed and numb, and he would have to use his right arm to lift his left arm onto the table. His left leg never completely recovered, although his left arm regained its feeling and control after a month or so.

I really hope it's just a headache symptom. Let us know how you are.
Posted 10/10/2007 3:09 AM (GMT 0)

I have had previous migraine episodes that were accompanied with numbness in my hands, arms, face and legs. Usually they lasted anywhere from hours to days. I did have an episode that lasted longer than this and became concerned that it was something more severe. I saw a specialist and found that I have probably had a stroke due to the loss of sensation on the right side of my body.

So, my advice to you would be to see your doctor just in case there is something more "important" going on and if not, at least you know.

Take Care

Posted 10/19/2007 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi blue cat,
I started having severe migraines after beginning birth control last year. The migraines seemed to be increasing in intensity and one day, while driving to work, I had a stroke. I blacked out while driving and couldn't remember anything that happened in the following weeks while hospitalized. It turns out that my birth control had caused a blood clot in my brain, which led to the stroke. I did have some tingling and numbing in my limbs but I ignored it along with the migraines. Boy was that a mistake! It is 5 months later and I found a wonderful neurologist who helped me a great deal while I was hospitalized in intensive care for 3 weeks. I can't stress the importance of seeing a neuro. get some testing and MRI/EEG to see what is causing the problem. Signs/symptoms are there for a reason and always mean something.
Best of luck and rush to see a specialist!
Missm
Posted 10/27/2007 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
I am 27yrs old and have been dealing with this for a while. It started off with chest pain and then that feeling of something being stuck in my throat. I'm tired and feel like my head is in a cload, that spacey feeling. I don't have this symptoms all the time they come and go. I had this feeling in my throat all day long some days. Eating never had anything to do with it. It would come even on an empty stomach. I have had Drs. tell me it is acid relux. I seen a GI Dr. and he did a EGD with a bravo placement to check my bodys PH level. Like I already knew I didn't have acid reflux. I didn't think I had all the symptoms. I didn't have the burning feeling in my chest and the acid taste in my mouth. My Dr. sent me in to have an MRI done. To make sure everything was ok in that area. I seen a Neurologist to get the results and found out that I have Chiari Malformation Type 1. Only an MRI can tell f you have this. Not an X-ray or Ct scan Basically Chiari Malformation is where your brain is to big for your skull or your skull is miss shaped and it pushes you brain back. It causes the brain tonsils in the back of your head to be pushed out of the bottom of your skull. Causing a hernia. They call it herniated tonsils. It restrict the spinal fluid to your brain. It can cause alot of problems.
Posted 10/27/2007 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Really bad headaches are another symptom brought on by stress and straining
Posted 10/27/2007 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with tysmyboo I would ask your neurologist to look into a stroke, obviously it wasn't a really bad one but some of the main signs are numbness and tingling and not being able to find the right words. Although some of these signs and symptoms can be assoicated with migraines too, you want to rule out the bad stuff first :-p good luck to you!!
Posted 10/27/2007 9:48 PM (GMT 0)

Also, numb/tingling and loss of words (best way I can describe) are all popular side effects of TOPAMAX....

just FYI

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