A related discussion, Unusual headache was started.

I am a 48 year old male. Lets call me John.I just stumbled onto this site in desperation. I have been off work for 3 years, seeing different doctors and recieving many diagnosis. Symotoms started with intervals of short term memory loss. Minor things like peoples names, what car I was driving or which way a letter or number would face etc. Also started having dissy spells accompanied by nausea when working on the computer for more than 1/2 an hour. This would also occure when driving in a city at night. It seems to be brought on by the moving lights or things moving on the compuiter screen. I also get swelling in my right hand and arm. At times I have unexplained pain in my arms, legs and other parts of my body. Also get severe, but short (15 to 30 sec.) head-achs. Usually folloued by impared vision in 1 eye. I also have problems with mood swings and anxiety attachs.  I would appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have.  Thank-you.....  John

Thank you for this notes on complicated migranies I though I was going crazy. I'm 38 and the Dr thought I was havin TIA's Neur stated  Com.Migr.  Now the S&S effecting my feet. Dr started me on topamax to see if would help, we will see.  Thanks nice to know I'm not alone.

My wife suffers migraine headaches, sometimes so severly that it makes her cry. We have been to many doctors and nothing successfully had been accomplished. What do you recomend. My wife is 33 years old.

I would like to comment regarding this phenomenon.  I experienced this also when I was 35.  I am now 40.  My neuro-opthalmalogist who is very well respected nationwide felt it was a complicated migraine or "acute cortical insult."  He explained this as a migraine like event except the vasoconstriction phase lasts longer.  That is why you would not want to take any vasoconstrictors.  I have had constant low-grade visual problems since this episode which have greatly improved over time.  This is because  the cortical-occipital region of my brain suffered from an "insult" during the vasoconstriction phase (no blood flow to that area).  This is almost like a stroke.  Hence he has recommended I be on one enteric coated aspirin daily.  He also did a lot of testing to rule out autoimmune disease which can predispose one to this type of event.  I also had an EKG to make sure the heart did not throw a clot to the brain.  I have been fine since then.  I think calcium channel blockers are the way to go for prevention but obviously check with your doctor.  Maureen or ***@****

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  I don't mind if you call me Jane or whatever, as long as you answered my question, which you did very nicely, thanks.  It even makes me feel better that I'm not the only one who has problems getting names straight.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite all the rhetoric on the front page of the national headache forum page, it did cover the comlicated migraine without headache problem.  I'll try to also get a copy of that Neuro journal.  So thanks for all your help.

nzscientist or Jane, I have been under going treatment for identical symptoms + having complete right-side numbness for the past 13 months. After much web researching, I have come to the conclusion that there is no cure but IF you are one of the lucky ones there is medication that lessens the frequency and severity of these episodes. However, there can be difficulity in finding the correct medication. I've tried 5 different medication with no positive results. My Neurologists says he has seen people that do not respond to any medications. I continue to take Aggranox (Anti-stroke) as a safe guard. I was concerned about the loss of blood flow causing the numbness. The Neuro explained it this way: blood flow is not altered but the neutron field is broken in the brain, the message from the nerve sensors in the back of the brain is not reaching the nerve control center in the front of the brain. I have several links if you need more to look at, e-mail ***@****

Dear nzscientist:

Please forgive me for naming you jane.  I was just finishing up with a patient named jane and transposed her name for yours.  I apologize.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

just after i read this i went to look up something else at webmd.com and the first thing that came up was a big ad that said something like, find out the newest thinking in ways to help migraines, just wanted to let you know in case you want to check it out

Dear Jane:

Thanks for the kind words concerning the service, and I am sorry that your illness is such that you have to use it.  I am not sure what I told you before.  I think that you have migraine without headache syndrome, which is a form of migraine.  The family history would also indicate this possibility.  Usually, with atypical types of migraine we rule out other possibilities initially, so I will assume that all other testing has come out negative and you indeed have atypical migraine.  As far as information, I would tap into the National Headache Foundation (www.headaches.org).  My reading of the literature suggests that the symptoms are benign and do not lead to lasting deficits (Levy, Neurology (1988) 38:831).  Your symptoms are in the CNS, due to the migraine, and therefore you shouldn't have pronounced loss of blood flow etc in the peripheral system.  Although the pathophysiology of migraine is progressing, the exact mechanism remains unclear.  The medication of phenylpropanolamine found in antihistimines has been implicated in stroke, not headache.  However, MSG, caffeine, food preservatives etc have been known to be triggers of migraine.  Although you type of migraine is uncommon, it is not rare.  I am not aware of the exact figures.  Whether to take a preventative medication is a personal decision.  Much depends on how bad the symptoms are and how you feel about them.  There are many types, from elavil to beta blockers.  10-20 percent are disorders of mitochondrial function and by taking 400 mg of riboflavin, some patients are helped.  But, whether this will work for you is unknown.  

I hope that I have helped alittle.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD