how long does a migraine equivalent last

Over the past year I have been having some weird headaches and other periods where I seem to get all of the symptoms of a migraine but no headache itself. My blood tests came back normal and my doctor suggested I track my headaches and see a neorologist - my appt is in March. A couple of months ago, I thought I heard my phone ring/call dispaly too so I called the person back but they had not called me. Within 5 minutes I my whole neck went tense and I became dizzy nauseous and developped a really stong headache mostly focused in my neck. When I went to the doctor, they thougght it was may be stress and gave me clonazepam. After 1 week the head ache went away - coincendentally about the same time my period started and so I figured may be this is all related to that. 3 weeks ago , I heard another phone ring and coudl not find the phone - it was in my car. The same thing happened. 2 days later on a Monday while I was talking to someone I felt as though everything started to cave in and my vision went starry as though I was travelling in a black hole.  By Tuesday I kept seeing flashing lights, had extremely sensitive hearing and tinnitus, everything was far too bright and my vision in my left eye was blurry along with bouts of extreme pain in my neck. By Sunday, I could hardly function and went to the hospital where they tried a migraine medicine and thought it was a migraine quivalent but could not be sure. I was 80% better when I left, but within 24 hrs, the tinnitus/flashing lights and periods of dizziness had returned and now I am getting periods of extreme pain/numbness and tingling in my joints on top of this. Lots of bowel issues too. My left arm feels like it is useless, pain in the 4th/5th finger adn the hand wants to keep closing - I was assessed for thoracic outlet syndrome when I was a teenager but the results were inconclusive. Pain from both my elbows to my hands and my calves to my ankles, when I try to sleep it is as though someone is massaging my legs and I keep bumping into things as my footing is unsteady. I hold a good job as an admin Supervisor and less than a month ago I won the award for the top employee of the company  but now I am having great difficulty typing, writing (hurts hands) and keep losing my words or misreading words. Does this sound like a migraine....3 weeks and counting? I just don't want to pester anyone at the hospital as I am not sure they can do anything. I have tried to call the neurologist to see about an earlier appt but she is away. any advice would be appreciated.

[Tamsha101]

Sorry to hear you are struggling.  It could be complicated (silent) or atypical migraine or it could be something else neurological.  I have had migraines since I was 14 - typical with aura, headache etc.  When I turned 36 or so I was getting silient migraines - all the aura but no headache.  I am now going thru a 2 month spell of aura but no headache - dizziness, tinnitus, numbness, tingling, etc.  I saw a neurologist on Nov 30th who diagnosed atypical migraine - I am scheduled for an MRI on Jan 8 just to make sure it's nothing else.  I have been prescribed Elavil in the interim - an antidepressant but apparently good for migraine prevention as well. This is the first time my symptoms have lasted this long and been this severe - never been on prescription meds before.  Can't see as they are helping much yet as I did have a severe bout today WITH headache (came during my period) but I've been told they take awhile to work.  I understand how you feel about your job - I have been at mine for 10 years, a model employee and now these past few months I have missed more work than I have in all the years I've been there.  It's very discouraging and it doesnt help to have the added worry about your job.  

Can you go back to your family doctor and ask for some sort of migraine preventative and abortive med until you can get in to see a neurologist?  Also, dont be hesitant about going back to the ER if you need to.