Migraine/Stroke/MS etc??

[Udkas]

Hi,
Sorry this is sort of off topic but I have posted in the migraine section with no input so I thought I would try here.

I am obviously experiencing migraines with aura that is causing my tongue to go numb, facial numbness/pain and my eye feels sort of paralysed and weird, not to mention my left leg don't feel that great either.  I find these symptoms worrying as you feel like you are having a stroke.  All have been ittermittent/on and of everyday but not constant apart from the tongue numbness, it is painful to move my tongue and talk, feels weird.

My question to the forum is:

Does anyone know if migraines hit in the same spot each time.  Like my numbness on my face is always on the same area (path pattern if you like) and same with leg.  I am trying to establish if I am having a migraine or if all this is connected to TM/MS or whatever. I did go to my GP and he thought migraine but he said there is too much going on he doesn't believe for a minute that all my symptoms are migraine.

His quote was " expect the unexpected in medicine", as you are always learning and there will always be things that surprise you, things are not always text book",

I am so confused, I keep thinking maybe all my symptoms are just weird migraine, then I think no, can't be..but I can't get rid of the tongue thing it is driving me insane... (well more insane) :-)  :-)

Any input would be appreciated from people with MS who get symptoms like that?

Or people who have migraines, I kinda thought with migraines that the symptoms would be different each time, more random..rather than the numbness occuring same spot.

THANKS,sorry this was so long...

Udkas

[Karen99]

Is your numbness, weakness, tingling and nerve pain limited to just one side?   What was the status of those symptoms before the last three weeks - before the tongue pain and increase in headache?  I am assuming your headaches have increased recently?

[Udkas]

Hi,
I think I am getting migraines, my neuro believes the migraines are what they call cervical migraine/headache that can come about from lesion in this area?  He just said that my migraines go with my problems, as I never used to get them before. Note I haven't spoken to him about this round of migraine. I have had episodes of vertigo too, that was my new symptom that made me go to the neuro in the first place, along with the prickly feeling in the stomach and butt.

I think I do have migraine, but I think also maybe? that I am having another episode as both my general Dr and others on this forum have suggested that the constant tongue numbness is prob not migraine but could be coming from the brain stem. My neuro mentioned that he suspected I could have a brain stem lesion. (not confirmed)

My understanding is that when you have migraine the symptoms usually only last before the migraine or 72 hours..

As for aura you can have non visual auras like pins and needles, numbness and even some weakness, tongue numbness etc., the aura usually precedes the headache but sometimes can last, but I don't think it would last for 3 weeks, but maybe I am getting repeated migraines.?  

Wish there was a headache expert who could answer my questions. I have tried on the migraine forum.

I have decided that if I have the problems in another week I will ring the nurses at my neuro's office who will talk to him and then see what he has to say.  I don't really want to have another MRI at the moment as they seem to draw a blank and I kinda would rather wait until something more substantial happens..

Does anyone know if you can get nerve pain with migraine?  As many of you know one of my common probs was nerve pain but Gabapentin increased dose has that under control.

Thanks guys, this has been causing me some anxiety, which doesn't help but I hate my tongue being weird.
Cheers,
Udkas.

[Nancy T]

Hi Udkas--it must be very frustrating to not know whether your neuro symptoms are caused by migraine, stroke, or MS, because they can mimic each other. What do you do in a situation like that? Hard to know.

I've been discussing my theory with my (good new) PCP that my longtime dizziness is migraine-related. He does not seem convinced (but then neither am I--but still I can't stop wondering).

Have you tried seeing a neurologist specializing in migraine? When you say you've decided that maybe you don't have migraine, does that mean you don't think your current symptoms are migraine, or that you are not a migraineur at all? You mentioned an aura; what kind of aura do you get? Do you get headaches, and/or light and sound sensitivity?

The tongue thing sounds really annoying!

Nancy

[Udkas]

On the sidebar there is two videos on headaches.  After watching them I have decided that maybe I don't have migraine and that like Quix and My Dr suggested that my tongue thing has gone on too long for it to be migraine.

Will ponder and decide if to ring the neuro. Might try the heart drug thinggys I have the script for first.

[Udkas]

Hi Nancy:

Thanks for your comments, that's interesting about your sister with the migraines following the same course.  I don't think all my probs are migraines but I do feel at the moment I am having migraines but then I wonder if it is migraine. I went to my GP yesterday and he didn't know, so if he didn't know how am I to know...:-) See why I am confused!  I was trying to establish if it was a MS attack a TM attack or a migraine attack, I'm sure it's not a stroke but it feels like one and it is driving me crazy...

To Karen:
Yes my neuro did tell me to go back if I get worse or something new happens if not he sees me for follow up MRI next year. (so that there is 12mths between my last MRI) but I am not sure this warrants seeing him as I do seem to have migraine activity at the moment but yes my tongue being numb for 3 weeks or more is new and horrid and I want to fix it.. it hurts when I talk and I love to talk..so maybe its not numb just painful..lol numb feeling, weird.. and my eye feels like its going to explode out of its socket...

To Derbydayhere:

I have been tested and re tested and re tested, they have done the lot and my diagnosis from my neurologist is Transverse Myelitis (although my testing is normal), i should just accept that instead of trying to analyze every symptom looking for answers. See now I am on a new theory that perhaps all my symptoms are just migraine aura without the headache...

Thanks Guys,
Udkas

[derbydayhere]

Hey Udkas; I experienced several episodes of mini stroke like symptoms, starting in my twenties. In fact the Dr. told me at that time, that I was having symptoms of mini strokes. But I wasn't officially diagnosed.
Anyway I have had ongoing symptoms, some the same, some new ones added every so often through the years.
I'm getting checked for Sjrogens, but have also got alot of MS symptoms.
I would just keep getting tested for things that the Dr. may think it is, until you find what it is. I'm trying this, but it's been taking many years.
Also, finding the right Dr.'s is essential. I believe that not finding the right one sooner is what has taken me so long in finding the right answeres.
Hope things get better soon.

[Karen99]

Hi.  Have you put a call into your neurologist and ask him/her about the tongue numbness?  If I remember correctly this is a new symptom for you.  My neuro wants me to report ANY new symptoms.  

[Nancy T]

Hi Udkas, I can't answer your questions well, but I do think that migraines can occur in the same way in a person repeatedly.

My sister would have migraines that followed the exact same course every time, with visual aura and then being very sick for 3 days.

My son would get a numb/tingly feeling "marching" up his arm starting in the fingertips and moving upward, with the numbness gradually resolving in the lower areas as it went up his arm. This is apparently a typical migraine thing too. I am not sure whether it was always on the same side. He would get this arm numbness on alternate weeks from his visual auras/headaches (not at the same time).

The only migraine attacks I had that I KNOW were migraine were the 3 visual auras, which were exactly the same except that one occurred in the left eye instead of the right, and one consisted of COLORED flashing lights instead of just diamond-like lights.

I would think that migraines CAN occur in the same spot each time (in a single person), but I would think your GP is right that not all of that can be explained by migraine, especially the constant tongue numbness. But I am not an expert on migraines. What other symptoms do you have?

Nancy