Migraines Vs. MS

[reba744]

Hi.  I have been having symptoms that my neurologist has diagnosed as migraines with "Aura" since February.  They come and go, and I've yet to find any pattern, but In July while in colorado on vacation I was completly symptom free, lasted almost a month, and since the 7th of august I have had no good days.  Every day is varying degrees of numbness, in my face, neck, right arm, right leg, vertigo, fatique, at night my muscles on the right side feel like they are so tensed up.  Some days I'll get a migraine headache, some days I wont.  Imatrex helps take the edge off the pain, brings it down to a 2 or 3.  My docotor said migraine auras should only last an hour or so, but when I have an episode it last half a day on a good day, some times I wake up with my right side numb and tingling, feeling heavy and so worn out and tired.  This last spell started on the 7th and is still going, not one day free of the "Aura", I've been on every migraine drug out there, and have one sitting on my counter that I just don't want to take.  They have all caused worsening depression.  I am 35, I have a 6year old and a 4 year old.  I need some answers.  If you can.

[rendean]

Welcome! I agree with the others. I was told my aura was the numbness and tingling in my left arm along with episodic dizziness. A few times (3) I actually had a visual aura but no headaches.

For  3 years they told me my dizziness was an acephalic migraine meaning I was having symptoms but no actual headache ( or  minimal head pain). My local neuro kept referring me out time and time again as he felt I had MS. Well, after 5 years he was proven correct.

Mind you , I was seen my "the best in the business" and "highly honored experts" but little persistent neuro kept at it kinda like "The Little Train That Could".

Be your own advocate and seek other opinions. You know what your body is feeling and some of your symptoms mirror mine like the prolonged "auras"

Let us know how things go.

Ren

[JemmAus]

I agree with the others. I suffered 3 years of similar, with my supposed "auras" (loss of balance, dizziness, parasthesia , tingling etc) lasting up to 6 weeks at a time. Bit longer than the "hour" they reckon!........ And those symptoms came with an MRI showing MULTIPLE large lesions in all the MS places.  As my (then) GP / PCP said, "If this is migraine, it's pretty bloody compilcated!" He was sure it was MS.

It was only when I found a top neuro that  I was diagnosed, so, persist and do all you can to rule out other things!

Good luck.

[Sumanadevii]

I agree.  I would want to rule out other things.  It doesn't sound like just migraine to me.  


What jensequitur said......

[jensequitur]

Welcome to the forum, Reba!

I would go back to the neurologist and tell him about the duration of your auras.  Tell him you'd like to eliminate multiple sclerosis as a diagnosis, and that you'll need an MRI - preferably a 3T MRI.  (For diagnosis purposes, it picks up many more lesions than a 1.5T.)  Just an MRI of the brain will show something (if there is something to see,) considering your symptoms.  My opinion is that any patient being considered for an MS diagnosis should have an MRI of the brain, cervical, and thoracic spine.