What were your symptoms

[Nichole28]

I am new to this forum, I used to post on the migraine forum but have decided to jump over here. I was diagnosed with Complicated Migraines but I am starting to think that maybe that is not the case anymore. Over a year ago I went from being perfectly fine one minute to stroke like symptoms and unbale to speak or move the left side of my body all on about 20 minutes. I also had involuntary body movements and seizure like activty, I was like this for about 3 weeks and started to slowly get better. Over the past year I have improved but on a daily basis I still don't feel good, I have issues with my speach small but still there. I also have been having weird sensations in my arms and hands, from tingling to painful. I drop things for no reason, my balance is HORRID I am tired ALL the time no matter how much sleep I get. I have major memory issues or I say or type the wrong word when I really meant to say or type something else. My Neuro keeps telling me all of this is because of migraines, but I have these things happen DAILY with or without a headache. I have been looking at sites for early signs of MS and I seem to have alot of them, more than I am comfy with. I guess I am wondering what made you think you had MS and how did you bring it up with your dr?? Thanks :)

[catasawrus]

i have ms and as a part of this they are exploring that my ms has triggered 8+months of chronic migrains, with and without pain. im not suggesting you have this. but i was just on my uni's academic data base reserching migrains. they said it was not uncommon for chronic migrain sufferes to become more drug resistant. and your neurologist is right, you can have a migrain without pain, its called an a-typical presentation. migrains screw up more than just your pain receptors so it can do all kinds of wierd stuff. theres bound to be some crossover in symptom (presentations) because they are both your CNS going mental.

if it would ease your mind just get a seccond opinion, your aloud to :)
i am a social worker and i always tell my clients to be assertive with their health providers and to keep asking questions untill you feel satisfied.

o the only effective treatment i have found for migrains : MEDITATION
in 7 days it reduced my pain from a 9 to a 1. as i kept going in the next 4 weeks my fatigue droped from a 9 to a 3 and its improving rapidly still. the professor my neuro works under specialises in migraine and said meditation was very effective....i could have told him that lol!

[Udkas]

Best of luck with getting in to see a neuro.  Your symptoms do certainly need to be evaluated by a good neurologist.

Maybe they need to repeat the MRI.


As someone else posted migraine can sometimes be the presenting symptom with MS.

I didn't realise but your aura (ie numbness/tingling etc.) can sometimes go on for weeks and weeks and weeks, that is why I sometimes wonder if all my problems are just that a very weird and complex migraine. Although I read recently somewhere that migraine won't cause the damage that I have with my reflexes, as my reflexes indicate spinal, but I am confused.  

Both BAM migraines is worth googling and hemiplegic migraines.  I read some very interesting stuff.  These type of migraines should be monitored anyway as they can sometimes lead to a higher risk of stroke.

Do go see a new neuro, see what they think and if you are uncertain ask why they have drawn that conclusion.

Thinking of you, best wishes with it all.
Udkas
Udkas.

[Nichole28]

When I was in the hospital last year they did a bunch of tests, I had a MRI and CT with and without contrast. I had tons of blood work done and a EEG, all of it came back normal and the dr said the EEG showed nothing signifigant. Now I do know that my stroke like symptoms can be caused by my type of headache but it is the DAILY issues I have even without any type of headache that worries me. As I sit here right now my left hand hurts by my pointer finger my arm feels tingly and my left leg from the knee down is all weird feeling. I have never been completly sold on the whole complicated migraine thing and before I had to stop seeing my Neuro (insurance reasons uggg) he was going to do another 72 hour EEG and possibly another MRI. I just want my life back to the way it was before all of this happened to me, I am 29 years old and feel 80 most days. Thank you for all your suggestions and sharing, when I see my dr on the 1st I am going to put my foot down and get her to send me to a GOOD Neuro like I was seeing before.

[Military_Wifey]

I was just diagnosed yesterday with MS by my MS specialist. The only reason my pain management doc did a brain MRI (which is what started this mess rolling) was because I had been having migraines and numbness, etc, for 5 years without any testing. They just want to make sure there wasn't a specific cause...needless to say they found lots of old lesions and started me on the MS journey. Hoping you get a doc who tests for everything and gives answers!

-Dee

[Karen99]

I am going out on a limb here, but I would ask your neurologist if Tolosa Hunt Syndrome could be the cause of your problems.  With any luck your neurologists ego can handle this suggestion.  Good grief, you've been through a lot.  Best of luck to you.

[Udkas]

Hi there,

Back in some old threads (only a few weeks ago) there was a discussion about migraines and headaches and MS.  I also put some links up for people to read about them.

I am the other way from you, I think maybe my problems are just complicated migraines but my neurologist doesn't.  (See Neuro's can't win).

Have you had an MRI, LP full workup etc?

Many things are similar in symptoms to MS but may not be MS.  

Ask your Dr why he/she doesn't think it could be MS, bring up your concerns and see what they are thinking.

My Neuro reckons I do get complicated migraines with my TM/MS?  I don't have a conclusive diagnosis.  

Some migraines are very frightening and they can cause all the symptoms that you have mentioned.  

So ask your neuro about your fears of MS and if you are in doubt get a second opinion.

My neuro thinks my headaches (migraines are caused or part of my demylination disease that they go together, if that makes sense.)

You can get migraine without the headache.

Good luck,
Cheers
Udkas.

[novaktwins]

I am sitting here reading this and wonder if you may be my long lost twin?  I too have been diagnosed with complicated migraines/hemiplegic migraines...I personally do not believe any of it.  No amount of topomax or DHE injections have really made me any better.  After the birth of my youngest child in 2005 I just did not feel very well.  I have had problems with my thyroid in the past and figured it was that.  My headaches did increase and medication did help.  One day when getting ready to take the kids to a movie..I realized that I felt very numb all down my arm ( my head hurt but not a migraine). I went to the hospital and they gave me pain meds and sent me on my way...within two days I presented with a drooping eye and cheek..and my speech was going..back in I went.  I was in for 7 days and they could not find anything wrong with me except some herniated discs.  They did everything!  Spinal tap, 4 mri's every blood test imagineable...My OB came to visit me since he knew I was in and suggested I got to Thomas Jefferson University hospital after I got out.  I could barely walk..Bathe or dress myself.  Jefferson doped me up on an unbelievable cocktail and I really was non functioning for almost 1 year with very small children at home.  My Mom took a leave of absence from work.  My symptoms have come and gone for the past three years.  As we sit here typing to and fro..I can barely feel my left hand and my left foot...My lip is all droopy and I am exhausted.  My right side is numb as well but more of a lessening degree of feeling.  I feel your pain!  I am now going to my old endocrinologist and TJ next week.  I am putting my foot down until I get an answer!!!  I cannot live this way.  My thoughts are with you and I wish you the very best.  Feel better and find out what is wrong soon!

Staci

[HVAC]

There are over 800 neurological disorders and thirty other diseases which mimic MS. This is why Neurologists do not have an easy job. You could seek a second opinion. I did and a third.  In my area it may be a year to get in with an MS Specialist because there are so few and so many MS patients.

I have MS and atypical migraines. My migraine symptoms last a short time and usually resolve with medication where my MS symptoms do not.

Good Luck!
Alex

[essdipity]

Welcome to our MS forum, Nichole.

Since MS is a complex disease affecting the central nervous system--a very big place--the reasons we started to investigate what was wrong with us are as numerous as the number of members here. No two stories are alike. I'm sure you've read up on MS symptoms, the more common ones and the less common ones. MS causes weakness, pain, spasticity and 'wrong' nerve signals, and sometimes disability.

We've had quite a few folks here who've been diagnosed with complicated migraines, some clearly in error. Others not so much, I guess. It's not possible to remember everyone's story. Perhaps some of these people will comment here.

If you are concerned that MS may be the source of your problems, the best thing to do is to be evaluated by a neurologist specializing in MS. Finding a good one isn't always easy but we can offer suggestions. I am assuming you are not actually having strokes, and that this has been ruled out. There are many other conditions to be ruled out as well, so this is often a lengthy process. Please take some time to read our Health Pages (see upper right), and learn as much as you can. Then come back and ask us more questions.

ess