Aa
Migraines, lightheadedness, brain fog
A couple of months ago I started experiencing vertigo. It only happened around once a week and it didn't bother me too much. I went to an ENT and got an ENG done which came back perfectly fine. I also started experiencing migraines, which i've never had before in my life. I usually get a massive blind spot in one of my eyes, followed by a sparkly line that disappears in around 15-30 min. I also get pins and needles in my hand/foot that also disappears in the same amount of time and i'm left feeling very weak. I then get a massive headache on one side of my head. When this first happened I went to the ER and got a CT scan because I had no idea what was happening and they didn't find anything on it. Ever since these migraines i've been feeling very off. I always feel like i'm going to pass out and my vision has deteriorated in the sense that it has become very hard to focus on things and there's always floaters in my peripheral vision plus it's blurry. I also feel like i'm just not here and it's hard for me to carry out daily tasks.
I also randomly got this numb spot on the bottom of my right foot. Lately, these symptoms have been getting worse. I've been getting migraines almost once a week plus headaches almost everyday. I saw a dr about this to try and get a referral to a neurologist and he didn't give me one but instead gave me migraine medication that doesn't even work. I just started a new job and i'm almost afraid i'm going to have to quit because of how terrible I feel everyday and i'm so afraid i'm going to get a migraine at work and not be able to function. My right side always feels weak and I always feel like i'm going to pass out or have a stroke or a seizure or something. Nobody believes there is something wrong with me and I don't really know what to do anymore. I feel like i'm slowly dying or that I have a brain tumor.
I also randomly got this numb spot on the bottom of my right foot. Lately, these symptoms have been getting worse. I've been getting migraines almost once a week plus headaches almost everyday. I saw a dr about this to try and get a referral to a neurologist and he didn't give me one but instead gave me migraine medication that doesn't even work. I just started a new job and i'm almost afraid i'm going to have to quit because of how terrible I feel everyday and i'm so afraid i'm going to get a migraine at work and not be able to function. My right side always feels weak and I always feel like i'm going to pass out or have a stroke or a seizure or something. Nobody believes there is something wrong with me and I don't really know what to do anymore. I feel like i'm slowly dying or that I have a brain tumor.
Its going on three days and I'm having really bad headaches it won't go away, I will get real lite headed and dizzy also on top of that I'm constantly cold, it is winter time so I'm not sure if that's the reason why but I need to know what's going on
A HOLLOW, if I might advise more, you've already had a CT scan, and thus I do not think you need to have an MRI. A brain MRI is unpleasant and expensive, even with insurance. What you need is better medicines to treat your migraines. And a neurologist is the one to go to, PLUS he can make sure you don't have any other wierdness going on besides migraines.
So, as I suggested before, just look one up in a group practice in the phone book, and call and set an appointment. In the meantime, go on over to the ER again, but this time tell them you're suffering from migraine and you need better medications, and you need a neurologist to please see you there, and that you've already had a CT scan there. At least you can go after work or on weekends, and even tho you may have to wait, you'll be seen that day. ER's only charge about $50 for your visit. If there's more involved treatments done there, they'll send your insurance or you the bill.
Look, the poster FURBALLS above, she has them, and she knows precisely what you're talking about. A migraine is FAR more serious than most people realize, even some doctors (which is why you have to speak to a neuro at the ER and make an appointment, too). My best friend at university, she was number one in her freshman class, and she horrible migraines. I can still remember the look of terrible pain come over her face, she became quite pale, her eyes closed because lights bothered her, and she had to hurry and pull the blinds, turn off the lights, pull the covers over her head, and we would have to leave her and close her door, and she would just hang in until it was over. Now, that was a long time ago. Today, we have MUCH better medicines for migraines.
You simply did not get the right kind of drugs or enough of the medicine. You can even call the doc who gave them to you and ask if it's okay to take more of those pills than you are now, altho it's often hard to get the doc; usually you will talk to his R.N. and she can advise you just as well, or speak to the doc and call you back. You can even set up an emergency squeeze-in appointment for next week, they can almost always do that for existing patients, and then you can get better meds, AND a referral to a neuro.
You see, there are many kinds of headaches, with several kinds of migraines, and some meds have to be taken all the time, or some just when you are certain you are about to have a migraine, and also doses vary with individuals. On top of that, when a neuro hears you describe your symptoms, he may even decide you have cluster headaches instead, which is EXTREMELY dangerous and somewhat rare, and if those things aren't medicated properly, it can just about kill a person! I do not wish to worry you, but I'm just agreeing with the idea that headaches like yours cannot just be swept under the rug!
Now, I know, you think there's no way a headache can be doing all this to you, that you may have a brain tumor or stroke, BUT while those are possibilities, you had a SCAN, and docs would have most definitely seen that in the pictures! An MRI is just a more detailed study to show nerves and soft tissues a little better, and is actually mostly ordered for people who need "further studies" because a tumor or bleed from stroke HAS been found, or for people like me who have a ruined spine from a car wreck.
I hope you will take my advice, I hope you will (a) go to an ER TODAY after work if you read this, or ANYTIME over the weekend!, AND (b) either set it up to see the doc who gave you the meds for better ones and a referral (c) OR set up an appointment on your own to see a group practice of neurologists, which as I said before that getting a referral from a doc is only an insurance protocol, which the group you go to, their office people can call the first doc you went to and get the referral from them by phone FOR YOU. And if you are bound and determined to get an MRI, then when you go to the ER and to the neurology specialist, THEY can decide if you need one of those, especially since you've already had a CAT scan done, but you are also within your rights to also request an MRI anyhow.
Keep us posted. We are very concerned about your unchecked symptoms, and you need to be looked after carefully and regularly by a neurologist, your medicines need to be monitored and changed if anything they try isn't working, they have a bunch of stuff they can give you to really make life a lot easier for you to deal with despite the migraines. Also, a neuro is a MUST to make sure you don't actually have those scary cluster headaches! GG
So, as I suggested before, just look one up in a group practice in the phone book, and call and set an appointment. In the meantime, go on over to the ER again, but this time tell them you're suffering from migraine and you need better medications, and you need a neurologist to please see you there, and that you've already had a CT scan there. At least you can go after work or on weekends, and even tho you may have to wait, you'll be seen that day. ER's only charge about $50 for your visit. If there's more involved treatments done there, they'll send your insurance or you the bill.
Look, the poster FURBALLS above, she has them, and she knows precisely what you're talking about. A migraine is FAR more serious than most people realize, even some doctors (which is why you have to speak to a neuro at the ER and make an appointment, too). My best friend at university, she was number one in her freshman class, and she horrible migraines. I can still remember the look of terrible pain come over her face, she became quite pale, her eyes closed because lights bothered her, and she had to hurry and pull the blinds, turn off the lights, pull the covers over her head, and we would have to leave her and close her door, and she would just hang in until it was over. Now, that was a long time ago. Today, we have MUCH better medicines for migraines.
You simply did not get the right kind of drugs or enough of the medicine. You can even call the doc who gave them to you and ask if it's okay to take more of those pills than you are now, altho it's often hard to get the doc; usually you will talk to his R.N. and she can advise you just as well, or speak to the doc and call you back. You can even set up an emergency squeeze-in appointment for next week, they can almost always do that for existing patients, and then you can get better meds, AND a referral to a neuro.
You see, there are many kinds of headaches, with several kinds of migraines, and some meds have to be taken all the time, or some just when you are certain you are about to have a migraine, and also doses vary with individuals. On top of that, when a neuro hears you describe your symptoms, he may even decide you have cluster headaches instead, which is EXTREMELY dangerous and somewhat rare, and if those things aren't medicated properly, it can just about kill a person! I do not wish to worry you, but I'm just agreeing with the idea that headaches like yours cannot just be swept under the rug!
Now, I know, you think there's no way a headache can be doing all this to you, that you may have a brain tumor or stroke, BUT while those are possibilities, you had a SCAN, and docs would have most definitely seen that in the pictures! An MRI is just a more detailed study to show nerves and soft tissues a little better, and is actually mostly ordered for people who need "further studies" because a tumor or bleed from stroke HAS been found, or for people like me who have a ruined spine from a car wreck.
I hope you will take my advice, I hope you will (a) go to an ER TODAY after work if you read this, or ANYTIME over the weekend!, AND (b) either set it up to see the doc who gave you the meds for better ones and a referral (c) OR set up an appointment on your own to see a group practice of neurologists, which as I said before that getting a referral from a doc is only an insurance protocol, which the group you go to, their office people can call the first doc you went to and get the referral from them by phone FOR YOU. And if you are bound and determined to get an MRI, then when you go to the ER and to the neurology specialist, THEY can decide if you need one of those, especially since you've already had a CAT scan done, but you are also within your rights to also request an MRI anyhow.
Keep us posted. We are very concerned about your unchecked symptoms, and you need to be looked after carefully and regularly by a neurologist, your medicines need to be monitored and changed if anything they try isn't working, they have a bunch of stuff they can give you to really make life a lot easier for you to deal with despite the migraines. Also, a neuro is a MUST to make sure you don't actually have those scary cluster headaches! GG
Thanks guys, it's really nice to know that somebody out there can understand how I feel. I'm just so tired of not getting any answers and doctors don't even seem to want to test me for anything. All I want at this time is an MRI and I know it's not as simple as just asking but yeah. I'm not sure what else to do.
But yeah thank you so much again!
But yeah thank you so much again!
As another migraine sufferer, I do appreciate what you're talking about firsthand. It's very difficult to get anyone to take you seriously, which only aggravates the migraine issues, because that in of itself is very stressful. Stress itself aggravates migraine issues. It's a vicious circle.
Sounds like migraines to me. And stroke is most definitely a possibility. But you don't have a tumor since you had a CT scan. If you could you return to the doc who gave you the medicines, he can prescribe a new drug, and also you should ASK for a referral to a good neurologist in town. Don't leave his office until he gives you a paper that says when and where your neuro appointment will be.
An alternative is to just outright go to a neurology group practice, unfortunately you will have to wait weeks to see someone, but at least you SHOULD get better help. If your insurance needs a referral, by golly just have the neuro people call that last doc's office and get one. And you could go back to the ER, so you won't have to wait to see someone, you'll get help that same day, and maybe ask them when you get in to see a doc if they can bring a neurologist in to see you, too.
You know, I sympathize with you. Here you have basically the standard signs of migraine, and you've seen all these docs, and only one has attempted to treat you! Migraines, wow, it's dangerous for you when you're driving and half your vision goes out, and it makes it impossible to do a good job when you get swamped with one. And I also know what you mean about work, too. I cannot work, took me forever to get disability. I mean, what does it take for a doctor to HELP a patient? I am in pain every day, the pictures of my spine are scary, and yet my neuro is very stingy with meds, took my psych doc to propose a nerve medicine for me, and it's just not fair that I have to suffer and can't do anything becuz of pain.
And by the way, pain makes you think you're gonna die, that no one wants to help you, and it's a very sobering solitary life health-wise. If there was just some way for medical students to watch a taped speech given by a doctor who can give the point of view of a patient because he himself was quite sick and was in and out of hospitals and doc offices, maybe things would be a little better in the health care world, I don't know.
An alternative is to just outright go to a neurology group practice, unfortunately you will have to wait weeks to see someone, but at least you SHOULD get better help. If your insurance needs a referral, by golly just have the neuro people call that last doc's office and get one. And you could go back to the ER, so you won't have to wait to see someone, you'll get help that same day, and maybe ask them when you get in to see a doc if they can bring a neurologist in to see you, too.
You know, I sympathize with you. Here you have basically the standard signs of migraine, and you've seen all these docs, and only one has attempted to treat you! Migraines, wow, it's dangerous for you when you're driving and half your vision goes out, and it makes it impossible to do a good job when you get swamped with one. And I also know what you mean about work, too. I cannot work, took me forever to get disability. I mean, what does it take for a doctor to HELP a patient? I am in pain every day, the pictures of my spine are scary, and yet my neuro is very stingy with meds, took my psych doc to propose a nerve medicine for me, and it's just not fair that I have to suffer and can't do anything becuz of pain.
And by the way, pain makes you think you're gonna die, that no one wants to help you, and it's a very sobering solitary life health-wise. If there was just some way for medical students to watch a taped speech given by a doctor who can give the point of view of a patient because he himself was quite sick and was in and out of hospitals and doc offices, maybe things would be a little better in the health care world, I don't know.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Neurology Community
Top Neurology Answerers
Allentown, PA
ON
Queensland, Australia
Queen Creek, AZ
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
