Unusual headache

[sliknick]

I am 30 years old I have suffered off and on from migraines since the age of two. In my whole life up until last year I have had maybe three to four dozen the worst being when I was a child. Last year out of the blue one evening as I was going to bed my left arm went numb and felt heavy, the next day the numbness continued along with some swelling in my hand by the afternoon it was accompanied by dizziness, lightheadedness. I tried to work but was unable to  due to feeling faint. I went home and tried to lay down but had sudden vertigo followed immediately by chest tightness. I went to the emergency room and due to our family history of heart problems and my arm numbness and chest pain I was treated for the chest pain with nitro which alleviated the pain somewhat. The pain returned in which I was given two more nitro then admitted for observation and stress test in the morning. They applied nitro paste to my shoulder and sent me to a room. afew hours later my headache began by morning I was delirious from the pain of the headache. They CT'd my head and it was normal, after two days of stopping the nitro, and several days of heavy drugs I was able to have reasonable conversation. The numbness in my arm continued throughout all of this and on the third day my face went numb, they then did an MRI which was also normal they sent me home after five to seven days. When I left the hospital I still had the numbness, the dizziness, the veritgo and a headache with a pain rating of 4.

It has now been one year and four and a half months, I still have this headache, and the arm numbness off and on. The intensity of the headache had stayed at 4 with the exception of one more week long hospitalization and a few occassional visit to the ER. I also spent one week in Chicago at the Diamond Headache Clinic with no relief. About six or seven months ago the headache pain rating increased to about a 6 and then four months ago it was up to an 8.
As of two weeks ago I have been a 10 pain, I was hospitalized for two and a half days, but released with no actual relief. Two days later my face and arm went numb and that has remained so for this last week and a half.

I have tried all the drugs preventative and migraine, the migraine drugs make me worse the preventative do nothing. I have tried physical therapy, chiropractic, and accupuncture with no relief. I have come to feel that my doctors don't know what to else to do with me, and so they do nothing for me. I am suffering incredibly and I would like to at least know why. This entire time that I have had this headache/migraine there have really been no other tests, and they have never given me a reason for them. If there are any suggestions or helpful advice you could offer i would appreciate it.

I have recently asked for a refferal to a new neurologist and am scheduled for an appointment on July 23rd.

sincerely yours Nicole


This discussion is related to Migraine Syndrome, Complicated Migraine or Atypical Migraine?.

[ggreg]

I can only give you a few natural ideas that you may or may not have tried.  These are all for migraines with aura (the numbness).  

Beta blockers are a mild medication that relieves anxiety, lowers the blood pressure, and helps migraines.  I have taken those, and I can tell you I felt really good the whole time I was on them, and I felt no side effects, except when my blood pressure fell too low.  You can buy a jar of wheat germ and shake it on your cereal and foods, this replaces many vitamins and minerals in the diet lost in processing, including niacin and magnesium, both of which are suspect deficiencies in migraine patients.  You can drink a tea that has feverfew in it, which helps headaches (I know, not the same as a migraine, but it soothes inflamed vessels and nerves that are also thought present with migraines).  You can even put feverfew leaves in a sandwich like lettuce, if you can find them or grow them.  The only side effect is it can dry out the mouth, so if that bothers you, and honey with the tea doesn't help, then of course don't take it.

Obviously, staying well-hydrated is important.  As for light being a trigger, when you're outside, or even inside where there are fluorescents or especially bright and reflective light, wear sunglasses, try different kinds, and use the ones with UV ray protection.  As you know, migraines can be triggered by bright light, but I personally think it's more reflective or vibrating light or moving light.  And if you can stand it, if noises bother you, get you a really comfortable bunch of earplugs, there are smooth ones that you mush up and put in your ear, and it expands slowly, kind of like the mattress foam beds that are out now.  I hate earplugs, but there are kinds that are reasonably comfortable, and the relief is so great, that they are good for a couple hours here and there, when you get in noisy places, especially where the racket is sudden and intermittant, sort of like the light trigger.

Migraines are complex problems for many people.  There are so many kinds, so many causes, but no one has a fix on the problem yet.  So, I don't feel that giving you these few ideas can hurt, just ignore stuff you already know, and if just one of these things pops out for you as a bandaid, well, until science can catch up, maybe you'll do a little better.  You may try to talk to a lawyer about disability from social security, because you are obviously in a very bad spot with your health issues.  I wish you well.

[sheba968]

Hi,
I am sorry to hear about what you are going through.   I myself am having a lot of health problems, and have been doing a lot of research.  In regards to your migraines, I was wondering if you have ever been checked for the auto immune disorder called Antiphospholipid  syndrome?.  Antiphospholipid syndrome can cause horrific migraines and other symptoms as well (Numbness etc.) In some cases in can mimic MS. According to my research individuals with APS who suffered from horrible migraines seemed to get terrific relief from IV treatments of Heparin.  I don't know if this is useful to you in any way, just thought I would let you know.  Good Luck.  I hope you find some relief soon!    
Sheba