Complicated Migranes

[hula1218]

Hello there.

I have been reading the posts on here and have realized that many others have experienced my problem. I have been getting "Complicated Migranes" since I was 16. When it first happened in High School I was diagnosed with TIA simply because they didn't know what else to diagnose me with. I had visual loss and disturbances, numbness of left hand, arm, leg, face and throat, and slurred speech. I had seen a neurologist after that and was diagnosed with Complicated Migranes. From then on I would get one every year or two. Lately I have been getting one or two a month. All the same symptoms, visual disturbances such as spots, squiqqlies, flashes, or blacked out areas. Then numbness/weakness starting in my either left or right hand, then to my arm, leg, foot, face, mouth, throat, and more recently to my chest, back and neck. Then noise sensitivity and slurred speech. My words get all jumbled, and I cant say what I am trying to say. I know its not coming out right but I cant help it. I cant get peoples names right, words right, phone numbers right, etc. After that the headache comes about pretty strong, usually on one side only. It usually takes me the rest of the day to recuperate, sometimes into the next day too. This is VERY VERY scary. I never know when I am going to get one, so they are EXTREMELY debilitating and scary. MRI's, bloodwork, CT scans have all been ok, and my neurologist doesn't seem to think there is much else to do. I however, want answers! Im only 24 and dont want to die of a stroke or something. I want to prevent anything that I possibly can. I take Imitrex nasal spray at the onset of an attack and it somewhat helps, most of the time. Any other stories, treatments or suggesstions from anyone?????

[Jlynnlee]

Hi! I'm 22 and had a clot related stroke last month. I don't want to scare you in anyway whatsoever but I had identical "complicated migraines" since I was 18. Every doctor I went to said it was migraines and wanted to treat the pain of them. My neurologist now says there was two strokes showing up on my CT scan last month - one was the new one and one was an older one that was somewhat recent as well and I didn't know about it. I know I had it and mistook it for one of my "migraines". However, my headache following these migraines were usually all over. I wouldn't settle for this! I would push on until I found somewhat of a better answer or some kind of relief. If these are TIA's and not migraines then you are at a high risk of stroke. However, if they're simply migraines then you definitely need a different medicine as the Imitrex is not doing it's job. I would have a MRA/MRV done. It's a MRI test that is more advanced and looks directly at the blood flow in the veins. Maybe it will show something the standard MRI & CT scan doesn't. I wish you the best of luck .