Complicated Migraine at age 33?

[November4]

Good day all.  I went to the ER in November and was diagnosed with having had a TIA.  When I was released I went to see follow up doctors. I saw a Neurologist and she was bewildered. She didn't know what to tell me. In her final notes she diagnosed me with a complicated migraine. During the appointment she said that a complicated migraine is gotten by 15 year olds. She said I'm far from 15. :)  Then she goes to her colleague and they can't decide what's wrong with me.  I was diagnosed by the ER with a TIA and then because they can't decide I feel she just labeled it a complicated migraine. It's ok not to know the answer. At the time of the stroke symptoms I had I was using the birth control patch Ortho Evra. I was told by everyone to stop. I did. I haven't had any other kind of episode. No headaches before or after. I had a dull ache in my head while I lost vision and had numbness in my left side in November when I went to the ER. Is there a way to really tell the difference between a TIA and a Complicated headache?   My question really is, is it common for a 33 year old to have those complicated headaches? Will they happen often? This is the first and only time I have ever had anything like this. Is it common that it happened out of the blue and while I was using the birth control patch? Is it safe for me to go back on the patch if she said it was a complicated headache?



Thank you!

[AMC5]

I too am 33 and was diagnosed with having either a complicated migraine or possible TIA almost 4 years ago.  While I was at home with my 4 kids, my speech started slurring, all the wrong words were coming out, couldn't get the names of my kids right, couldn't dial the phone, total confusion....  About 30 minutes before that I had visual problems.  Doctors still to this day don't know what it was.  I had MRI, CT scan, bloodwork, TEE ultrasound, and many more tests.  The doctors have me taking daily aspirin and staying of any type of Birth control pills just to be safe.  We may never know what it was.  Very frustrating!!!  I do not have a history of any type of migraines at all. Don't smoke/drink/and am very healthy.   And since this episode have had weird tingling/numbness/pins & needles feelings. Thankfully nothing like the episode I had a few years back.  That was scary. Make sure you talk to your doctors and ask them specifically what  you should or should not take.

[Pacific]

I was diagnosed with complicated migraine at the Cleveland Clinic at age 34. My best friend also has the condition, diagnosed in her 30s. I am now age 53 and have been on a variety of medications over the years. It is a very REAL condition which does cause TIA and stroke. Australia has studied it more than US doctors. I also have vasospasm disease which causes angina (since my 40s) which Dr. Eric Topel Cleveland Clinic believes is related to the migraines. When diagnosed by Dr Tomsic, an ophthaneurologist( I had partial blindness in my right eye caused by a TIA)in 1984, there was little that he said they could do. Since then there are many types of medications which work to some degree of another to help, though none eliminate the headaches all together. I have low blood pressure and no other 'risk factors' at the time that the condition began. It just is. There are now conditions called basal migraines and CASDIL migrines which also cause TIA/Stroke which you can find information on the web about, which may also be diagnosed as complicated migraines.In any case, find a doctor who understands or is willing ot learn about the condition. While called migraine, it really isn't like simple or complex migraine nor does it respond to the same treatments.

[callyanne]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with Complicated migranes when I was 14; I am now 57..at that time little was known.At least one woman in every generation had CM; mine have been the worst.

I was treated with every drug under the sun; mostly just for relief of the pain.And as a teen and young adult my parents took me to every dr and headache clinic possible..One dr even told my parents I suffered from "depression" and a therapist was all I needed..



Skip over 40 years;about 5 years ago, I was put on a siezure medication; which has helped me immensly.The frequency of headache has gone from 2-3 a week to one every  three months or so..The side effects of the medication are not so pleasant : Acid reflux; short term memory loss.But I am willing to deal with this to live a "normal " life..



Recently, I found out a very interesting link between PFO ;migranes and strokes...go to www.pfodoctor.org and read about the connection of Paten Framen Ovale and strokes... and migranes.. It appears that if one has a PFO it MAY be the cause for migranes and strokes.. and if closed.. may prevent strokes.. and migranes...tests are starting now...



I am sorry that I can not remember the name of my medication; it will come to me... One of the side effects...



My auras used to last for about 3-4 hours;visual; speech and loss of a hand and leg..The pain would last for about a day with a "hangover" for a day or two...



Thank you for listening... I hope my information can help someone..

[amazon_banshee]

Hi. I was actually frightened and relieved at the same time to see other posts regarding this. I am female age 30. I have had "complicated migraines" for about three years now.

I too have had a gazillion tests done including but not limited to MRI.MRA, bloodwork, etc. I get lightening bolts and aura about 30 min or so preceeding my "attacks". I too exerience left side numbness to the point I cannot move. Also I have spoke in "tongues" and have lost fluidity in the english language when this happens. As far as the pain, it feels as though my head is in labor (when they ask at the ER, "so on a scale from 1-10...I say LABOR!!!!") I was told I could not have triptans as they would increase the stroke symptoms I get.

My body will go numb for hours. I too feel "hungover" for a couple days afterwards. At the same time, I am quite calm, almost as if I am in a daze the following days. Mine are infrequent at the moment but with each one the intensity and duration is increasing. My Neurologist placed me on butilabit?? I think that is how it is spelled no bottle in front of me. I remember going to get it filled and the pharmacists says "This is for headaches" "HEadaches?!?!" This drug does nothing for me except take a little edge off the pain. Right now, as inconvenient as it is, my local ER dept has quite the cocktail for me and are more than willing to help. However I would like a preventative drug of somekind. Right now I get a combo of toradol and morphine with some benadryl on the side. We recently discovered no reglan for me.(bad reaction).but I do not get nauseous when these happen.

Last time I "seized" and the er doc thought it was due to the nad reaction from the reglan but I am worried.

I'm no doc but as I am sure like the rest of you I do as much research as possible.

In regards to the PFO...I was born with that. I have since been ultrasound and scoped...it has closed. completely. And yet, these "migraines" keep coming.

I wish everyone luck and we are not alone in this.

I have an appt to see the Neurologist again soon. BTW , he had stated this is all from stress.lol. I am not a drinker. I am pretty healthy to the point I rarely eat processed foods.

I do have hypothyroidism and barretts esophagus (ulcers and acid reflux caused this).

I do not take birth control and have not in almost 6 years (due to vein problems). These attacks started a couple years after the birth control.

Hopefully one of our doctors can nail this one on the head so we can start living with some normalcy again.



Take care everyone

[cwlds]

After reading your post, I could not believe how strangely similar our symptoms are.  I am 22 and just started having these episodes a few months ago.  It begins with severe confusion, very hard to explain.  I cant seem to say what i am thinking at the time.  I have trouble thinking full thoughts and cannot express them properly.  For example, I couldnt speak but i kept saying "I cant hear."  or when my face was going numb, i kept saying "my numb is face"  Its very frustrating bc i know what i want to say and i know it comes out wrong.  Then the right side of my body goes completely numb.  This all lasts for about 30 min.  Then the headaches start.  last time it took over 15 hours to get rid of my headache.  I also feel "hungover/out of it" for the following 3-4 days.  

These symptoms started occuring about 4 years after i started taking birth control.

I also suffer from ulcerative collitis and acid reflux.

I am still in the process of MRIs/MRAs?EEGs.  I know you had these symptoms a year ago, so if you could offer me any advice i would really appreciate it.  I am nervous and really want to do everything I can to get back to a normal life.  

[Anonymouswmn]

Hello, all!  My migraines started at 15.  At 34, I had what was thought to be seizures.  After visiting several neurologists, I found a wonderful doctor who explains everything to me.  He diagnosed me with Complicated Migraines and I've been taking Zonegran for a year and half.  I find it ironic that I take a seizure