TIA - A-typical Migraine?

[Tracy B]

About a month ago, my husband starting having TIA's. In three weeks time, he had 7 of them. 3 of them happened in a short period of time and lasted approx. 8 hours total. The rest didn't last anymore than maybe an hour each. After 4 emergency rooms, 3 hospital admissions, numerous CT scans, MRI and MRA's, blood work, etc., they determined that what ever the problem was, was not neurological so they branded it an "A-typical migraine". They prescribed Calan 180 mg and sent him home. So far, 16 days later, no attacks. However, he still has numbness in his right hand and arm if he over-exerts himself. I know you probably want more information, however I am very frustrated. It seems as though they wanted it labled because they couldn't find anything else and just dumped it in that catagory. Does this sound right? He has hypertension and is on meds for it, but these TIA's are very scary for all involved. Thanks very much in advance for your help.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

The term TIAs means essentially strokes, so should be used with care.

An episode that lasts several hours in duration more likely than not will show up on MRI (especially the diffusion image). Migraine is a diagnosis of exclusion in this setting (a focal neurological deficit) - but if MRI and MRA are negative it becomes much more likely.



'Atypical' migraine is a misnomer, as this type of migraine is typical for the more correct term, complicated migraine, or complex migraine. It is a real entity, and Calan or other calcium channel blockers are the treatment of choice. The neurological deficit can last from hours to days. Triptan (like Imitrex) are relatively contraindicated - the cause is thought to due to spasm of the cerebral arteries - hence no permament strokes show up on the MRI. It runs in some families, and in these cases is due to a genetic mutation of calcium channels. The diagnosis is a clinical one, and treatment is usually effective.



Numbness in the hand or arm with exertion can be related to a narrowing in the artery to the arm (the subclavian artery) so this should be checked out. This may be missed even on MR imaging of the neck vessels if this area is not covered.

[090308health]

I started having tingling & numbness that was sporadic in the extremities 2 weeks after having my daughter in 2002. I had her vaginal w/ an epidural. I had many tests, & my doctors could never figure out why I had these symptoms. The neurological problems seem to have subsided w/ time, but about a month ago, I developed a strange headache that comes and goes. It began in the left front lobe of my brain. I have a cavernous and venous angioma in the deep left front lobe, which I have been aware of for a while now. The headache is one sided in the left front part of my head, near my forehead. It is a pulsating pain. It is sporadic, and can lasts a few minutes, or hours. I don`t always have nausea or light sensitivity like most migraine sufferers, but I have experienced those symptoms at times. I seen my neurologist about this recently, and he said what I was describing was a migraine, and that he didn`t think my angiomas (abnormal cluster of blood vessels that is congenital) was related to the headaches. He gave me some samples of Immitrex, and sent me on my way. I tried the Immitrex when I get the headaches, but it doesn`t seem to help. I`m just wondering though... are these probably migraines, or angioma related? Or something else? I had a recent MRI that was normal, except for the angiomas, which are considered incidental findings.... Any comments are appreciated.

[Tracy B]

I should add that he has had no headaches associated with this.

[tnt406]

HI TRACY WHEN YOUR HUSBAND HAS HIS ATTACKS CAN HE TALK AND MOVE?DOES HIS VISION GO TO A RED OR GREY COLOR?HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?A TIA ATTACK IS A MINI STROKE.THEY CAN DAMAGE MANY AREAS OF THE BRAIN.TIA ATTACKS USUALLY JUST A FEW MINUTES.THEY DO NOT LAST HOURS.YOU SAID YOUR HUSBAND HAS HYPERTENSION,BUT IS BEING TREATED FOR IT,HAS YOUR HUSBAND EVER HAD HIS HEART CHECKED?SOME TIMES IF THE HEART IS NOT PUMPING ENOUGH BLOOD TO CERTAIN AREAS OF THE BODY,YOU WILL GET NUMBNESS IN THOSE EXTREMITIES.TALK WITH HIS DOCTOR ABOUT ANY CHANCE OF THIS SINCE HE DOES HAVE HYPERTENSION.TAKE CARE OF HIM AND YOUR SELF.TNT406

[Nel 03]

Last week I experienced what a neurologist first called a TIA. I looked up the symptoms and everything fit; the quick onset of numb right arm, vertigo, speech garbled and my right arm would 'float up' without my intension. This all lasted a couple minutes and I was back to normal. My MRI and MRA were normal. I will be having a TEE next week. My neurologist now believes there is a possibility that it was a migrane. She said this because since the left arm went numb,showing problem with the right side of my brain, my speech should not have been affected, due to language being in left side of brain.

  I have never had a migrane in my life (37 yrs) and neither has anyone in my family, including grandparents. I also didn't have a headache at all with this episode. I fear that if there is no proof to back a TIA I will be diagnosed with 'migraine sufferer' and will just be left to "wait and see when the next one hits". Any thoughts? Thanks

[Myeesha]

I am eighteen years old.  A couple months ago I went on a two day hiking trip with a freind.  On the second day I was exhausted and had to lay down. Once I laid down, my left thigh went come plently numb.  After a little while I got enough energy back for us to gt home, however my left thigh was still completely numb.  After we got home, I started going numb from head to toe, so I was rushed to the emergency room.  They did catscans and mri's but said nothing was wrong with me and sent me home.  By this time I had regained all feeling except for in my left leg.  Over the next few weeks I went to aboiut four doctors trying to find an answer for this strange occurence.  The only suggestion anyone could give me was an a-typical migraine.  However, I wasn't told what the typical symptons of this is, or if there is any treatment, or if I can expect another attack.  Any advice?  Oh yeah, and my left thigh is still completely numb.

[ellielou]

i have also been diagnosed with having tia s ,they want to scan my neck as they think maybe the problem lies there .



in 1999 aged 29 i woke up one morning and my speach slurred and i couldnt focus on anything ,they performed an mri and found a clot in my cerrebelum.for weeks before this happened i suffered with dizziness,pains in my neck and the back of my head