Aneurysm or migraines

[bobbiealcorn]

My mother died from a brain aneurysm.  I have migraine headaches that seem to be centered in the exact area that her aneurysm was located - the right side of the head in the "temple area."  Should I be concerned that I may also have an aneurysm in the same spot?  The reason I know exactly where her's was located is that she lived long enough to have surgery to repair it but then things went horribly bad with a major stroke after surgery.  With this history and my headache location should I ask for an MRI to either confirm or relieve my concern?  I'm a 53 year old female.  She also had several TIAs before the aneurysm rupture - should we have looked at those as warning signs?  The doctor's then downplayed the significance of the TIAs but in hindsight and for my future benefit, should I be concerned if I experience TIAs?

[sandandsea]

If you have good health insurance....look at your benefits....if your mother died of an aneurysm then your policy should allow you an MRI ....my policy did cuz my mom had an aneurysm three years ago..she is alive but bed-ridden....and my policy states..if any blood relative has had one...then they pay for it...I did an MRI and I have a cavenrous hemangioma....no symptoms......and I hope I never have symptoms from it either...but get one so you know...

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Any new onset headache especially with associated neurologic deficits like  weakness, visual condition, dizziness, numbness and slurring of speech, warrants further evaluation.

In your case, are these headaches new? If not, have your headaches recently changed in character ?

A cranial scan will be able to help for baseline reference. I know you are highly anxious about this but this may not be aneurysm. To allay your fears, a baseline scan may be done and a complete work up is needed.

Are you hypertensive or diabetic?

Are there any other underlying conditions like bleeding disorders that run in the family or a  strong family history of stroke and heart attack?

If these are present, I suggest a complete work up, including blood cholesterol levels, bleeding and coagulation parameters, as well as a complete cardiac assessment including evaluation of neck vessels.

Have you been assessed along this line?

[emtd65]

If you were to begin having TIAs then you should be concerned since they are the preamble to strokes. Your migrains should be evaluated by a neurologist and this is the case for any one who sufferes from Migraines. Do not panic or worry yourself that you will have an aneurysm because your mom did, but do take care of the symptoms you are experieincing. I too, suffer from Migeraines and have had TIAs - neither are a joke...