Is it common for eyes to shut closed involuntarily ?

[scootermom3233]

I have had daily migraines for 35 years with aura. I have been hospitalized at least 2 weeks multiple times  at leading migraine clinics 25 years or so ago. I also have chronic pain, Trigiminal Neuralgia and face pain.
In the last 24 years I was diagnosed with Hemiplegic migraine with stroke symptoms. They have gotten worse and I have several type of stroke symptoms every day. It can be slurred speech, or no words come out at all, or I can't open my mouth or make a sound. I also have paralysis on my left side. It has been my whole body, but mostly on the left  of body and left side of face . I also search for words.
About 5 years ago my eyes started to close shut involuntarily, lasting up to several hours. My left eye closes shut tight and the right usually has a small slit or hole of light. It allows me to sometimes see a tiny bit. This is happening almost every day, several times a day. Each time can last several hours. Sometimes I can't see at all.
Is this common, and is there anything I can do about my eyes shutting along with controlling the migraines themselves?
I take Topamax,Gabapentin, and Imitrex.

[sara12345]

Thanks for your response back to me.  Oh that insurance thing. If I ever lose mine, no one would take me under any basis due to my having had a major stroke, kidney failure, plus a whole host of other medical conditions.  But I believe early next year, with ObamaCare, no insurance company can deny you insurance due to pre-existing illnesses.  Don't know if they can discriminate against you about the pre-existing illnesses.  Since you are  a grandmother, how close to age 65 are you to get Medicare?  I am 4 years away from it.  In the meantime, I am clutching onto my health insurance and hoping that they don't cancel it.  They could.  Then my total medical bills would be about $200,000 a year!  I am very grateful to have it, but it costs us a fortune--about $20,000 a year.

What do you get from the pain clinic for the $240 each time, which is a fair amount, especially for a lower self pay rate?

I am so sorry to hear that you can't have more treatments that would help you so much better.  Hopefully with either ObamaCare changes or Medicare, your options may change for you soon.  But you do sound like you have a remarkable attitude.  To be grateful for what you have is the key.  It took me about 4 years of grief and resentment and at times, severe depression over all my pain and lack of much of a life.  That's because my stroke caused 24/7 severe migraines.  Plus of course all the other pain from the stroke, plus Trigeminal Neuralgia, fibromyalgia, etc.  I can't be away from home for more than 4 hours door to door,  cannot travel more than 1.5 hours away, and need at least 12 hours of sleep a night, or my migraines get terrible.  So a very limited life.

Then I heard from a woman who had it so much worse than I have it.  That really turned me around.  Now I am grateful for what I do have.  

For you to be grateful when you don't have pain says a lot about you.  I sincerely wish you the best.  Feel free to write me about any of your problems.  I am here for you.  Sara

[scootermom3233]

I'm sorry I didn't respond to your comment yet. When my eyes close shut, it makes it very difficult to read and type. It depends on how much of a space or hole of light I have in my right eye in order to make out images.
My husband is self employeed and we have to purchase our own insurance, without the benefit of a group. I was rejected because of pre existing conditions. The only thing that I could get was a limited plan which is almost like not having insurance when you have as many medical needs as many of us do. I still appreciate it though, for prescriptions for part of the year and anything else it might cover.
Lack of proper insurance is the reason I haven't been able to go to all of the proper specialist I need to see and get Botox injections, which I know would probably help.
I do go to a good pain clinic who charges me a lower self pay rate, but it is still $240 each time (every 1-3 months).
I have narcolepsy and that interfered with my taking Baclofen. I think the Gabapentin is helping with my Trigeminal Neuralgia. I also have chronic sinus infections and face pain along with all the other pain. It's hard sometimes to keep track of what is or isn't helping what. Everything kind of starts running into each other. I just know how so very thankful I am and don't take for granted when something stops hurting even if it's for a little while. Any lack of pain makes me very happy.
Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate your thoughts.

[sara12345]

I'm sorry that I don't know about your paralysis and eyes shutting.  Assume that you have seen doctors about those symptoms?  Have you gotten an MRI or MRA to check to see if you've had a stroke?   Why haven't you tried Botox injections for your daily migraines which are meant to help people like us?  I have gotten tremendous help from my botox injections. It wasn't a treatment 25 years ago. Is the Gabapentin helping your Trigeminal Neuralgia which I have also.  My neurologist told me that the Baclofen that I am taking is the best for treating it.  If I'm ever late with getting my pill, I know about it.