i get migraines not aot please read me

[jimgreg]

when i get a migraine its not  like alot of people get..its a pain in my head the next day as if i were to cough it would hurt real fast or cough..i use to only get them 1 or 2 times a year..but had 1 sunday and 1 last night they last about 2 days but like i said there not real bad ones....i get the warnings  the zig zags and colors and the blind spots  ALWAYS..last night i experinced this........my left shoulder went numb like it feel asleep  and my left foot i took my shoe off to fill my feet pulses  they were good..so 30 min later it was all over with..i got kinda panicky this was the 1st time any numbness has happend before.....for the last year or so i been having vision fluctuate  some days my left eye is clear with my glasses on like today not so clear..i wonder if  my eyes could be triggering the migrains??? i was just looking online at a site said that numbness is a symptom of migrains..and this one i had last night wasent that bad...the headache part i mean.........HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS..THANKS ALOT JAMES

[tomsant]

Such headache, described as migraine for 8yr, should be "okay", may be migraine itself; but you say you had pulmonary embolism 8 yr back. So the headaches started after the event? You say you get headaches only on coughing or sneezing; this is more like a 'triggered headache', but with aura.

The time interval between the aura and headache: Usually it is not greater than an hour. The  timing of your "aura" correlates with 'prodrome' :-) Don't worry about such terminology, leave it to the neurologist. But on Wednesday night as you were preparing to go to bed with your spouse, you developed the usual visual aura and the new numbness (and weakness) of limb(s) on one side, (didn't have the headache then)

Hypertension (how long?), Asthma(how long), Sleep apnea -how long? (your weight? is important here), h/o pulmonary embolism 8 yr back, 2 negative blood proteins (I didn't follow that), smoking one and a half pack (does it mean 15 or 30 nos?) a day, bipolar illness?(What medicines are you taking for this?), visual blurring off and on,
Did you have only numbness or numbness and weakness?

Coughing and sneezing increases the intracranial pressure and one wonders if this is producing the headache? Standing up may reduce that pressure, by gravity.
You are on Lisinopril, Coumadin, Xanax, Methadone (for the headache or chronic pain where? Are you addicted to anything?), and the eye drops.

In short, we have a 45 yr old male, hypertensive, asthmatic, smoker, h/o pulmonary embolism 8 yr back, recurring "triggered headache" preceded a few hours  by visual aura (8yr), having bipolar illness(?)  taking Lisinopril, Coumadin, Xynax and 6hrly Methadone, now having a new event like  numbness (and weakness) of limb(s) along right after the aura, triggered by sexual activity? or some straining?

You can easily scare the soul out of any doctor.

While you have to whole-heartedly attempt life style changes (stoppage of smoking, dieting to reduce weight, moderate exercise as advised by your doctor) you have to be evaluated well, if not already done. I would expect a neuro work up including imaging of your brain.

Take care.

Best,

Thomas Antony

[jimgreg]

forgot  also sleep apnea..  66% percent the lowest without mask..with mask 93% mean  lowest 76%  tku

[jimgreg]

i been having these 2-3 a year for 8 yrs..not diabetes..i have high b.p. on lisinopril 40 mgs aday..i have asthma,d.v.t. on coumadin for that had a pulmonary emblism in 2000..i have 2 neg blood proteins..i dont drink i use to havent 4 yrs..i do smoke 1 1/2 packs aday 26 yrs..the numbness was also in my left foot..the numbness came after the aura..my headachs dont start till the next day..and its not the kind were i need to lie down..its just there like if i cough..or sneeze or bed over then i feel it till i stand up..ive got disabilty for bipolar..i wear glasses for near sighted..my vision fluctuates alot..my opthamologist is concerned on this..i have real dry eyes im om good drops and i do my lids 3 times aday..my meds cause it but not this much..i can cope with my eyes but sure dont want to..everything is good the optic nerves the retina's the corneas no scars yet..me and my girlfriend were getting ready for bed wensday night when it happend..it was real dark never got the colors but in the dark i could even sense that i was getting blind spotted and zig zags....the aura scares you more than anything!! im also on 1mg xanax 4 aday..only take 3..on methadone for chronic pain  threw the local pain management.10mgs 1  every 6 hrs..THANKS ALOT FOR UR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     JAMES

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Thanks for writing in.
Numbness can be a symptom of migraines. It is important to realize that migraines change their character, intensity and frequency over time.
You have not mentioned anything about treatment. Are you currently taking medications for migraine?
Another important thing to remember is that symptoms of migraines like numbness on one side and headache can also be symptoms of stroke. It is therefore very important to differentiate between the two. I would suggest you to consult your treating doctor as soon as you can. You may need to undergo MRI of head.
Do keep us posted!

[tomsant]

What one understands from your post is you get episodes of headache, once or twice a year. Each lasts for about 2 days. But you had the same last Sunday and last night.  You didn't mention how long you have been having such ailment, nor if you're a diabetic, hypertensive or have any serious illnesses. And what all drugs you are on. It also counts if you are an alcoholic or not. Smoking too.

You get warnings of zig zags and colors and blind spots before your eyes before each headache. (This is the 'aura')

Last night (for the first time in your life) your left shoulder went numb (asleep), which lasted 30 min. You didn't make it clear if you had it before, with or after the headache, or if it had no relation with the headache. It makes a difference if the weakness occurred solo.

You are using glasses for vision, but you have blurred sight off and on

Well. The above description suits a diagnosis of Migraine with Aura, and this migraine looks like a 'Hemiplegic migraine" if  the weakness' of shoulder related to headache.

Blurring of vision may or may not be a related symptom..

This looks like a straight forward case, but you have a new development. Although it can be an expected accompaniment, my advice is that you visit a neurologist for evaluation and treatment.

Best rgds,

Thomas Antony