feel dumb after alcohol - whats could it be?

[fourty]

hello all,
im afraid im having a very curious problem and i want to know if its likely that migraine is causing it or if anyone else has experienced anything similar?

Back story: About a year ago i was bed ridden for two weeks with servere pain in the back of my head/ top of my neck (along with no appitite and very cold feeling throughout my body.) After a while the pain moved in to the centre of my head ie right in the middle of my brain and then subsided. (btw this all happened roughly around the same time i had some vaccinations to go on holiday to east africa- which i then cancelled due to illness.)

For the following few months i had periods of being very brain fogged for between 1 and 3 weeks at a time, but no pain.

Present day: This all came to a stop about two months ago when suddenly the fogs stopped on a day to day basis, but i was left with one strange symptom ie that when i drink alcohol (of any kind) im left feeling very cognatively impaired for roughly two days afterwards specifically i cant think starin and feel quite tired.

Can anyone tell me does this sound like migraines?
Does anyone experience anything similar ie just reacting to alcohol and no pain at all?

I dont condone drinking alot but im 25 and like to enjoy a drink with friend once in a while, and i feel this is starting to affect me a little form a social perspective.

Thanks for any kind help.

[Neuro Forum]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what your symptoms are from. However, I will try to provide you with some possibilities.

Your symptoms are unusual; they are unlikely to be a migraine equivalent, but it is possible. There is one type of migraine equivalent called confusional migraine. This is said to occur exclusively in children but has rarely been seen in young adults as well. The symptoms of confusional migraine include a period of confusion and disorientation (usually a few hours but in some cases of up to 2 days), with or without agitation, sometimes followed by vomiting, which is relieved by sleep. Headache may not be prominent.

The main neurologic conditions triggered by alcohol ingestion include migraine and a few other types of headache disorders and seizures.

Another possibility for the symptoms you are having may include interaction of alcohol with any medication that you might be taking.

Thank you for using the forum, I hope you find this information useful, good luck.

[fourty]

Hi Lama ,
Thanks for your kind response; I really appreciate your help. This brain fog is really frustrating and I do worry it could get worse.

One or two other points I wanted to mention:

During the day to day brain fogs I did visit the neurologist; he did some blood tests and an MRI he said that he suspected migraines - but the day to day fog had lifted by the time he prescribed propanalol so I never took it and am not on any other medication.

Can I ask what would the MRI have shown to not be the likely cause for this? (ie what would it have dis-counted as the cause.) Would the blood tests have removed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome as a cause?

Sorry to sound paranoid – I just want to get a better idea of what it could be causing this and what to research.

Also to describe the symptoms in more detail: The day after alcohol (all types) I get a numb feeling from the bottom of my brain which then progresses to the centre of my brain and I  kind of feel the lack of intelligence is radiating from there ( if that makes any sense!!.)is it possible for migraines to come from those areas?

What are the other possible causes?

Thanks once again for your input.  I will research the confusional migraines -to see if it sounds it applies to me.