Complicated Migraine at age 33?

[November4]

Good day all.  I went to the ER in November and was diagnosed with having had a TIA.  When I was released I went to see follow up doctors. I saw a Neurologist and she was bewildered. She didn't know what to tell me. In her final notes she diagnosed me with a complicated migraine. During the appointment she said that a complicated migraine is gotten by 15 year olds. She said I'm far from 15. :)  Then she goes to her colleague and they can't decide what's wrong with me.  I was diagnosed by the ER with a TIA and then because they can't decide I feel she just labeled it a complicated migraine. It's ok not to know the answer. At the time of the stroke symptoms I had I was using the birth control patch Ortho Evra. I was told by everyone to stop. I did. I haven't had any other kind of episode. No headaches before or after. I had a dull ache in my head while I lost vision and had numbness in my left side in November when I went to the ER. Is there a way to really tell the difference between a TIA and a Complicated headache?   My question really is, is it common for a 33 year old to have those complicated headaches? Will they happen often? This is the first and only time I have ever had anything like this. Is it common that it happened out of the blue and while I was using the birth control patch? Is it safe for me to go back on the patch if she said it was a complicated headache?

Thank you!

[martinka1212]

How big was your PFO? was the procedure and recovery of closing PFO difficult? i have a PFO (4.4cm) and experienced 2 TIA or complicated migraines. I would like to have more children but I am being told I need to have PFO closed first. I am scarred that I may have stroke during pregnancy.  

[mary607]

sorry it blurred out my e m a  i  l  add at the end but  just i guess just reply here and let me know what you think. please.

[mary607]

I am 21 years old please Froglaz... let me help you before you have what happen to you what happened to me. Not to scare you or anything. That is exactly how it started with me!! It is going to start going up the arm gradually.   this is what happened to me after what happened to you.  Not saying this will happen to you but its worth checking !! I have some advice!!!!
i have basilar migraines... i go blind cant see then i have this 10 mins later...  My left thumb went completely numb along my with my entire arm. Then the next time my left face. Then my left arm thumb face tongue then my left tumb arm face tongue and I couldnt speak and I lost my balance and I was completely confused.
Then the headache awful of course throwing up all that... the next day i was fine other then freaking out of course. so i went the hospital found out ..i had a stroke but it was not from that specific time. it was a silent stroke. i must have been sleeping. but i have no risk factor other then i have migraines!! so i had the tee ekg all those tests. had a large pfo.. had that closed.  get that closed if you have one!  people have different opinions on that... but mine is to close it.
i have tried over 150 medications nothing has worked for me so far. i have tried nerve blockers they don't work. does any one have any other suggestion? i know about the pace maker with the electrodes but they are not allowed in my state yet and i do not want to be on the trial and maybe get on the "real" side. migraines are serious as everyone here knows :(
love to hear back on here or ***@****
mary

[froglaz]

I also have experience many symptoms like all of yours. I am 18 and first started having migraines two years ago. The first time I was at school and had been having a head ache for a day or two on the right side of my head, it progressively got worse and at its peak my left finger tips started going numb. The numbness got worse and traveled up my hand to through my left arm and my mouth and tongue became numb. I also suffered loss of vision and comprehension. My mother came and picked me up from school and I laid down flat not moving and slept for many hours and that seemed to help it go away. At first we thought it was just dehydration because it was the heat of the summer and I was playing tennis everyday but it occurred again a few months later, and again, so we went to the doctor. They at first believed I had MS and gave me multiple MRI's and CT scans. My GP noticed a small spot on my right frontal lobe and I got an appointment at UCLA medical center and the neurologist diagnosed it as complex migraines saying the spot was too some to be a tumor. I later found out he was a migraine specialist and I dont fully believe his diagnoses. Since then I have still had many episodes mirroring stroke systems, also with the numbness travelling up and loss of vision, once I was trying to read and couldnt understand the simplest word and began panicing because I know that I should have been able, the same also occurred with speech. With family drama and going to college distracting me I havent sought out more info, but they seem to get worse and worse and the last few days I have been experience horrible headaches on my right side again prompting me to come and read all of your posts.

In particular MiMiflos have interested me the most. I never considered the fact that it could be caused by my heart and had never heard of a PFO. I remember my mom telling me that I had a heart murmur when I was born, and I am not sure if that could tie into this, but I also experience light headedness, weakness, and a tremor in my hands quite frequently (mostly in my left hand) I thought it was maybe due to low blood pressure or that I had bad circulation but maybe it all is together.. I appreciate everything you guys have written, and if anyone else has input or similar weakness id like to hear from you...

[lildee55]

I want to thank you for taking the time to write what you have. I am going to be short and to the point. All the same things happening to me 44 years of age started at 34. Think I had a TMI this past week. Went and they are doing all of the things your wonderful Neurologist has done for your family.

I now understand why these tests were ordered. What they may find.. and I am guessing they will... and I wont be as shocked.

I have also been placed on Verapimil and aspirin. I feel  better about this now.

Thank you for what you have written here.

[Anne1982]

Last year I suffered from Dengue fever, my first sign was waking up numbness and tingling on the entire left side of my body, which did not go away. A rush to the ER didn't do much, since they said it wasn't a stroke and I'd have to wait. When I finally was seen by the doctor, he dismissed the possibility of a TIA or stroke. I had a clear CT and all other tests were clear. Finally another doctor suggested dengue after worsening symptoms appeared. Within a month, I recovered on paracetamol, but the pain was still there on the left side. Four months later, the pain lessed and I was able to work for 4-6 hours before I felt extreme fatigue and pain setting in. Feb. of this year, I had a stressed 2 week course I was pursuing (graduate student), the next thing I know, I had numb patches on my left leg and arm, the left side of my throat was completely numb as well as my tongue and I was blurring in my right eye, accompanied with a dull headache. I later found out I had a UTI, apparently on the left side due to the left-sided spasms I was having. I was placed on cipro, adverse side effects, back to the ER, severe side effects still persists. The issue now, is that I was going completely numb on the left side of my body while on the cipro and after using it. Now I deal with a constant pain on the left half of my body, including my head. The neuro diagnosed me with complicated migraines. I was intially on topamax, which worked for several months, but moving back to the caribbean, the heat was unbearable with the meds. I was then placed on sibelium, which I'm currently on, but while it helped initially, the side effects were unbearable, I was then told to use half the dose, which helped somewhat, but now I have the persistent left-sided pain. I don't know what to do anymore. I wish my neuro was more understanding, that I was sensitive to fluoride.

Anne.