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!

[webbeycat]

I too am an RN, this has been going on for me for 4-5 yrs now. At first they thought it was a seirzure. That was ruled out with 2 eeg's and many other lab work. I was put on topamax for migraines. Told that this would help, it did take the edge off, by decreasing the frequency of the episodes. However the intensity of the episodes are much worse when they happen. I do have an aura of dizziness, sleepiness, and confusion. My right side becomes numb, I can not move it, and it is spasdic. I also become aphasic ( can not speak), I now the words I want to say, but can not get them out. Eventually I will be able to start to speak, usually 30min. At that time, everything that comes out is backwards and very slow. It takes 3-4 hours to get normal speach back, but still is slow. Still my right side is numb, but I can move it, it is still extremely weak. Like everyone, I feel hungover for days. This last episode I was treated as having a stroke, blood clot in my head, and was in the ICU. They tell me that this is going to happen again and a bigger stroke could happen!! Guys, this is real!And its SCARY!!! I am now increasing my Topamax and on Aspirin daily, waiting...... I have a 6yr old that I need to see grow up. I have zero rislk factors. I am healthy and active, do not smoke, no BC, and cholesterol is normal. Dont do drugs, drink socially.  I am only 40.

[illini89]

On Thursday I was arriving to work and my right side of my neck down through my arm started hurting really bad, I looked in the mirror and the right side of my mouth was drooping.  I could still communicate so I called my cardiologist.  They sent me to the E.R..  Within 30 minutes I could not move my right side, speak, move my head to the right, or my eyes to the right.  I was 30 minutes from getting the blood thinner Stroke patients get and then my head started throbbing.  My arm started moving.  Over the next few hours I could slowly move my arm, and leg.  My face slowly came back to normal.  I am in day 2 and I have not regained my speech.  I have been diagnosed with a complicated Migraine.  I have also had a suspected TIA previously.  I some tests on Friday and during recovery  I could speak briefly after being sedated, but I don't remember anything.  Can anyone help me understand what is going on with my body. Why I can speak when I am sedated?  I am really frightened.  I am only 39 and feel like my body is giving out.  My mind knows what I want to say but my mouth won't form the words.  

[shawnastark]

I got all the usual tests when all of that happened, however, I haven't had any tests since then. I also went to a neurologist who said that there wasn't anything wrong with my brain. As a preventative I take topamax; I still have the speech problems though. My primary care doctor doesn't seem to think anything is wrong with me though and doesn't want me to take any unecessary tests. If I find out anything else, I will let you guys know :)  

[psychicmom]

Okay, I am actually relieved to read all these posts. I am 42 years old, healthy, have no history of high BP, everything is almost textbook perfects in regards to my health. Dont smoke, drink or take drugs. I had an episode in late February that the left side of my body was numb, my heartbeat was irregular, speech slurred, couldn;t stand up or walk, or even pick up a pen to write my name. I had a headache a few days before, but not then. My husband made me go to the doctor, who immediately called an ambulance. BP was 220/130. They thought I was having a heart attack. The ER at the local hospital, ruled out a heart attack. That doctor sent me home with a prescription of pain meds. In the following week, my symptoms got worse, especially my speech and thought process. Exactly one week from the ER visit, my husband took me to a larger hospital, where I was admitted for a stroke. I spent 5 days in the Stroke ICU unit. While there, I had multiple MRI's, CT scans and who knows how many tests. The neurologist said that because of the time frame (Being there a week after symptom onset), the MRI and CT scan may not show anything if it was a small stroke. Two doctors told my husband and I that they believed it to be a stroke. One doctor said he could not determine if it was a stroke or a complicated migrane. All the other specialists (occupational therapist, speech therapist, physical therapist) said that all symptoms were indicitive of a stroke.  What the doctor who discharged me from the hospital wrote on my discharge papers was complicanted migrane. However, the medicines they sent me home with, are stroke medicines, (Plavix and a few others). I have spent 4 months and am still recuperating. My speech is still off, my balance is off and sometimes, I have to walk with a cane. The left side of my body has diminished feeling and numbness (also confirmed at the hospital), And my head hurts constantly now. (Also indicative of a stroke patient) How can this be classified as a complicated migrane, with symptoms as severe as what some have posted here? Or is complicated migrane the new *Mini Stoke* diagnosis to avoid panic in patients?

[MiMiFlo]

This is MiMiFlo and my long comments are just above. I'm assuming you read them. If you are still confusing words and having symptoms then you need a complete work-up. Did they do a MRI of your head and did they check you for a PFO? I'm not a doctor but based upon my personal experience you need a complete neurological and cardiac workup. If you are going to doctors who tell you that they can't find anything, then keep getting opinons until someone finds out what is going on. I don't know where you live or what kind of medical specialists are close to where you live or what kind of insurance you have. But, you may have to go to a big medical center if no one is giving you answers. But I do know that it is not normal for a 16 year to continue to have the kind of problems you are describing. Good luck. Keep us updated. If you have a specific question, ask and I'll check back in on a regular basis to see if you have posted a comment. I'll try to help in the limited way I can.

MiMiFlo

[shawnastark]

I'm 16 and started having "complicated migraines" almost three years ago. I was at school and I began getting auras, not like tunnel vision.. Just blurry and spotted. I thought I was tired and went on with my day, hovere, it all got worse from there. I couldn't write, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move my right side; it was numb. My face and tongue were numb. I was also slurring my speech and I was awfully confused. I couldn't say ANYTHING I wanted to. I recall trying to tell me teacher I needed to go to the office, I think he let me go because I freaked him out by my lack of enunciation... and lack of any kind of audible word. I began crying when I got to the office, because I couldn't explain just how I was feeling and what was going on. I remember it being very frustrating.

They called 911 and had me taken to the ER straight fomr school because they thought that I was having a stroke. By the time I got to the ER, everything had calmed down; the only noticeable effect I still had was that I was getting words mixed up even though I knew what I wanted to say.

When they told my I had complicated migraines, I was even more frustrating. My head DIDN'T hurt. I was mad I spent a whole day in the ER getting tested and prodded and all they could tell me was I had a complicated migraine -____- I haven't had any other "attacks" since then... and hard;y any other headaches and definitely NO migraines. However, I STILL confuse my words and I often find myself confused or distracted in mid-sentence. It's very frustrating and I wish I knew what could help that.

If you have any suggestions or possible answers, please let me know. Thanks :)