What's your strangest migraine symptom?

By Editorial Team

1 min read

Last updated: May 2018

We all know that migraine is so much more than "just a headache" -frequently accompanied by nausea/vomiting and light sensitivity. However, the less obvious symptoms associated with migraine often get overlooked - difficulty communicating, excessive yawning, smelling things that aren't there, even distortion of body image and perspective.

Recently, we asked our Facebook community what their "strangest" migraine symptom was. With several hundred responses, here are some of the most common responses:

Tell us - what's your strangest migraine symptom? When did you realize this was associated with your migraines?

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jean
Does anyone have obsessive thinking?
1. painsucks
 <inline-mention username="martiedgar" user-id="3822558"/> speaking of repetition; I get “earworms” from Hell. @
2. Holly Harding Moderator
 <inline-mention username="painsucks" user-id="3816401"/> that's fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing. Although we don't have a lot of mentions on the site of this symptom, it doesn't surprise me. Migraine pulls us in- the pain is so intense it's hard to focus on anything else. I find myself trying to focus on anything else and then sometimes these things can get "stuck" in the same way as the pain. All of these things are good reminders that migraine is a complex neurological condition, not just a headache. So glad you chimed in to share. Please keep in touch- Warmly- Holly (migraine.com team).
chinca-boom
Yes , I get obsessive thinking with my migraines, almost like I am stuck in a bad dream at times and it keeps repeating, I am wide awake and aware that this is happening and it's often accompanied by hallucinations and a very tingly left arm.
ruth-fitzpatrick
I sometimes smell things that aren't there - and it's always hamsters that I smell! Weird, right?
1. hyena8
 Not for me lol! My Petunia Rose hammie actually calms me down when I am sick. And I am never surprised to smell hamster!
2. whorl
 Thanks--I got on a med for something else and my smeller has gone nuts. Nobody has had any advice--until you all helped me link it to the migraine condition, which is there quietly playing delightful games with my senses all the time, whether or not it's erupting into trouble with the trigeminal nerves (which I endearingly call my "squid nerve" since it looks like one to me. Dang the thing. At least it doesn't give me ghost toothaches. I get everything else, including the sinus trouble people are describing here.)
jessmarie1005
During prodome I get so hungry that I literally can't stop eating. I will eat until I make myself sick if my family doesn't watch me. It's almost like I am in a trance or something sometimes.
1. momee
 My daughter has done that for years, too. Starving. Used to eat a lot before the migraines set in.( Sat at Golden Corral for 3 hours while she ate) She always got sick for weeks afterwards. Now she's older it can be either before or after
angiedd
If I take my meds in time, great. If for some reason they don't work or I don't get to it in time then I'm in trouble. They have become 3 day pain marathons. The weirdest symptom I get is toward the end of the 3 days, I get a runny nose. It's like a sinus attack, only NOT!
1. lulu
 Angie, what meds do you take? if you don't mind sharing : ) Linda
gatatter
I get a steady electric pulse on the left side of my head. It's almost like I'm holding an electric fence and feeling the voltage surge through just my brain.
kattieap
I find that I yawn and get really tired. Like fall asleep anywhere tired. Usually it is whenever the pain is about to increase.
malin
I get pressure in my sinuses and nose and it smells weird, almost like when you are getting that gas that makes you sleep before a surgery.
clairie
tingling and numbness in my right hand to the point it feels terrible to use. It's annoying at work having to use a mouse that's for sure! also slowed speech, though that's happened less than the hand thing.
lulu
yawing...& the top of my head & hair hurt so much!! but when I constantly yawn all day that's a sign of a migraine coming : (
mattparker
My strangest system is ear pain almost like I have a bad ear and sinus infection. anybody else have something like that?
1. not found
 My ear and sinus on the same side as the eventual migraine get very congested and painful.
2. kimberly716
 Totally... my doctor ended up referring me to an ENT because I kept going to see her for ear infections, but she would look and my ear would look fine. I went to the ENT and he said it wasn't my ear and suggested it was a migraine symptom.
momee
Bruises on the face. Looked like someone hit me. They appeared kinda like the middle stage of a bruise, with yellow and blue/black coloring. Also sleep walking & nodding off in mid sentence and talking gibberish. When I was younger when the pain got so severe, I passed out. Doctors called it sleeping seizures associated with severe migraine. All they said was never wake me up, just watch me. I've passed out getting out of a car(half in half out and out)Also while eating out. I just gradually slipped out of the seat unto the floor.
susanhamiltonconnelly
I often get a bright red rash on one or both sides of my face and neck when a migraine is imminent.
1. not found
 I get red on both sides of my neck too. Never heard anyone else describe that symptom!
2. pbxtrjn4lfe
 My cheeks turn bright red...
msprague
Along with a tingling arm and face my body overheats and my eyes tear up.
newdancerco
@mimi- I'm just the opposite. I get so COLD. I have actually started finding myself associating my meds with warmth- like being outaide on a cold winter day and thinking "boy, x sounds good!" Instead of "boy hot chocolate will taste good". Thankfully I catch the thought and redirect it to hot soup- I've never actually taken the meds thinking they will warm me. I also get the almost narcoleptic sleep need (great when in a meeting with my boss!) and the inability to make sense when talking. Usually that is an inability to find the rigjt wirds (aphasia), but sometimes I find the sounds coming out of ny mouth have NOTHING to do with what I intended to say.
1. hyena8
 Hot chocolate causes severe migraines for me.
2. crystalrz4
 I also get ice cold from the inside out. I cover-up with heavy blankets and heating pad, but I just can't seem to warm up. When I'm able to take in fluids, the first thing I reach for is "HOT" Tea!!! As hot as I can drink it, and that seems to help a bit.
nancym
I get extremely thirsty and soak up water like a sponge. Needless to say, this results in numerous trips to the bathroom which keep me from getting any rest. My words also get twisted and I have a hard time finding the right ones. I also get quite irritable.
lilosmom
I know I'm about to get a headache when I can't multitask. I have five children, and when I can't listen to two or more talking at the same time, I know I'm in for it!
hyena8
I get so hungry I could eat an entire pizza myself. Which is what I crave with a migraine. My neck hurts so bad cause that's where my migraines start. The pain starts in my neck, runs over the top of my head, into my sinuses, and sometimes into my teeth and lower jaw. And I have to pee every 5 seconds. My eyes swell up to where it looks like someone punched me. Also I turn whiter than a ghost. My family can tell by looking at me if I am having an attack. I have the urge to pass out or puke but not do either. Sometimes I just pray to die already!
1. Nancy Harris Bonk Moderator
 <inline-mention username="mamabee" user-id="3679118"/> Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts with us. We've heard from many who crave salt with their migraine attack. My go to is white rice with butter and salt. I find it very comforting. How are you doing today? Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>Migraine.com</a> Team 
2. Melissa Arnold Admin
 <inline-mention username="mamabee" user-id="3679118"/> You are probably right. We see a lot of talk about chips, fries, mashed potatoes, crackers ... carbs and salt. Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration can both contribute to migraine, so it makes sense that cravings for salty foods are so common! Good thoughts. -Melissa, <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> team
sheilac
My nose and sometimes only the areas on each side become ice cold. Even in hot weather.
1. trish-wilson
 Me too, I once made myself a sheepskin nose cover! Thought if I could warm my nose up the migraine wouldn't happen! Wrong.
choctawcharli
I get an "oily eye" in my left eye (My migraine side). Like my contacts are dirty (only I don't wear contacts anymore). I also get a runny nose. The worse it runs the worse my migraine is gonna be. During the migraine, I can get different symptoms such as electrical currents running from the front to the back of my head and pretty, glittery lights, but not always.
rose-m
Always is there the excessive yawning and the insatiable need for salt. In 75% also scotoma scintillans. I realized very young that it had to do with headaches that followed, but is was years and years later it got the name migraine. The excessive yawning got me several time in trouble in school. I once was sent home for a week because I could not stop it and the teacher considered it disrespectful towards him. That was in first grade! Before I had tried to explain this always came before the headaches and vomiting, but he said: that sound like migraines and kids don't get migraines. Even our family doctor was of that opinion. Thank God that nowadays at least kids "can" have migraines, although there are still enough people that think they make it up.
1. carla-fisher
 My parents and doctors called me a hypochondriac. I had headaches as long as i can recall. Going to school was agony most of the time, every noise was intensified. I could even hear the thermostats squealing a high pitched noise till i thought i was going out of my mind.
sharon22
My family can always tell I'm getting a migraine when my left eye starts to droop. I can't find words, tingle on my left side, get tippy, bump into things, and can't walk straight
1. whorl
 So glad to find some other people with this symptom! Maybe we're all related (hey, I'm a little short on family) . . . First time it happened it scared me to death. After a while it got me used to the truth of the frequency of my episodes, and also helped me learn not to delay taking med. Unlike some other early symptoms, it can't be confused with something else, and by the time my sight is disturbed, baby, it's pretty late in the game!
2. annequin-harkin
 i have that too!
migraineur_n09u78
I get so many symptoms, but inner ear pain the the strangest. Sometimes my migraines feel like a hot root is boring through my head and then the inner ear pain usually begins afterward. I started realizing that when I felt inner ear pain without a migraine, the migraine would be arriving within the day.
rachelbeadle
flashing lights, tunnel vision, blind spots (parts of words disappear on a page, half the face of the person you are looking at disappears)
1. DawnD
 <inline-mention username="rachelbeadle" user-id="3702880"/> That's me!
2. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="DawnD" user-id="6766624"/>, Those can be scary symptoms. What part of your attack cycle do these show up for you? I know just having a classic aura is disturbing for me! Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> team
mljmorris
I'm really glad to see mine on the list already. For years with debilitating migraines the odd symptoms make a person who already feels like an outcast feel worse. My weirdest ones are my hair hurting, fingers tingling, chest hurting and having aphasia problems including the loss of not only words, but entire sentences and thought processes. I can relate to an "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" that another posted. The "Fog" that settles in really is something else. Thank you for writing this blog post. It really is nice to know you are not alone when you feel it the most.
taxonoman
WOW! What an interesting list. I have experienced several of these symptoms, but never related them to migraine. I have perhaps a strange symptom which I have come to consider "my friend the stomach migraine." Sounds weird, huh? I sometimes get a stomachache and kind of nauseous feeling, but I'm not sick. There is nothing else wrong, no disease, no stress, just this unexplained knot. Feels like a lead ball sitting just under my diaphragm. Of course, I may get a migraine days or weeks later, but I've never connected the two. Instead, it almost seems like this is one of those "neargraines" as I call them. You know, when you feel sometimes like a migraine is coming, but it doesn't quite materialize. Anyway, my $.02. Also, I am one of the rare male participants here. My migraines started about age 35 during a period of tremendous stress. Unfortunately, they haven't left. I am, however, doing a lot to control them through diet, namely reducing or eliminating foods containing tyramine. Anyway, I hope to talk to everyone more in later posts.
pbxtrjn4lfe
The weirdest symptom that I experience is once I finally get to lay down with the migraine & I feel like I'm floating over my body (out of body). Has anyone else ever experienced this? It freaks me out, no matter how many times it happens.
1. carla-fisher
 I do, and it does feel pretty freaky
2. taxonoman
 I think that is part of the connection to epilepsy. There is an oddity of childhood epilepsy which I experienced very similar to this. It was a strange feeling of not only being "outside the body" but at the same time seeing myself as very small, perhaps just my whole body lying on the pillow. I have read about this being a form of childhood epilepsy. Little did I know that years later I would develop migraines. I have also learned recently that my mother had "sick headaches" when I was a young child. I just thought she had a bad headache, but now we know it was likely migraines, they just didn't have a name for them then.
rae-wood
My most unusual symptom is icy cold feet regardless of the weather. Does anyone else suffer from this
1. virginialady
 <inline-mention username="rae-wood" user-id="3920927"/> Yes, my feet and hands get icy cold all year round during migraines. I wear wool socks from October to April, and I'm willing to bust them out in the summer too!
2. Holly Harding Moderator
 <inline-mention username="virginialady" user-id="3721656"/> Thanks so much for sharing your experience with cold hand and feet as a migraine symptom! It's so helpful to learn from one another and we're grateful you're a part of our community. Stay in touch! Warmly, Holly (migraine.com team).
c715692
Strange smells or heightened smell has always been my strangest migraine symptom. It baffled many doctors 20 years ago when it first occurred. From PCP to ENT to finally a neurologist who diagnosed me with migraine. I remember how anxious it made me and to this day is nicknamed "the smelly".
robroysgirl
During the prodrome and pain phases, I crave carbohydrates and sweets. Also, for some strange reason, eating a protein source (meat,peanuts) sometimes helps reduce or eliminate my migraine pain. I get major brain fog, and I just cannot think clearly; it seems that communication issues are connected to the brain fog-it takes me longer to form and verbalize thoughts. It takes a lot of effort for me to be mentally productive. I also encounter sudden onset of excessive fatigue. I feel like I could give Rip Van Winkle a run for his money.
kiwichuck
Before a migraine, I'm always dying for a steak. I crave meat. And I never put two and two together until I've got the migraine, and then I go 'Oh yeah, that's what that steak frenzy was'. On another note, I've been a migraineur since I was 14 (I'm now 42). I was getting a migraine every couple of weeks. But a year ago I was diagnosed with coeliacs disease. I had none of the normal symptoms you would expect, except migraines. When I got tested, my antibodies were over 350 - normal levels are under 10 - and an endoscopy revealed severe damage to my small intestine. Since I've removed gluten from my diet, my migraines are far less frequent. My antibodies are still in decline. So I'm hoping that once they fall to normal levels, I'll be totally migraine free. Just so you know, I was one of those people who used to roll their eyes when people said they had food allergies. Now, I urge anyone with a migraine to get a blood test. That's all it takes to check your levels. If you don't have it, great! You get to eat bread and pasta happily ever after. If you do, maybe it could mean a whole new life. Either way there's an upside!
glory
I guess I must be the original "Alice". One of my most horrible experiences was walking down the street and losing awareness of what size I was. As far as my brain was concerned, I had suddenly grown several feet and no longer knew how to walk, or, for that matter, much of anything else. I think I ended up sitting on the curb for hours until a dear friend found me and led me home, by which point I was well within the aura part of the dreams and knew what was coming. (Not that I could actually walk without assistance, mind you!) I would place in second place my unawareness that some of my migraines were of the hemiplegic variety, fortunately rare occurrences. To have severe stroke symptoms at age 24 and literally no way of getting help since I was unable to talk, walk or think coherently was hideously distressing. The first time this happened, I think I somehow managed to get on the couch, diagnose myself as having a probable stroke, and wait to die. I was amazed I was still alive the next day. I'm now approaching 60. The Alice in Wonderland thing is now second nature, although still very very strange, since it is pretty much impossible to complete any task in the world when your your body image is that distorted. The hemiplegic ones are more troublesome since now I do need to treat them as a possible stroke. Lovely, yes? Kiwichuck,I find what you say interesting. I have found prior to a severe migraine I also crave protein, although mine cravings tend to be more of the seafood variety. My daughter has noted that any time I suddenly must have real liverwurst on a hard roll or a hot tuna sub tells her I'm heading into the badlands again. Unfortunately, lobster is out of my reach! I did not reach criteria for any formal intestinal disease (literally everything is borderline), but my gastro Dr has now put me on the fodmap regime, so maybe that will prove to be part of the answer. My husband with chronic migraine post age 50 shows no such urge. My son, afflicted since he was 8, and progressing to chronic status at 18, craves salty dry foods, but part of that may also be due to the nausea/vomiting part of things. I'm afraid most of my issues are probably due to the original bad gene, since both my sons are migrainers sufferers and there is a strong family history. But then, what if it is a digestive problem sparking all of this? Don't know until you try, I guess.
glory
Hmm, and while I'm at it, might as well share husband and son weird symptoms(both chronic at this point). Husband is strange smells and nothing tastes right. We all know when he complains everything everything smells like it is rotting and tastes even worse, it is a very bad few days coming. Even worse are when he suddenly develops a backache for literally no reason at all. He does have significant arthritis in both his cervical and lumbar spine, so we suspect the spinal pain may somehow be contributing to the head pain? My son has the sleep deprivation neck pain, extreme body weakness,etc, especially when a storm front hits. I think his scariest symptom is literally falling down unconscious. I see him staggering down the hallway hugging the walls and my heart pretty much stops since I cannot hold him upright if he goes down. Best either I or his sister can do is grab him, hug the wall and hope we can get him to the floor without more injury to his body. He would probably say the body itching is his strangest symptom since he then tends to scratch himself into open sores. He just cannot stop himself.
scotchbonnet
I have several, constant yawning, very painful hair, can barely touch or separate it at the roots, runny nose, and can smell wet ash trays.
saifai
I've smelled things either differently, or that aren't there. I tend to see stationary objects move in the corner of my eye. But by far the strangest is hearing voices. These precede my worst migraines, but I'll either hear someone calling my name or it'll sound like I'm in a crowded room. The audio hallucinations are among my first experiences with severe migraines.
okiesam
Depersonalization / Derealization.
stefania
Aura of depression an hour or two before it hits hard
laurievincent
Facial swelling.
crystalrz4
Cold! So very cold through in through every part of me, like I'm freezing.
carla-fisher
My weird symptom is that I crave chocolate. I also start getting very very talkative. Then when I try to lay down I cant get any sleep because I start getting excessive urges to urinate. I haven't found any food triggers yet other than aspartame.
1. jules2dl
 Actually Carla, craving chocolate isn't that weird; chocolate has magnesium in it. My neurologist said that if your mag level is dropping you may be trying to self-medicate by craving the chocolate. At last!!!! A medical reason to eat chocolate!!!
2. jules2dl
 For a long time, my weirdest symptom was that coffee, which I love, tasted and smelled just awful to me before and during a migraine. That one hasn't happened in a long time though. I think now my strangest ones are that I have a tendency to lose my balance and fall down quite frequently, and the other one is that I get very emotional and cry. It 's strange how sometimes I get extremely hungry before a migraine, and sometimes I can't eat at all. Mostly during a headache I live on ice cream (the cold helps), frozen berries, and coke; maybe a peanut butter sandwich if I can get someone to make it for me. Meat does not appeal to me during a headache.
carla-fisher
Man its strange reading all these things and realizing, hey! I do that too. Some I never really associated with my migraine until now. Thanks everyone its nice to know we're not alone we are all unique even though we share the same disease.
1. daniellechiquita
 I was just feeling the exact same way! Now I know I'm not going crazy and I'm not alone.
trish-wilson
The evening before I get a migraine I feel elated and get really busy, just can't stop. Those who know me tell me I am heading for a migraine, but I never seem to have that insight at the time. When I crash back down it all seems blindingly obvious.
whorl
Martiegar commented that she hears noises that aren't there. Woo hoo! How about marching bands? My mind can organize white noise into anything you like during prodrome. If I'm just waking into a migraine episode I can hear just about any member of the percussion section. Fortunately it's limited to distant music, for short periods, and I can cut it off.
1. Katie M. Golden Moderator
 Lauren, I think you and Martiegar are in the minority, but I have heard of people having musical hallucinations during their Migraines. Dr. Oliver Sacks, a famed neurologist who also suffers from Migraines, writes in his book "Migraine" and "Musicophilia" about this symptom. I had never heard of it before. I've been reading a lot of his stuff. It's amazing what the human brain can do!
cindymcmillan
So far, my strangest symptom is what I think is my aura. My imagination/brain sees things and then expands and shrinks them constantly and rapidly. This has recently started to cause me some anxiety. It's pretty similar to the Alice in Wonderland aura, but it only happens when my eyes are closed. I also get light, sound, and smell sensitivity, nausea, vomiting(occasionally), restless leg, irritability, hunger (when I'm not nauseated), speech difficulty (fun with 4 young girls and the tendency to be moody), and dizziness. Sometimes the excess symptoms are worse than the head pain!
cymart
After almost 40 years of migraines I finally recognized that if one of my ears starts itching a lot inside, I need to take care. It will usually precede a migraine by a day or so. Very weird but now I trust it!
hfites
I get food cravings, very strong food cravings and I ALWAYS get the idea in my head that it will make me feel better. Oddly enough it's mostly for soup, a bowl of hot soup. After I give in and eat I get sick as a dog. I have done this dozens of times but I just can't ignore the craving in-spite of knowing what the outcome will be. On the subject of food one thing I do is Sorbet (lemon preferred). I eat it quickly so I will give myself a "brain freeze" which is extremely painful on top of a migraine but as the freeze backs off so does the migraine. Really weird but it has worked for me.
hfites
I forgot... sinus problems but only on one side of my head. For years I thought I had allergies giving me headaches but I've been tested for everything and I'm not allergic to anything. If I have sinus problems on the left my migraine will be on the left, right and migraine is on the right. Also if it's a really severe migraine my teeth will hurt on the same side of my head.
1. migraineur_n4quj7
 My migraines are always on the same side the pain begins in the eye and nose and feels like sinus then within minutes is pressure along the whole side of face head and my temple. Then when i take my medication it makes my jaw burn.
unsaintly
I yawn a lot. Can't think of everyday words to complete sentences (like body wash Lmao). But I guess as far "odd" symptoms... It would be the dreams. My dreams are so out there, and they are usually in some weird 8mm mode.. I cannot do the explanation justice in words but I'll try. There's an old toy for babies. You wind it up and it plays music while scrolling a picture, looping it over and over again. My dream was just like that. Only in technicolor and ask the shapes looked like Shrinky-dinks.
dreammakerdragon
Nausea is always my biggest complaint but I think it is for a lot of people. I can usually tell if I have a migraine coming because I start to overheat. I get hot for no reason and my face flushes. I do yawn a lot also and get tingly sore feet. I'm glad to learn about the Alice in wonderland aspect because for the last two years I have had this happen on and off and just thought I was going crazy. I will lose my ability to really hold a conversation without constantly saying wait it'll come to me. My scariest thing that ever happened was when I almost passed out at work just standing there. My heart raced things got blurry abs I got dizzy and I stopped hearing things around me. The customer I was waiting on at the time sat me down on the floor and about five minutes later I came back around fully feeling just fine even though my blood pressure was only 88/40 according to the paramedics. That one really scared me. That's when I started looking up auras and realizing that I had been having them just not realizing they were them.
lorrie68
I can tell if I am going to get a migraine, or if a current headache is going to turn into a migraine by uncontrollable cussing. I open my mouth to say something and I add in curse words. It's like a bad case of Tourette's. "where is the milk, becomes where is the #%*^# milk!" And other choice phrases that I am so embarrassed for people to hear. Does anyone else have this?
1. kmripple
 Yes! Never put two and two together until I read your comment. I curse in everyday life, but what you say is so true. I speak like a sailor sometimes, and it doesn't even matter who I am talking to.
kgburt
Wow, thanks for sharing all of your symptoms -- sometimes you start to think you are the only one having this particular symptom and maybe there is something more seriously wrong with you that nobody can find. Lots of extra stress and frustration when even doctors look at you like you have gone off the deep end. Ha, thats often worse than the headache. No wonder so many of us dont get the help we need and deserve. But, ladies, we are strong and can overcome this. If you think you arent, ask yourself how you still have a life with this debilitating illness. I was diagnosed with intractable migraine after years of dealing with all kinds of odd symptoms. Ive been in an emergency room where nurses were screaming at me asking me what "I took" when I was speaking and only jibberish came out (dysphasic). I vomited so much and for so long, when I finally got to the hospital, I had esophageal spasms that had to be treated in addition to the headache. I had "abdominal migraines" at age 14 and was in the hospital for a week having all kinds of tests. I have to say, I never had that type of migraine again and there seems to be very little information about them -- and even fewer doctors who have ever heard of abdominal migraines. Despite all of this, my strangest symptom is becoming dissociative shortly into the aura part...I look at my hands, and think, who do those belong to? My brain tells me what Im seeing isnt really there, but some tiny part of me knows that isnt true. The first time this happened, I was driving...very dangerous...but, I was terrified to pull over and have the police question me in that state. What a choice... I turned the radio up very loud, turned the ac up as high as it would go, rolled down the window, and talked to myself, etc. I seemed to know that a huge amount of stimulation would keep me "present" until I could safely stop. Fortunately, that part of the aura only lasts about half an hour. I also have had many of the symptoms that everyone here is describing and I sympathize with each of you. I will tell you, there is hope. Dont ever give up. Even if you have been dealing with this your whole life, dont let fear keep you from finding your answer to a better life. Mine has been complex to say the least and many times I wanted to quit. Ive found drugs that aren't typically prescribed for migraines to be effective. In this era, we have the option to get our hormones on track with knowledgeable doctors using bioidenticals so you arent on the hormone rollercoaster - those ups and downs of the levels of hormones in your body can cause serious problems, in addition to migraines. There are answers and you deserve to find them. Its taken me 45 years (began migraines at 11 with serious car sickness episodes and the onset of periods)but, I cant change the past. Only keep moving forward and exploring all of my options. Ive found my answer -- you WILL find yours.
1. Katie M. Golden Moderator
 Karen, Thanks for sharing your kind words and encouragement. You mentioned abdominal migraines. They are absolutely a form of Migraine that is rarely discussed or known to doctors other than Headache Specialists. They usually occur in children, which sounds like when you experienced them. <a href='http://migraine.com/migraine-types/abdominal-migraine/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>http://migraine.com/migraine-types/abdominal-migraine/</a> Another symptom you mentioned that is new to you, is the feeling of disassociation from your body. There is name for this called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. You feel like your hands or parts of your body don't belong to you. It can occur once or sometimes several times a day. It is thought to be part of the aura or prodrome phase of Migraines. Again, thanks for sharing! -Katie
bossybookworm
Reading this makes me feel so much closer to normal... For years, I thought I was either losing my mind, or had a brain tumor of some sort, because of the two things: the Alice-in-Wonderland syndrome deal, and the fact that I'd often smell things that weren't there. It never occurred to me that these had anything to do with the migraines I've suffered from since childhood. I'm also epileptic, so things get complicated. Thank you.
jamimare
Nausea, leg tingling, arms too heavy to lift, r face and head numb, eye won't stay open. They wake me up from sleep.
mkg723
Mine is that nothing tastes quite right before I get a migraine
ddanny47
My strangest symptom has got to be when I lose my short-term memory. I often find myself in a different room in my house at random for seemingly no reason. Not only that, but when I ask people what I was doing they don't know either. I always assumed it was my mind's way of playing tricks on me. Another strange one is when I experience vertigo. I will either stare at nothing and slowly lift my gaze until I'm staring straight up or I will have my eyes shut, usually while laying down. It makes me feel like I'm lying in a hammock that speeds up constantly until it can't go any faster which is usually when i snap out of the "trance" that the vertigo puts me in. That actually may be its own symptom. I go into a trance-like state when I'm experiencing vertigo. I don't respond to much of anything besides someone touching me or sudden loud noises (which don't even snap me out of it half the time). The weird thing is, though that I feel like I'm in a state of complete bliss while this is going on. It both scares me and relaxes me to a terrifying degree. It's almost as if I'm losing my mind while in a trance, but that's not important to me at all during the trance because, apparently, nothing is more blissful then staring at a wall in my eyes.
annequin-harkin
Sometimes it feels like there's ice on my face. Other times, the entire left side of my body will hurt as though I've pulled every muscle I have. I definitely get the super-senses (smell, sound, colors exceptionally bright, etc.). I used to lose my eyesight with migraine when I was younger, but that has changed (luckily). Yawning before a migraine - someone on this board mentioned that and it has helped me to catch my migraines faster. Post nasal drip down one side of my sinuses. Dizziness. Nausea. Overwhelming fatigue - like I have to lie down wherever I am. After the migraine, it feels like my blood has been poisoned - my whole system feels toxic (no other way to explain it).
1. annequin-harkin
 oh - and scrambled brain. I can't think of words or I look at everyday words and have no idea of what they mean.
erin-dasher
I'd have to say Vertigo which lasts even after the migraine is over for days on end. And when the migraine is in full force, I get extreme chills, like I'm running the highest fever...yet I don't have one.
dragonfly512
Since a year numb toes on righthand side numb lips and cheek on right side of face burning sensation in arm on the right side. Befor that a sting behind the eye but thats gone now.
coreyc11
Length of migraines: 12 hours to the minute. I once asked my Dr. at the Cleveland Clinic Headache Center if he thought that was strange. He said, after studying migraine for 40 years, nothing surprised him. My eyes get very droopy. I get a haziness in my vision, as a migraine is approaching.
coreyc11
A metal taste in my mouth.
hibbertk
The infusion and forgetting what I wanted to say mid sentence. I cannot find anything and my brain seems to have lost the ability to think clearly. I hate the hyper sensitivities to smell and sound. I thought being a human Doppler was the weirdest one, my kids tell me I'm more reliable than the guy on tv. Now I believe there's an odd connection to the planets, with eclipses and meteor showers. There was no relief until all of the events stopped, then my head went to its normal daily level of pain. It's odd.
evan138
I am now 45 and about 1 yr 1/2 to 2 years ago I started getting or having extreme anxiety attacks or heart arrhythmias during a really bad hormonal or vomiting migraine.I don't have insurance anymore and can't get preventative medicine from a neurologist. It is extremely scary.
migrainestacey
Relieved to see so many of my "strange symtoms" already listed. This is why I love having a migraine community. Vertigo, facial and arm tingling, and numbness are scary, when it happens, but hopefully, all these symtoms are related to my migraines. Seeing a new nuerology specialist to make sure it's all related.
youkayn00b
i get a tingling tongue
runsinthefamily
I have all the above and then some! Today I have a migraine and all can do is laugh at myself. MY 13 year old enjoys when I mis-speak and crazy sentences, and I have the shakes real bad....better laugh then cry! My also added to this list My ability to predict the weather~and he is right i get migraines with weather changes. Especially if storm is coming.
sgtbarc10286
right side of body feels cold to the touch left side feels hot to the touch really scary
raynor
Hi I have only just discovered this site. I have been a sufferer for 35 years and the past 17years been on Beta blockers every morning as a preventer, they just prevent me being in chronic pain for weeks on end. However 7 weeks ago had a severe attack lasting 14 hours after the first 9 I started the vomiting, and then a new thing appeared and I collapsed and have no recollection of doing so waking up on floor in a different part of the room with devastation around me,since then for the last 7 weeks have suffered mild pain and eye pain also being of work all this time with it an MRI scan came back clear so not sure what other painkillers to try. I have also learnt that apparently having rose,red,blue or yellow tinted glasses are helpful for migraine sufferers has anybody else been told this? or have them? I am going to be re booking another eye test soon.
abige69
I get freezing cold feet/toes, but sweating at same time. Theres been times my toes so cold i expected them to be black or falling off!
nurselisa
Yawning but it's usually in the pro-drome phase
angiep
All my muscles hurt. Fingers, toes, thighs, shoulders, buttocks, neck, EVERYTHING. Knowing that magnesium is a migraine trigger and a muscle factor, I think one has to do with the other, but I take magnesium daily so I'm super curious what my body is doing with all of it. I get that weird metallic taste in my mouth also.
1234hello
My strangest symptom is flinching randomly and a lot.I mean like A LOT.
slmitchum
My migraines began when I was 10, I remember reading in the car on a road trip and getting sick almost immediately. Pretty quickly it became clear my headaches weren't like anyone else's and the one thing family friends everyone seems to think is a cop out is any kind of exertion takes my migraine to another level instantly. Like taking the stairs or even bending over will make the throbbing go from 30 throbs a minute to 100 my nose will start dripping as well. Always wondered if it is just me..
1. MelanieM Admin
 Hi <inline-mention user-id="3884752" username="slmitchum" class="bp-suggestions-mention"/> , I am sorry to hear that your family seems to think it is a cop out. I can totally relate to what you said about exertion making your migraine worse- particularly the bending over. I have noticed my migraines seem to have some kind of orthostatic intolerance- they don't like for me to make up down motions or change positions too much, if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, and do keep us posted on how you are doing. Warmly, Melanie (team member)
mrs.robison
Hello all, I see so many things on these lists that I never associated with my migraines! I guess my symptom list just got longer. I have Chronic Migraine, so you probably already know that for me, the pain / throbbing never really stop; it only increases and decreases. I would say I have pain and discomfort 90% of the time. *Ultra-Sensitive Sense of Smell: Last week, I walked in the front door of our house and I could smell something dark and wet and on the verge of rot - like an old, old damp basement. Three days later, I finally drove my family mad enough (they kept bringing me things to sniff) and we discovered it was a bag of potatoes. They looked just fine, but I assure you, they were on the edge of rot. *Peripheral Hallucinations: Spiders crawling on the floor. Critters scampering in the bushes. Bugs crawling on the counters. That kind of thing. It always makes me look twice and I have never before associated it with my migraines. *Crazy Thirst: Just last week, I commented to a coworker about my un-quenchable thirst for a couple of days. Bottles and bottles of water. That was on Thursday or Friday. Saturday evening, it slowly crept it's way in and still had me in tears today (Tuesday). *Visual Trailers: Like an LSD hallucination; multiple visual repetitions of the same object. This one is inconsistent. *Meat Cravings!! I GET THESE TOO - OMG - WHO KNEW?? But...for real! What is this about? *Chills: My whole body is overcome with a wave of cold. My "normal" body temperature comes in at 97.6. I am usually too warm and I overheat very easily, so this is an odd one for me personally. If I complain of being cold, it's a sure sign of an eminent attack. *Loss of equilibrium with an urge to pass out: Usually associated with a change in altitude. This also brings a dramatic increase in the head throbbing as well. *Brand New Today - never experienced before* I saw a dot grid over everything. It was like I was wearing contact lenses with perfectly spaced and laid out bold, black dots. It was very strange. I took a nap and it was gone when I woke up. There are times my migraine is in full swing and I need a dark, quiet place to hide out for a day or two until it passes. But there are other times when my pain and throbbing will come in waves like the tide. It will wash in hot and heavy and be very disruptive and extremely painful. After many excruciating hours, it will ebb out and ease up a bit. I can leave the bedroom and eat, even look at my phone or get on the computer. After a few hours, we're back to high tide and the tsunami hits with full force and I'm back in tears in the dark wishing for death. These episodes tend to last much, much longer. There are even glimpses of "normal" thrown in the mix. But then all of a sudden, it's back. Like I mentioned earlier, I am on day four of this one. Does anyone else have anything similar? Thanks for the outlet! Ann 
1. DonnaFA
 Hi @mrs.robinson, I don't think you'll find yourself alone, and what you are describing totally makes sense. Migraine can affect the trigeminal nerve, which can, in turn, affect your teeth. Thanks for sharing! - Warmly, Donna (team member)
2. Holly Harding Moderator
 <inline-mention username="mrs.robison" user-id="4262669"/> Just to add on to what Donna said, it likely is nerve related but I wanted to mention that migraines can impact the health of teeth- mainly due to the medications we take to prevent and treat the condition- and sometimes we can have tooth decay if we are experience repeated vomiting over the course of years. If you have any of those concerns, you might mention them to your dentist at your next appointment: <a href='https://migraine.com/living-migraine/hair-loss-tooth-decay' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://migraine.com/living-migraine/hair-loss-tooth-decay</a> Better to discuss your fears with someone knowledgeable (a migraine specialist or a dentist) than to hold your concerns for years and then find out there was nothing to be worried about! We are here for you and you are not alone. Warmly- Holly (migraine.com team)
painsucks
I have experienced most of the above at one time or another. My personal weirdest was about 20 years ago (I’ve had them for 35 years), I would get a sense of euphoria, and everything was funny. Lasted about 3 months, then disappeared.
1. Holly Harding Moderator
 <inline-mention username="painsucks" user-id="3816401"/> I have heard several people mention this as a symptom and thing it sounds oddly delightful-- I guess if I had to choose between this symptom and feeling like my eyes were burning, for instance, I'd choose a skewed sense of humor. Too bad it didn't last! Isn't it interesting how symptoms evolve? Just like triggers. Appreciate your sharing so that we can learn from and relate to you. Warmly- Holly (migraine.com team).
grammamary
My temples swell - sometimes to the point my glasses don't fit properly. 
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="grammamary" user-id="3838647"/> There's no doubt that many people suffer from inflammation during a migraine attack. I have found many people that have inflammation in their necks and around their faces. I lot of them use ice packs to help reduce the swelling. Do you have anything that helps you with this symptom? Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> team
2. Kate4
 <inline-mention username="Cheryl Picerno" user-id="3673232"/> I use warm compress and that seems to relax if you can’t tolerate the ice.
Kate4
I get hiccups, slurred speech, blurred vision, dizziness and fatigue when I get a migraine with aura now. If it’s a regular one I start with fatigue, congestion, neck pain, sensitivity to light and slurred speech and my tinnitus goes from bearable to full steam orquesta type noise, can’t even lower my face. In the past 5 years the migraines went from ocasional to chronic to been more or less manageable now.
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Kate4" user-id="4583503"/> welcome to the <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> community! We are glad you're here. I'm sorry you suffer from migraine. The symptoms you mentioned can really be difficult to live with. I'm glad you've found ways to help you manage your attacks. Tinnitus can be pretty bothersome for sure and when it ramps up during an attack it can make you miserable. My husband suffers from many of these same symptoms with his chronic migraine. Thanks for the tip on using a warm compress to help you relax. It's a good tool. How long have you suffered from migraine and are you seeing a headache specialist for it? Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> team
Betsylee
I crave pasta. Also I get this feeling of euphoria I think that's what it's called. Almost like being high. Or drunk like buzz. I don't drink or do drugs. So that's weird
1. Nancy Harris Bonk Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Betsylee" user-id="4595516"/> I hear you!! Many of us crave carbs when we have a migraine. My carb of choice is white rice with butter and salt, I find this very comforting. You're not alone in the euphoric feeling. Some experience this during the last phase of an attack called postdrome. Thank you so much for sharing. How are you doing today? Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>Migraine.com</a> Team
DawnD
I don't get head pain. My vision "pixelates," like when reception on the tv goes bad, but the picture is still there. This slowly leads to a big reduction in <a href='http://vision.Then' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>vision.Then</a>, I get nauseated and VERY tired. I've been told they are ocular migraines.
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="DawnD" user-id="6766624"/>, Having an attack without pain is a blessing, but dealing with all the other symptoms is exhausting. A common term for this is silent migraine. I suppose when you don't have the pounding in your head, at least that is silent. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>migraine.com</a> team
Pants45
I’d have to say when I get the hyper, rambling, non-stop talking, pre-migraine symptom. This odd thing, precedes long-lasting, extra painful, migraine mode! It’s no fun, because it appears I’m not having a horribly painful time🥹
1. Holly Harding Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Pants45" user-id="8423120"/> Thanks so much for sharing! What you are describing here sounds like a prodrome, rather than a migraine symptom. This is parsing terms, but it's interesting as prodromes are what comes before a migraine - almost like a warning shot of the impending attack. We often miss the prodrome signals as they unfold within us and it's only in retrospect that we understand what was happening. If we get really experienced (which it sounds like you are) - we can use those symptoms as a signal to go ahead and treat the migraine before the pain starts. Harder said than done! I've had migraine for decades and still miss my prodrome signals all the time. You might find this piece on the topic of interest (and the many community comments that follow it): <a href='https://migraine.com/video/missing-prodrome-signals' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://migraine.com/video/missing-prodrome-signals</a>. And you are so right, these random ways we feel prior to the attack hitting - are often so far apart from the painful attack phase itself! Thanks again for chiming in! Warmly- Holly <a href='http://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team.