Migraine with brainstem aura
I have been suffering from migraines with brainstem aura since 2018. I can get up to 3 per month and it's very debilitating. During a migraine "episode", I get extreme heeadaches, ear buzzing, severe vertigo and vomiting. Fun part is it can last up to 5 days, lucky me ! I was wondering if anybody shares the same experience since it can feel pretty isolating to experience this. Also, has anyone tried any alternative medicine for this ? I'd love to know.
Hi there! My heart goes out to you for all you are experiencing. You are absolutely not alone in this community -- I know there are plenty of folks here, especially on our staff, who will see this post from you and nod along. Unfortunately, all of the symptoms you mentioned are pretty common for people living with migraine.
If you feel comfortable sharing, I wonder what your treatment experiences have been like in the past. It can take a LOT of work to find the right combo of diet, supplements, routine, and meds or other therapies to get relief, but don't lose hope. There are hundreds of possibilities. Also, are you working with a doctor at this time? Whenever possible, we encourage our members to find a certified headache specialist. These are doctors that have chosen to focuses specifically on migraine and other headache disorders ... they have a level of expertise you often won't find with a neurologist.
As for alternative treatments, there are lots of options. To name a few, there are supplements, acupuncture and acupressure, chiropractic care, biofeedback, light therapy, and many more. Have you tried any of these? Our site has been around for over 10 years, so we have articles on a wide variety of treatments. Here's a general article to get you started:
https://migraine.com/complimentary-and-alternative-therapies
Our patient leader
uses natural remedies as part of her treatment experience and she has made some good videos about that. Hopefully she'll respond to this when she gets a chance. In the meantime, please take a look around and let us know if we can help you with information about something specific. Glad you're here! -Melissa, migraine.com team I am so glad to read this !! I mentioned that it's been going on since 2018, but no doctor knew what it was until I saw a neurologist this past January 2023. So I am very very new to this. I did not know some doctors were more specialized in headaches and migraines, I will be definitely checking in my town.
Welcome to our community! We are glad you're here. Melissa has given you some great information. Here is an additional link to help you locate a specialist in your area.
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/find-a-doctor/
The therapy regimens a specialist will help you pick can be quite varied. Work with your doctor to find one you feel will fit your life. My husband uses a combination of drug and non-drug components to help manage his chronic migraine disease. We can better support you if you are comfortable providing us with your needs and goals. This community is full of people who understand what it's like to live with migraine disease and its symptoms. The base of experience and wisdom gained over time is freely shared. Let us know how you are doing along your journey. Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team
Hi
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us. You're not alone in dealing with migraine - we're here for you!
I wanted to add a bit more about the importance of seeing a doctor who is a true expert in treating migraine and headache disease. General neurologists may be fine doctors but have a hard time being experts in one area because they treat many conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and more. A true migraine/headache disease doctor treats migraine and headache all day, every day and have additional certification in headache medicine not all general neurologists have. Here is more information on how these doctors are different and how to find one;
https://migraine.com/blog/really-find-headache-specialist/
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/neurologist-vs-specialist
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/change-thoughts-new-careLet me know what you think and I'm sending you pain free wishes, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team
Hi
welcome to the community. This is a great place to stay connected for support and resources! It looks like you've already received a lot of those resources in this thread which is wonderful. As Melissa mentioned, I've written several articles on natural options to help ease life with migraine. Here's a link to some of those articles. https://migraine.com/author/abrennan
