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Migraine changes after a stroke

I'm currently in a postdrome, & my head is feeling like a headache could return, so I'm going to keep this short!

Although I started getting migraine HEADACHES at about the age of 11, little did I know just how little I knew about migraine as an illness!

You see, what I had been experiencing, from age 11 until a stroke 6 years ago, was "typical" migraine! Post-stroke, I am now experiencing "atypical" migraine!

This is an experience, I could have PASSED on & wish it had not afflicted me!

I have been encouraged to track the migraine symptoms, which I experience! This never made any sense to me, because previously I had only been urgently aware of the migraine when an aura became visible! Then, I knew that I had about half an hour to get to a dark room, take my Rx med, & hopefully sleep! The ONLY variation to this, was sometimes having to take a second dose of the Rx meds the same day, otherwise what I was experiencing was of short duration & the postdrome was never severe enough to slow me down!

TODAY, my life is quite different! I experience migraine symptoms, which effect EVERY bodily system, so if I were to track them ALL, I'd either be "certifiable" [& ready for the loony bin] OR I'd be a hypochondriac! One person CANNOT keep track of this many symptoms, which cover such a range & scope! To date, I have now had several migraine headaches of 36 - 40 days in continuous duration, which have put me in the hospital! What I have found is the postdrome symptoms, after the headache pain ends, is often worse & often twice as long as the period of the headache pain!

Since I am supposed to be tracking symptoms, what I have personally decided to do is ONLY track the worst 3-4 symptoms, which I experience. I'm NOT in denial about the rest, but that way I know what's going on for nearly THREE WEEKS EVERY MONTH & I can keep my MD updated on how well the prophylactic Rx meds are doing, as well as the Rx meds, which I take when a headache hits!

Now, I feel a bit more like my MD & I are working on this together, this way! Thus far, my changed approach is helping! I find that I'm not adding additional stress to myself, either --- THAT, is very good!!!

The one thing that is quite frightening, is when the migraine symptoms mimic a stroke! That is when I head to the ER, since I cannot tell the difference either!

One thing I'm wondering, is how many other readers have had the migraine symptoms, which they experience, change dramatically [as I did], after having a stroke, TIA, or TBI --- I went from solely having TYPICAL MIGRAINE to solely having ATYPICAL MIGRAINE. The stroke I had would be considered moderate in severity!

I am currently 60 years of age, female, & divorced.

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