Migraine with stroke symptoms, My Story

By w7afb

2 min read

I am a 55 year old female. My migraine attack that started my current problems began last October. I got out of my car to visit my daughter and fell over on the porch. My daughter tells me that I did not know where I was, who she was or what had happened. She took me to the hospital. I could not speak and my right side was very weak. Because I was presenting symptoms of a stroke, I was given TPA and sent to another hospital for further test. I spent 4 days in the hospital and was moved to a rehibilitation hospital. My weakness continued and my speech returned slowly. The doctor at the hospital told us that I have complex migraines. I was released after 10 days. I did not have another attack until March 2, 12.

I fell in the hallway of my home when a migraine started. My husband called 911 to get me to the hospital. Same symptoms as before. I do have auras before each atteack behind my left eye.

It does not give me much warning, about a minute or two before the the most intense headache followed by my right side weakness and hand tremor. I had attacks twice a day lasting 1 hour to 2 hours while in the hospital. The doctors again had several test done that all turned out as negative. After 4 days I was sent to the rehab hospital. My attacks continued. Medications didn't help. I am home now and the attacks continue and we never know when my next attack will happen. We know they will happen and right now they happen three or more times a day. All happen at different times and last from 20 minutes to 2 hours. I have had two that have awakened me at night. Since March 2, 12, I have had 40 plus attacks. My migraine has never gone away and remain at a 6 or 7 after an attack. We find it very difficult to find a trigger since these attacks are so random both in time and length. I am confined to my house. My doctor is giving me Topamax 200mg a day and Reglan and aspirin at the start of an attack.

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Sorry to hear about your suffering. I had daily migraines for 17 years. Only recently did I find relief when I switched to a vegan diet and started juicing, after I watched a documentary called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Now my headaches are 30% of what they were and I'm not on any preventative meds. Also, I eat organic as much as possible. I don't know if this could help you too but may be worth a try? Good luck!
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I am so sorry to hear of what you're going through! I had a stroke 3 years ago and after 5 days in the hospital, countless tests, blood thinners and 3 different doctors, they finally determined that I have complex migraines. My neuro put me on Topomax as well, 200mg/day. I still have trouble finding the word I'm looking for sometimes and my balance is not what it used to be! I tend to begin falling over when I don't even realize it's happening until I have to grab something or fall. This happens regularly throughout the day, and I never thought of it as a migraine attack, just a side effect of the stroke. I wish you the best with finding a way to stop the attacks that are happening to you, and a solution to you being house bound.
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Sorry, for all you suffer through. I unfortunately, am very familar with the migraine attacks you describe. Complex migraines is not a true migraine diagnois, it is too vague and not the gold standard of diagnosis. So you need to get to a migraine specialist to get a real nailed down diagnosis. This type of migraine is not seen by most doctors and they are not familiar with it. We have one study that says that 1 in 10,000 people suffer from what you describe. iI sounds like Hemiplegic migraines, but I am not a doctor. Good luck in getting the right diagnosis cause that is key. There is a new website that is trying to educate and help the sufferers of this type of migraine-the Hemiplegic Migraine Foundation. Check this out cause it will give access to a community of sufferers of this specific migraine, and will relate to your story.
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It took my neurologist 6 years to get my diagnosis- hemiplegic migraine. My sypmtoms mimic stroke. I have left side weakness, partial facial paralysis, difficulty speaking. Since my diagnosis in December I have been switched to Verapamil plus magnesium; that long with nutrition, hydration, and exercise, and PT for the damage on my left side. Please seek more answers - I pushed for years, saying what I had was not just Migraine, and there had to be an answer. Fighting the enemy I know is so much easier than the unknown. PEACE and strength to you.
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this is so similar to my migraines although my mum suffers migraines too but not as extreme as mine thankfully - I hope my gp can help me as this month has been none stop headaches and I don't usually suffer headaches only migraines last one before this episode was 17 months ago...
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 have you looked at hemiplegic migraines tammy?
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 hi tam,know u prob done this but glasses with photocromic lenses do help,take it from someone who spent years goin to bed when one happend.
cancan Member
There is a doctor in Michigan who works with migrainers and does surgery on the Hippacampus , the part of the brain that may control migraines and depression. Wish I could remember his name, if I wrote his name down in one of my many migraine journals , I will write it on here next time! I believe he was a Neurologist.