My 4th doozie of a migraine

What a nightmare this has been? I've had 3 other migraines in my life, but nothing near the one I just was diagnosed with? I thought for sure that I had a mini-stroke or a pinched nerve in my neck and was scared to death!

I was in the ER a week ago today due to a sudden "strange feeling" in my head, followed by a dizzy spell and tingling numbness on the entire left side of my head and face, and down my left arm. I also saw a light burst out of my left eye, which prompted me to leave work immediately and run straight to the dr. She did an EKG, which was normal and after talking to and examining me, sent me straight to the ER. I was there for about 6 hours, had a CAT scan done, blood work, urinalysis, was on a heart monitor. All came back fine and I was released back to my dr with a diagnosis of Parastesia of the face, neck and arm.

Went to my dr the next day. She ordered an MRI or my cervical spine and brain and prescribed Prednisone for the tingling, thinking it may be a pinched nerve. Sunday, I had an allergic reaction to the Prednisone with a red heat flush episode on my chest, back and face. Took Benadryl, per the drs service call and felt better soon after, but still not great. Made an appt for the MRI's on Tuesday morning (after getting approval from insurance?).

Went to work on Monday, against my better judgement, being I still was suffering from head pain and numbness/tingling in my head, face and down my arm. About 3pm, I felt HORRIBLE and had another heat flush episode that was 10x worse than the one the day before. It was accompanied by a red heat rash and extreme skin sensitivity from my sternum to my mid-back, down my arms, up both sides of my head to my jaw, temples and cheek bones. I tried sleeping this off, but it didn't work. Back to the ER we went. I ended up being admitted overnight for observation, being told my MRI's would be done in the morning when the hospital Neurologist was on duty. By 7:30AM (About 16 hours after my initial second heat flush attack), the skin sensitivity had subsided quite a bit...which made them conclude it was an allergy to the Prednisone. It felt as if I had a really bad sunburn on the entire top of my body??? SO strange??? I ended up waiting 19 hours to get my MRI's done??? I have a whole new perspective of hospitals and sympathy for sick people...let me tell you!?? Finally got my MRI's done at about 4:30pm. Preliminary report came back fine, so they discharged me to follow up with my Neurologist, giving me Gabopentin for the nerve tingling that I still had down my arm and in my fingers and head. Went to the Neurologist today and he examined me again...concluding that I suffered from a severe migraine with parastesia, on top of the allergic reaction to the Prednisone. He told me to stop taking the Gabopentin (which is nasty stuff, so I was happy to stop taking it?) and see how things progress from here. I'm feeling 90% better than I was, but what a scary week this has been??? I still have a slight headache, of which ibuprofen is helping subside, as well as some minor numbness by my left eye as if my eyelid is swollen at times and in my fingers, but was told this will repair itself in time.

I was so relieved to hear it was nothing major as I had originally thought...and also to read the information on this site, further concluding that is what happened to me. The past migraines I have had were nothing like this and I hope to never have anything like this again. At least now I'm more aware of the symptoms of migraines and will do my best to avoid them at all costs if possible. My heartfelt well wishes to all of you out there who suffer from these horrible health issues. I still can't believe I was out of work and incapacitated for a whole week...due to a migraine. Wow!?

Thanks for reading and be well. ~PD