Hi, I've had migraine since 1st grade. Initially I had classical migraine without aura but with throbbing in the temple and vomiting. In my 20s I went into a period of milder headache which lasted until I was in my late 40s. Then I suddenly developed migraine with aura and a bad headache, but not throbbing and no nausea. When I was in my late 50s I had episodes where I was unable to stay awake, my speech was slurred, concentration was impossible. My husband said I was confused, but the worst symptom was a sensation like an electrical shock that would strike the base of my skull. These episodes would last 4-7 days and I couldn't work. I also had one episode of suddenly waking up because it seemed like there was a large explosion in my head and with my eyes closed all I could see was red. It only lasted a few seconds, but I was sure something had ruptured. Fortunately, did. not. These episodes went on for several months. I had all types of testing, CT, MRI, EEG, neuro exam by neurologist and more. The diagnosis was aura without headache and I take Verapamil Sr and Neurontin to prevent these episodes. At first I took Depakote with the Verapamil, but I developed a tremor so it had to be changed. I also gained 20 pounds. I've been doing pretty well for many years until about 4 years ago I was diagnosed with systemic lupus and I take a pile of meds now including plaquenil and prednisone. The prednisone was added because I developed cranial nerve problems.
Now, suddenly I am having those "electrical jolts" many times a day lasting now for 2 days. The jolts are much milder that I had before. I am making an appointment with my neurologist, but my question is - has anyone else experienced something similar to this?


Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!
Would you do me a favor the next time you SharePost and use a bigger font.
It was hard to read and I don't want to miss any details.
Wow, you've got your hands full Would you do me a favor the next time you SharePost and use a bigger font.
I was just diagnosed with Lupus in January of this year. I was taking plaquenil, but have stopped due to muscle fatigue.
Migraine, as you have experienced, can change over time. Is the pain you are experiencing now the same ice pick like pain as before? Ice Pick Headaches can be frightening. Some people have Migraine disease or another type of headache disorder along with Ice Pick headaches.
With a few health issues it may be a good idea to see a Migraine specialist rather than a neurologist. While a neurologist is a fine doctor they are not able to specialize in any one area. A Migraine specialist is an expert in Migraine disease and headache
Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.
We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.
Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information on the main page of our site, http://www.MyMigraineConnection.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.
Welcome again,
Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert
PS: If you receive this message from more than one of us, please excuse the overlap. Thanks!