Hello everyone out there.
This is more of a personal post than I usually do. I know that talking frankly about what has been going on with my migraines seems personal, but, in reality, it is not.
This is a reminder to have any changes in your migraines checked. I know we all hear it, I know we all have the best intentions when it comes to getting checked out, but I am going to stress the importance here.
If you have been following along at home, you know that I have some bizarre combo of classic migraines and basilar migraines, which has left me with a migraine that never ends. It is the never-ending pain in the head. Gotta love it. Basilar migraines can also include stroke-like symptoms, which is what I started having early in the summer. I wrote it off, mentioned it to a few doctors who also quickly wrote it off, for one reason or another. My left side began to lose more and more sensation, until finally I had enough.
I went to see Dr W, and told her my fear that I had had a stroke. She quickly scheduled an MRA, and did some basic neuro tests. You know the ones you have done every visit? The ones that you can do in your sleep? Yeah- we discovered that I have less strength than ever on my left side, little feeling, and additional weakness on my right side, but not nearly as bad as the left. When I say side, I am including my arms and hands.
This was heartbreaking. I work with my hands. I type this blog, I knit and spin, and most of all I hold onto hopes of one day going back to metal work. Right now, because my left leg is the worst, I am walking with the help of a cane. My left hand is numb at the best of times, and I have noticed a big reduction in strength in my right. I am sad, I am furious, and I do not know what the future holds.
What I do wonder is if the migraines are part of something else. Is there an underlying cause for all of this? I want to know. I had yet another drug change to Neurontin, which is knocking me out each time I take it. Hopefully, it will help, but today is a bad day. I have a cold, my head hurts, and walking is hard. Merry Christmas, right?
This is more of a personal post than I usually do. I know that talking frankly about what has been going on with my migraines seems personal, but, in reality, it is not.
This is a reminder to have any changes in your migraines checked. I know we all hear it, I know we all have the best intentions when it comes to getting checked out, but I am going to stress the importance here.
If you have been following along at home, you know that I have some bizarre combo of classic migraines and basilar migraines, which has left me with a migraine that never ends. It is the never-ending pain in the head. Gotta love it. Basilar migraines can also include stroke-like symptoms, which is what I started having early in the summer. I wrote it off, mentioned it to a few doctors who also quickly wrote it off, for one reason or another. My left side began to lose more and more sensation, until finally I had enough.
I went to see Dr W, and told her my fear that I had had a stroke. She quickly scheduled an MRA, and did some basic neuro tests. You know the ones you have done every visit? The ones that you can do in your sleep? Yeah- we discovered that I have less strength than ever on my left side, little feeling, and additional weakness on my right side, but not nearly as bad as the left. When I say side, I am including my arms and hands.
This was heartbreaking. I work with my hands. I type this blog, I knit and spin, and most of all I hold onto hopes of one day going back to metal work. Right now, because my left leg is the worst, I am walking with the help of a cane. My left hand is numb at the best of times, and I have noticed a big reduction in strength in my right. I am sad, I am furious, and I do not know what the future holds.
What I do wonder is if the migraines are part of something else. Is there an underlying cause for all of this? I want to know. I had yet another drug change to Neurontin, which is knocking me out each time I take it. Hopefully, it will help, but today is a bad day. I have a cold, my head hurts, and walking is hard. Merry Christmas, right?
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Migraine Prevention: Mission Impossible?
