Sporadic Paralysis Attacks - Has ANYONE ever experienced this...?
As I write this I am at the hosiptal with my wife (37 yr old, mother of 3 kids) that has had numerous (38 to date) attacks in the last month. Her symptons include: loss of control in arms & legs (paralysis), speech problems, locking of jaw, weird eye & facial movement, etc. The attacks last approx. 10 min. and then she regains her muscle control. No real pains such as headache, etc. Feels fatigued after attacks.
EEG, EKG, lab work, Scan, etc. have been ran multiple times....and they can't find anything. She was prescribed Topomax (100mg/per day) but that DID NOT HELP. She has been taken off the medicine and feels 100% better not being medicated, but the attacks continue.
Could this be a Silent Migraine? What med's might help (besides Topomax)?
Dear Robert,
Your queston has been ansered in our Ask the Clinician column. Please see Sporadic Paralysis Attacks?
Teir
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I have... several times... but mine lasts for up to 5 hours... and then the next few weeks I have much shorter attacks. Sometimes it happens right after I've used the albuterol for my asthma...other times the albuterol has no effect on me but for the breathing.
Once I had an attack after a catscan with contrast... that was scarier because I happened to be alone at the time and couldn't talk.
I'm 55 and started having these at 50 right after being diagnoised with Asthma. I get the locking of the jaw, speech like I had a stroke but no eye or facial involvement that I remember or have had anyone say.
I do hope your wife gets help. I've tried several migraine drugs, and now am on a epilepsy drug... but I can no longer take albuterol, the doctors are afraid for me to take it... so my asthma is rather uncontrolled in the summer when the air is humid... my allergies are to molds.
I have had only 6 big attacks but at least 20 smaller ones... good luck and God Bless you all... Fran
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Hello,
I too have had stroke=like symptoms, rt. eye shuts, waters continually. Difficulty doing simple tasks. Face and jaw lock in positions that aren't the normal. As for visual acuitiy that's right out the window. The worst of this is the paralyzing on the one side and starting to vomit, really afraid of aspirating.
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Hi Robert,
I have not had these but have suffered from terrible bouts w/migraines. After trying everything (and not hearing good things about Topomax), I stopped eating chocolate and sugar. Low and behold I went from 9 days a month of migraines to only 1 or 2 - WOW! (I also don't do caffeine or alcohol, haven't for a long time). I don't know if cutting out sugar would help your wife, but anything is worth a try when you are suffering. Any time someone hands me a piece of cake or something sugary, all I have to do is think of the terrible pain, and the sweets are not worth it. Good luck to you and your wife, I hope she improves!
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twin
Sunday, November 01, 2009 at 03:42 PM
I am also trying to find a solution to my migraine pain and symptoms. My symptoms have not paralyized me but I have had similiar symptoms. I experience numbness in my arms, tongue, nose and fingers. When I take migraine meds I don't experince the numbness. I get very anxious with every migraine because I do get very disorenented and have problems with slurred speech. I am 35 years old and I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old. I was going to try a beta blocker to see if that would help me. I hope your wife finds a solution. I would rec. a decreasing caffine,sugar and alcohol intake. I think that might be my problem too.