Thursday, August 28, 2008 Mary asks

Q: Adolescent abdominal migraine associated with fainting/Raynaud's phenomenon

Since approximately 9-years of age, my grand-daughter, now 15 years old, has had epsiodes of abdominal pain, nausea, sweating, and blacking out. Recently, we were told this may be abdominal migraine. Along with these symptoms most recently she is now experiencing her hands and feet becoming red, burning sensation with swelling and pain. Two years ago she was seen by a neurologist ordered an EEG which did not reveal any abnormality and felt she was just having "fainting" spells.

For the hand and feet symptoms, she has been referred to a pediatric rheumatologist and for the abdominal migraine, again, to the neurologist. What studies are done to make a more definite diagnosis?

Answers (3)

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Teri Robert

9/15/08 4:38pm

Mary,

Eileen gave you the basic information about abdominal Migraine, so you have that.

Blacking out or fainting can occur with Migraine, but it is not common. It's not uncommon for hands and feet to tingle or become cold during a Migraine, but the swelling and pain are not associated with Migraine in any of the literature I've reviewed.

You mention Raynaud's, but attacks of Raynaud's phenomenon are caused by an intensification of the body's natural response to cold, so I'm not sure that's applicable here.

At the age of 15, your granddaughter doesn't really need to be seeing pediatric specialists any longer. I would suggest that you follow the link Eileen gave you and take her to a Migraine specialist.

There are no tests that can definitively diagnose Migraine disease. Diagnosis is accomplished by reviewing the patient's medical history and family medical history, looking at symptoms, performing a full neurological examination, and ruling out other causes of the symptoms. Sometimes, imaging studies such as CT scans and MRIs are ordered to rule out stroke, aneurysm, tumors, and other organic problems that could cause the symptoms.

I hope we've been able to at least give you some information to discuss with the doctors.

Teri

Eileen Gray

9/15/08 8:51am

Hi Mary!

I'm sorry to hear your grand daughter is suffering. Currently there is no definitive test to diagnose Migraine disease. A full neurological workup, detailed history, and list of symptoms is vital to rule out other conditions.

Abdominal Migraine is usually seen in children, but can occur in adults as well. Abdominal Migraine - The Basics

We have a list of specialists on our site Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists that you may want to look at for your granddaughter.

Good Luck to you and your granddaughter!

Eileen Gray

Shirley

9/22/08 6:41pm

I know how miserable that can be I had similar "spells". They started when I was about 23, but they included diahrrea, and I didn't start passing out with them till I was older, early 30's. My doctor diagnosed me with something called the vega effect which was made worse when I got hypoglycemic. The vega nerve controls a lot of our bodily functions and is separate (outside) our spinal column. The urge to go to the bathroom would travel down this nerve so fast it would hit bottom and then bounce back up the nerve. This would cause heart rate and blood pressure to fall drastically. It caused the same symptoms as your grand-daughters except I had the diahrrea. She might want to ask her doctor about it.

Q: Adolescent abdominal migraine associated with fainting/Raynaud's phenomenon

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