Guest Mary from OH Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Well, I've just returned from a "lovely" IP stay at the hospital. I had to call 911 and have them take me to ER because I had another episode of paralysis from the waist down. I had a horrid migraine (again) and just the day before I had been to my neuro's and he sent me for an emergency CT of my head. I had to have 911 come in through my garage using my "code box" thing since I couldn't move. Thank God I had the phone by me.They did another head CT and MRI of my lower and mid back. Of course, eveything is "just fine". They decided to release me!! (the paralysis went away gradually). I just have some weakness now. They want me to follow up with my neuro. He plans to do a LP and possibly a head MRI.As of right now, the neuro group at the hospital is attributing my paralysis to my migraines. And actually told me if it happens again, "just to wait it out", unless I become incontinent or have other strange symptoms!!AARRGGHHH!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Hey Mary, Sorry you've had a rough time. I get hemiplegic migraines too- though they don't tend to hit me in terms of either upper or lower half- it's more like left or right side of my entire body.My last one was before Christmas and I had to be fetched from Oxford by my parents. I couldn't lift my fork to feed myself, and my mouth went all numb and rubbery...very odd.The weird thing with my hemiplegic migraines is that my head doesn't actually have to hurt for me to have an episode. Sometimes it's just characterised by sheer exhaustion.I remember quite vividly that last time, I was trying to get through a load of articles on my favourite dream poem, the Kingis Quair, and all of a sudden I began to notice that I felt REALLY tired- not just sleepy but like my whole body was full of cement and I suddenly found it quite difficult to move.Then I realised that I couldn't hold the papers in my hands anymore- they were becoming so heavy that they were really painful. And the next thing I knew, my left side had gone completely 'dead weight', literally. It was awful. I couldn't even open my left eye! In the end, all I could do was lie there (on my right side, so I didn't make my left feel any heavier) and just try to breathe deeply. I became very disorientated and confused.I don't know how long it lasted- I think the actual paralysis may only have lasted about half an hour, and I can remember ringing my tutors and telling them what had happened- I became more lucid as I was speaking. But then the pain came--my god, I was SCREAMING with the pain in my head and by the time my dad came into my room, I was on the floor, crying in pain with my head and also with the palpitations in my chest. Just awful.I had to be carried out to the car, and I just slept, or rather, drifted in and out of conscousess on the way home. My mum had to carry me into the house, the left side of my face had dropped, and my eye still wouldn't open. At least I knew what it was.My mum wanted to taek me to the hospital- she thought I'd had a stroke but there was no point because we knew that hemiplegic migraines do this to people.I took a lot longer to get better from that one- I was out for nearly 2 weeks, as my fainting episodes became much worse just after. My blood pressure was way off- it was going down to 58/19 (when i was able to get readings, I wasn't always) and on occasion, up to 197/163!Luckily, my tutors were very understanding, but it is definitely very distressing to experience such a thing- I don't think anyone can imagine it until they've felt it. YUCK!Anyway, just thought I would chime in and say you're not alone! I also got told by my doctor here that I did absolutely the right thing by staying calm and trying to just close my eyes, meditate and breathe through it all. It's worse if you panic, apparently.Stay well, big hugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Hi Mary,I am sorry you had another episode. I have paralysis but it's all my body that paralyze. I don't know if it's the same type has yours but I can certainly understand the feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sally Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Hi Mary,Has your neuro looked into hemiplegic migraines as a source for your paralysis episodes? Our daughter was diagnosed with HM after experiencing periods (only during a migraine) of not being able to move certain parts of the body and numbness (stroke like symptoms) she was a young child when they started. HM suffers are only about 10% of migraine sufferers I was told that is why it might be more difficult for a physician to recognize it. They are very severe in nature as well with other symptoms.here's an information link for it incase you might like to see it.http://headaches.about.com/od/migrainedise...iplegic_mig.htmgood luck and feel better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Wow, that's got to be frightening... glad you're home though. Hope you stay stable.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary from OH Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Persephone and Sally,Currently, neither my neuro nor the neuro from the hosptial are considering hemiplegic migraines. I am familiar with them however. My cousin (by marriage) has them. Usually in hemiplegic migraines the paralysis tends to be ditributed vertically or left side/right side and not horizontally as in top/bottom. As usual, I continue to be a medical enigma. What else is new??!! But, I have to admit, I was a little blown away when the neuro from the hospital told me that if/when it happens next time to just wait until it passes since now we know it isn't coming from anything "serious" (ie they checked my spinal cord and my brain), unless I lose bowel or bladder function. Great plan!! NOT!Do you think that having the paralysis be only from the waist down could still be the hemiplegic migraines? The feelings were EXACTLY like you described them persephone!! You have such a way with words!! I may have to borrow your description for my dr if you don't mind!! At this point, I'm just exhausted and ready for bed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 mary i am sorry that you are going thru/experienceing these paralysis epsiodes..i can relate...(i have been having paralysis fullbody epsiodes all week long.. they think its my pots casuing it.. but arent sure..)I hope that you feel better..Big HUgs to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquie802 Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Mary, I hope you are feeling better by now.....I can't believe how ignorant people can be. It's easy for healthy people to tell you to "wait it out" because they have no idea what it's like...Jacquie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sally Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Hi Mary,check out this link, and see if it better explains what you might be feeling contributed from your migraines. there are several different variations listed.I would imagine, during a migraine wherever the pressure is being applied on the brain area, it could affect anything and could cause bilateral paralysis. For example, during some, my daughter literally halluciated seeing things that were not there and also it would always cause her have the urge to urinate constantly during these migraines even though there was no urine in the bladder as well as not being able to move body parts or hand grasps. it was horrific. It just was that particular signal being sent from the brain area that the migraine was effecting. She also had alot of mris and ct as they would suspect a possible stroke at the time but always came back fine. Also her speech would slur and she had ataxia. I would question your neuro again rather than wait and see as he suggested. Also, with this type of migraine it is suggested that a person never use the imitrex type medications. Good luck and hope you are feeling better soon.http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/37055-3.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Dame Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Mary, That sounds frightening! I'm sorry the hospital wasn't more supportive, but such is the life of a POTSy. I've actually had my old (before I moved) hospital tell me not to come anymore unless I was "injured from a fall" since they said they couldn't do anything else for me. It can be very frustrating. I hope you're feeling a bit better, and hopefully that type of episode won't happen again any time soon Hugs, Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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