Experience with migraines

[nkjzmom]

I have been having very odd symptoms always followed by exhaustion and headaches.

I start to feel nauseous and slightly dizzy...no obvious triggers that I've noticed. I feel like I'm going to pass out (though I've never passed out so I'm only speculating that's what it feels like). A few hours later, or sometimes the next day even, I have a headache and am really tired.

I have had these "episodes" at church, once while driving, at a high school football game, and even in bed falling asleep. I've seen my primary care physician who suspected vertigo. He sent me to an ENT specialist who thought it might be migraines.

Does anyone with migraines experience symptoms similar to this? It's been going on for a few months and I'm just ready to know WHY!

 

[princess momma]

I have somewhat similar symptoms. In fact, I had a migraine today. I feel much better now, but earlier I had a pounding headache on one side of my head, with dizziness and nausea. I'm completely unsteady when I have a migraine.

I see a neurologist and have tried various medications. Did they refer you to a neurologist?

 

[LMC]

I don't get the dizziness and nausea before a migraine I get them when I am in a full blown migraine. I also am very tired after one and sometimes take a short nap (intentionally or not) after one.

 

[nkjzmom]

That's "next on the list of ideas". He gave me a sample dose of Maxalt to use when I first start experiencing the symptoms. If it takes care of the symptoms AND the headache afterward then he believes that we'll know for sure I'm dealing with migraines and he'll refer me to a neurologist.

What medications have you tried?

 

[chell]

Sometimes mine make me dizzy &/or nauseated. I agree with Princess Momma about the Neurologist. You can have so many different symptoms with migraines.

I would suggest starting a notebook and tracking these with the dates & times and any info you can think of. Write down the foods you have had and anything you experienced. Include as much detail as possible. Something that may not seem important at the time may be important later to help put the pieces together for finding out your triggers.

I have them so often that I now have to take a daily preventative medicine.

 

[nkjzmom]

I've also been feeling cloudy-headed and just "off". It's frustrating!!!

 

[chell]

Migraines will do that too! Ask for a referral to a neurologist. They can at least figure out what is going on and get you started on a treatment, then your family doctor can take over the maintenance.

 

[nkjzmom]

I'll be so thankful just to know what's going on. I'm only 35 and thought that something was seriously wrong. My paternal Grandmother had migraines but the way she described them is different than what I'm experiencing.

With the medications, how are the side-effects?

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have had migraines as far back as I can remember. From what I understand it is extremely unusual for them to start up when someone is in their 30's. Personally, I wouldn't accept migraine as a diagnosis so quickly. Migraine is one of those default diagnosis' where they give you the diagnosis ONLY after they rule out absolutely everything else it could be and it has certain defining features and it doesn't sound like they tried very hard to rule out other brain problems. I know too many people personally who had serious conditions (Stroke & Aneurysm) missed because of the Dr being lazy, or arrogant, or maybe a little of both.

I happen to have very unusual migraines and it really bothers me when some Dr's dismiss everything as migraine without even taking a look. If I were you I would insist on a MRI and neurological testing before I would rest easy over it. It might be nothing, it might not but there is only one way to see into your head.

good luck

 

[nskjerven]

Funny I've heard and experienced the exact opposite. It is VERY common for women to get them at the age of 30 or so. I have quite a few girl friends that had this same experience.

I do agree that the first step is the MRI and neurological testing.

good luck migraines suck

 

[nkjzmom]

Thank you for your input. I felt that way when the Dr. first said vertigo. It just didn't match up.

My PCP took blood and also took an xray of my head. The results should be back this week. I had an MRI done 2 years ago due to another issue (I can hear my pulse in my right ear). The ENT Dr said today that it did not show (at that time) anything out of the ordinary.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Does anyone with migraines experience symptoms similar to this? It's been going on for a few months and I'm just ready to know WHY!

Migraines? Really? Humm interesting to know! I have the same symptoms but on a more regular basis.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Funny I've heard and experienced the exact opposite. It is VERY common for women to get them at the age of 30 or so. I have quite a few girl friends that had this same experience.

I do agree that the first step is the MRI and neurological testing.

good luck migraines suck

Maybe you might want to check this out then. If you take a look under "Different types of headaches" subsection "Migraine" you'll notice the average age for onset is 5-8.
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site986/mainpageS986P0.html

 

[pjlla]

Do you consume much aspartame? If you do, I would DEFINITELY suggest giving it up. It can cause migraine-like headaches (among other big problems). You may not even realize how much you are consuming unless you are reading product labels............P

 

[DisneyWalker44]

When I started getting migraines, they were preceded by a weird sensation that I could never quite describe. I'd something use "dizziness," but it wasn't true dizziness - that's just the closest sensation to what I was feeling. The sensation would be followed by nausea, then the killer headache (light sensitivity, vomiting, the whole nasty migraine experience).

I'm one of the lucky ones who was able to (mostly) get rid of the migraines. Lots of doctors and neurologists visits later, I finally learned to reduce the factors that were kicking them off. But the most important thing I learned was to take 2 ibuprofen the moment I first felt the "dizziness." The key was to get them dissolved into my system before the nausea hit.

Good luck with this.

 

[Goofycampers]

I started having migraines at age 35. Hormones can play a large part and peri-menopause starts in your 30's. Unfortunately they got worse for a while but now I know a lot of my triggers and try to avoid the ones I can. A common one is barometric pressure changes. If you notice a LOT of people will complain of a headache when there is a storm coming.. even people who don't necessarily have migraines. Migraines are the pits.

 

[nskjerven]

Maybe you might want to check this out then. If you take a look under "Different types of headaches" subsection "Migraine" you'll notice the average age for onset is 5-8.
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site986/mainpageS986P0.html

no need to look at your link, mine started at 30, I'm now 45 and have been treated for them for 15 years, so I know of what I speak. And so do the experiences of my sister-in-law and my best friend.

I'm happy you have a source that makes you feel content in your post. I have real life data that tells me of what I'm talking about, so I'll be happy to leave it at that.

This isn't a contest this in my mind was a person looking for support and advice.

 

[LMC]

I take topamax and amitriptyline daily as preventatives. When I do get a migrane that sends me over the edge (dizziness, nausea etc) I resort to Maxalt and it takes about 30 minutes to kick in. Imitrex did not work for me but I love the Maxalt. I also find a correlation of my migraines and my cycles each month. I get a migraine 24-48 hours before I start and most of the time 2 days after I start and usually at ovulation. The GYN put me on the 3 mo' birth control pills last year to cut that down to 4 times per year to see if it would give me more relief but it caused other problems so I'm on just a monthly pill now and we will try to move into taking "regular" bc pills back to back for three months then off a week, etc. to see if that works for me.

That's "next on the list of ideas". He gave me a sample dose of Maxalt to use when I first start experiencing the symptoms. If it takes care of the symptoms AND the headache afterward then he believes that we'll know for sure I'm dealing with migraines and he'll refer me to a neurologist.

What medications have you tried?

 

[nkjzmom]

Well, today was day 10 and I hadn't heard from my doctor so I called. They had all of my results back and all blood tests came back normal but the head xray shows sinusitis. Of course the Dr. is not in on Fridays so I could only talk to his nurse. (I'm frustrated that they had my results but hadn't called so when I call I can't even speak to the Dr.)

I've researched sinusitis the last few minutes....not sure if it explains what I've been experiencing. I don't have any congestion issues...just the "dizzy spells" followed by the headaches.

I was really hoping for some concrete answers and I don't think this is it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Anything that causes your Eustachian tubes to swell could cause a backup of fluid in your ears and that can mess with your sense of balance. So whatever is giving you sinusitis, like allergies or a cold, could be swelling your tubes along with your sinuses. Did you try Benedryl and the old school Sudafed behind the Pharmacy counter? My ENT makes me takes these along with Afrin to prevent tube swelling every time I get on an airplane because I get weird dizzy spells every time I fly and the dizzy spells can last months after I am done with the trip. The only way I can describe them is to say I feel like someone just spun me around in a spin chair. Sinus infection in the sinuses in your forehead can cause wicked headaches.

I hope you feel better soon