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Migraines with seizures, loss of sight and speech impediment for 2.5 months now

Sun, 10/23/2016 - 07:28
I recently have started experiencing very bad migraines that are unbearable and have had the same migraine (some days not so bad, some days I can't pick my head up) for 2.5 months now. I've been diagnosed with migraines since I was 15 and am now 36. I saw a neurologist for years and still see one. I just did the 1 hr EEG and then the 72 hr EEG at home last week. I have been having odd episodes where I seem to space out but can hear what's going on around me for almost 1.5 months now. When I don't have those, I have had what my family describes as seizures where I don't remember anything at all but "wake up" panicked and crying (I have anxiety as well). I am apparently shaking and twitching during these episodes with my eyes rolled back or staring off. They say my fingers start moving and I make an odd noise at onset and then I don't respond to them at all until it's over for awhile. I do get a weird feeling before this happens and try to tell someone I don't feel well if they're in the room with me. When it's over I'm crying silently at first and then panic and cry like a child when they're scared. I'm also experiencing a speech impediment at times, similar to that of a stroke patient. It's not everyday but it's most days now and it really hinders my life and ways to communicate. The Dr thinks this could be stress related? I'm on meds for seizures now and did a round of steroids as well to try to reduce inflammation of the blood vessels in my head. MRI results and CT scans have been normal except for swollen or smaller blood vessels. I lose my eyesight in both eyes at times but haven't had sight in my right eye (normal for my right eye for about 4 yrs now to do this when i have a migraine) since this migraine started. Nothing makes it go away, not migraine meds (I have 4 types), been to ER twice and given meds (3 different kinds) that still didn't help. I can't stand the sunlight or any light coming in to the side of my eyes but that is normal for me for many years now. My eyes are so sensitive to any type of light and have been for as long as I can remember. Now they feel as if they're on fire all of the time and I often lay an ice pack across them to try to help. I was sent to an Opthalmology specialist where they did an eye exam and series of tests including taking pics behind my eyes to check for optic nerve swelling. She is sending me to a Neuro Ophthalmologic specialist this coming week because she couldn't find out what the problem is. I am seeking advice or anyone who has been through this before. We have a history of pseudotumor cerebri in our family but my niece has it and we've never found anyone other than her with it in our family. I was given a pre-diagnosis of that at my hospital visits because it's hereditary and they believe she may have gotten it from me. My migraines have never really been "treatable" as in most people can go get a shot from their Dr and be rid of it and I have done it for years now, sometimes they help some but most times they just ease it up enough for me to sleep for 12+ hrs.

Comments

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Submitted by just_joe on Mon, 2016-10-24 - 18:27
By Mayo Clinic Staff Pseudotumor cerebri (SOO-doe-too-mur SER-uh-bry) occurs when the pressure inside your skull (intracranial pressure) increases for no obvious reason.Symptoms mimic those of a brain tumor, but no tumor is present. Pseudotumor cerebri can occur in children and adults, but it's most common in women of childbearing age who are obese.When no underlying cause for the increased intracranial pressure can be discovered, pseudotumor cerebri may also be called idiopathic intracranial hypertension.The increased intracranial pressure associated with pseudotumor cerebri can cause swelling of the optic nerve and result in vision loss. Medications often can reduce this pressure, but in some cases, surgery is necessary.pressure inside your skull can cause head aches

The migranes, speech

Submitted by ffetherbay3345 on Tue, 2016-11-08 - 10:01
The migranes, speech impairment, visual impairment, feeling of impending doom or "aura" as they call it, are all symptoms of petite mal seizures. Whether it's a seizure disorder, actual epilepsy or something else, I cannot say. However, everything you are experiencing are symptoms of petite mal seizures. An eeg and balance test are best to determine if there is abnormal electrical activity of the brain or if there is another reason for these symptoms. 

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