ME and changes in migraines

[Zebra68]

Hi, I've had ME for over 10 years now. Before that, I was an occasional migraine sufferer, with attacks every few years, nothing much, usually triggered by stress, illness or fatigue.

Like many with this crappy disease, the instances of headaches increased dramatically, as did the number of migraines. Recently, I've started to think that I began getting silent migraines with aura which have had a devastating affect on my ME, putting me in bed for months at a time and leaving me with weakness down my right side. I used to call them brain crashes and put them down to the ME, but now im not so sure. About 18 months ago, it happened again.....i lost my speech completely, my face went numb, but this time my right arm and leg stopped working for about 20 minutes. Then a month later, it happened again, but much more prononounced, a droopy face, confusion and I lost my speech. I was rushed into hospital with a suspected stroke. But after CT and MRI scans heart traces, ultra sounds and 6 days of no sleep and extreme frustration, they came back with silent migraine with aura.

Over the following year I had another 5 episodes, no headaches each time. A few times I got checked out by the GP, but I was so traumatised by my hospital stay, when I had a severe attack in November, I couldn't face hospital. Then, at the beginning of March, it all kicked off. Another really severe attack. Another emergency hospital admission. They were all convinced it was a stroke. But no, all clear!

So, now, 6 weeks, 3 hospital admissions, 6 attacks and 2 attempts at preventative meds later, I've been diagnosed with hemiplegic migraine. A disease which is very rare to start off with, usually starts in your 20s and usually genetic, although, it can be sporadic. But I'm 50 with no family history!

Has anyone else experienced any dramatic changes in migraines, especially in auras?

As far as I know, I never had migraines with auras until I had ME. I am a little concerned.

[Patdoyle]

I suffered the occasional optical migraine for years but since the M.E kicked in 10 years ago I was diagnosed with silent migraines after seeing an ENT consultant for balance problems. As I don’t get the really bad headaches I found this hard to believe. I get tingling in my face and head and even my tongue. I can also lose part of my vision for a few hours. I find it so scary but MRI didn’t show anything nasty. I’ve seen the neurologist because I thought it might be MS but he said not.

[asni02]

I feel dizzy in the morning and getting up from the bed is a task too. With the change of weather, it is a bit better but by no means resolved. I have started chewing one tsp of nigella seeds in the morning and I feel better. Though dizziness came back after 2 to 3 hrs. I also take ginger, turmeric n a bit of olive oil hit drink in the evening and it gives me 1 and a half an hour of energy to move about. Of course, I crash again. There has been an overall decrease in the intensity of body pain but pain is still there. It has been few weeks only but I have stopped eating processed food, have almost stop using white sugar and white flour. I am eating more vegetables.

I want to ask if you quitted red and white meats as well? Does quitting meat helps?

[asni02]

I am always fatigued after an exertion and need to rest to restart again. I have a number of issues such as difficulty finding words when tired, have a generalized feeling of tiredness, tingling in the ears and pain. I also take costus root capsules. It has been only few weeks.

I mean to ask you how pain is different?

Also, how did you heal yourself from ME?