Most expensive headache ever

[bunch]

Blah. I Posted Sunday about having a migraine. Well, yesterday I had another one. I called H as soon as my vision starting going and told him to come home. I stuck dd in her crib with a bunch of toys, took excedrin and tried to rest with an ice pack. By the time h got home 45 mins later, my right hand, foot and side of my tongue we numb and tingling. I tried to tell H to clean up dd's toys bc we had to leave soon for a house showing, but I couldn't get it out. I apparently kept switching words around and I tried with all I could to think of the word "numb" but it wouldn't come to me. Well, h totally freaked out and called his PA aunt who told him to take me to the er in case it was stroke. Nope, three hours in the er and a ct scan later and it was just a migraine. At least when you say your entire right side is numb, you don't have to wait as long? So yay for it being nothing but boo for our high deductible insurance. And now I have a neurologist appt...

Side note: I am very thankful for having never visited the er before. I ended up on a cot in the hall and watched one guy die, another one stitched up (on his head in the hallway!), saw several accident victims and one guy who dropped a tree branch on his head and listened to about 15 people vomiting simultaneously ...

[rubytue]

Oh wow. You poor thing! I guess it's good it was just a migraine. But that sound horrible! Take care

[LoveTrains]

It is good you went to the ER, because there was definitely the possibility that you were having a stroke. I am glad it wasn't a stroke, but boo that you have to deal with all of this.

[aspentosh]

OMG how scary. Glad it wasn't a stroke, but man those are some crazy headaches

[Deleted]

I am glad that you are ok but that whole experinced sounded really scary.

[womet]

How scary, bncha. When DH started having migraines a few years ago, his presented like he was having a stroke too. When I took him to the ED, I think the doctor thought he was on drugs. Turns out, he's got complex migraines. With meds, his migraines don't present that severely anymore but he still gets them. I hope you're able to find a medication that will help you prevent them in the future.

[kate1482]

Oh man I'm so sorry. I normally get the one sided numbness but one time I really scared my dh when I couldn't get the right words out! I'm really glad you have a appointment with a neuro. Hopefully she can get you on the right combo of preventive meds and vitamins/help you figure out your triggers! (I have to take magnesium, b2, and verapamil daily and it has made a huge difference!)

[ermahgerd]

I get the same thing. They're a special type of migraine called Hemiplegic Migraines. They have all of the symptoms of a stroke without the brain damage part. The first sign that I'm getting one is blurry vision. When that happens, I pop an aspirin and it stops all of the other symptoms. You may want to keep aspirin on you at all times!

[Willis Jackson]

Holy shit! I'm glad you're (sort of) okay.

[Deleted]

That sounds scary. Glad you are alright!

[ssmjlm]

Whoah I would have freaked and thought stroke too.

I hope you can get some relief at the neuro appt.

[Noralie]

Wow, I didn't realize this was so common. It had happened to me too, but mine does not present with a headache - just stroke symptoms. It's a terrifying experience. I'm glad that you are ok and it was not actually a stroke.

[iamali]

These sound like the type of migrianes my H gets. He had to go to the ER the first time it happened a few years ago, they thought he was having a stroke.

GL, I hope this is something you're able to manage with meds.

[bubbles]

Almost the exact same thing happened to me last year, except only my hands were tingling, I didn't go numb. It's a very scary experience. Glad you're OK!

[Deleted]

How terrifying. I hope they can help reduce your symptoms.

[bunnysmom]

That sounds scary! how worried your H must have been, I can't even imagine..
The medical bills part sucks but it's really good that you could get checked and that you can be sure that it wasn't a stroke.
I hope you're better now!

[CloudBee]

I'm sorry about the migraine. When you talk to the neuro, it may be worth asking him about the correlation between heart problems and headaches that cause aura/vision issues/and numb tingly feelings. Just to see if he has insight...

My cardiologist has done numerous studies and small holes in the heart often lead to debilitating migraines with the symptoms listed above. (The same hole that a baby has in their heart that closes when they are born - though it doesn't always close up.) In your case it sounds like a CT was absolutely the right route to go, but a simple echocardiogram can give insight on the chance of a small heart defect, and costs way less than a CT.

Just food for thought in the event that it comes up, or you think to mention it to the neurologist.

Since having my heart fixed I rarely get migraines. Typically it's just a bad headache these days.

Sorry you had to go through all of that! And sorry you had to pay a lot out of pocket. You made a smart move by calling your husband and having him come home.

[satama]

Oh my! Glad you are ok, good call going to the ER.

[Deleted]

Oh wow, how scary! That sounds like the worst ER ever. I've spent a lot of time in the ER ,and I've never encountered one that bad. As if your evening wasn't bad enough.

[countthestars]

I'm glad you are ok Buncha!

[agnes]

Scarey! Glad it was not a stroke, buncha.

[steph96]

I used to get these all the time. I guess I just had a crappy neurologist because he said they were stress and anxiety induced. Once I got out of the crappy situation I was in, I have only had one minor occurrence in 6 years.

I hope you get this figured out! It can be really scary even if you get used to them.