"Just a migraine"

Hi Helen like you i have suffered a number of years with migraines i had a awful awful bad head early hours on a sat morning at work 31st January this year i too like you had really weird vision but like you said nothing like the migraine aura's i would normally get ended up in a and e like you they said its a bad migraine blah blah blah gave me morphine the works nothing would touch the head ache after then seeing about 6 doctors over the course of the next 5 days i finally got a cat scan and i too had suffered a large stroke of my right occipital lobe hense the vision problems i too was sent to have my eyes tested all before scans unreal six months on i am finally back driving but i still do not see like i used too it sucks i am 50 now too it turns your life upside down good luck to you hope you make a full recovery on the plus side if there can be a plus side to having a stroke lol i have not had a migraine since xxxx

How long ago did this happen Helen??? was just wondering as i am six months post stroke and i must admit i still feel weird head wise lol x

Try not to worry (easier said than done i know) did they say what caused your stroke?? i had a blod clot a day after having a tooth removed :-(((( xxxx

I am sorry that you have been treated this way. Something similar happened to me many yeara ago. Twice i was sent to A&E wwith a suspected mini stroke only to be told it was an acute migraine. I had auffered from extreme migraines for years and because if this they were dismissive and said they can be acute causing numb face, slurred apeech etc. i recently ended up by ambulance in A &E and was treated poorly and was sent home with a probable TIA, they are to quick to dismiss and play god with peoples lives. I understand how vulnerable you will be feeling right now and can only suggest you cintact your hospitals PALS team, they will help you if you want to complain and also look into getting answers. The more noise you make the morw likely they will listen. I wish you well and hope it gets sorted soon, remember you know yourself best and take take no for an answer.

Hi Helen,

​Yes I have been treated like that on my second suspected TIA, I have never suffered from migraines or headaches for that matter until I was put onto GTN for Prinzmetal Angina, You get a thumping headache when you have it for the first week or 2 but it passes or with the aid of Panadol. Because it was a suspected TIA by Emergency doctors for the second time a Neurologist came down and saw me, he made the decision that it was just a migraine and sent me on my way even after explaining that I have never suffered from migraines, his responce to that was " you can develop migraines at any age" ....I suppose this could be true... but in my case I don't think it was, I've had 2 more episodes in the last 2 years, I just don't bother going to emergency anymore for suspected TIA's, If I'm drooling or having trouble talking or go funny on the left side I just go and lie down until it passes, usually gone after 15-30 minutes, my very first TIA lasted not quite an hour, close but not quite.

Hi Helen, so sorry to hear of the problems you have had at the same time amazed that both yourself and the poor people who have replied to you have had very similar experiences to me. I have only just been daignosed as having a Lateral Meddular stroke in September 2013. I was sat at my desk, had a burning headache around the left eye, I couldnt swallow, had breathing difficulties, my speech was slightly impaired, my face dropped slightly, my left pupil was fixed small and I lost all balance. I was at A & E within one hour. They discharged me dead on the 4 hour mark on a Friday afternoon with suspected accute Migraine, which I am sure was because my wife told them I was on some medication 6 months previous for a suspected Migraine.

Over the next 48 hours I developed total nerve pain, tingling, numbness on my right side below the chest down to the foot. I complained to GP that i may have had a stroke, he practically laughed my opinion off saying I was too young (45 at the time) and didnt smoke. When I first saw a Neurologist some 3 or 4 months later I had an MRI Scan and he said it was clear and discharged me after also checking my spine. I have had the same symptoms ever since together with slight sppech problems and balance problems. I finally got a second referral to a Neurologist at the same hospital, straight away he thought it was a stroke, used the same MRI scan originally said to be clear and diagnosed the stroke. 18 months of no treatment, now with what appears to be lifetime nerve damage, and medication to prevent another. It had recently been reported that there has been a massive increase in the number of strokes suffered by our age bracket, I think they should report it to their own hospital staff. If there is a possibility of Migraine with a worse case Scenario of stroke, the MRI Scan should be carried out immediately. The very best of look with everything Helen, I know exactly hopw your feel regarding the ticking timb bomb, I have felt that way for 2 years, try not to worry but the best advice I can give you is to perservere with the Docs and dont let them fob you off x

On the Flip side, I was diagnosed with a stroke 3 years ago, at the Southend University Hospital (Essex). They have an Award winning Stroke unit and their Training processes proved  to be superlative.

I displayed signs following a day out, my family noticed my speech was garbled and sought advice. Fortunately my son is a Paramedic and advised my husband to get me top hospital straight away.

Within minutes of arriving at A&E I was seen by a Dr. Another 2 hours with a CT scan I was diagnosed. At this time my Memory had gone and my face dropped. Obviously I don't remember any of this. I spent 3 weeks the Stroke Unit, my treatment was excellent. I'm on warfarin and have blood tests every few weeks. This should be universal, in my opinion. 

3 years on, I have had several TIA's and still have memory issues. 

I still live in dread of having another stroke and suffer with depression. I'm not sure that will ever go. 

I wish you all a speedy resolution to all your issues, but would support your drive to make the hospitals accountable. 

Pauline

 

Hi Helen and All,

I had an SAH/Stroke,  but a few months before this I went to a new Optician who said I had a wonky disc, I never knew what he was on about and gave my letter to the Doc who never knew either !! I often wonder if a good Optician can see things in your eyes.  I wish you all good luck and Stress is bad for us all,  so either sing a happy song or smile xx  asier said than done also but it helps xx