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Hemiplegic Migraine, Facial Drooping

Posted , 6 users are following.

RubyRed21
RubyRed21

I've suffered with migraine for a couple of years now and was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraine last year by the consultant on the stroke ward at my local hospital. I get the migraine on my right side and weakness and heaviness on the left side of my body. An episode with me typically starts with the aura, so I first get vision problems and then speech, stuttering, slurring difficulties with memory/communicating problems, feeling disorientated, heaviness in the arms and weakness down my left side which causes balance problems. I don't always have the actual migraine but when it does come I get it after the aura, and that's the pattern it's followed. The thing is an episode came like 'normal' but about 2 hours after it started I felt this crawling sensation across the left side of my face, it went numb and then drooped and stayed like it until the evening, I've not had this happen before, so it is a new symptom for me. My husband is concerned it was a TIA/stroke, but I thought a stroke happens very quickly and this was over a period of couple of hours or so and the drooping went in the evening. Is this common with HM.

Thanks, Ruby 

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • StevenRose
    StevenRose RubyRed21

    Posted

    Hi Ruby,

    From one HM sufferer to another, I too get very similar symptoms as you.  Each time I am admitted because they think I am having a stroke. I thought the two conditions were completely seperate, but was told last time by my Neuro consultant that it does make you more suseptable to having a stroke/TIA!

    I dont know if what you had was either of these but the symptoms are similar to what I get, even though mine is never a stroke-yet, but as I said, they told me I at at a higher risk of getting a stroke.

    Hope this helps and good luck with treatment.

    incidently I have been having Botox and this has reduced the frequency a lot, along with destressing my life.

    Take care

    • RubyRed21
      RubyRed21 StevenRose

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply personal20, 

      Great to hear the Botox is working and helpful!! My neuro says that the frequency of the HM's doesn't fit the criteria, making the consultants diagnosis of HM questionable at the moment. My daughter suffers with them too (diagnosed) and I believe they're actually Familial Hemiplegic Migraine.

      I've only been in hospital the once with it, had CT Scan - normal. However, I suffer with them frequently and almost constantly have some form of the aura, particularly speech, and vision problems. I am seeing my GP in the morning, I was put on Pregabalin (Lyrica) and Naproxen previously but the side effects were dreadful (stopped taking it).

      The consultant I saw on the ward mentioned a higher risk of TIA/stroke with HM, however the neurologist didn't believe the risk was any greater, so his view was the complete opposite to the consultant!!

      All the best, Ruby

    • teri39607
      teri39607 StevenRose

      Posted

      I will be starting Botox next month. Just wondering how successful it has been and if there were side affects?
    • StevenRose
      StevenRose teri39607

      Posted

      Hi Teri,

      For me Botox has been a revelation and really has been a very good preventaive for my HM, I have made other changes also, to de stress my life, as this is a contributor to HM also.  I have never had any side effects other than less wrinkles on the forehead, there for making me look younger lol!  So yes, for me Botox has been a good thing and if you have ever had multi cranial nerve block injections, Botox is so much easier and less painful to deal with.

      Good luck Teri and let us know how you get on.

      Take care

    • teri39607
      teri39607 StevenRose

      Posted

      Awesome to hear that Botox has been a good thing. I'm excited to get started. I'll have my first treatment June 23.. You should be on the migraine group.  Do you get the 31 injections every 90 days? 

      LOL.. I asked the Dr. "will it help my wrinkles" she chuckled and said no, that I will maybe have a drroping eye or feel a fluid build in forehead til the medication gets to where it has to go. Would be so nice if I could take off a few yrs. But age is a starnge thing.. having to look for your rear end only to find it's no longer rear end but has become a new knee cap on the back of the original...LOL 

      Thanks for the good news.. I'm hopeful for this treatment lol

    • StevenRose
      StevenRose teri39607

      Posted

      Well I didnt get a drooping or feel liqiuid in my head, but it did take the wrinkles out, so its a bonus as far as I am concerned.

      yes every 3 months I go for another session of Botox, my next is July.

      Good luck with your treatment, hope it works for you

      Best wishes

    • teri39607
      teri39607 StevenRose

      Posted

      works for me -- I have stress wrinkles in forehead from pain smile 

      How long have you been on botox? and when did you find it started helping?

      Thanks again smile

    • StevenRose
      StevenRose teri39607

      Posted

      I started Botox last year and it started working staright away. Its been great for me
  • aprilg
    aprilg RubyRed21

    Posted

    Apparently from what my Neuro explained to me, three things could cause this. 1. I'm 2. A stroke or Tia or 3. Seizures
    • aprilg
      aprilg

      Posted

      Sorry that I'm was supposed to be hm. My phone auto-corrected.
    • RubyRed21
      RubyRed21 aprilg

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply aprilg,

      Interesting re the seizures, never been mentioned to me as a possible cause. I saw my GP regarding the facial drooping and she wasn't interested/bothered in the slightest, I've had 2 more episodes of it since I posted on here. I did a little bit of gardening yesterday (mowing the lawn) and my sight started going again......nightmare it is.

      Regards, Ruby. 

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