Migraine

Oh boy. It was a little too eventful tonight, but I did come out okay, thank goodness.

DBF and I were curled up on the couch after dinner, and I had this weird wave of dizziness pass over me, followed by all over tingling and a sort of hot flash. Then just tingling on the left side of my body, that wouldn't go away. After a few minutes I started getting really freaked out so I told DBF what was going on, since, like any well-educated migraineur I know the signs of a stroke. And, since this migraine has been going on since November it's not too far of a jump. So DBF called 911 for me.

The paramedics came. It took them a while to get here because our apartment is limited-access, and apparently when we had construction here a few months ago they moved our knox box without letting the fire department know. (The knox box is what allows emergency personnel to get into buildings without having keys to them.) They do have a way to get in anyway, but called DBF and had him come let them in rather than break down the door. (As a side note, DBF will be complaining to our leasing office on Monday about this, and they did tell us when they came up that they would have just broken down the door if it was a higher priority call.)

Anyway, they came up and checked me out, checked my vitals and all, asked some questions about my symptoms and about how long my migraine had been going on. They left it up to me whether they would bring me in to the hospital, said that they hadn't seen anything that would worry them but told me what to watch for and not hesitate to call again if my symptoms got worse. (They did say they weren't doctors, just firemen, so they only have so much medical knowledge.)

So I decided not to go with them, and called the on-call doc at my fired specialist's office to see if I needed to go to the hospital. He asked me a whole long list of questions, and at the end of it said it may be "complicated migraine" (ugh). I think I actually rolled my eyes when he said that - and explained to DBF that complicated migraine isn't a standard diagnosis. The doc also said that unless my symptoms progress beyond just tingling and numbness (and told me exactly what to watch for), then I can just check in with my doc on Monday. He thinks it's likely another manifestation of this migraine.

I will be calling in on Monday, and DBF knows what to watch me for. Part of me felt a little bit like maybe I was overreacting, but DBF reassured me that I was not, and when we're dealing with brain issues, better to be safe and just have me checked out.

I am feeling a lot less tingly now, but not at all pleased that the beastie has decided to throw a new curveball at me.

Good for you for calling 911 when you needed to. No, you weren't over-reacting. It IS better to be safe than sorry.

"Complicated migraines," huh? I think I would have rolled my eyes too.

Oh MJ, I'm am glad you are ok, Well at least he didn't call it a complicated HA . I know that's not much. Maybe calling the new specialist with this info on Monday might get you in sooner. We can only hope.

Take care today.

Cindy

MJ

You did exactly the right thing in calling 911. A weird headache needs to be assumed to be something worse than migraine until proved otherwise. The possible longterm effects from something like a stroke are just too debilitating (or fatal) to be taken lightly.

I'm so sorry that the beastie is back at you. Know you're on our prayer list.

Tracie

Sounds scary! I'm glad you called 911, and you're okay !

Valerie

I'm glad you're ok, too. I'll roll my eyes with you over the complicated migraine.

Oh MJ so sorry to hear about your scary night! I'm glad you and DBF have your wits about you and don't hesitate to get emergency help. Thank goodness it wasn't worse. hate this sneaky disease that keeps comingup with new stuff!

- Megs

Thanks, ladies. Obviously I was (and am still) a bit freaked out. Still some tingling too. I will be calling both my fired doc and my new doc first thing Monday morning. I haven't had any new symptoms since then, so that part is good. And the on-call doc did ask me enough questions that I felt confident in his assessment (other than his use of the term "complicated migraine").

I will be taking it easy today. I'm really very thankful to have a DBF who takes me seriously. After I got off the phone with the on-call doc and we talked about it some and decided I was probably ok not to go to the hospital, I started crying a bit and he gave me a big hug and said I had done all the right things, and I hadn't over (or under) reacted at all, and given the same situation we would do the same thing again. I'm very, very glad to have him. And very glad to have all the information here, because without that I wouldn't have known to take these new symptoms seriously!

Thanks for your reassurances that I'm not overreacting. I know I'm not, and I know not to ignore my instincts, and my instincts were telling me something was not right.

I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear more from one of my docs - hopefully sooner rather than later. Wish my head didn't keep coming up with new ways to torture me.

I'm glad you are ok!!!!

I can just see you now! If you were not so freaked by what had just happend, when the doctor said complicated migraine, you would have beel like "ya know, complicated migraine isn't an actual migraine diagnosis..."

LOL I'm cracking up just thinking of you schooling this "dr".

Hope you are taking it easy and feeling better!!!

MJ- Just a thought- but since this episode happened soon after your IV treatment- you don't think it was a reaction to anything they gave you at the doctor's office do you?

Valerie

Valerie, the on-call doc thought it was unlikely to be anything from the IV treatment since it was over 24 hours after the IV (29 hours, to be exact) and I didn't have anything like this the first time. That did occur to me, though, so I did mention it to both him and the paramedics. Thanks for checking! I'll mention it again to both my docs when I call tomorrow to get their opinions as well. I've had weird med reactions before so it's not impossible.

Eileen, LOL, you're right, if I hadn't been so freaked out I definitely would have been educating this doc and pushing him for a better answer! Of course, it was over the phone, and he didn't have my chart or anything so I did cut him some slack for that. And it sounded like I woke him up, but I didn't feel bad since it's part of his job to be paged in case of medical problems.

Of course you didn't overreact! You did just what you were supposed to do. You made sure to seek help quickly and get yourself checked out. You also got a better idea of what to watch for, and what they'd like to to head directly to the ER for. I'm very proud of you, and for DBF for helping to take such good care of you. In fact, as a special treat, I'm going to bestow upon you one o' my genuine, real and for troo, patent-pending seven smiley salutes...

Oh, MJ-

What a scary night! I sure am glad you called for help...it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Thinking of you today...


jenny

MJ,

I am so glad you are alright You so did everything right!! I had almost the same type of thing happen to me and Bill was the one who told me to call 911. What a super scary night....Give your sweet DBF a great big hug from me. What a great guy to take such great care of you!!


And as for you doc and complicated migraines Just look at this way, another sign you made the right choice in finding a new doctor There's always a positive LOL

Hang in there...We love ya girl

Dar

P.S. I laughed so hard when I read this, this is exactly what Bill says ALL the time LOL

quote:

They did say they weren't doctors, just firemen, so they only have so much medical knowledge.)

MJ,

I'm so glad you called 911, I would've done the same exact thing! Any word from the doctors yet?



Take care you!