Migraines and Brain Damage

[Guest guest]

,

That was interesting news. I am not shocked at all about people with migraines being at a higher risk for strokes. You feel like you could just die anyway.

[Guest guest]

Dear Listmates,

Saw one of my docs in New York City today, and I mentioned what Dr.

Cohen has said about the intimate relationship between migraines and

seizure activity. She agreed totally (she gets these dreadful things

herself), and said that they now treat migraines very aggressively in

children because they cause brain damage...

She said she got " sick headaches " as a child--so did I, and these would

warrant treatment today. Unfortunately, I did not ask her what

treatment.

Maybe many of you parents on the list already know this. I think it's

very important info.

I have also read in the past that people with migraine are more prone to

strokes. Not a surprise to anyone who has experienced migraines, I'm

sure.

Wishing all of you well. There seems to be great suffering among many of

us these days. Sending hugs to the caregivers, and respite from your

burdens.

Very sincerely,

[Guest guest]

,

I guess I must be so fortunate to have basically every type of headache out there known to mankind. NOT!!!!! I could get migraines from fluorescent lighting and tons of other things.

I wonder if they are doing MRI's and EEG's on people over time who have had migraines to document the differences in their brains during certain periods. Ya know what I mean?

I have started having my headaches again. It's interesting. They always develop just in time for my MDA appt. The Lamictal only helps to a certain point now. I am hoping he'll either up my dose or add something to it.

[Guest guest]

,

I have always gotten headaches from things like that....... TV especially commercials, strobe lights. I don't know why but I bought my daughter one of those disco ball strobe light things for Christmas. I had to tell her not to turn it on when I'm around, but she can do it in her room. Last year I took the kids to the state fair and one of the things had me totally disoriented. My family was wondering what the heck was wrong with me.

I was the person who posted about what Dr. Cohen said to me. We discussed my migraines and how I used to have seizures and then they turned into migraines. That was when he told me that my migraines might in fact be seizures, but the type of seizure changed so that it wasn't noticeable the way a tonic clonic would be (used to be called a gran mal). He put me on Periactin to hopefully help with my migraines. I had a problem after I got home from Cleveland and my local Neuro. put me on Lamictal.

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

There have been times when I wouldn't have minded if I did die!

With more women in medicine now, I think we will see better treatment,

and, yes, more compassion, precisely because some of these women are

fellow sufferers.

The majority of those with migraine are female, while most with cluster

headaches are males. I believe that there has always been better

treatment and more compassion for men with cluster headaches. The

literature says they are the most severe headaches, sometimes leading to

suicide. I have wondered f this is because of the traditonal male bias

in medicine.

Take care.

,

That was interesting news. I am not shocked at all about people with migraines being at a higher risk for strokes. You feel like you could just die anyway.

Medical advice, information, opinions, data and statements contained herein are not necessarily those of the list moderators. The author of this e mail is entirely responsible for its content. List members are reminded of their responsibility to evaluate the content of the postings and consult with their physicians regarding changes in their own treatment.

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

When I was in my 20's an EEG indicated that I had a hyper-reactive

occipital lobe, the part of the brain which controls vision.

I get a headache and nausea from flickering florescent lights, from

looking at the bright dayglo orange or green jackets of crossing guards,

from strobe lights, from certain commercials on TV, from the glare of

snow. That doctor said I had epilepsy, and put me on a drug with nasty

side effects. I got a second opinion, and other doctors since then have

told me I do not have epilepsy. I have never had any kind of seizure,

thank God. I've had an EEG a couple of years ago that said nothing about

the occipital lobe.

Probably a mito thing, and certainly seems to echo Dr. Cohen's

connections between migraines and seizures.

,

I guess I must be so fortunate to have basically every type of headache out there known to mankind. NOT!!!!! I could get migraines from fluorescent lighting and tons of other things.

I wonder if they are doing MRI's and EEG's on people over time who have had migraines to document the differences in their brains during certain periods. Ya know what I mean?

I have started having my headaches again. It's interesting. They always develop just in time for my MDA appt. The Lamictal only helps to a certain point now. I am hoping he'll either up my dose or add something to it.

Medical advice, information, opinions, data and statements contained herein are not necessarily those of the list moderators. The author of this e mail is entirely responsible for its content. List members are reminded of their responsibility to evaluate the content of the postings and consult with their physicians regarding changes in their own treatment.

[Guest guest]

I am sorry that your migraines are back. I hope the neuro can come up with a

plan. Kent had to take a combination of 3 meds to control his migraines and

they had to be changed every year or two. I'll be thinking of you.

laurie

> From: Momto4fabkids@...

> Reply-To:

> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 08:50:53 EST

> To:

> Subject: Re: Migraines and Brain Damage

>

> ,

>

> I guess I must be so fortunate to have basically every type of headache out

> there known to mankind. NOT!!!!! I could get migraines from fluorescent

> lighting and tons of other things.

>

> I wonder if they are doing MRI's and EEG's on people over time who have had

> migraines to document the differences in their brains during certain periods.

> Ya know what I mean?

>

> I have started having my headaches again. It's interesting. They always

> develop just in time for my MDA appt. The Lamictal only helps to a certain

> point now. I am hoping he'll either up my dose or add something to it.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Kent's headache specialist says hat migraines and seizures are on a

continuim and can present in either way. That is why they use

anticonvulsants with their migraine patients. Kent did develop nocturnal and

complex partial seizures. His seizures stopped along with the migraines and

he hasn't needed any meds for almost 5 years. The migraines have come back

some recently and he thinks he maybe is having the occasional nocturnal

seizure. He is in await and see mode right now.

laurie

> From: Momto4fabkids@...

> Reply-To:

> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 09:20:10 EST

> To:

> Subject: Re: Migraines and Brain Damage

>

> ,

>

> I have always gotten headaches from things like that....... TV especially

> commercials, strobe lights. I don't know why but I bought my daughter one of

> those disco ball strobe light things for Christmas. I had to tell her not to

> turn it on when I'm around, but she can do it in her room. Last year I took

> the kids to the state fair and one of the things had me totally disoriented.

> My family was wondering what the heck was wrong with me.

>

> I was the person who posted about what Dr. Cohen said to me. We discussed my

> migraines and how I used to have seizures and then they turned into

> migraines. That was when he told me that my migraines might in fact be

> seizures, but the type of seizure changed so that it wasn't noticeable the

> way a tonic clonic would be (used to be called a gran mal). He put me on

> Periactin to hopefully help with my migraines. I had a problem after I got

> home from Cleveland and my local Neuro. put me on Lamictal.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sounds reasonable to me! My mother used to suffer from extremely severe

migraines after I was born, so she went to the doctor and told him. He

listened and gave her some medicine for it. Well, she noticed they didnt

seem to help much, but one day she got one while going into insulin shock,

and took the whole BOTTLE of medicine. My grandfather panicked and ran her

to the ER. (naturally) The doctor told him not to worry about it, that

the pills were just placebos anyway. When my mother came out of it, she

was boiling mad! Naturally. She found out years later that migraines can

be caused by low blood sugar, and since my mother did nothing but go into

insulin shock constantly the year after I was born, it made sense. Anyway,

the doctor just thought that no one could be in that much pain from a little

ole headache <sarcasm intended!>.

> Dear ,

> There have been times when I wouldn't have minded if I did die!

> With more women in medicine now, I think we will see better treatment,

> and, yes, more compassion, precisely because some of these women are

> fellow sufferers.

> The majority of those with migraine are female, while most with cluster

> headaches are males. I believe that there has always been better

> treatment and more compassion for men with cluster headaches. The

> literature says they are the most severe headaches, sometimes leading to

> suicide. I have wondered f this is because of the traditonal male bias

> in medicine.

> Take care.

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

You may want to ask your MDA neuro about Zonegran....it has been most helpful for me in this regard. I take it in conjunction with the Lamictal. And it has very few side effect and once a day dosing...

Kristie

Message: 25 Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 08:50:53 EST From: Momto4fabkids@...Subject: Re: Migraines and Brain Damage,I guess I must be so fortunate to have basically every type of headache out there known to mankind. NOT!!!!! I could get migraines from fluorescent lighting and tons of other things. I wonder if they are doing MRI's and EEG's on people over time who have had migraines to document the differences in their brains during certain periods. Ya know what I mean?I have started having my headaches again. It's interesting. They always develop just in time for my MDA appt. The Lamictal only helps to a certain point now. I am hoping he'll either up my dose or add something to it.

[Guest guest]

Kristie,

Thanks for the info on Zonegran. I will definitely ask about it.