Reporter had migraine not stroke.

[BabyMine]

I am so glad this happened on air and she was diagnosed as having a migraine. I had this happen to me twice in the past ( once while pregnant) and my left side went numb. I was told by my neurologist it was a migraine each time but I had never heard of a migraine causing those mental disturbances only strokes. Migraines have also caused many seizures and years ago I lost sight for an hour.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/serene-branson-speaks-abo_n_824939.html

[JBaxter]

My brother has had this happen to him. He's an ER nurse and was working at the time. VERY SCARY

[Melaine]

Interesting. It crossed my mind because my mom sometimes has trouble thinking of words in the middle of a migraine (nothing like this though). It does seem odd that the reported didn't realize it herself. I'm glad for her sake that it wasn't a stroke, but I wonder if this might jeopardize her career, particularly since there were no apparent signs before the incident.

[JBaxter]

Interesting. It crossed my mind because my mom sometimes has trouble thinking of words in the middle of a migraine (nothing like this though). It does seem odd that the reported didn't realize it herself. I'm glad for her sake that it wasn't a stroke, but I wonder if this might jeopardize her career, particularly since there were no apparent signs before the incident.

My brother didn't he was trying to talk on the phone and realized his words weren't coming out clearly. He thought it was because of the gum he was chewing. When he reached up to take it out he realized his hand was numb. He really thought he was having a stroke ( at 33)

[kbud]

I've had this type of migraine my whole life. In fact when I read the headlines I thought, she had a migraine.

Half of my face and the arm on that side go numb, my vision is tunneled and I see black spots every where, and I can't talk well. For me the speech problem is not due to the numbness thought. I just cant remember words for things. I could look at something and not know what the word for it it. Other words will begin to come out. I could relate to her saying she couldn't remember the word Grammy.

This part of my migraine can last from an hour to about 5 hours long. It really sucks and comes on so quickly I've found myself just sitting in parking lots waiting for it to pass because I cannot drive. It really is horrible. I remember the first one I had in JR. High. I thought for sure I was having a stroke but I couldn't even tell anyone because I couldn't talk so I just sat there in class. I'm so used to it now. Dr. have told me this type of aura is really rare and there is nothing to do for it. People with this type of migraine are more at risk for strokes though. I've learned how to cope now and recognize what it is. I so, so hate that part even more than the headache part.

[shawnandangel]

Although sometimes the symptoms of a stroke and migraine mimic each other, if you have these symptoms and have never had them before, even if you are 20 years old, you need to seek medical help immediately. There is a very short window before irreversible damage is done in a stroke. Please do not assume you are having a migraine because of this news story.

[Indianamom2]

Although sometimes the symptoms of a stroke and migraine mimic each other, if you have these symptoms and have never had them before, even if you are 20 years old, you need to seek medical help immediately. There is a very short window before irreversible damage is done in a stroke. Please do not assume you are having a migraine because of this news story.

This was my first thought....not that I'm not incredibly glad this woman didn't have a stroke, but that there are plenty of people who will read this story and assume that they are *just* having a migraine and will not get checked out. It's almost an irresponsible story, although I understand why they released it.

[ohsara430]

Although sometimes the symptoms of a stroke and migraine mimic each other, if you have these symptoms and have never had them before, even if you are 20 years old, you need to seek medical help immediately. There is a very short window before irreversible damage is done in a stroke. Please do not assume you are having a migraine because of this news story.

:yeahthat: x100 I have had this happen to me once several years ago. It was terrifying, my (now) DH took me to the ER where the triage nurse insisted I had taken some sort of illegal drug. I was sobbing because I knew something was really wrong with me and they just left me there waiting. I had terribly slurred speech, numbness, terrible headache, blurred vision, couldn't walk, or even write to sign the admission paper. They left me waiting in the ER for hours before a doctor saw me. Finally DH threw enough of a stink that one of the nurses realized something was obviously wrong. By this point I had long since blacked out. When the doctor finally saw me DH said he was visible upset that I had been left waiting for fear I was having a stroke or was infected with meningitis. They performed a spinal tap, CT scan, EKG, etc. I was eventually admitted and taken to ICU. I was hospitalized for 3 days. In the end they told me it was a migraine but that if it happens again to be sure to go back to the hospital because they need to make sure it's not a stroke.

If this happens to you or you see it happening to someone else please get medical attention immediately. If a stroke is caught within the first hour it can make a world of difference.

[daisymommy]

As someone who suffered for many years with debilitating migraines, and was called a baby, a wuss, by others and looked down upon by my employers (even with a doctor's letter)--maybe now people will get a clue that yes, migraines really can be that bad!

[HIU8]

I had a migraine once where I lost vision. It was at night and the migraine woke me up. I opened my eyes and things were blurry. Then I could not see. Honestly, I just went back to bed. Which in hindsight was ok. My opthamologist had told me that temporary loss of vision could happen due to migraines. He always told me to call the next morning if it happened at night and I woke up with vision problems. I woke up and was ok.

It is not unusual for me to have a migraine and have my vision go blurry for awhile though (I only lost sight the one time).

I never put two and two together. I honestly also believed the reporter had a stroke.

[AnnieW625]

My mom started getting migranes about 8 or 9 yrs. ago but they usually just went away, but three years ago after a bad cold they just progressively worse. She had an MRI of her head and it turned out she had an AVM (http://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-lesions-causes-symptoms-treatments), which she was born with and had no idea she had it. She ended up having brain surgery to have it removed and is very thankful that she had it done because AVMs can burst and can cause similar symptoms to a stroke so it's good to know that the drs. checked that. I also have a friend who is in a medically induced coma from a brain anuerysm (she had just been complaining of headaches and collapsed) so now I am a little paraniod about prolonged headaches and think that early detection is definitely the key.

[oneplustwo]

Although sometimes the symptoms of a stroke and migraine mimic each other, if you have these symptoms and have never had them before, even if you are 20 years old, you need to seek medical help immediately. There is a very short window before irreversible damage is done in a stroke. Please do not assume you are having a migraine because of this news story.

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat: :yeahthat:

I cannot emphasize the above enough. DH had a stroke at the age of 15. It was not related to any drugs. It can just happen. If you have any of those symptoms, get checked out immediately. Don't take a chance.

[BabyMine]

For the people that have had the speech and numbness did you have any migraine pain. The couple of times this has happened I never had the typical migraine pain just the symptoms. The neurologist told me you don't always have to have the pain to be having a migraine.

I am glad that the seizures that were caused by migraines stopped when I reach 18. Even though I had migraines I never realized that they aren't as simple as agonizing pain.

[kbud]

For the people that have had the speech and numbness did you have any migraine pain. The couple of times this has happened I never had the typical migraine pain just the symptoms. The neurologist told me you don't always have to have the pain to be having a migraine.

I am glad that the seizures that were caused by migraines stopped when I reach 18. Even though I had migraines I never realized that they aren't as simple as agonizing pain.

I used to always have the aura w/the speech/numbness,etc. It used to always follow w/a horrible more typical migraine headache. Really the worse headache ever. I just needed to be in a very dark quiet room. Now though (knock on wood) I only get a couple a year and sometimes I have a headache more on the lines of a bad headache but not needing to be in a dark, quiet room and other times I've only had the auro w/out a major headache.

[ohsara430]

For the people that have had the speech and numbness did you have any migraine pain. The couple of times this has happened I never had the typical migraine pain just the symptoms. The neurologist told me you don't always have to have the pain to be having a migraine.

I am glad that the seizures that were caused by migraines stopped when I reach 18. Even though I had migraines I never realized that they aren't as simple as agonizing pain.

Yes, the few times it has gotten this bad I did have the "worst headache ever" kind of pain first.

[amldaley]

I haven't read all the other posts so pls forgive if this has been addressed.

I am so grateful this happened on air and has received the attention it has.

So many people think migraine = headache. The headache is only a symptom of a disorder. You can have an episode like this WITH NO HEADACHE AT ALL. (I call it the floaty head feeling....aura with no headache).

It has been so difficult to explain to people when this has happend to me. So many people look at you like you are making it up or just plain crazy. You go through upmteen tests that never show anything b/c they can't see this on an EEG or MRI unless it happens when the test is running.

I actually wept when I saw it and DH immediately said, "she has migraine, right?"

So, while I feel for this reporter, I think this serves, ultimately, as a PSA.

[amldaley]

My mom started getting migranes about 8 or 9 yrs. ago but they usually just went away, but three years ago after a bad cold they just progressively worse. She had an MRI of her head and it turned out she had an AVM (http://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-lesions-causes-symptoms-treatments), which she was born with and had no idea she had it. She ended up having brain surgery to have it removed and is very thankful that she had it done because AVMs can burst and can cause similar symptoms to a stroke so it's good to know that the drs. checked that. I also have a friend who is in a medically induced coma from a brain anuerysm (she had just been complaining of headaches and collapsed) so now I am a little paraniod about prolonged headaches and think that early detection is definitely the key.

This is why doctors will almost always have a patient complaining of any severe headache have an EEG at least and possible and MRI. While most show nothing (you can't see migraine or seizures or other disorders unless it happens while the test is running), they can't ever assume it is going to show nothing.

So glad for your mom that hers was detected and resolved.

[Nooknookmom]

Although I have never (thank goodness) had the numbness, etc. I do get the inability to think, or speak, quite literally, before an attack. I can always tell when one is coming on because someone will ask me question, one that I should know the answer to like "did you call so & so today" and I cannot even tell you who that is. I forget the date, time, my name, etc.

Then boom cluster-migrane, right behind my left eye, like an ice-pick shooting through to the base of my neck.

It goes on for 2-3 days and is truely debilitating. Not one person I know IRL understands the pain. My old boss thought I was making it up and would let me go home and made me transfer the office phones to my house. That was helpful.

Thanks for the PSA.

[kbud]

Although I never wish a migraine, w/or w/out aura on anyone it's always comforting when someone else "gets" it. I used to get annoyed when people would say "I have a migraine" when they really didn't.

My first one was in Jr. high. My mom tried hard but really didn't get it. She's get frustrated and not understand how one minute I was fine and literally the next I was stuck w/a migraine. One of my worse migraine memories was in HS during the summer. We were having our kitchen remodeled. My room was just below the kitchen. Ohhhh, the pounding and banging of the construction crew nearly killed me. When I was an adult my mom had her first migraine w/the aura that I get. They evaluated her for a stroke and then determined it was a migraine. She immediately called me an apologized for all the times she didn't understand. She now understood and felt terrible she didn't earlier.

My mom though cant get any long term care insurance now though because her records said possible stroke even though they did end up ruling out stroke. That's not good.

I must say I've never had an mri or cat scan. Looking back I'm surprised but it was never suggested until I was in my late 20s. By that time I'd been having them half my life so they didn't feel it was necessary.