OCTOBER MIGRAINE HEADACHE BLOG CARNIVAL

Your Scariest Migraine Experiences

I chose this theme because migraines are, well, just plain scary at times. Migraines have the power to make us scream in pain, strand us in a dark room, rob us of language, make us see scary lines and shapes that others can’t see. In addition, they also have the power to scare others. (I once had two people backed in to a corner because I was crying so much due to pain.)  I have scared many people but the scariest experiences have always been my own- those of a chronic migraneur.

Migraines run in my family. My father had his first migraine as a teenager and the left side of his body went numb- he was absolutely convinced that he had polio. My grandfather, who was a physician, had to convince him that it was only a migraine. Fortunately, when I experienced my first migraine, my parents were able to tell me what was happening.

The frightening first migraines:

Many people wrote in concerning their first migraine experiences. It is true that there are very few things as terrifying as being in pain and having no clue what is happening to you or why it is happening at all. 

LRH at Travelling Chronic Pain Road in her post entitled "A frightened Little Girl."

Diana at  Somebody Heal Me writes about her terrifying first auras and migraines in her post Diana in Wonderland.

Kelly at Fly With Hope writes about her first terrifying months of migraine and migraine medication and misdiagnosis in her post “Scariest Migraine Ever: What I didn’t know.”

Migrainista writes about her first migraine in her post entitled “You always remember yourfirst.”

Losing Language: My Scariest Migraine Experience

My own scariest experience occurred when I was 18 and at boarding school. I woke up one morning and noticed that my head was feeling better- it certainly didn’t hurt as much as usual- but I was having trouble speaking. I couldn’t think of what I wanted to say or if I could find the word and managed to say it- my speech was horribly slurred. I went up to the infirmary and wrote out a note asking for aspirin. The nurse gave me some and I went back to class. But another student came to get me about ten minutes later and told me to back to the infirmary. The nurse had called my neurologist who said to head to the ER at Hopkins immediately. One of the school nurses took me to the ER, however, almost as soon as I was in a room, the nurse said “she had a cold, and that she would leave me there and pick me up later.” At that point, I did start to get scared- I found myself alone in a hospital, far away from home, unable to communicate well.

My neurologist’s partner came down almost immediately and examined me. Neurologically, I appeared to be ok. But then I heard her on the phone asking me to nod my head if I could lie still for an hour. I nodded realizing exactly what test she asking about- an MRI. I was still having trouble speaking. I  found  myself suddenly surrounded by neurology residents/interns all asking me to “Speak”. Several resorted to bribery, “Speak, honey, speak, we will give you a cookie!” So I spoke and yes, I got a cookie. (I was at a Children's Hospital.) Word had gotten out that there was a “weird case in room five.” So there were quite a few people in and out of my room and I struggled to speak. Eventually it improved some.

Later, I had an MRI with and without contrast. I remember being rolled across the hospital to the radiology department late in the day. When I returned to the ER after the MRI I remember the attending telling me that “Your mother is on her way here.” I said, “No, my mother is at home.” The attending finally spelled it out “No, your mother is on  a plane on her way here.” Shortly after that, I was discharged from the ER and went back to school. My mother arrived later that night.

I didn’t know it at the time, but the school had called my parents and told them that their 18 year old was having a stroke. My father said “It is probably just the migraine.” He was right. After a good night’s sleep, I felt somewhat better- I could speak, but the pain was back. 

For me the most terrifying part of the whole thing was being unable to communicate to others exactly what was happening to me. I was diagnosed with migrainous aphasia- the inability to find words and get them out during a migraine. I have struggled with this on and off since then, and I have scared others, but for me the first experience was the most frightening.

Thanks to all who particpated for their wonderful submissions! I wish everyone as many pain/ migraine free days as possibile.

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