BAM and nonresponsive states

Hi,
I am new to this forum. I love reading about everyone else's situations. It gives me comfort to know that i am not going crazy.

I have just recently been diagnosed with Basilar Artery Migraines. I have been getting migraines since i was 9 years old. I am now 30. I used to get SEVERE migraines in my teens and early 20's with hallucinations, aura, speech disturbances, nausea and confusion. At the time i was tested for epilepsy because I was having all of these strange visuals and not getting the actual migraine headache.

The MRI came back negative and i have just learned to live with my migraines...until recently.

I was feeling fine one day and then i had what seemed to be a seizure. I was rushed to hospital and was in this shaking, convulsing, unresponsive state for 90 minutes. 3 days later in the hospital after every test you can imagine(coming back negative) and 5 seizures later they send me home. Because there is NOTHING wrong with me!!!!!

I then spend another 8 days in bed with the migraine from hell. and no answers.

We take oursleves down to the NYC headache Clinic (which is HIGHLY reccommend) They were fabulous and diagnosed me with this rare from of Migraine BAM.

I am now on:
Verapimil
COQ10
Migrelief
Naproxen and Ativan - for when I get that seizure feeling.

I am going to a sleep clinic next week to sleep over night with an EEG...to rule of the posibility of Epilepsy.
And then back to my NYC Migraine doctor to follow up.

I want to know if anyone else out there has had such severe attacks..that include falling into an unresponsive state???

I am finding my way through this puzzle slowly but surely.

Nadia

Nadia,

I am also trying to find my way out of a puzzle. Thanks for sharing your story.

From time to time when I am almost asleep or am in a very light sleep, I have little seizures. Since having these severe migraine attacks, I am confused and lose control of my speech (sometimes I can't respond, sometimes can't find the words that usually come natural).

Can you give a definition of Basilar Artery Migraine?

Thanks.

Snow

hi Snow...

here is a definition of BAM
Tell me more about what happens to you??

Nadia

Basilar Artery Migraines are
Rare, but Potentially Dangerous

Health & Science

Ask Dr. H. By Mitchell Hecht

Question: My daughter had a sudden headache with loss of the use of her right side, slurring of speech, and facial muscle weakness. Hospital tests indicated that she hadn't had a stroke. about five weeks later, she was again hospitalized with the same symptoms. She was finally diagnosed as having an unusual type of a migraine headache, known as a basilar artery migraine. What can you tell me about this?

Answer: This is a very interesting and unusual type of migraine headache, because it's one of those rare examples of a migraine that can cause "mini-strokes" or even a stroke.

Basilar artery migraines are pretty rare, occurring in 1 out of every 500 clinically diagnosed migraine cases. In a migraine headache, there's an initial abnormal dilation of blood vessels in the brain, followed by a spasm of the blood vessel with a transient decrease in blood flow.

The basilar artery is located in the back of the head. It serves the part of the brain that includes the visual center and the cerebellum, or balance center.

Double-vision, vertigo, and a loss of balance with an unsteady gait are therefore frequent symptoms in a basilar artery migraine. Branches of the basilar artery also are involved in hearing, and so symptoms of ringing in the ears or decreased hearing may be present. Other symptoms can include one-sided eyelid drooping; weakness or paralysis of one side of the body; amnesia; confusion; even loss of consciousness.


If the migraine isn't treated, and the symptoms persist, the prolonged deficiency of blood can ultimately result in a stroke. In terms of what we can do, preventive medication is the best strategy. Since there's a definite risk of stroke if the symptoms become severe, drugs such as aspirin, Ticlid, Plavix, or blood thinners such as Coumadin are generally prescribed. Propranolol, a blood pressure medication, is a widely used preventive agent to help counteract basilar artery spasms. Drugs such as caffeine, Ergotamine, Fiorinal, Fioricet, Imitrex, tranquilizers, codeine, and Demerol have varying degrees of success and risk.

Nadia-

I have a best friend who goes through the same thing as you...on a different scale...mabe worse maybe better-depending on which attack we are talking about...

I am not sure that she will be available to come here and post to talk to you about it. She is very busy and travels with her job.

I know that she was passing out at first, then having seizures, she also has had a stroke from it (with no major/lasting permanent damage, thank God) but she was out, and unresponsive for two days with her last big attack...

so, I am not sure how much better this makes you feel....but at least you know you are not alone with these symptoms...