severe Hemiplegic Migraines

hello i am a young women from victoria and im writing to you because my cousin needs help. she is 40 years old and when she was a baby she nearly died of meningitis and for about 7 years now she has been getting severe Hemiplegic Migraines, she has been seeing a nuralogical specialist in Brisbane but so far she isnt getting better she is getting worse. at the moment she is in the middle of an eposode, she cant talk properly, cant move her arms and legs more than 10 cm to the side and she cant lift them at all. she currently cant walk much and this has lasted for 2 weeks. all her other episodes last for just over 7 days but this one is going for longer. her specialist flys up to her once a month but isnt helping much. and i was wondering what other options are available like treatments and so forth. can you recomend some Hemiplegic Migraine specialists in australia? please if any one could help us we would be very gratefull.

Hi. Leigh Anne has given excellent advice here. Please call the specialist, tell them that she is getting worse not better and that she is in an episode and that you are driving her to the ER. She needs medical attention now not in 2 months. Please let us know how everything goes.

Hi concerned cousin,

Not to sound repetitive here, but I agree with everyone else. I suffer from complicated migraines which produce stroke like symptoms, and I have had bouts from numbness/weakness to paralysis which have ended me in hospital and rehab. Anyways, when they last this long it is always a good idea to have it checked to rule out the possibility that it was a stroke since the risk is higher.You also want to decrease the risk of atrophy (muscle tightening-I believe this is the right word, my brain is a little fried w/ meds right now). She may need some type of acute rehab--I'm not sure what type of rehab facilities are offered by you, but over here in the United States in these situations with paralysis like this acute rehabilitation settings are available to maintain joints and muscles and help rehab them...This is just my opinion as rehab was very helpful for me and I don't know if you have already had the chance to talk with her doctor and what services are available to you, but I just thought I'd pass it along...

Hope everything works out well. All the best to you and your cousin!

Post Edited (mommyto3) : 11/22/2006 3:18:31 PM (GMT-7)