Migraine without headache? Rare? Experiences of others?

Question: Migraine without headache? Rare? Experiences of others?

Answer:

Full Question:

I am a sufferer of "Migraines" as such, however I do not experience the headaches. I have been correctly diagnosed for the past 2 months with this vicious disorder after 3 years of constant daily attacks with no credible answers. I am now led to believe that it is a rare form of migraine. My local doctor even told me that in 30 years of medicine it is the first case that he has ever witnessed. I lost my dream job due to this condition and my symptoms were vertigo, extreme tiredness, confusion and light-headedness. I had repeated CAT scans and MRI's to be repeatedly told that there was "nothing " wrong with me it was all in my head. I was placed on antidepressants and other anti-vertigo treatments such as "Stemitil" and "stemezone" (It sounds like the latter anyway). I virtually rattled when I walked after taking all this medication. What made it all worse was that I was worried about losing my job (hence my depression), worried about what was wrong with me as no solid conclusions had been forthcoming, and lost my relationship. I was zigging when I should have been zagging. Within 24 hours of taking the pill Diamox (acetazolamide) I felt 80% better and now 2 months later I have my life back. My question to you (eventually) Is.... Are there any others who experience the same "Migraines" as I? I have searched for information about this rare form without the headaches, and there seems to be very limited information available. I would very much like to discuss this with others who have/are experiences/ing similar symptoms such as mine. Regards, Craig.

Answer:

Dear Craig;

It sounds as if some basic information about Migraine disease would be helpful to you. No insult meant to your doctor, but if this is the first time he's treated a Migraine patient who has Migraine attacks without the headache, it shows that he hasn't treated a great many Migraine patients. Although a Migraine attack without the headache isn't a "typical" Migraine, it's not all that rare either. CAT scans and MRI's are usually normal with Migraine patients. They're run to rule out other conditions. There are no diagnostic tests to confirm a diagnosis of Migraine

A Migraine attack can have four phases. Some Migraineurs experience all four; some don't. Some will experience different phases from one Migraine attack to the next. In your case, you don't experience the headache phase. Here's an article that explains the phases and their symptoms:

Anatomy of a Migraine
When many people think “migraine” they think only of the pain of migraine. In reality, a migraine episode consists of far more. The typical migraine episode actually consists of four parts, referred to as phases or components.

There's a link to our discussion forum below. Come join us. There, you'll be able to talk with others who experience Migraines without the headache phase. It's a very supportive group, and the others will be glad to discuss their experiences with you.

Good luck,
Teri Robert and John Claude Krusz

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