Hi everyone,
Just writing this is difficult, but I need help. I am new here. I have āmigraines,ā but not your typical migraines. They donāt cause me physical pain usually, they cause me head pressure. Almost like sinus pressure, but all over my head and more intense and constant. They can last anywhere from a couple minutes, up until 2 weeks (my longest one). Sometimes constant, sometimes on and off. This symptom sucks, but it isnāt my most worrisome symptom. My most worrisome symptom is the ābrain zapā feeling I get with them. Some of the migraines start after I have had a particularly bad brain zap, some come on without much warning. The best way for my to describe the brain zap, is like I am sitting there, minding my own business, when all of a sudden it feels like I get an intense head rush and my brain feels like it kind of flips over or somersaults, and I get this shuddering in my brain. Mind you, the longest it has lasted is about 5 seconds, typically they last around 2 seconds. I also get a spinning type sensation in my head during it. Afterwards, I feel slightly disoriented, but I remember everything that had happened and remember the whole incident. I also get a kind of woozy feeling along with anxiety over what had just happened. It used to be I only got these once or twice a month, but ever since 2 days ago, I have had them a couple times and hour. THEY SCARE ME SO BADLY.
So, some more on my history. I have never been diagnosed with MAV. I just assumed that was what my neurologist meant when he told me my dizziness was from my migraines. I have had a CT scan- clear, and an MRI just two weeks ago that was what my neurologist said ānormal.ā So this really eased my mind for awhile, until this all started again.
Some of my other symptoms I experience include: blurry vision, feeling like objects are moving when they really arenāt, dizziness, lightheadedness, spinning (guess this goes along with the dizziness/vertigo aspectā¦), sometimes a burning up the back of my neck (weird??) like in my neck muscles back there, the head pressure (my main and original symptom), off balanced feeling, shakiness at times, tingling at other times, the occasional numbness anxiety due to this allā¦I am trying to think of others but they are escaping me right now, there are so many I lose countā¦
I am not on any SSRIās or migraine meds at this point. My neurologist wants me to start Topamax, but I was trying to put it off as long as humanly possible. Not thinking that is going to work now with these symptoms coming back full force. I have been on Zoloft (6 month period- discontinued due to weight gain at the time), Lexapro (didnāt feel right on it), Paxil (again- didnāt feel right on it), and more recently Celexa. The Celexa didnāt work for me. It made me more depressed if anything (was on it for anxiety). I tapered that and discontinued it about 3-4 months ago now, so canāt imagine this would be from that? Was only on it a total of about 4 weeks or so. I did experience some brain zaps when withdrawing from the Zoloft awhile back (1 year and a half or so), that was the first time but there was a reasoning then so I wasnāt as worried. I am also on a beta blocker for an unrelated issue, and Humira for my Crohnās disease. My GP is trying to get me back on Zoloft for the anxiety I am suffering, but I am scared to now, especially with all of these brain zaps.
UGH. I canāt win with this, it scares me a lot. If anyone can help, please do. Anything will help at this point. Also- currently waiting on a phone call from my neurologist on whether or not this is something to be concerned with- how the zaps have upped from occasionally to a bunch in the last few days.
I just feel so worn out and hopeless. This is zapping any of the energy I currently have left- which isnāt much.
Thanks again all- well wishes to you.