A few weeks ago, a reporter named Serene Branson was giving a live television report when she suddenly began to speak incoherently. Instead of the report she’d planned, she uttered only slurred words and incomprehensible sounds.
I’ve been in her shoes.
Six years ago, when I was pregnant with Piper, I was watching t.v. alone one night after my husband had gone to bed. Suddenly, the light beside me went out and the right side of the room became very dark. I turned my head to look at the lamp, but as I turned, I realized that the dark area of the room was moving.
Wherever I looked, the left side of my vision was well lit and normal, but the right side was completely dark. I closed each eye, one at a time, thinking something was wrong with one of my eyes but the result was still the same. The right field of vision in each eye was dark.
I was very pregnant and tired, so I decided that I must just have been exhausted. I went upstairs and got ready for bed. As I laid down in bed, I grabbed my book to read for a few minutes as I fell asleep. Except this time, I couldn’t read. I didn’t know the letters at all. I knew they were letters and that I should be able to read them, but I couldn’t identify a single one. Not long words, small words, not even the ‘a’s. They were just little shapes and symbols. I was terrified that something was really wrong, but convinced myself I was just more exhausted than ever before and somehow fell asleep.
The next morning, as soon as I woke up, I noticed that my vision had cleared. I grabbed the same book from my bedside table. Every letter was clear again, every word made sense. I was relieved to be over the problems from the night before, but called my OB to report what had happened.
I was brought in for an immediate Brain MRI. The results came back as normal. My doctor advised me that I needed more rest, but should be fine. I assumed that was the end of the problem.
Until last year. I was 38 weeks pregnant with Ben, driving my 2 little girls down a very busy highway in town. We were chatting about lunch when suddenly, in the middle of a sentence, I couldn’t remember the words I wanted to say. I was making sounds, but they weren’t words, certainly not the ones I was thinking of. My right hand and arm went numb up past my elbow and the sky began to look dark around the edges of my field of vision.
I pulled over into a parking lot and called my husband, thankfully only having to push one cell phone button beside his name. When he answered, I was hysterical and couldn’t tell him what was happening. My husband tried to calm me down and figure out where we were. We were on a main highway of our town that I have travelled daily for years, but on this day I could not think of its name or how to describe it. My five year old had to tell him.
I just sat there in my car and cried, trying to comfort my little girls, but unable to really say much. At one point, I was finally able to get their names out, but thought they sounded wrong, so I didn’t say them again. I wasn’t even sure of my children’s names.
When my husband arrived, he took me to the ER. As we drove to the hospital and then sat in triage, I slowly started to recall more words. Using short, choppy sentences with only simple words, I attempted to describe my vision problems, the numbness in my right side and the speech problems. I also let the doctors know about the vision and memory problems I’d had five years earlier.
I was admitted and began several days of tests to figure out what was going on. I saw neurologists, cardiologists and specialists who initially wondered if I’d had a mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), which are both caused by a temporary interruption of the blood supply to the brain. I underwent more than a dozen tests over 3 days, including another Brain MRI, several EKGs, an electrocardiogram, a carotid ultrasound and many, many blood tests.
Finally, after all the testing was done, the diagnosis was not stroke or TIAs. I was diagnosed with Complex Migraine Aura, just like the reporter Serene Branson. I was told that it wouldn’t be unusual for me to experience migraine auras again in the future.
I don’t worry about having another migraine aura in the future. If it happens, I’ll know what it is and will try to stay calm and wait it out. My children know what happened last time and won’t be afraid if it happens again. I’m thankful to know what caused my symptoms and very, very thankful it isn’t something much worse.
p.s. Here’s an update on Serene Branson:
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/02/17/serene-branson-talks-about-her-live-medical-emergency/
Mrs H says
I get these migraines too. I always thought I was a total freak until I heard this story. It’s so scary the first time it happens, but once you understand it, it’s much easier to cope with. I’m glad that she is bringing some awareness to this! I hope you’re doing well and not getting them too often!
Mrs H
Heather says
I have had these since I was 13 years old…Complex Migraines that mimic stroke symptoms. Some are really bad and some are minor but they all have stroke symptoms. It can be scary but then again I have a few friends that think its hiarious when I can’t talk or their personal favorite is when words come out but they are random and have no context. I have a page in my phone specifically for when this happens with my info and my husbands number. That way no matter where I am I can get help if I need it.
The pain is the worst part you get used to the other stuff. If you need an ear, I am here for you. 27 years of them makes me an expert! LOL
Mickey says
It is scary! I’m amazed at how common these actually are, but you never really hear about them. I agree; it’s great that her episode is making people aware of these Migraines. I’ve only had those two so far and am thankful about that. I hope yours are few and far between too! 🙂
Kristina says
Wow, I had no idea that was even a thing! How scary!
Melanie says
WOW- so scary to be driving your kiddos when that happened. I have had migraines like that for years. Thank goodness not very often. They never gave me an actual name for it. They just told me “severe migraines. ” Thanks for the information!
Glad you are okay!
Btw, Your blog is great! I am your newest follower!
Cara (aka Temberton) says
Whoa! How scary! I was diagnosed with “atypical migraines” a few years ago. I don’t have auras, speech problems, vision problems, nausea, etc. I just get a headache that hangs on and on. Migraine meds are what FINALLY helped.
However, one night, I got strangled on some water and coughed. I coughed so hard that I suddenly lost vision in one eye. It was like everything went white. COMPLETELY FREAKED ME OUT! I screamed for DH and he took me to ER right away. It was a foggy night, so as my vision returned, I really couldn’t tell. As I went into the ER, I noticed a flashing and thought it was the light flickering. But, I quickly realized it didn’t go away. After testing at ER and a follow up with an eye specialist, I was told it was an “ocular migraine”. So, now I know NOT to completely freak if it ever happens again. But, seriously, I hope it NEVER happens again!
Anyway, I’m a new follower from the hop. 🙂
Brenda says
OMG it’s the scariest thing ever! The first time I had one was a few years ago. I didn’t even reilzae it was a migraine. I thought I was having a stroke or seizure. I got the blurred/tunnel vision and the side of my face started going numb. When the left half of my tongue felt like it had fallen asleep I really started to freak. I ended up in the ER where they gave me a CT and told me it was a migraine. I felt like such a dummy. A poor dummy ($100 copay and $250 bill later). Now, when it happens to me I eat sugar. Not the best idea but it helps. Sometimes I think the migraines get spurred for me by low blood sugar. That’s what a specialist told me. I haven’t had one in awhile but I usually cope by downing copious amounts of sugar. It’s certainly not diet-friendly but it always helps me.