Migranes and seizures?

Question

My sister has been having seizures and migranes. Our NHS neurologist is useless. She has a history of some mental health problems and so he assumes that she is faking it - which she is definatly not! On one hospital visit, when haveing a seizure, they did sternum rubs etc which left huge bruises, with no response.
When she is having the migranes, as well as having the seizures some of the time, she loses her speech - she knows what she wants to say and can write it but can't say it, and she loses use of her right arm.
We got a private consult and it was sugeested that she has hemiplegic migrane, and that the possible treatments included anti-epileptic drugs, but because of the seizures she can't try those until she has had an EEG done; however, the NHS consultant won't arrange one, and we can't afford to get more treatment privatly.
We have been told that while she has the hemiplegic migrane, which causes the speech and arm problems, but he wasn't sure about the seizures.

Basically I want to know if anyone else has had experiance of migranes and seizures occuring together and what treatment they tried.

She has had an MRI done, which showed a small cyst in her pituarty gland, which the endocrinologist says wouldn't cause the seizures. They have arranged follow up MRIs to moniter it and see if its growing or not.

Answer 1

That is terrible the way your sister has been treated, i suffer from migraines and they can be bad enough.
Could your sister see a different doctor, and ask him to refer her to someone different, and at a different hospital.
As i know some hospitals have only a certain amount of slots for the ECG's, and other hospitals have more.
I hope your sister finds the help she needs, all the best :o)

when i was younger and i had a migraine i would go paralised, and the doctor game me some tablets to put under my tongue, but as it was a long time ago i can not remeber the name of them. I had to take the for about a year, but ever since i have not gone paralised, touch wood.

Answer 2

This could be a very serious issue and you need to try and get her into see a new neurologist. Has a brain MRI been done? How do they know she doesn't have a cyst or tumor causing the migraines and seizures, and maybe even have been the cause of her other mental issues? Maybe you need to just get her straight to the ER the next time it happens and DEMAND they do an EEG, MRI and whatever tests are necessary. I had 6 years of headaches myself and once went to a top Neurogist at Stanford who basically told me I was CRAZY and it was impossible to have the symptoms I had. Guess what? 6 years of agony later I saw an ENT who diagnosed me with sinus disease, did surgery, and have felt GREAT for the last 6 months. Don't settle for what this one Dr. said, be very persistent and refuse to leave until they can DEFINITELY rule out seizures, which can ONLY be done with an EEG.

Answer 3

try a different hospital.

I used to everynow and then start to feel light headed then i would feel shaky, then i wouldnt be able to speak very well and control my arms and legs (not badly but it wasnt normal). I was really worried about it because i dont have any history of similar problems. (except i had a couple of seizures when i was a baby from excessive pain)
I went to the doctor and he basically told me that i was stressed and that it was a panic attack! i still dont believe that but it hasnt happened again so i havnt been worried.

obviously your sister has more serious issues but that was just my experience. All i can reccommend is going to another hospital and getting another opinion. Dont just take the doctors word for it because they arnt always correct.
Also does she take any medication for the mental illness? maybe she is having a reaction to the medication.

Good luck hope everything works out for you and your sister

Answer 4

I suffer from classical migraines,they run in my family...Doctors think its a lot to do with Blood Pressure at front of head building up and there is expensive drugs now on the market...Find nothing helps its just something thats in me,becarefull of Bright Lights,What you eat,Not getting stressed...So far think migraine has been hard to treat medically.Know American lady who suffered Migraines for years and her teenage daughter..They went to cranial Osteopath and after 5 visits both say migraine free..Good Luck..

Answer 5

Try contacting the British migraine society your GP should have the address for this or try http://www.migraine.org.uk/