Interesting article about abnormal activity in migraine brains

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100623085526.htm

WOW! That explaines why I can see things and hear things no one else can. And all of this time, they thought I was crazy, like I was imagining these headaches and the wierd visual effects. (I always thought someone was slipping me some LSD or funny mushrooms or something). I have been told it is all in my head so many times, DUH! I guess the wiz kids that study this stuff have finally found a real cause for this torture. I wonder if the increased network activity and stronger functional connectivity means that we have better and faster responses in those areas? Maybe I really can see and hear things no one else can. Very interesting, indeed.

I noticed that they were having a conference and a bunch of expert MD's are giving papers on the subject. I wonder if they would like to have a real expert give a talk on migraines. I'm refering to those of us that suffer from this "phantom" desease. We have to be the best experts on the matter, at least from the point of view of the afflicted.

Hal

Well that explains some of my visual problems and auditory issues. I had wicked double vision on Saturday that lasted several hours and I woke up Sunday morining with a migraine. I've noticed over the last few years that vertical double vision affects me more and more. And my hearing stays hyper-acute even when I don't have head pain.

Unfortunately, I've noticed that the worse the visual crap is, the more likely it is that a migraine is on the way. It's almost like a prodome but not as pronounced.

I seem to be extra sensitive to smell. A lot of times I smell things that I'm sure aren't present like burning plastic or rotting food smells. It drives me insane.

There was a presentation on that at the American Headache Society meeting I attended last month. Totally fascinating. Just haven't had time to write articles on everything there yet.

Teri

I can't wait to hear about it. I have so many weird sensory issues that I have ascribed to migraines since the longer I have them, the weirder the sensory stuff.

The way I see it is that my brain is in a constant state of trying to find equilibrium and is failing miserably, hence the sensory stuff. It's nice to see that the medical establishment is catching up with the "anecdotal" evidence.

Jenny,

I have the smell issue also. I can smell the guy in the car behind me on the hi-way smoking his cigar with the windows up. I also smell things that seem to not be there, like stale cigarette smoke. I'm sure that someone has passed by the spot, smoking a cigarette.

Hal

I think this research is fascinating. I know I have a problem with sensory input, sight, lights, colors etc. , sounds - loud or repetitive, strong scents especially chemical in origin. If I become overwhelmed with any of these it is sure to amp up my pain. Like shopping for clothes, I can only go through so many racks of brightly colored and patterned clothes before my brain revolts. Especially if the store has other sensory issues, loud music, neon lights, stinky perfume dept.

I have a daily allotted input of sensory things... If I pass that arbitrary point I am in deep trouble.

interesting isn't it. So, now we know why the anti seizure meds work. What else can we do to change the electrical and nerve receptors in our brains? Supplements like coq10 that work with cell energy? The TMS machine that sends the magnetic pulse?

Fascinating!

Hal, you wondered if they have any "real" experts talking about migraines, as in those with them. When I was in the hospital with my migraine, one of the residents who came in to check on me regularly and relay the information to my own doctor told me that she was coming down with a migraine right then herself. And she told me that virtually all the neurologists she knows have migraines, including all but one(?) in the neurology department at Kaiser, which has at least 15 different neurologists. In fact, I think that Dr. Dodick, the president of the American Headache Society, mentioned to me once that he himself has migraines. So they do have sufferers, just not ones as bad as most of us, since if they were this bad, they'd never have gotten through medical school and especially residency!