Does anyone here suffer from atypical/complicated migraine?

I'm just wondering if there is anyone on this board that suffers like me with the above? All the aura but no headache. Dont get me wrong, I mean it's wonderful not to suffer anymore with the dibilitating headaches (used to get them but they lessened as I got older) but the auras are really frightening! I get:

- phantom smells - usually a strong perfume smell
- dizziness
- sometimes visual aura such as flashing lights
- numbness and tingling all over my body, mainly tongue and face
- trouble speaking
- sore neck and upper back, usually left side
- heavy legs or what i like to call marshmellow legs
- ringing in my ears
- anxiety
- palpitations

These symptoms have been known to go on for days. How do you combat them? I have never had to take prescription meds for my migraines until these past couple of months where the dizziness has become unbearable. I tried amitryptaline last month for 30 days but the side effects were horrible so I just weaned off of them. I am going to try the holistic approach and see how that works but I am also looking for other suggestions. Thank you!!

i get these painfree migraines intermingled with the painful ones as well and yes they are scary!! altho nothing gets rid of the aura my triptan imigran injection clears up the migraine even the painfree ones. ive been round the ouses and tried all he alternatives and wished id save my money!!

I do suffer from painless migraines from time to time, (but no tingling) and they can be very troubling. There is a thread here, where I raised this question and I had a very good response for other people here, so try to find it it is called Painless Migraine Anyone.

I find that Imitrex (Imigran in UK) helps me quite a lot, but the symptoms can return, and last for few days.
I hope you find some solution soon, but I agree with Dawn that alternative treatments hardly ever work, with exception of things like acupuncture for some peoples (but this did not helpl me, either).

Hi Tamsha,

I get these frequently and yes they are quite disturbing. My symptoms are very close to yours + they make me dumber than a door nail

My magic elixer is sleep, 100 mg of imitrex (sometimes a nice imitrex jab also) and 0.5 mg Klonopin. Everyone has their own cocktail. I haven't found a preventative yet, but I'm still searching!

I get the dizziness, palpitations, ringing in the ears and sore neck / back. That can go on for days but I also get the headache. I use Stemetil for the dizziness which is quite effective.

I call this phantom migraine and it used to happen to me at least once a week. Going on lamictal (which hasn't really done anything for the painful migraine) eliminated the phantom migraines almost completely. Might be worth a discussion with the doc?

I get all your symptoms plus a change in mental state and I also feel extremly weak, although that might match your marshmallow legs.

At least you smell perfume. I mostly smell strange metallic odors, sometimes that skunky natual gas additive, other times rotting food.

Mine sometimes come with strong, painless pressure on one side of the head.

I find these neurological symptoms to be extremely disabling. I'd almost rather have moderate pain and no other symptoms. I'd be more functional.

I find the neurological symptoms to be way more disabling than a migraine, also. I find them very disturbing.

Now that you mention the intense painless pressure on one side of your head, that reminds me. Often when I get these attacks I have an intense pulsing sensation on the right back side of my head where my migraine pain always settles. Only there is no pain, just pulsing. Sometimes, in a weird way, it almost feels good.

Sometimes when it doesn't pulse, it instead kind of tingles/vibrates.