Hello! I am curious about how many people had migraines pre-aneurysm discovery and how many have them post treatment. I have had migraines infrequently for years. I have a left-sided tingling/numbness that I used to think was some kind of stroke or something but I’ve had it for years and have recently had it attributed to migraine. I have headaches with and without that aura. I have rarely had scintillating scotoma, usually due to hormone fluctuations (like when pregnant). Since y-stenting on July 1st, my migraine symptoms are much more frequent. It is pretty much daily now and I have added ocular migraine on the right to the left-sided issues and headaches.
Interestingly, the pain in my face that led to the discovery of my aneurysm is completely resolved since surgery. And the left-sided headaches I had with eye pain/tearing and nose running have also stopped. I am on medication which may be helping with that, though. Anyone else have increasing migraines after treatment? I am just curious and I see quite a few posts about migraines.
I had y-stented coiling Dec. 5, 2018. The pain I had which led to the discovery of the aneurysm has lessened, but because the aneurysm has a wide neck, I am having surgery to add more coils on Wed. I have not had migraines before or after the surgery in Dec. I hope you get relief from the migraines soon. Have you checked with your doctor?
i have done the surgery on july 2018 flowdiver on ann 3-4mm ica right side behind my eyes and since that i have upnormal headache i dont know if it is mirgrine and also blurry vision doctor priscribe me vallum but it did not help am still following up and done my andiogram and now docs refer me to headache specialist
I have had a handful of bad ones, so bad I was nauseous and vomiting for hours — ending up in the ER thinking it was my aneurysm. While I had aneurysms before, I could treat them before they got bad. Now - I cannot take any blood-thinning drug and so I’m stuck with Tylenol, which seems to have no impact. What do you take for yours?
I am stuck with Tylenol too. I try to take it before headache gets bad. Fortunately, the headaches don’t make me vomit, only nauseated and I’m pretty good at ignoring pain. Tylenol helps me too. I am finding that I am sensitive to light since the surgery, particularly fluorescent light (like my entire work area has). I dim my classroom lights and it helps. I may get contacts that automatically dim, but I’ve never tried contacts so will try them out first. I think identifying triggers is key. Hunger, fatigue, and intense light seem to do it for me.
They found my Aneurysm due to new chronic daily migraines. However, after 4 min of trying everything to abate them, nothing any of my doctors tried got rid of the daily migraines. Then cane the MRA and CTA and we found the Aneurysm. I will forever be grateful for those headaches, but alas I still live with them daily. I am on a daily twice daily dose of Topamax and nerve blocks every three months to deal with them. My scans showed white matter changes, so I had been having “absent” migraines for probably a long time but was unaware. They are anything but silent now. Despite my coiled and stented Aneurysm I still deal daily. However, I refuse to complain because they may have saved my life.
Hi all, There is a correlation between experiencing migraines and having aneurysms, as you all probably know. I also believe there is a correlation between experiencing migraines and having nasal allergies and sinus headaches. I don’t know if anyone has ever suggested a correlation between sinus headaches caused by exposure to allergens and the development of aneurysms. Maybe if you are blowing nose really hard?
My internist prescribed Propranolol for my migraine headaches and it was amazingly effective. When I developed scalp pain a few years later, increasing the Propranolol dose helped a lot, but did not totally eradicate the problem. Now I have developed hand, leg and head tremors and it is Propranolol ER that has again been increased. It has been a great help. The only problem with taking it is it also lowers your blood pressure. So there is a limit to what you can take.
A “test” you can use to decide if your headaches are due to allergies is to try using an over-the-counter nasal spray called “Afrin” ( or equivalent). If your headache goes away with the use of this product, it is due to allergies. And allergies can wreak havoc with your sinuses. Face pain, ear pain, tooth pain, coughing due to post nasal drip, dripping nose can all be generated by angry sinuses.
My 2 cents!
Jackie
I never had migraines until after I ruptured. And then I didn’t stop having them for about 2 1/2 years. I did two SPG blocks and swore after the second one I wouldn’t do it again, it hurt.
Prior to rupture, I’d get some headaches, always stress related also due to weird work hours, not eating correctly, not keeping hydrated. Sometimes caused by the three vertebrae that are dislocated in my neck. Or the allergy headaches Ms. Jackie discussed. I do think allergy headaches are serious but I will have to disagree with Ms. Jackie on the Afrin. I would try one of the sinus rinses with saline solution, it’s just salt and baking soda if I remember my chemistry correctly. I am under an allergist’s care and have been off and on for years. Now that I’m off a beta blocker, I’m back taking allergy shots. Back when she first tested me, she told me not to use nasal sprays as it can damage the lining but she also prescribed nasonex or Flonase, and a Neti pot. I understand some folks don’t clean their neti pot correctly, so companies have come out with canisters that have the solution mixed in. I disinfect mine on a regular basis and haven’t had any issues. She also told us that I can do yard work or clean the house, not both.
Thanks for the reply. I think I have now experienced every type of headache known to man. I do get sinus headaches, so I know those well. I also get tension headaches as I had a neck fusion in 2005 and I have residual muscle weakness in my right arm that causes neck aches that go up the back of my head. I also get cluster headaches on my left eye. Prior to the coiling, I would get migraines periodically – mostly left-sided weakness and aura. Now I am getting sick headaches that throb and make me nauseated. I get a smoky visual disturbance in my right eye with it and sometimes the left-sided weakness. They seem to be triggered by light mostly. I went to an aquarium with the family today and couldn’t stay inside. I was immediately feeling sick and the eye migraine started soon after. I’m doing my best to identify triggers and avoid them, but sometimes they hit me out of the blue like today. I never thought the aquarium would trigger one since they are dim, but I guess the light in the aquariums was too much. I’m hoping the neurologist will have some suggestions when I go next month. The eye doctor is having me try some contacts that dim everything. I’ve never worn contacts, though, so we shall see. Thanks for the suggestions!
My neurologist just called everything “Spidey Senses”. I wear my sunglasses all the time due to the photophobia. I go for the reddish bronze tint. But I recall a university in Utah that had done studies and was selling glasses that had a rose type tint. Sorry I can’t remember the place. I tried watching the fireworks on Saturday but it was a little much. But it’s constant work desensitizing, don’t give up, a little each day
Certain pitches of sound can set me off, it’s the higher pitches. For those I wear my ISOtunes Pro. They’re OSHA approved and I use them almost daily
Oh and my allergist suggested using a cold pack instead of a warm pack for sinus headaches. The Neurosurgeon and the PT suggested ice packs for my neck and lower back when they act up. Hope this helps
Thanks for the reply. I really needed the encouragement today. I’m still only a couple of months out so I am hoping that it will get better. The nausea with the throbbing headache is just too much and the visual disturbance contributes to the nausea too, I think. As one of my work colleagues is fond of saying: Onward and upward! Thanks again.
I have also all type of headeches and migraines . The most disturbing is the tension type , but I have it so strong that also make me nauseous and vomiting from 1 to 2 days in a row . Can’t drink or eat on those days . No single medicine helps . The digestive system stops working . Neurologist call it some kind of migraine . Propranolol , now very big doze , reduced the frequency of those episodes and the strength of it . But right now it seems it not working any more . It’s unruptured aneurysm , that is on the watch .
I just read your story. I had an un ruptured brain aneurysm coiled with a stent in March 2019. I also had occasional headaches/migraines triggered by workout or heat before my procedure. After getting a great 6 mos follow up and Cerebral Angiogram my Doctor took me
off duel platelet therapy (Plavix and Asprin). The following week I started experiencing very frequent aura migraines with flashing in my eyes and numbness
in left arm and hand. I went to my neurologist and am now on Emgality shots monthly and Depakote for migraine prevention. Mine too seem be triggered by dim lighting with a contrast of a bright light or computer screen. This is all very new to me! None of my Doctors seem to have an answer why at 60 years old would be experiencing sudden new weekly migraines! I am wondering if the duel platelet therapy actually help prevent the migraines from coiling in March until August when I got off the meds? I feel like my new brain hardware has caused some new neurological issues. I am very healthy/ eat well /and work out. Not sure why this is suddenly happening. Were you on duel platelet therapy after your procedure?
Thanks for your reply. The regular ophthalmologist here says eye migraines. I was on dual anti-platelet too but mine started while on it. It started like a week after the surgery and has been constant since. I feel like it is definitely related to the coiling as I never had this prior.
What has your Dr. prescribed for prevention of new eye migraines and
also for pain after you get the headache? I am taking meds mentioned above and it seems to be helping some.
I only get like 4-5 a month now. I also take Cambia for immediate relief which works fairly well if I catch it in time. My Dr. is nervous putting me on a vasodilation med with my stent? I am also getting some Blue light blocking glasses for night time.
I have found some articles that this can be a side effect of coil and stent. Most patients last 3 mos to a year and finally normalizing. I have started taking 2 advil
a day. I thing I may still have some inflamation from the procedure not sure yet if this will help. Never knew to expect this but very happy to be alive to talk about it!!
I was in a car accident in 2010, and suffered a concussion and whiplash. I also had some other trauma along with an annie found three months later. It was coiled and stented. Anyway I have suffered with neck pain, headaches, and migraines weekly and sometimes daily. This past year a neurologist has started doing botox, and it has eased some pain I have suffered in some areas and has eased some of the migraines making the pain bearable. Just a suggestion for some. I know I laughed when it was suggested, but I am glad I listened to my neurologist.
Sorry so long to respond. I’ve been on an up and down journey for more than a year now with face pain and headaches. Although I have migraines, they are not my main problem. It took a while to identify, but I have TAC headaches and trigeminal neuralgia. I am now on medications for those and they definitely help, but I still struggle with both pain and side effects. The Indocin helps greatly but also raises blood pressure and is hard on the stomach. Also makes my aspirin less effective. The carbamazepine helps with the severe shooting pains but makes me very sleepy. It also makes thinking and memory more challenging. I am continually trying to find the right path by identifying causes/triggers and doing whatever I can to alleviate stress and find the right medication combinations. I’m sure I’ll get there at some point. In the meantime, I’ve tried to distract myself from the pain and problems with the daily challenges of teaching high school and wrangling a four-year-old. LOL
I am sorry to reply to you so late.
I have started a new med when my Aura starts called Nurtec. It really takes the edge off if I take it during the Aura. Then about an hour later a mild to moderate headaches starts to come in and I take
my Cambia (anti inflammatory powder in water) I have done this the last 3 Auras and I really feel
like it helping a lot!! So far so good. I am able to function with just mild temple and upper neck discomfort. I just started using topical prescription Ketatmine on my neck as well as a good CBD
cream with menthol.
I’m still only a couple of months out so I am hoping that it will get better. The nausea with the throbbing headache is just too much and the visual disturbance contributes to the nausea too, I think. As one of my work colleagues is fond of saying: Onward and upward! Thanks again.