[Janiee]

Hi folks! I've had migraines for about 8 years, and recently was to a Neurologist. I mentioned to him some "odd" events in the past such as temporarily forgetting how to sign my signature, forgetting how to fill out a spreadsheet I used M-F for 2 years, among other events. He said there is a possibility they could have been seizures, but that is as far as he went on the subject. I'm going to put this post in this section for that reason, it's the only tidbit I have to go on so far!

He asked me to keep a headache diary, and also write in any time I felt odd or 'Topamax dumb' as I lovingly call it. When I realized that some of the side effects were lasting longer than I thought (example: I thought the numb feeling in my foot lasted about a minute, but when I actually wrote down when it started and ended it was closer to 10) I decided to write down those things as well, for my own purposes.

My issue is this:

On the 23rd, I had a pain in my right eye. I wrote down the word "left" instead of "right" 3 times over 6 hours, and didn't realize my error until I had a sharp pain in my left eye that night and went to write it down.

Today, Feb 27, at 5:18, I found a scrap piece of paper on my desk where I had jotted down:

Feb 27 5:27 - sharp stabbing pain over left eye
&
Feb 28 10 am - tightness, front, eye area

In that case, I obviously didn't realize my mistake on the date at all, and continued it into the next day.

I know that I make errors like these in conversation, saying east instead of west and then correcting myself if/when I catch it. Or saying a word and immediately forgetting it, not being able to find it again, or not finding it in the first place. This has been going on far longer than the few months I have been taking Topamax, I can recall being about 6 and dropping the ice cream container back into the freezer yelling "ahh, it's hot!" and my brother looking at me very weirdly asking me if I meant to say cold. Sure did!

My question is, could a partial seizure present itself during or afterwards as this type of word swap/replacement? My recognition of the error varies from instantaneous to hours or even days later. And sometimes when I do realize the error, or it is shown to me, it is still as if I have never seen it before (for example: later on in the evening on the 23rd my left cheek was numb and I touched it and said "My right cheek is numb". I knew right when I said it I still had them mixed up, yet somewhere in my head I still wasn't quite straightened around.). I could be way off base here, but any input would be appreciated!

[Porkette]

Hi Janiee,

Welcome to the forum! Years ago when I was a kid around 9-10 yrs. old I started having wicked migraine headaches and then by the age of 10 I started to have absence sz. (seizures). If I may ask when you get say the wrong words or have the numb feelings do you ever see colors in your eyes, smell odd odors like something burning or natural gas, or have you ever gotten a nervous feeling in your stomach? These are all signs of simple partial sz. also called aura sz.
My advice to you is to have your family Dr. get you in to see an Epileptologist which is a Dr. who specializes in epilepsy and they can do an e.e.g. on you along with an MRI and a CT scan. Another thing that can be done is the Epileptologist can have you see a neuropsychologist who will do special tests on you to see what is going on with your brain along with what side of your brain you are using for speech and memory. The tests are easy to do. I want you to start keeping track if when you get the migraines if a low pressure in the weather is happening because often that can trigger a migraine and also hormones changing each month. Cut back on the starch carbs and caffeine and stay away from NutraSweet which has been proven to cause migraines and seizures. Start taking vitamin B12 once a day 1000 mcg. and see if that will help. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Janiee]

Thanks Sue! I appreciate your input! Sorry for taking so long to reply, I've had an ocular migraine that has been hanging around a little too long, so I haven't been on the computer much.

As I mentioned, the only reason I was asking was because the Neurologist had mentioned the possibility of seizures to me, so I thought I would dig a bit deeper into it as I don't see him again until June. Today I came across a type of dysphasic migraine aura called "Wernicke's Transient Aphasia" where one believes for a period of time that "words meanings had been re-arranged". So I'm going to read up on that one some more.

I've had a CT scan, and it came back normal. I don't see colours as much as I see dark spots. I tend to see bright colours at night or when I close my eyes. Lots of dark, cloudy floaties and sometimes just missing spots in my sight as well. A lot of little, clear things that look like water droplets, that sort of slide from one side of my line of sight to the other. Vision is 20/20 (checked in December). No natural gas smells, but my husband says I have "super nose". I can smell things a mile away most days. I've started to write those things down.

I've often wondered about the weather factor, but I hadn't looked it up before. I'll start tracking that one as well. I don't eat a lot of starchy carbs very often, and I actually find that gluten gives me restless legs at night of all things!

[Porkette]

Hi Janiee,

I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like you may be having a simple partial sz. also known as an aura sz. when you see the colors in your eyes. If I may ask do you live high on a hill or in an area where it's at a high elevation because if you do often the air pressure can cause migraine headaches along with bright light. If you notice you are having more migraines when you look at bright lights you may be photosensitive meaning these colors are causing the migraine and possible sz.
Start keeping track of your temperature take it 3 times a day at the same time and any time you get a migraine do this for about 1 month and take note if your temperature is a little higher when you have a migraine, if it is then start cold water therapy which means take a cold washcloth and put it on your face and on the back of your neck 3 times a day at the same time and any time you feel a migraine starting. By doing this you are calming down the neurons in your brain so they won't fire up and cause possible migraines or sz. It works great for me. I wish you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue