Saturday, June 09, 2007

Only The Shadow Knows...

So, in an attempt to offer "full disclosure" and maintain my "honest integrity" here (like THAT has ever been the case before...LOL), I suppose it is time to share my recently best kept secret...oh, the intrigue...oh, the lure...oh, the reality that it's really no big deal! LOL

When I saw Dr. She Who Will Not Be Named this past week, I had to talk with her frankly about a recent symptom I have been having (or I should say, have HAD three times) that I have not wanted anyone to be privy to...mostly because I can't/couldn't explain it and also because I had some fears about how it might affect my employment should someone "find out". But we're all "friends" here, right?!?


I just popped a double dose of my Verapamil (which is a recent change in my med regime) and thought, "Now why is it I'm not talking about this symptom on BrainCheese again? Exactly what is it I'm afraid might happen if someone were to know?" And, since I couldn't really REMEMBER what the big deal was, I decided it ISN'T a big deal...so here I go. LOL


If you recall, when I had my "alleged" migraines in April (and I'm still not convinced that's what those headaches were), I was put on Verapamil to try to control having another one...and I have not had another headache like that again. But what I HAVE had happen three times since April is this sudden episode of fatigue...like I must sleep right then and there...and then, I will have about 10 minutes of utter confusion come over me. My mind goes completely blank and I can't recall what I am doing or why I am doing it. The scariest episode was the last one while I was driving down the freeway at work on my way to an emergency room to evaluate someone. Really waaaaay not cool to have happen while driving AND at work!


Dr. SWWNBN thinks these episodes are something called a "prodrome" to a migraine OR they are an "aura" (once again, she poo pooed my belief I have a hidden and undetected brain tumor!), but I am not going into a full blown migraine after the episodes...personally, I just find the whole thing both fascinating and frightening at the same time! She tripled my dose of Verapamil (which of course, I have NOT started to take yet...I'm working up to it. LOL) in hopes this will eliminate the episodes.


But I got to thinking...I wonder if anyone ELSE with MS (or migraines either) has ever had an episode like this? And I decided the best place to check that out is with my favorite MS peeps...YOU!


Since I already lost my mind years ago, I'm not worried I am going crazy...but I AM worried something "ain't right in my head"...SO...anybody ELSE ever experience anything like this? It's OK...you can tell ME...we're all friends here...LOL

12 comments:

Synchronicity said...

hello there. i have never had a migraine. only recently have i experienced some headaches. i guess i am lucky. i just got diagnosed with MS the past week and i am trying to connect with other bloggers who write about MS. i am happy to have found you! i will try to visit you regularly.

LindseyO said...

I just did a quick search on the web and there appear to be conflicting reports on side effects, but one of the things I found said that "excessive tiredness" was a side effect... but who knows. I'm no doctor, I just play one on the internet!

I've seen an uptick in the number of headaches and migraines I've gotten over the last year - since my relapse and diagnosis - but nothing like what you describe.

mdmhvonpa said...

Fatigue eh? Hrmmm ... well ... when I get a migraine, the pain is such that I cannot think of anything else so I do not notice the outside effects. Nausea, sensitivity to light, noise, temperature ... thrashing about in bed for 12-24 hours in a semi-lucid state ... sure. But fatigue, nope, don't recall that.

BRAINCHEESE said...

MERELYME:

Even though it's great to say, "HELLO" to you, I am so terribly sorry we are meeting under these circumstances...just diagnosed? Wow...major suckage there.

There are just a butt load (maybe that adjective is a bit "graphic"?!?) of people and resources out there on the web regarding MS...some of the "coolest" people with MS (WHAT!?!? I'm biased!) are linked on BrainCheese on the left of the site and are great bloggers. There are also several EXTREMELY WISE MSers who comment here, but don't have blogs (and I have no idea WHY they don't have their own blogs...hint). Let us know if we can help you...being just diagnosed can have it's share of questions.

LD

BRAINCHEESE said...

ZEE:

OMG!!! You just play a doctor on the Internet!?!? Can I borrow that line? It's too good not to...

Yes, I still don't fully believe ANY of these recent symptoms are migraine...but I'm like that. And I "play a patient" in real life, too. LOL

LD

BRAINCHEESE said...

MDMHVONPA:

I've heard women describe your symptoms before, too...they were pregnant...LOL

LD

Have Myelin? said...

Narcolepsy, perchance? Is it a side effect of some other medication or could you just have uhhh, this symtom all by yourself?

BRAINCHEESE said...

HAVE MYELIN:

It's a brain tumor...I don't care if nothing shows on the MRI! Either that or I am just trying to sneak in a few extra minutes of shut eye while driving...LOL

LD

Miss Chris said...

It's migraine city here in my house. I just had a doozy 2 days ago. I had my first migraine in my late 20's and looking back, this is when all my "mysterious symptoms" started (later to be called MS). I had the aura and it looked like the "snow" on the tv before there was cable and all the shows ended at midnight. Excessive tiredness isn't usually listed as a symptom but I think that ties in with the MS (although my stupid neuro doesn't think so).

BRAINCHEESE said...

MISS CHRIS:

WOW! That must suck to get migraines a lot...Sorry to hear you've been under the weather...or hammer...whichever.

My "fatigue" is very sudden, severe, and short lived in these episodes...unlike the fatigue I feel from the MS...remains a mystery.

LD

Anonymous said...

Sheesh.....seems I've missed out on a ton of reading!! I'm tryin' like H E Double Hockysticks, to catch up!

As far as that feeling you get? I get it too. And when it happens it freaks me out. I look at who's ever in the room and tell them to catch me if-n-I fall before I'm able to lay down. Brain goes numb. I can't think.

Do you think we have brain tumors together? I mean, I can't think of a grander plan than to have such a health disorder, than to have it with YOU!

Hugs!

BRAINCHEESE said...

SUZY:

Well there is definitely SOMETHING wrong with us!!! Jury is still out on the verdict, though...LOL

And keep up, would cha?

LD