Posted by Carol R. (208.170.158.171) on November 08, 2000 at 19:51:26:
In Reply to: Re: CH and MRI/MRA posted by Phil Boston on March 26, 1999 at 01:58:49:
I've had these headaches on top of left side of my head. It hurts to brush my hair, talk, chew or swallow.
S: I am a 41 y/o Caucasion female and in the past and most recently, with episodes of vertigo, face pale, ..burning/ringing in my Left ear, w/a fullness feelling in ear and back of throat.
Also over the past 10 yrs. I've had symptoms of fainting (Ruled out low Blood sugar) with that dizziness weakness holding up my head, sweating, low BP, inability to stand up because of weakness & a feeling of falling leftwardly if I tried to get up, w/ blurry vision, and then everything goes starts to black out. These spells occur anywhere or time (usually around the 1-2nd wk of the month, 1-2 a year; fainting dizzy spells use to be once a year or yrs apart since 1990.
I had a TAH in 1990 and have been on estrogen replacement therapy since w/ Delestrogen 1cc 40 mg. q 3 weeks/monthly.
Onset of the hx ( in same place always) its usually in morning before I get up and then I can't hardly get out of bed w/o feeling I'm going to fall down because of light-headness or perhaps fainting. Althought at the on set of the leftsided headache. Sometimes I just have the dizzy, light headedness, w/ tunnel vision episodes w/o any symptoms of a headache on the top of head LT side; just a fainting feeling as though I'm going to passout w/a fatigue, weakness, and sweating, trembling, heart racing or feeling like its barely beating, vision and hearing seems dimish also.
I've had MRA brain, neck, head, c-spine. x 2; EEG and EKG's
On 1 occasion, the Radiologist questioned a left side posterior AVM and when I had angiogram to confirm..that neuroradiologist felt it was not an AVM posteriorly of the brain stem.
Could it be possible they're reading films thoroughly? Or what could be the source if its related to my hormone replacement (but I had fainting/hx's before TAH_)? What other combination of natural hormones could be affecting this situation or eye related issues?
I tried switching from using my contacts to just wearing my glasses. I did notice that since I do have some floaters in the rt eye, that if I put my hand in front of my lt eye, that seems to exacerbate the headache; but upon switching to covering the rt eye - there is no enhancement of pain on the top of head- left side.
I have seen 1 neurologist after the 1st episode when I passed out in a grocery store and he apparently thought nothing of my issue. Now almost 10 yrs. later I've seen another neuro who has since retired after he recommended the angiogram in '98, which came back normal - but interestingly enough..right after the angiogram..as I was being discharged after 8 hrs in recovery suddenly I had an onset of the "sweating, light-headedness, fainting, tunnel vision dimished vision /sound and not able to speak coherently, sudden BP decreased)
Dec 5, 2000 I will see a new neurologist and I plan on bringing all MRI, MRA brain/hd/n/c-spine, EEG, EKG and pertinent medical reports from these incidents.
Do you have any insight into what may be the etiology of these spells and sometimes hx upon arising in the mornings?
As far as my PMH, I had asthma as a child and was given numerous treatments with Tedral in 60's - 70's w/ inhalers. I've only 1 trauma when I was a child and I hit front forehead on monkey bars splitting my forehead open and I would say that probably since that time..I gradually have had intense headaches, but not located there in the forehead. I did have an episode when I was throw off a minibike around the age of 10 or 12 yrs old, but I was only unconcious a few minutes and then I landed flat on my back.
I have been in a few MVA's in the yrs of 1986,1990 w/o any need for sitches or hospitalization, xrays were negative.
Thank you for your insight.
Carol