Post Op Stroke Symptoms - Complex Migraine - Anyone else have these? - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Peg · 12-11-2009, 10:52 AM

Eight days post-op, I woke up during the night with a headache, not a real bad one; I used to get migraines, on that scale; it was no big deal. I took some of my liquid Lortab and laid in bed a few hours unable to sleep. I finally dozed off and woke an hour later. First thing I noticed was my left arm was totally dead; I figured I must have slept on it. I laid there lifting and dropping my dead hand trying to wake it up, then I noticed the left side of my face felt numb and swollen and so did my left hip, leg and foot. I got up and went to the bathroom. The left side of my face was slack and drooping; the left side of my body felt like I'd been injected with Novocaine. I was able to walk, it just felt weird. It was almost 8:00 AM, so I decided to wait for the Bariatric Center to open. I called and left a message for one of the nurses, she called me back in a few minutes, asked me a few questions and told me to call 911. I knew the fire department would take me the hospital less than a mile from my house; it's not in my medical plan. The hospital I had surgery at is about 30 miles away; I decided to have my sister take me to another hospital that's 10 miles away; oh did I mention we were in the middle of a snow storm? Anyway, it took awhile, but we finally got to the ER. I was able to walk in, as soon as I described what was happening... no waiting for me. They whisked me to the back and I was surrounded by doctors and nurses. The immediately started a Stroke protocol and I was hooked up to monitors, IV's, taken for CT Scan, next on to MRI and X-Ray. The head scans all looked good, no signs of clots or bleeding in the brain. They told me I would definitely be admitted for 48 hours of further tests and monitoring. I was admitted to the Heart hospital. Unlike the hospital I had surgery at, this hospital has all private rooms that look like upscale hotel rooms on a very quiet floor. I spent the next 2 1/2 days getting more tests on my brain, heart and arteries; everything checked out fine. The Neurologist decided I had something called a complex migraine. She said she has seen this in several bariatric patients. It's a migraine that doesn't necessarily have a massive headache, but presents with stroke like symptoms that usually resolve, but can often linger or change. She said unfortunately, this could be the start of these headaches for me. She told me if it happens again; I need to call 911 and go through the entire stoke workup a second time before they will definitely categorize this as complex migraines. Has anyone else had these?

Pho · 12-11-2009, 11:59 AM

Holy crap.. that's scary.I never heard of this happening before. How are you feeling now? Did all the feeling return?

Peg · 12-11-2009, 12:44 PM

It was very scary. I still have some numbness on the left from my toes up to my face; my mouth is still drooping a little in the corner, but overall it's much better. I'm just hoping this all goes away and it's only a one time occurrence.

rsw · 12-11-2009, 12:56 PM

I'm sure glad to hear that it wasn't a stroke! Yikes. What a terrible story.

When she said 'bariatric patient', I wonder if that means a patient who is overweight (not you for much longer woo hoo!) or did she mean someone who has had WLS? Or maybe she didn't clarify?

I hope you're feeling better, and thank you so much for posting your experience.

Jeanie · 12-11-2009, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peg

It was very scary. I still have some numbness on the left from my toes up to my face; my mouth is still drooping a little in the corner, but overall it's much better. I'm just hoping this all goes away and it's only a one time occurrence.

WOW I'm glad you are better. I have never heard this happen to anyone else. I hope that it is a one time thing for you. Please next time call 911 just to be safe! Your insurance has to pay if its an emergency!

Peg · 12-11-2009, 02:48 PM

The neurologist said gastric bypass patients have a tendency for these complex migraines, they think it's something to do with the physiological changes the body goes through post op. She has several gastric bypass patients currently in treatment for this issue. If it happens again she wants to put me on Topamax to prevent migraines. I used to get migraines so bad and painful I would end up in the hospital for 7 to 14 days at a time on a PCA pump with narcotics. I took various meds for eleven years to prevent migraines and finally got off them about two years ago; I thought these were behind me.

I guess on the plus side, I didn't have a massive headache this time, just a regular headache at the start. I was told some people don't even get a headache with this type of migraine, just neurological or stroke symptoms.

Lynette · 12-11-2009, 05:29 PM

Yes, I have had those kinds of migraines but it was *before* I had surgery. Mine would happen when I went without eating for a good part of the day and then was under stress and my symptoms started off as weakness/numbness in my right foot to the point where I would limp and couldn't drive. Sometimes my right hand was involved too but I also would lose part of my field of vision so if I looked at a face they looked like they only had one eye in the middle of their forehead like a cyclops. I was in my early 20's and thought for sure it was a brain tumor. Sometimes there was pain and nausea but not always.

For me, the solution was not letting my blood sugar go that low, manage stress better, and realizing when one was coming on so I could head it off before it got bad so I haven't had one in years.

lvl0rg4n · 12-11-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peg

The neurologist said gastric bypass patients have a tendency for these complex migraines, they think it's something to do with the physiological changes the body goes through post op. She has several gastric bypass patients currently in treatment for this issue. If it happens again she wants to put me on Topamax to prevent migraines. I used to get migraines so bad and painful I would end up in the hospital for 7 to 14 days at a time on a PCA pump with narcotics. I took various meds for eleven years to prevent migraines and finally got off them about two years ago; I thought these were behind me.

I guess on the plus side, I didn't have a massive headache this time, just a regular headache at the start. I was told some people don't even get a headache with this type of migraine, just neurological or stroke symptoms.

This was me when I was in elementary school. I'd get 6 week long migraines and end up in the hospital. It was crazy.

I haven't heard of WLS patients experiencing this, but since we have similar pasts, I am wondering if migraines may show their ugly head's again.

Phatlady · 12-11-2009, 06:35 PM

WOW, this is one scary story. At first I thought Bell's Palsy. Gosh, I have suffered from migraine's as well but not to that extent and they were far worse in my 20's then now. And oddly, I have noticed that I have not had a headache since my surgery.
Please keep us posted and yes, definitely do call an ambulance should this ever happen again-your insurance company will cover it and with strokes the first few hours are crucial for a full recovery-crucial!
I wish you a very speedy recovery and a full recovery!

Peg · 12-11-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynette

Yes, I have had those kinds of migraines but it was *before* I had surgery. Mine would happen when I went without eating for a good part of the day and then was under stress and my symptoms started off as weakness/numbness in my right foot to the point where I would limp and couldn't drive. Sometimes my right hand was involved too but I also would lose part of my field of vision so if I looked at a face they looked like they only had one eye in the middle of their forehead like a cyclops. I was in my early 20's and thought for sure it was a brain tumor. Sometimes there was pain and nausea but not always.

For me, the solution was not letting my blood sugar go that low, manage stress better, and realizing when one was coming on so I could head it off before it got bad so I haven't had one in years.

I'll have to keep the blood sugar in mind if this becomes and issue. Being so recent from surgery, it's very likely it's out of whack. I just hope this doesn't happen again.