I have been having servere mirgaine for the past 1 1/2 years. after seeing a specialist and having a CT Scan done, he could not find anything wrong, but did mention to me a specific type of mirgraine I might have -Basilar Artery Migraines. These headaches have caused me to leave my job, and are starting to have an effect on my family. Before I get the headache I suffer from tingling in my hands, dizzy, lightheaded, my balance is off, and I have trouble hearing and have ringing in my ears, and drop things that I think i have a tight hold on. I sometimes get a pain in the base of my scull. The headache follows these symptoms. They drain me of all energy, and last from one to three days. What I would like to know is if I am diagnosed with basilar migraine, can my drivers licence be taken from me, Is it that servere. Can it lead to other problems? I am a 40 year old mother of three and afaid to go to the doctor in regards to this.
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Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
Your symptoms do indeed suggest basilar migraine. It is caused by constriction (spasm) of the artery that brings blood to the back of the brain. Treatment for basilar migraine is available, and I recommend that you go to the doctor so you can get the proper treatment and the quality of your life will increase significantly. You should not have to worry about your driver’s licence - migraine is not normally a reason to suspending a driver’s licence, especially when treated.?
Before establishing the diagnosis of basilar migraine, I would normally recommend head MRI and MRA (magnetic resonance angiogram), possibly CT-angiogram of the vertebral arteries, if at all possible to rule out any other treatable cause for these symptoms. Also, your basic cardiovascular checkup needs to be done, including risk factors for stroke - cholesterol and lipid levels, and so on.
You may benefit from preventive treatment for migraine. Possible medications for preventive treatment are various, and include beta blockers. Treatment for the basilar migraine attacks include NSAID drugs such as ibuprofen (in large doses, up to 1600 mg at once), paracetamol, codeine, aspirin, entiemetics such as metoclopramide, or a combination of these. Other treatment possibilities include cortisone (corticosteroids), antidepressant drugs, antiepileptic drugs, drugs for neuropathic pain, etc. Caution: You should NOT be using triptans, such as Imitrex because of the associated risk of stroke.
So you see there is a wide selection of treatments available. Obviously you should not intitate any treatment before talking to your doctor. The specialist of choice to consult about migraine headaches, especially migraine variants such as basilar migraine is a neurologist.
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