Migraine Mini Windows

[Dysfunkion]

So yesterday early in the morning hours I plunged into one of the worst migraines I had in quite a while, I was clearly in prodrome the day before with some echos of it coming in days before that with the intense temperature shifts. By the time I got up and started to have some coffee the worst of it was on. Any movement made it worse with radiating pain throughout my entire head, the intense nausea threatened vomiting with every breath, and in a nutshell it felt like the end of the world pain wise in my skull.

By the later morning it was borderline psychedelic in agony but here is where something very interesting happened. I felt at one point through it full emotional and sensory clarity, if the migraine wasn't there and my energy was up I would be what I imagine to be experiencing a normal healthy baseline. My reactions to thoughts and stimuli was so quick and vivid. My vision was perfect, I was able to read the small text on something on a shelf next to me without glasses and the smallest text under it with just a little squint. I felt so social and just wanted to talk to people and connect over hobby stuff, generally get started on my life again.

Though this didn't stick around after the ride took a turn for the worst and punished me with even more pain. The big question I have here is what happens during a migraine that can cause this? In day to day life I experience some symptom fluctuation in a small window but nothing like that. It feels like a migraine has the ability to ironically force the body out of some loop it's normally stuck in. Today I'm just feeling kind of hungover in postdrome and haven't had any windows since but there also isn't many fluctuations in pain right now either and I suspect it'll fizzle out over the next couple days.

 

[Azayliah]

I don't have an answer, but wanted to include my experience because there are some similarities:

[...] All day, there'd been a swollen feeling at the back of my neck (where it meets the skull), along with some dizziness and vertigo. [...] Insomnia woke me up in less than an hour. I tried again, but [repeatedly] jerked awake almost as soon as I started to drift off. At this point, my heart was racing/pounding in that way that makes me feel like I'm dying or having a panic attack. [I gave up on sleep.]

I'd been reading for a while when suddenly I felt... cured. Getting out of bed was easy. I still had brain fog and was tad sleepy, but it was like I had come out of a "body fog"... my body just felt right. I perceived that I could push myself physically in that moment without doing myself harm, and had a strong desire to go for a walk or do [hobbies]. It was extremely noticeable because I haven't felt that energetic or alive in a very long time, and I haven't felt any restlessness or urges to do anything active for several years now.

My heart rate was down a little from its normal level, so I don't suspect an adrenaline surge. Punching the air a few times caused some tiredness to my arms, but it was the kind of reaction I'd expect after being glued to my bed for so many years. I didn't wobble when I walked, and it didn't feel like I was trying to push my body through water. I enjoyed the feeling for another hour or two, then went to sleep; it was gone when I woke up this morning.

One of my doctors--I think he was a neurologist--said this sounded like a migraine. The only thing I can think of, other than potentially something electrical, is that maybe the swelling can be enough to move/lift the skull. I might have perceived clearer vision also, but I didn't note it so I'm not sure. However, I believe Jennifer Brea may have mentioned a similar effect when she was undergoing the test where they lifted her skull up.

 

[andyguitar]

The big question I have here is what happens during a migraine that can cause this?

Could be that blood flow to the brain changes, causing oxygen to become depleted.

 

[Dysfunkion]

I don't have an answer, but wanted to include my experience because there are some similarities:

[...] All day, there'd been a swollen feeling at the back of my neck (where it meets the skull), along with some dizziness and vertigo. [...] Insomnia woke me up in less than an hour. I tried again, but [repeatedly] jerked awake almost as soon as I started to drift off. At this point, my heart was racing/pounding in that way that makes me feel like I'm dying or having a panic attack. [I gave up on sleep.]

I'd been reading for a while when suddenly I felt... cured. Getting out of bed was easy. I still had brain fog and was tad sleepy, but it was like I had come out of a "body fog"... my body just felt right. I perceived that I could push myself physically in that moment without doing myself harm, and had a strong desire to go for a walk or do [hobbies]. It was extremely noticeable because I haven't felt that energetic or alive in a very long time, and I haven't felt any restlessness or urges to do anything active for several years now.

My heart rate was down a little from its normal level, so I don't suspect an adrenaline surge. Punching the air a few times caused some tiredness to my arms, but it was the kind of reaction I'd expect after being glued to my bed for so many years. I didn't wobble when I walked, and it didn't feel like I was trying to push my body through water. I enjoyed the feeling for another hour or two, then went to sleep; it was gone when I woke up this morning.

One of my doctors--I think he was a neurologist--said this sounded like a migraine. The only thing I can think of, other than potentially something electrical, is that maybe the swelling can be enough to move/lift the skull. I might have perceived clearer vision also, but I didn't note it so I'm not sure. However, I believe Jennifer Brea may have mentioned a similar effect when she was undergoing the test where they lifted her skull up.

Mine start with some pressure in that area and my forehead, usually an area in the left backside of my head followed by an electrical storm all over my body and it's fully on not too much later. My prodrome is mostly my mood getting really wonky and a little visual effects. They can also start in my sleep and I'm jerked awake by them if the attack starts, that's when the attack for this one began.

And yeah it was just like that but it occurred during the main attack that morning. Since I was pretty physically disabled when it happened I suspect the migraine surge of something shocked some system online that before wasn't working right that was stuck in a feedback loop. If I got up and walked I would feel the electricity through my limbs and of course I was also quite stiff but the feeling would also come with some euphoria. Besides getting up to use the bathroom I didn't do much of that though until I forced myself up much later to the kitchen. I did go out to the store much later driven with a family member after too and though I couldn't speak well I just wanted to talk and I took a lot of pleasure in the car ride itself which I also haven't had in a long time too. It was so comfortable in it's own way in that moment in a way I haven't experienced in so long that I wanted to cry.

Today in day 2 of post drome I been feeling extremely depleted physically and wasn't able to take much interest or pleasure in anything. Legs kinda feel like they're made of electric jelly but that's going down as time passes. The depression peaked some hours ago but has lifted a bit now. I'd say right now I just feel weak, slow, and electric. Tinnitus is also spiking but that's been consistent through this whole thing. Not much to do now but see where this goes over the next few days.

Could be that blood flow to the brain changes, causing oxygen to become depleted.

If I do any exercise which clearly changes blood flow this doesn't happen though, during migraines I feel very week especially in post-drome but I don't feel like I'm suffocating which I imagine is how'd one would feel if most of the brains oxygen is depleted. .

 

[kushami]

This study seems to be saying that blood flow changes in various parts of the brain during migraines. I feel as though the authors used too many abbreviations though, making it a bit hard to follow.

https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-022-01501-0

Low oxygen to the brain probably wouldn’t feel like suffocation, it would feel like fainting or drifting towards unconsciousness (presuming breathing was normal and the low oxygen was caused by a drop in cerebral blood flow). Although I suppose people who are about to faint do sometimes feel like they are struggling to breathe, but that might be hyperventilation.

I have low blood flow to the brain, and on a couple of occasions when it has been corrected I experienced mental and visual clarity like “the old days”, which was a bit of a shock after so many years, similar to what you descibe.

So I think that the migraine might have increased flow to parts of your brain that usually don’t get enough due to ME/CFS.

 

[Dysfunkion]

Over the past week we have went from low 20's (F), to mid-upper 30's, and yesterday into roday 50's with rain storms moving through and now it's suddenly sunny. I am feel predrom-y and I pray it doesn't turn into a migraine it's also just past the holidays here when I haven't been eating well either and notice a factor like that especially if it involves gluten will compound it even if the initial trigger is rapid atmospheric temperature and pressure shifts. Though food itself has never triggered one, throughout my life it's always been either the temperature shifts/pressure shifts or a lot of movement like I'd get them from bouncing around too much on a trampoline as a kid or longer car rides would also often trigger them. The heavy eyes, top of head, "the blahs" emotionally with some wonky swings, the signature rocky boat sea sick feeling, tinnitus spikes, the gang's all here! If this does turn into a full on nightmare again I'll try to take note of during the attack if I have a cognitive energy window at the same time. Right now my legs feel like sticks wrapped in jelly so that signature thing is going on too which isn't a great sign for days to come.

Just gonna be laying low with minimal stimulation and fasting for a day or 2 which is the only thing I can really do to minimize impact if it comes and this doesn't simmer down before the storm. Good thing I don't work till Thursday so even if it does I'll be able to just be here at home.