Acephalgic Migraines

Nooni

Not sure if this should be a separate thread, merge if needs be.

I have suffered from migraines for 14 years now, started off with the normal migraines with aura but as I got older the neurological symptoms worsened. I now only get the neurological symptoms, without the headache (past 3 or 4 years). My doctor has tried me on some triptans but I had quite a bad reaction to them.

I went to see the consultant neurologist in St Vincent's last week my suspicions of acephalgic migraines were confirmed. I have to get an MRI to rule out something else and then they're going to look at medication - but my MRI appointment isn't until next February

When I get an attack I get aura, blindness or peripheral-only vision, nausea, slurred speech, numbness in my face (left side - which was my headache side), loss of coordination, sensitivity to noise, light and smell and spontaneous dyslexia. I am completely unable to work or function in general and an attack can last anywhere from 4 hours to 10 days. I find these attacks worse than when I got the headaches as my headaches could be resolved with painkillers and a couple of hours sleep.

I get quite down over it because I never know if an attack will last for hours or days, and I miss a lot of work. People (family, co-workers) keep telling me to take painkillers but there's no pain and no one seems understand how I can have a migraine without a headache.

Just wondering if anyone else suffers from this? Anyone had success with amitriptyline?