By Karyn S. Huntting on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 09:24 pm: Edit

Having just come off a three day headache... I decided to do some internet research.

Your page really surprised me for the following reasons. Though I only have about 3 really bad 3-day headaches a year, the pain is an excruciating pounding at the (right side)base of my skull, pressure behind my right eye, very sensitive feeling on the right side of my throat and sometimes some aching discomfort on the top of my right shoulder. The headaches, only being three a year, we're not complained about... just suffered through.

In 1973, I experienced a coronary spasm and spent 5 days in the hospital. It was attributed to birth control pills and the doctor prescribed "Arlidin"(phonetic spelling).

What really caught my eye as I read your page was the discription of Photoposia. I never connected it with my headaches. Bright, luminous, colorful vibrating rods around a dark area that for me became larger and larger over a day or so and the would reverse itself and become smaller and smaller. Is photoposia connected with any other condition ?

I am concerned however with the stroke potential, if I have BAM. I suspect that I might be much more vulnerable for strokes???

Thanks for the page. Pat

Pat Villa <irish@wizzards.net>
Rogue River, OR USA - Sunday, August 30, 1998 at 12:22:36 (PDT)

By Karyn S. Huntting on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 09:26 pm: Edit

Any suggestions for dealing with the multi-day headaches, "helpful comments" from well meaning but misinformed friends. Also suggestions on how to avoid hearing about every single headache every single migraineur has had. (I prefer not to think about it, unless there is some possible benefit)

As far as my own "tricks": I avoid Chinese food, even when they SWEAR there's no MSG I avoid jalapeno peppers....sounds wierd, but they trigger for me Once headache is HERE (and there's no doubt, is there?) A dark room, quiet background noise, and ice packs are as effective as the strongest pain meds.

I do sometimes take phenergan for nausea/vomiting, but have given up on codeines, hydrocodones, oxycodones, demerol, Stadol, etc. I am having occasional good fortune with Migranal. It does not work every tme, but I'll take what good fortune I can get :-)

MOST IMPORTANT IS TO KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE! YEAH. MIGRAINES ARE A *BITCH*, BUT YOU TAK WHAT YOU GET AND LIVE WITH IT.

Jeanne A Poling <loss@swbell.net>
Arlington, TX USA - Monday, September 07, 1998 at 19:06:16 (PDT)

By Karyn S. Huntting on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 09:27 pm: Edit

I am glad that I have found this page.

I have had migraine since the age of 10 yrs. old. I also have a long family history of migraines, which my neurologist said that they are hererity. He also said that menonpause will sometimes make them go away. I have one aunt that this holds true, but the other one it has not changed for her.

I think that the experiences that we all suffer from should inform the government officials that think that we are experiencing a "headache" These have caused me to loose jobs due to excessive illness or having to go home early because I get a migraine. Stress seems to play a big factor on migraines in my experience.

I feel so desperate because I have been in my profession for the last 20 years and now I am without employment. Who want someone that isn't dependable? I have been the main bread winner and now I don't have insurance to help with the numerous medications that I have to take.

I have applied for unemployyment insurance and they say well if you are that ill you need to go to disability department. I have applied once and they denied it.

I like to work when Im not consumed with migraines, because they don't just affect you head pain. As many of you have said it affects many parts of your being.I have them more days then not and I am sick of them. They are ruining my life! If you have any suggestions on how I can live and be able to work please let me know.

Glenda <ROYALBG@PRODIGY.NET>
Coeur d' Alene, Id. USA - Monday, September 14, 1998 at 10:09:14 (PDT)

By Karyn S. Huntting on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 09:28 pm: Edit

I was just diagnosed with BAM and it's a big relief to know I'm not alone.

Thomas M. Crews <crewser@tcity.com>
Interlachen, Fl USA - Wednesday, September 16, 1998 at 11:15:26 (CDT)

By Karyn S. Huntting on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 09:29 pm: Edit

Thanks for your website.

I've had migraines for the past 10 years. My headaches were so bad that I couldn't motivate. Had to have someone drive me home. I've been driving to or from work and completely lost my vision or seen hallows, bright lights, etc.

I went to the eye doctor to have my eyes checked and he told me my symptoms were systomatic of migraines. In the 80's I went to a doctor for my sinus condition, or what I thought was sinus. He also, told me my symptoms were that of migraines. My regular GP had never diagnosed me as having migraines .

For the past year they have become more severe and more often. I experience a migraine at least once a month. My husband had to take me to the Doctor in Dec. '97. I was so sick, hurt so bad that when I entered the office they immediately took me to a room where I could lye down . The Doctor then took my vitals, blood pressure high, etc. That was the first time they gave me a shot of imitrex. After about 15 mnitures most of the pain subsided. The fatigue, weak feeling remained for several days. I have the self injection packet and the nose spray. No amount of pain medication helps. The effects of the imitrex has decreased. I had to use one of the sprays two days ago, but the headache remains as of this date. Not as severe, but still there.

Does anyone know of any other treatments or preventatives. Has your doctor prescribed anything that has helped you? Let me hear from you.

Rita Sibley <rsibley@doa.state.la.us>
Baton Rouge, LA USA - Friday, September 18, 1998 at 13:33:51 (CDT)

By Kelly on Sunday, September 27, 1998 - 12:02 am: Edit

I have spent a lot of time on your web page since I discovered it 3 days ago. I think I could possibly have BAM. My migranes have become much more frequent in the last 6 months. I experience visual disturbances before my migranes and almost always completely go blind for approximately 30 min. I am then left with a horrible headache. The following day I feel like I am in a daze. Lately also feel like I have been experiencing long term memory loss, and am having trouble recalling words. My most recent migrane was unusual. I woke in the morning to horrible vertigo. The room was spinning so fast I could not get up. This lasted an hour then I was left with a migrane . The pain was in the back of my head just above my neck. I feel like I really should see a neurologist, but would like to see someone familiar with BAM. Does anyone know of a good neurologist in the Chicago area? Please e-mail me if you have any suggestions.

By Elisabeth Knaack on Thursday, October 01, 1998 - 03:06 am: Edit

I have been trying to make my neurologist talk to me about my headaches. It was pure pain that drove me to really search the Net and I found BAM. Does anyone know of a neurologist or other physician in the Milwaukee area that is treating these headaches? I am as desperate as the rest of you and have been experiencing these little lovlies for about 4 years with only Excedrin and a stiff upper lip to see me thru them.

I have the visual disturbances, headaches behind the eyeballs, pain in the back of the head, and on and on. I can't believe there is actually a name for it!

I tried Imitrex but to no avail. I have epilepsy so my GP is very leery of giving me much of anything else.

By the way, has anyone been to the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago? I think that's where I'm headed (Pardon the pun!) unless someone out there knows of a Milwaukee doc.

SS just denied me for the 3rd time as there wasn't any "proof" or medical finding for my headaches. When I got the letter I felt so absolutely low, like they thought I was trying to pull some kind of scam. Since I've found this page I've suddenly stopped feeling like a hypochondriac!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here.

By Kristie on Thursday, October 08, 1998 - 08:19 am: Edit

Hi! This is my first visit. My 7-year old was diagnosed with Basilar migraines about 10 months ago and has been on inderal, which has decreased the frequency of headaches but not eliminated them. During the past year, he has had frequent episodes of vertigo. Has anyone heard of this connected with BAM? His vertigo usually lasts a couple minutes and no longer than 10-30 minutes. Right now, he is having a severe vertigo episode that started three days ago! This is the first time an episode has lasted so long. Last night, his physician started him on valuim, 1 ml up to 4 times per day. It has had little or no effect; perhaps the dose is too low, though I'm concerned about him being on this medication. We will see a neuro-otologist next week. I've been thinking of taking him to the chiropractor tomorrow morning to give him some relief. He has missed school all week and, while he's a trooper, is growing tired and cries at night saying, "mom, when will my dizzyness stop?" Please help! Any info or suggestions is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

By Karyn S. Huntting on Thursday, October 08, 1998 - 07:46 pm: Edit

Hi Kristie, and welcome!

The vertigo is a "hallmark" symptom of BAM, and is very common in this disorder (and is, in fact, one of the key symptoms used to diagnose BAM).

One thing I would caution you about is the chiropractor. Please be careful about any neck manipulation, as it can cause stroke in people predisposed to having problems in the vertebrobasilar region (you can do a search for words like "neck" and "manipulation" and "chiropr" (part of a word that will find chiropraxia, chiropractic, chiropractor, etc.) in this forum to see other messages dealing with this topic.

By Sonkia Byrne on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 07:57 pm: Edit

I HAVE SUFFERED FROM MIGRAINES FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS THE ONLY RELIEF I HAVE FOUND IS 1 THOUSAND MILIGRAMS OF DEPAKOTE A DAY. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST ATTACKS I HAD BEEN THROUGH THE TRAMATIC NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE AND I HAVE HAD THEM EVER SINCE.

SONIA BYRNE <SONIA@CLIFFORD.COM>
CHATSWORTH , CA USA - Wednesday, September 23, 1998 at 19:27:37 (CDT)

By Beth Erics wife on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 07:58 pm: Edit

Great site! The good news is that my husband is almost done with diagnostic testing only three weeks after first BAM episode. The bad news is that his first episode was a full stroke and he lost 40% of his vision. He had a history of mild migraines with left field blindspot so nobody was terribly worried when he had the worst migraine of his life.

It all started at 3am and I suggested the hospital but he argued and wanted to be left alone. Stupid, me. I knew that migraines occasionally result in a stroke because a friend has BAM. At first, he hid the blindness but after four days I put my foot down and insisted on an MRI. It showed ischemia in the occipital lobe. Bingo! A clot has now been ruled out andit looks like BAM will be the diagnosis. He's getting a MedicAlert bracelet for his 39th birthday in two weeks. I'm going to have "Basilar Artery Vasospasm - Stroke" engraved on instead of BAM. PS Argumentativeness is a sign of stroke!!

Beth, Eric's wife <gergroup@aol.com>
Germantown, MD USA - Tuesday, September 29, 1998 at 11:15:04 (CDT)

By Jennifer Fisher on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 07:59 pm: Edit

We just had our first experience with BAM. After we broke fast on Yom Kippur, my husband Art began to experience double vision, then impaired motor reactions, slurred speech, and imbalanced equilibrium. We had trouble getting in touch with the doctor, so we decided to go straight to the hospital.

By this time, Art had so much trouble walking that I was unable to bring him downstairs to the car myself and we had to call an ambulance. That night Art was alternatively awake and asleep, and was actually able to answer the intake questions asked by the nurse as he was being admitted. The next morning he remembered nothing at all.

When the on-call neurologist arrived Art's symptoms had pretty much disappeared. He was absolutely fabulous, and if I can I'd love to give him some free advertisement here. His name is Dr. Mirza Beg, and he is affiliated with Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, NY. He also has an office in New York City. Dr. Beg met with us for a good hour and a half, and gave Art a neurological exam, discussed his history of headaches, allergies, and other possible etiologies. He then took as much time as was needed to answer any questions we had.

Possible causes of this episode were Lyme's Disease, MS, meningitis, or a migraine variant. After we heard MS, we were floored (Art is 31 and I'm 26 - this came as a bit of a shock.). Art's day was filled with tests -- EEG, MRI, CT Scan, and we weren't to know the results for about 24 very long hours. In the meantime, we also met with another incredible doctor, this time an internist, Dr. Brian Israel, also affiliated with Phelps and Beth Israel In NYC. The most impressive thing about Dr. Israel is that besides his relaxed, friendly manner, he is on top of his game.

He suggested BAM right off the bat as the most logical diagnosis for Art's episode the night before. After a very long night the results were back, and we were much relieved to know it wasn't MS, but BAM (which isn't so great either, but we can manage that!), and that all Art needed to do was to increase his Depakote, which he's been taking for about two years now, to 1500 mg/day, and to see Dr. Beg regularly.

It's nice to know that there are lots of other people out there who have experienced this nightmare and have lived to tell about it, and can live normal, fulfilling lives if they take care of themselves properly. If you're in the NY area and are looking for an internist or a neurologist, try to contact either of the doctors I mentioned -- we can't say enough about them. They're brilliant practitioners, and down-to-earth, wonderful people on top of it. Sometimes a rare combination when talking about doctors (in our experience, anyway).

Long story short, Art is home today after two days in the hospital and is on bedrest. He's okay, and we are hoping that this won't occur again. If it does we can handle it.

Jennifer Fisher <AHFGlock@msn.com>
Ossining, NY USA - Friday, October 02, 1998 at 21:35:37 (CDT)

By Rodney Caldwell on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 08:00 pm: Edit

can anyone tell me why my docter perscribed tegratol for migrain symptons? about nine years ago i had a headache,which at first i had tunnel vision,then lost feeling in my left arm and my tounge became thick feeling. after all of this i blacked out. when i came to,which was only less than a minute, my wife told me that i had a convulsion.we went to my g.p.. i was sent to neurologist, who had series of test ran and came to the conclusion that i take tegratol for migrain headaches. when i started taking tegratol my wife and i read in medical journals or whatever about tegratol and found out that it for epilepsy and that scared us. recently i went to see another doctor through my g.p.,and he perscribed indomthicin, but i just read on the net that this is for arthritis. am i being a test subject? also i have had two occurances with headaches [migrains] in the last two weeks. if there is anyone that can help me or tell me what to do i would greatly appreciate it. thank you

rodney caldwell <r. caldwell@zebra net>
semmes, al USA - Monday, October 05, 1998 at 14:42:41 (CDT)

By Lisa L. Trafelet on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 08:01 pm: Edit

Thank you so much for your site! It has helped me more than words can say. I was diagnosed with BAM six years ago, but have had migranes and vertigo symptoms for about nine years.

I was 16 or so when I was diagnosed, maybe 17. My mom thought the doctor was a quack so we never went back. I am now 22 and have had no treatment and have not seen any doctors about this. My migranes and dizzy spells are very frequent (at the very least once a week at the most once a day). I now am a college student (close to graduating YAY) and have no medical insurance, but I need to see doctors and get this treated and maybe even a second opinion.

I have learned to live with this the best that I can but it still scares me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreiciated.

Again, thank you so much for you site.

Lisa L. Trafelet <LisaLyAnne@yahoo.com>
Olympia, WA USA - Thursday, October 08, 1998 at 13:47:51 (CDT)

By Beth on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 08:03 pm: Edit

This won't submit under discussion - can you move it? Subject : Need explanation of BAM for MedicAlert and friends I'm looking for two explanations, one to put on a MedicAlert bracelet that does not use the word "migraine" for fear that my husband will receive another dose of Imatrex and have another storke. Second explanation I need is a short explanation of BAM to tell friends and relatives. What I have been telling people is that my husband got stuck in the pre-migraine ("aura") stage for too long. From what I understand, this stage is a vasoconstriction that can preceed the vasodilation (PAIN) stage. Part of his brain was deprived of oxygen for too long during the pre-migraine and it caused him to lose about 40% of his vision (80% of left field with both eyes). Am I understanding the process correctly? Is this all theory or have enough victims been quickly shoved into MRI's to prove that this is what happens? If you think that BAM is underrecognized, would it be useful to warn people to seek a good neurologist if they experience very dramatic "aura" or an aura that lasts long (how long?) or is worse than usual? My husband always got a left visual field blind spot but this time the left vision went totally and probably suddenly - this is unclear since he woke up at 3:00am with little vision, stumbling and pretty disoriented. Not sure whether this type of warning will unnecessarily alarm people. This information from one of my friends who has BAM was what got my husband diagnosed fairly quickly. (Of course, a documented ischemic area in occipital lobe pretty well clinched the diagnosis!) I just wished I had listen closer to my friend Teresa because I let everybody goof around calling blindness a migraine for four days before I put my foot down and insisted on an MRI. Too late to do anything, unfortunately. I wish I had taken it more seriously when he was stumbling and disoriented in the middle of the night. That all disapeared by morning and nobody was worried about vision loss since he had a mild history of left field disturbances. (1-2 per year with mild migraine headache afterwords.) Reinforces my belief that I may be a good diagnostician but it is just as well that I didn't go to medical school - I was almost as stupid as he was when he woke me up out of a dead sleep. I let him argue me out of going to the hospital. I never could have hacked the 36-48 hour shifts during a residency without killing patients due to sleep deprivation. FYI - Argumentativeness is a sign of stroke!

Beth Germantown, MD
Beth <gergroup@aol.com>
Germantown, MD USA - Sunday, September 27, 1998 at 16:07:19 (PDT)

By James R. Nelson M.D. on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 08:04 pm: Edit

Excellent web page === will add to our list of best pages on various topics.

James R. Nelson, M.D. <jrnelson@pol.net>
La Jolla, CA USA - Tuesday, September 29, 1998 at 16:57:30 (PDT)

By KEVIN COTE on Friday, October 09, 1998 - 08:06 pm: Edit

I NEED HELP,I BEGIN MY FIRST EPISODE SINCE 9 YEARS,I RECEIVE TREATMENT AT STE-JUSTINE HOSPITAL,MONTREAL ,QUEBEC.I HAD FIVE EPISODE OF BASILAR MIGRAINE SINCE 1989.MY DOCTOR`S NAME IS GILLES PELLETIER AT STE-JUSTINE HE IS PEDO-PSYCHIATRE IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION OR NEW TREATMENT FOR THIS CONDITION TELL HIM BY MAIL,PHONE OR INTERNET PLEASE.

KEVIN COTE <danielle.cote@dr.cgocable.ca>
drummondville, que canada - Thursday, October 08, 1998 at 08:29:11 (PDT)

By M. Mark Wexler Ph.D. on Tuesday, October 13, 1998 - 07:16 pm: Edit

Karyn has done a marvelous job in organizing information about BAM. Maybe she could help me organize my desk?!

I am a Ph.D. clinical psychologist specializing in chronic pain management and neuropsychology. I encountered BAM by assessing and developing a treatment plan for a patient who suffers from this condition.

I have quite a good track record in treating migraines. You may download my research paper on this treatment by visiting my site at:
http:/www.imall.com/stores/primefitness.

My prayers are with all of you.

By Karyn S. Huntting on Wednesday, October 14, 1998 - 08:26 am: Edit

Test posting.

By Bevely Myers on Friday, October 23, 1998 - 08:01 am: Edit

I have been a migraine sufferer for over 20 years. My first one was 6 weeks to the day after a hysterectomy. I went through a whole battery of test. The end results was Migraine Variant Stroke Syndrome. At the time we lived in a suburb of LA. It was quite devastating. I was unable to walk to talk for quite some time. It was over a year for me to walk with out limping or talk with out slurred speech. I lost my ability to recognize misspelled words. I couldn't even remember how to write the word but. I had tried to write my mother as talking was frustrating and was met with another obstacle. I worked on all this on my own. The doctors kept saying it was only a migraine and the symptoms were only transient. Nine months later I went to type a letter for my husband and was unable to do it. I went to the local school and signed up for a night class in typing. I am not as fast as I used to be, at least I can type now. Computers have been a great help especially with the spelling. I went back to college and learned I had lost some short term and sequential memory.

I worked hard and made it through all of it. I had difficulty at jobs because of having headaches so frequently. I worked long an hard to keep up with everyone else. Lost some job because of it. My last job I have been at for 12 years. I feel like I have really accomplished something. I work with a real great bunch of people.

I went through the whole array of meds. Vasoconstrictors are contraindicated. They did determine my arteries go into spasm and constrict but never dilate. The only regimen that had worked was Valium and Darvacet. This worked for 7 years. Then we moved to Oregon. The doctors here would not give me the drugs. I was down to having migraines once a week instead of daily when we moved. It took me another 3 years having severe headaches 2 to 3 times weekly before finding a neurologist in Oregon. I had done real well until 1993 when I had another bad episode that put me off work for 1 & 1/2 yrs. When I went back I noticed my memory was worse. I pushed my self and ended up having daily severe headaches with the numbness, it's like my head an arms have been shot full of Novocain and it is just coming out of it. I have some where I can not see half of everything ,it's grayed out. My tongue feels thick and I have difficulty in coordination. If I go to long I start having dificulting in the thought process as well as conversations and speech. My body temp also drops.

I have been off work for the past 4 month because of them getting severe again. This time I am having more dificulty in orginization and more problems with my memory. I have just been tested again and told my short term memory is in the 1-2%. My internist thinks it’s do to depression and anxiety not my headaches. I was seeing a councilor that thinks it's my headaches and not stress, depression or anxiety. It looks like I am in for long trip through the medical professionals again. I was told I do not have Alzheimer’s nor a severe medical condition and defiantly not related to a stroke. That a stroke condition or a migraine condition to cause these problems is too rare. Then I found this page. I do not care what they call it. All I know is I have difficulty with slurred speech, difficulty getting my words out. I know the words I want to say they just won't come out. Some times I can not stay awake. I am out for up to 14 hours. I do not remember much other than what my family tells me about those incidents. All I remember is the pain is so bad and nothing works. Cold packs make them worse heat helps. I have gotten the Fenagrain and Demoral shots it does not get rid of the pain it just makes it tolerable. I do have a note from my neurologist that states Ergostates, caforgote and imitrix is counter indicated. My headaches last form 2 to 5 days then I am disorientated for 3-5 days after. How can one work with that. I try but it is taking a real toll on me and my family.

Needless to say when I found this page I felt like I was no longer alone. There is some one else out there that from a scale of 1-10 has a #20 headache. After years of being asked where it hurt am able to describe them like this; some one reaching in at the base of my skull and ripping my brains out at the same time ripping my eyeballs out of the sockets from the inside. They come at all times of the day. I even wake up from sleep having them. So much for the soap, I just want to give you some back ground of where I am coming from. I may not have BAM but I do believe my symptoms are quite similar. I am going to take this information to my doctor and see where I get.
Does any one out there know anything else that could cause all these symptoms as well as the memory loss?