Is this a migraine? Lost feeling in my left arm

[CallingFromLondon]

I've had a headache since travelling home over an hour ago. Then, I got in about 45 minutes ago and just sat down to eat.

I can feel nothing but heaviness in my left arm, from my elbow to my fingertips. I feel sick and still have a mild headache.

I suffer badly when I do have a migraine, I can 'see stars' (my vision goes patchy and there's lots of blind spots). And the headache is excruciating.

I guess the dead arm is migraine, and maybe I'm just lucky tonight and the headache isn't severe?

Anyone experience similar?

People actually post about this stuff on mn? Without ringing 999? and others advise them that it could be symptoms of a migraine? .

Surely the only course of action here is to seek professional help via 999? And do bear in mind that the time period for avoiding permanent brain damage following a stroke is a matter of hours so you literally don’t have time to post (and read replies) about it on mumsnet.

Seriously someone could post this stuff on here and by the time people tell them that it’s only a migraine they could be dead.

And fwiw while I can see that someone might post about it on the basis of not wanting to think that it’s something serious, the only responses should be 999, not even 111 although 111 would ring an ambulance anyway

nobody should be telling a poster who posts about loss of sensation plus confusion that they had x and it was fine.

Just to add to the thread that I saw my GP about this as an energy appointment and he isn't really concerned at all.

He says given my age he is almost sure it's hemplgeic (sorry about spelling) migraines and it is very very unlikely to be TIA (mini stroke).

He has referred me to a Neurologist but has said he won't be prescribing any sort of painkillers or medication until I have seen them. And told me to continue with paracetamol and ibuprofen together even though they aren't working

And you've not been scanned? Fuck. That's very, um, brave of them. Absolutely agree with FixTheBone that this needs properly investigating. Promptly.

noco No scan, nothing. He won't even give me aspirin until I get seen. I'm sure it is just a type of migraine causing this but there's a tiny chance it's TIA, and therefore could mean a full on stroke! I have a small toddler to look after and I worry it will happen if I'm alone with him.

TIA literally means you have a good chance of having a full blown stroke in the near future.

GP is very adamant it's extremely unlikely to be TIA due to my age so I'm hoping he's completely right and trusting his choice.

He did call me about two hours after my appointment though... to announce he forgot to say, don't drive until you've seen the neurology team

I'm not driving anyway before he said so.

Please go to A&E - age isn’t a factor to discount a stroke or TIA, which are both medical emergencies. Time is brain, the longer you go untreated the more serious the consequences may be and if it is isn’t anything serious you and the medical experts will know for certain following a scan. I speak from experience, having had a stroke at 41, and being treated in time to make an excellent recovery.

Wishing you all the best

I would have gone to A&E at the time. As it is...actually, sod it. I would still go to A&E now. It may well be a hemiplegic migraine, but I wouldn't make that diagnosis in a child (I only deal with children) without clear imaging, and even a young adult is at a comparatively higher risk of TIA/stroke.

I would go to a&e if I was you.

Actually I did when I had a TIA when I was 33. Even though the symptoms (right side paralysis and inability to talk) had subsided, I was taken seriously straight away probably because my 2 minute attack was witnessed by my dh.

I’ve had so many tests and they found that I have a hole in my heart and that coupled with the combined pill was probably what caused my TIA.

Bloody hell I wish people wouldn’t give medical advice unless qualified to do so and even then every OP should take with a pinch of salt!

I had a stroke at 37yo and I also speak from a professional point of view - never take aspirin with possible stroke symptoms. You have no idea if the cause is haemorrhagic or embolic. Taking aspirin with a bleed could worsen outcome or kill someone.

I would not take ibuprofen either but do your own research on that.

My stroke was visual. No weakness on one side, slurred speech or anything just lost half my visual field. Hospital by ambulance. Immediate CT scan, aspirin, full recovery. MRI 2 days later revealed the stroke.

I now have migraines which I’d never had before. They present in many ways and are not always accompanied by bad headaches.

I can’t believe your GP didn’t send you to ED but I’m not a GP.

Why would you not go to a and e and get checked out?

Doctors can and do get things wrong. As this is a new symptom I would want some proper investigations done to rule out a heart issue / stroke etc.

So many serious things are ruled out by doctors because of age when they shouldn’t be.

I was only 34 when i had a heart attack. Took so long to get anywhere cause kept gettinf told i was to young , slim, healthy etc.
Luckily i didnt listen to my doctor and went to hospital.

Do the same

Just to echo the above poster- I have heart issues. I’m 38, don’t smoke, drink, normal weight etc. Fobbed off for ages and ages being told I had anxiety until recently.

Hope you got sorted Callingfomlondon

Is the appointment they arranged at TIA clinic? If so it's usually within a week and you will get a brain scan etc.
If it's general neurology you could be waiting 6+ months.... I'd not be happy with that.

(GP)