Loss of speech during a migraine, anyone experienced this before?

[Lila0403]

On Tuesday I suddenly developed blurred vision in my peripheral vision which then started spreading across my right eye. Around the same time I started feeling really “off”, almost like I wasn’t fully in control of my body or myself.

I joined a work Teams meeting and although I was speaking mostly ok, I was noticeably struggling to find words and formulate sentences properly. Afterwards the nausea kicked in alongside a headache, and then the nausea intensified quite quickly to the point I felt like I could be sick.

Around three hours after the blurry vision started, I joined another Teams call. I started speaking and then suddenly just couldn’t find words at all. It was like my brain knew exactly what I wanted to say but my mouth physically just froze and wouldn’t cooperate. My colleague actually said “what are you doing?” because I had just gone silent mid-conversation, and then I started panicking which understandably panicked her too.

My manager rang my husband, he came to collect me and took me straight to hospital. On the way there I became terrified it was a stroke because I still couldn’t speak fluently. I could get some sentences out but it felt like enormous effort.

Even while being triaged in hospital I still wasn’t speaking properly. Whenever I could get words out I just kept saying “I think it’s happening because I’m panicking.” After about an hour in hospital my speech slowly started coming back and by the time we left I was mostly back to normal.

Since then I’ve been absolutely zapped of energy. I still have a thick/heavy headache, stiffness and nausea. My speech is mostly back to normal but I still feel slower than usual and keep muddling words up (for example saying things like “Sam Handwich” instead of ham sandwich!).

I’m having an MRI to rule out a TIA but I am confident it’s more likely a migraine from what I’ve read since. I’ve never suffered with migraines before and have never experienced anything remotely like this.

My question is, is this kind of speech issue actually common with migraines/auras and has anyone experienced similar? I’m almost second guessing myself now and driving myself mad wondering “did I somehow imagine this?” even though logically I know I didn’t. I think I’m just in disbelief that something like that actually happened to me.

I’m also still off work which is bothering me because I keep having the classic “am I actually sick enough to be off?” thoughts.

Any advice or similar experiences would honestly be really appreciated.

Migraines mess up the connections in my head. It can take days for words to come back properly after I've had one, and I usually start to lose them in the hours before.

Yes used to get this with aura migraines and since menopause with my otherwise painless optical migraines. It’s very odd when you experience it but not uncommon.

I get pip because of migraines.

Yes, this is called aphasia and I get it with about 70% of my migraines.

I also get hemiplegic attacks which mimic a stroke with facial paralysis etc.

Most of my attacks have an crap extra feature like smelling cigarette smoke or electrical burning, cyclical vomiting or extreme nausea without vomiting, allodynia which leads to me pulling at the hair on my scalp for relief....

It's great.

Hopefully you've "only" developed a new symptom rather than any more sinister alternative. The good news is that it's not going to damage your brain if it's your migraine.

I have had similar symptoms and it was focal seizures.

I have these upto 23 times a month. With also one sided weakness. I have been told they are migraines. It’s ruined my life.

I get migraines with aura, visual disturbances and extreme fatigue but I've never had it affect my speech before. My daughter goes numb all down one side when she has migraines.

I have also had a stroke which has left me partially sighted (homonymous hemianopia), you did the right thing by going to hospital and I would again if it happens again, did they not give you a CT?

What treatment are you on?

Yes I have this, though I haven’t had one for a while because I avoid my triggers scrupulously (chocolate and flashing lights are the main ones).
I once had one when I was a lecturer and was with a student who luckily recognized the symptoms because her boyfriend had the same.
I don’t tend to get severe headache but the ‘migraine hangover’ wipes me out for several days.
The only medication that has worked for me is the herbal remedy feverfew which stops it in its tracks.
Get checked out in case it’s not this, but there’s a good chance it is.

Also it makes me either completely unable to read, or I can read but I have to sound out the words and really think about it!
Once I looked at a page and all the letter ‘e’s had vanished. My then boyfriend accused me of being on drugs 😂

You really need this checking out. Anything that affects your eyesight, speech could be stroke related. I don't want to worry you but go and get a diagnosis x

what happened at the hospital? Did they not check you out there & then? My sister had this & they scanned her immediately. She had a tumour on her skull. Not to scare you as if you already suffer with migraines perhaps it is just that, but I’m suprised hospital let you go without further investigations.

Sorry OP I hadn't realised you'd already been to the hospital.