# Darn migraines



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

As the title says, I also have been suffering from complex migraines. These are migraines that mimic a stroke, and the last one I had caused concern; dead arm, numb tongue, drooping lips on the left side of my face, and slurred speech.. You can't tell if it's a stroke or a migraine unless you get to the hospital and get tested ASAP.I have these types of migraines at least once a month, so it's getting old.. I'm on a new self-inject-able drug and it seems to work wonders.Once a month and I'm good... The problem is it costs $857 bucks a shot, once a month. That's almost half of my SS check.Guess it's cheaper for the insurance company to pay $10,000 or so for every visit to the ER for all the tests, CAT scans, MRI's, etc,(once a month or more), than to pay for the cost of the (new) drug..Guess it's going to be back to the ER every month instead of the shot... So if you don't hear from me anymore, it means I didn't go to the ER because I thought it was only a migraine, but it turned out to be a stroke, lol.. I rolled the dice and it came out craps,lol!!


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## breckheart (Mar 29, 2021)

Especially if you have some kind of diagnosis from a doctor, because I know people can just call a really bad headache a migraine, which is what I'm trying to avoid. I sometimes get these nasty, awful headaches that pain pills barely touch, but I don't have the light/sound sensitivity or auras that are supposed to be typical of migraines, so I don't know what to call them. snaptube vidmate I don't want to minimize the suffering of actual migraine-sufferers.


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## Trackman (Oct 16, 2019)

flyernut, though I do not get the migraines to the extent you do, my mother did. In so, I know of the extent of your pain and issues through my mother. And for that, I am sorry to learn another person has to endure these cruel tricks of nature. She always said one of use three kids would get them too - lucky me. 
Fortunately, my migraines are limited to only auras in the left eye, having no headaches or other symptoms, and only experiencing these a few times. 
I recently had a mini-stroke, where the doctors could find nothing wrong in all the tests and poking they had done. In your disruption of your worst migraine events, it makes me wonder if my diagnosed mini-stoke was indeed a migraine.
Though we are discussing an off-topic issue within this S-gauge forum, we are still train guys aiding train guys, and we truly wish you well.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

That sounds both serious and extremely inconvenient. I am not familiar with those types of headaches, and the copay for the drug just does not make sense.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Could it be a vitamin deficiency ? Maybe take magnesium and/or potassium, see what, if anything, changes..

PS. 
Just noticed your OP is from 2 Mos. ago.. I do hope you've conquered the problem by now.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Trackman said:


> flyernut, though I do not get the migraines to the extent you do, my mother did. In so, I know of the extent of your pain and issues through my mother. And for that, I am sorry to learn another person has to endure these cruel tricks of nature. She always said one of use three kids would get them too - lucky me.
> Fortunately, my migraines are limited to only auras in the left eye, having no headaches or other symptoms, and only experiencing these a few times.
> I recently had a mini-stroke, where the doctors could find nothing wrong in all the tests and poking they had done. In your disruption of your worst migraine events, it makes me wonder if my diagnosed mini-stoke was indeed a migraine.
> Though we are discussing an off-topic issue within this S-gauge forum, we are still train guys aiding train guys, and we truly wish you well.


The problem with my migraines are they mimic the exact same symptoms of a stroke, as I listed in my above, original post. I HAVE to go to the ER to be diagnosed, including MRI's and CAT scans, along with blood work and observations. If I don't go, there's a possibility it is a stroke, and who knows where that will lead to without treatment. Both my Mom and Dad had a series of strokes so I'm susceptible to them, per doctors opinions.And to top it all off, I did indeed have a stoke that went undiagnosed last year, so of to the ER when they hit. I also get the auras in both eyes, and I have a large blind spot right in the center of my vision, but no head-aches, lucky me,lol!.. As far as your migraine, it could have been a mini-stroke OR a migraine, only a CAT scan and MRI will tell.As far as migraines on a train forum, I look at posts as having a true sit-down conversation with friends, so post away.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

telltale said:


> Could it be a vitamin deficiency ? Maybe take magnesium and/or potassium, see what, if anything, changes..
> 
> PS.
> Just noticed your OP is from 2 Mos. ago.. I do hope you've conquered the problem by now.


I do take vitamins, daily.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

AmFlyer said:


> That sounds both serious and extremely inconvenient. I am not familiar with those types of headaches, and the copay for the drug just does not make sense.


I called my neurosurgeon and got a free sample from him, good for 2 months, 1 injection per month. They're still fighting with the insurance company as to covering the cost,which they rejected twice. I called my pharmacy yesterday as to what it would cost me without insurance coverage and they told $745 for 1 subscription dosage which includes 2 injections, once a month, so I was wrong in my stating it was $745 per month, $$370 per month, close enough..It costs the insurance company around $10k-$12 K everytime I go to the ER, which is once every 6-8 weeks, they could save quite a bit of money by simply giving me the drug that I need. Since I've been taking the drug, I've been migraine free, the drug is "Emgality", you may have seen the advertisements on tv for it. It does work, but the cost is heavy, at least for me.I was going to get in touch with the VA, but they said between myself and my wife, we make too much money..RIGHT!!!!... I'm going to stop now because I will turn this into a political rant if I don't.thanks to all my friends and well wishers on this site, love ya all!!!


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Good to hear from you my friend. Wishing you the best. Take care.


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## Mikeh49 (Sep 20, 2015)

My Medicare Advantage plan would cover Emgality at 50% of the cost with pre-approval. No idea what that the actual number would be. It is Tier 4 out of 5 tiers in my plan. The higher the tier, the less the insurance covers. Then there is the out-of-pocket maximum and drug "doughnut hole". Great system we have. Marvelous drugs but can't afford them so ER instead.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Glad to here wish you the best.


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