Diagnosed with atypical migraines .. I’m scared please advise.
26F 5’6 past smoker (4+ years not smoking)
Medical history: Type 1 diabetic for 12 years, A1C usually around 7.0 or lower the past few years. History of migraines, OCD/health anxiety. Prescribed propranolol PRN for anxiety and lorazepam PRN.
Monday I had one of the scariest experiences of my life and I genuinely thought I was having a stroke.
I woke up with neck pain and really tight traps/shoulders but otherwise felt mostly normal. I worked from 9–3 at my desk job and throughout the day started feeling kind of “off.” I’m on the computer constantly and it was also unusually hot that day, which I don’t tolerate well.
Out of nowhere I got this super shrill/ringing sound in my head along with pain in the back right side of my head and neck. Within minutes I developed numbness and tingling down my LEFT arm/hand, into my jaw/mouth, and even my left foot/toes. I also felt dizzy/disoriented.
My husband drove me straight to the ER and they immediately took me into the stroke/cardiac area because they were concerned about stroke symptoms. They did a CT, MRI with and without contrast, monitored me overnight on heart monitors, did an echocardiogram, neuro exams, bloodwork, etc. Everything came back normal.
The neurologist said they think it was an atypical/neurological migraine that mimicked a stroke. They also mentioned MS at first but said the MRI ruled that out. They treated me with a migraine cocktail and discharged me the next day.
Today I still feel awful honestly. The numbness and tingling are gone, but I feel exhausted, sluggish, anxious, kind of weak, foggy, and just generally unwell. Part of me is terrified something was missed and that this was more than a migraine.
I do have a migraine history, but my migraines have NEVER been like this before. Usually they’re just painful headaches with light/sound sensitivity. I did have a somewhat similar but much milder episode about 2 years ago that resolved quickly and by the time I was seen it didn’t lead to anything. Should I go back to the hospital and ask for more testing? What other test could they do? Especially the lingering “off” feeling afterward? I’m honestly struggling not to panic that the hospital missed something serious.
Posted May 13, 2026, 6:27 PM UTC