Headaches and Black Spots

[headachegirl19]

I'm 19 years old and i have suffered migraines since i was 14.I am trying to go to college to become a doctor myself and these migraines and constant being sleepy has cut into my school work hard. I use to be staright A student, never had my migraines and sleepiness interfere. My doctors have insisted that it is depression and have me on 2 types of depression pills which are 7 pills a day, not including the migraine pills they have me on as well as the sleeping pills. I have suffered just recently in the past year me sleeping 16+ hours a day, nothing seems to help me. The migraines have been getting worse to the point past year i cant have my tv on or my lights but maybe a hour a day and I just want to lay in bed and sleep to make the pain stop, but even that does not re leave the pain. I wake up with my head hurting worse then before. My headaches/migraines are from 4 to 6 times a day 5 days outta the week, lately for the past month i have had a continuous headache/migraine for a month and its unbearable. It feels like there is a huge pressure on each side of my brain, causing vomiting,dizziness,weakness. I was admitted to the hospital 2 weeks ago from a bad migraine that turned into a violent sick to my stomach, they had to give me 3 phenigin(sp) shots and a morphine shot to knock me out enough so i didn't feel the pain and stop the vomiting till i reach back home. I was sick one more day then it eased up. Recently in November the doctors did a MRI on my brain, my 1st one ever and they found black spots on my head, could this be a sign to something bigger causing my weakness, migraines, and sleeping problems?I have also been taking vitamins for my headaches and that does nothing for me. I have no where else to turn with my neurologist insisting i'm depressed and I'm just another teen depression case and not looking into it further, please help as soon as you can.

Yours Truly,
Headachegirl19

[SSE56]

Don't you hate it when drs. say "you're depressed"?  I've had that happen, and it seems to be the answer when they can't figure out the right answer.  I'm sorry you are going through all of this at such a young age.  I know how rough migraines can be, I have complicated ones, have had a mild stroke from one and was in the hospital for 3 days from it in 07 and another episode a month ago, in the hospital again for 3 days, they swear from all the tests it was just the neuro symptoms w/o stroke or TIA.  I suggest you hang in there, talk it over with your neuro and press on until you get some answers.

  You have every right to have an answer to your MRI scan in what the black spots were. Could it be your depression meds are throwing you for a loop and making you sleep a lot?  I have been given depression meds a few times, and I am NOT depressed at all, they want to give them to me for pain, but they simply do not agree with me and they make me all wacky in the head and I sleep a LOT, they make me really weird.  Do YOU think you are depressed?

  You didn't say what meds you were on for you migraines, but I take migraine preventatives, maybe they will help you, I take Verelan PM.. 300 mg, Topamax..75mg, and just started on Magnesium... 800 mg, daily.  Maybe you could talk with your neuro and see if any of these benefit you, or at least research them.

Sounds like light is a trigger for you, flashing lights are a trigger for me, as well as strong smells.  There are a lot of people on here that can give you a lot of good advice, keep asking, keep listening, keep reading, keep searching.  Don't give up!  

Always get more opinions if you aren't happy with the ones that you get.  You said you are going to school to be a doctor, this is good training for you,  remember these times when you become that doctor that is in your future!

I wish you well and hope you find the answers you are searching for!

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Black spots on MRI are seen in patients with chronic headache and in some cases the exact cause of these black spots cannot be identified.
I would also suggest you to try alternate therapies like acupressure, acupuncture, biofeedback and magnesium supplements for your migraines. Also maintain a headache diary or use the migraine tracker to identify the triggers for your migraine.
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/pdf/triggers.pdf

Hope this helps!