LEONA Hargreaves was at work in 2024 when her world changed – she was having a suspected stroke.
The 26-year-old dental nurse from Lincoln suddenly became weak and started slurring her speech, fearing she would die.
“I lost vision in my left eye, my left side went weak, and I couldn’t talk,” she said.
Her colleagues, fearing she’d had a stroke, called her husband Sam, 26, an aircraft technician, who rushed her to Lincoln County Hospital.
There, after blood tests and scans, she was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines – a rare condition affecting just one in 10,000 people.
These migraines cause stroke-like symptoms, also described as ‘imitation strokes‘.
Three months on, Leona experiences debilitating “attacks” every two to three weeks, lasting several days.
She says: “People think migraines of any kind last a day, and then when the headache’s gone, it’s gone.
“But they don’t realise you can feel the build-up for days, then the actual migraine, then the ‘hangover’ up to a week later.”
Leona has to use a walking stick during and after attacks because she has weak muscles and mobility issues.
“Every attack I have, I wonder if it’ll be the one to leave me permanently unable to walk,” Leona admitted.
“Hemiplegic migraines have had such a big impact on my life—I’m so scared they’ll damage me permanently.”
She also fears losing her independence.
“I can’t work full-time anymore and struggle to leave the house to spend time with friends,” she said.
Leona’s journey with migraines began at 13 when she started experiencing migraines with blurred vision in her left eye.
They stopped at 16, and for a decade, she thought she was free.
I remember having sheer panic, thinking: ‘Oh my god, I’m going to die’
But last October, while at work, the condition returned with a vengeance.
Thinking another common migraine must be coming on, she didn’t panic at first – but quickly, she lost the ability to walk.
Leona’s left side had gone very weak and her speech was slurred.
“Everyone thought I’d had a stroke,” she recalled.
“I remember having sheer panic, thinking: ‘Oh my god, I’m going to die’.”
Doctors performed CT scans, MRIs, and blood tests, but the results came back normal.
Leona was eventually diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines and referred for further treatment.
According to The Migraine Trust, weakness with a hemiplegic migraine can last from one hour to several days, but usually goes within 24 hours.
Sometimes it occurs without a headache and there is no cure for the condition.
Permanent brain impairment – as can occur with stroke – has been described medically, but is not known to be a risk.
But Leona says: “It’s massively affected my independence.
“I’ve had to reduce my work hours to three days a week.
“I was just having too much time off.”
Leona is now seeking treatment at the National Migraine Centre in London.
There, she’s exploring options such as anti-epilepsy drugs, Botox injections, and a new migraine medication called Vydura to help manage her imitation stroke episodes.
“I don’t want to be taking anti-epilepsy medication if I can help it,” she explained, “so I’m starting on Vydura to help my symptoms.
“You can also take it during the onset of an attack, so I’m hoping it’ll help hugely.”
Despite the challenges, Leona remains determined to reclaim her independence.
“I feel like getting the walking stick means I’ve admitted defeat a little, but it does help me go out and not always cancel plans.”
WE all get headaches from time-to-time, but migraines can present a whole host of different issues.
They are debilitating and affect around one in seven people, with some losing up to eight days a month due to the pain.
Dr Katy Munro, from the National Migraine Centre said there are nine ways you can predict their arrival.
Migraines vary in severity, and while some may only occur once or twice, others can last for days, impacting daily life.
