Case Histories - April 1997 (5/6)

Hello! Just found you're sight and the wonderful information. I've been suffering from migraines for 8 years or so. I just had one the other day that lasted for 2 days and this is hard with keeping up with a child and the work world and home. I want to know of any tips anyone could give me....and does anyone get really tight back and shoulder/neck muscles with these attacks? I've tried some homeopathic medication and some other misc. things.....Thanks for your help.....!!!!

--- Kendra simb@gj.net

Dear Ronda,

After reading the pages of many sufferers, I decided that migraines can be overcome, but that the solution is different for everyone. I found my solution and I want to share it with the readers of this page.

At the age of 22, I began getting migraines once a week. I was relieved in that the drug Imitrex made them go away, but I did not want to have to depend on drugs for the rest of my life. Therefore, I began looking at alternatives. I'm now 26 years old and have found the solution that works for me. The solution was brought to my attention by a chiropractor, Jeffrey Finnegan (spelling?). He wrote an incredibly insightful book that opened my eyes to the causes of my migraines. To this day, I'm not sure which of the following causes are triggering my migraines and that is why I do several things. First, I find that when I get stressed, my breathing becomes impaired, so now I take deep breaths the moment I feel stressed. The technique is a little bit more complex and is outlined in Mr. Finnegan's book. Second, I took a bad fall playing basketball and realized that my neck may have been out of place. Indeed it was, as a chiropractor determined the moment I walked in the door. He immediately noticed that my head was leaning too far forward and too far to the right and so he adjusted it. Finally, I have TMJ, which means my jaw gets very tight. I now massage my jaw every so often to eliminate the subtle pain. As you can see, it's a holistic solution and involves some alternative methods like seeing a "chiropractor", but what do you have to lose? At the very least, ask yourself this question, how was I different before I got the migraines? The answer for me was, I was living healthier by living with less stress. I pray that all of you will find your own solution.

Sincerely,

--- Ryan Wiest rwiest@scmc.org

Hi,

My name is Genevieve. I have been suffering from migraines since I am 21 years old.

I used to have at least 3 migraines per week, but now I take Inderal. It reduced my migraines to about once or twice a week. I still feel it is too much.

I also used Imitrex pills. I only need half a pill to relieve my migraine. I try not to use them too frequently though, because if I take too much I get rebound headaches.

I just got married this summer and I want to have children soon. I would like to hear from women who have had chidren, are pregnant or are thinking about pregnancy. I need the moral support.

Thanks,

---Genevieve Marsgen@infobahnos.com

Hi!

As a last ditch effort during my most recent migraine, I've turned to the internet, as obviously, many others have. I was able to read a lot of the letters you've received, and boy, is there a similarity in all of us.

I'm a 48 year old female. As far as the hormone part of migraines, I was on the "pill" for 17 years (off-and-on). During my "off" times I had three children. When I was in my early 30's my family doctor recommended my husband have a vasectomy so that I could get off the pill permanently. He did, and my headaches still continued. At 42 it was recommended that I have a hysterectomy to help the headaches - I did, and I still have them.

I can remember being a small child and getting into trouble with my mother when she'd catch me getting into the medicine cabinet before school, getting aspirin. At that time they were just headaches - not knowing any different I was treated for flu symptoms when they got so bad that I was throwing up. As I got older, they intensified.

I've tried everything, also, from calcium blockers, to blood pressure medicine, to blood vessel constrictors(?). I, personally, feel that for me it is all a waste of time. They don't help - never have and probably never will. But, with all our scared doctors out there, this is the stuff they have to do. I do, sort of, understand their position. But, what now? I once had a doctor, who after years of giving me demerol shots and experimenting with different medicines, finally put me on a daily dose of Vicodin and Anexsia. In all actuality, I really believed it helped. If I had headaches they were subdued enough to cope. I never felt euphoria (UNFORTUNATELY), but they say that with chronic pain you don't. He retired, and here I am again, with those medical records in the hands of another physician, who says she won't prescribe this medicine like he did because it's habit-forming. WHO CARES?????? I don't think I've ever experienced a coming down from this, all I have now are headaches continuously. I, too, have tried lots of pain relievers, and believe me, if I can get it, I will take it!! I don't care. I would do anything to relieve the pain. The Imitrex injections do work - but by the time I've gotten the nerve up to give myself the shot, the 30 minutes until it's working is beyond words. I wait too long. I don't like shots, so I don't think that'll ever change. It gives SOME relief, but who knows, at that time I may just be so exhausted that I collapse. Stadol makes me sick - the taste down the back of my throat is the last thing I need. When you live with daily headaches, it's hard to know when to take things such as Midrin - it's not like you're headache free, and then you know you're getting a migraine. I agree with one of the people who's written to you - it does seem miraculous that at extremely busy times the migraine will sit back and wait until that let-down when it's time to relax. Never fails - it's like the flood gates are opened for my next killer headache.

I noticed on the Internet that one doctor recommends that migraine sufferers go to a cancer doctor for relief, since they are the only doctors not afraid of prescribing pain medication.

Do any of you out there have any suggestions?

It's nice to be able to "vent" to someone who cares. I find that most people, though sympathetic, have no idea whatsoever what a headache is like.

---Kathi Wright

e-mail: wright@mail.softcom.net

My fifteen year old daughter was diagnosed with cluster headaches in January. We've been fighting to keep her in school. I'm very new at this and I'm trying to learn all that I can. I would like for you to post these questions for me in hopes that someone can provide some info.

Has anyone ever heard ead of a cluster headache being located "between" the eyes. All the the documentation that I've covered so far states that a cluster is located behind one or both eyes, then can spread to the temple.

Also, most of the experts say that food does not cause the cluster. However, I'm beginning to wonder. My daughter headaches were back to back until the doctor perscribed Indocin and a Beta blocker. We had been mostly headache free until she consumed a LARGE amount of sugar. No caffeine. (I made peanut butter cookies and she has an appetite.) After this high dose of sugar, she had a severe onset by 2:00am.

Any info is appreciated.

---cofct1lb@kans.com

Hi, I was looking up something for a friend and decided to see what the internet had on migraines. I have had migraines for about five years. I am 48. The first three years the doctors treated me for sinues infections, allergy, and not one mentioned migraines. I would have to come home in the middle of the day from work and stay in my room with the shades drawn, so no light would get in. I also had quite a few bouts with nausea (throwing up) for 6-12 hours. Needless to say, I was very drained after each episode and my husband became very concerned as I did. About two years ago, a doctor told me that he never heard of sinuses causing throwing up bouts like I had. He recommended a neurologist. She diagnosed migraines right away. I watched the foods I ate for a while but continued being sick and missing work every other week. Finally a year ago she prescribed Nadalol which I take every day. I also have Imitrex in the event I do get a migraine that gets out of hand, which helps most of the time. I do still get headaches, but they are very infrequent. In the last year I have probably only missed two or three days of work due to a migraine. I don't know what took so long, but I feel much better most of the time. My son, 27, now has migraines and is not able to get the assistance he needs due to insurance. I feel for him at his young age. If anyone knows of a way he can get some assistance with no insurance, please let me know. These are great times, that we have this type of information on the internet. I am going to end for now and read others stories. Thanks for having this homepage.

---Anita ameier@ballcom.com

Dear Ronda, My parents gave me an article on migraines from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution which lists your web site. I have been reading through it this morning debating whether to write my story or not. I guess I'm superstitious and think that when I 'talk' about my migraines, I seem to get them more often. It's awful, but when people ask how my migraines have been lately I am very brief with them for fear the discussion will bring on a migraine. But then I thought, it was comforting to read other stories. So here's mine:

Yes, I started getting migraines in the third grade, but of course it wasn't diagnosed as migraines...I was too young to suffer from such an adult affliction. It's only now when I look back that I realize that's what the illness was. For me, the pain in my head is almost inconsequential to the nausea that I feel. It's a disgusting nausea which detracts from all other symptoms. I have had a few migraines where I am disoriented, feel numbness in my face and hands (which can be very scary) and can't speak, but the majority of my migraines just involve alot of throwing up. When I 'come down' off a migraine, I feel like I have a hangover, but I am so happy to be getting rid of it that I feel euphoria and get very talkative. I have used several medications from Tylenol 3 to propranolol. Nothing worked. Phenergan suppositories did help with the nausea and I found that if I did manage to fall asleep, I would wake up feeling worse. I have even woken up with a migraine before!

I find that the most frustrating part of the migraine is during the onset (the moment of panic when I start seeing the floating lights). I frantically search my memory for something that triggered the migraine--what did I do wrong? what did I eat? After a doctor put me on a special diet which eliminated just about everything and allowed me to slowly add things back, I found that onions cause some of my problems. However, after thinking I had found the source of my migraines (and making almost impossible for me to order in a restaurant), I was still having some every now and then. That's when I figured out that odors cause alot of my migraines. Unfortunately odors are very difficult to avoid. Perfume that friends wear or that comes wafting from the pages of a magazine, potpourri in a friends house, scented candles (a favorite gift of my boss) are all triggers for me. As difficult as these are to avoid, I admit that just knowing what caused the migraine is a big relief.

I have no solutions to offer to people, just my story which may help someone pinpoint their triggers. I do worry that my 11 month old daughter may inherit this awful 'illness' from me. The one migraine my mother suffered was when she was pregnant with me.

Good luck to everyone for at least identifying their triggers. At least that's a start in trying to eliminate them.

---orly@oceda.org