Hi, my name is Shawna. I have had migraine headaches since the age of 2. They didn't know what was wrong w/ me, but after 3 years
of testing, the doctors discovered I had classical migraine headaches. I am now 22, and have learned to "control" my headaches. I have
seen serveral doctors and I was the only one who could actually figure out what causes them. Tension, stress and changes in my sleep
schedule. I know when I'm going to get a migraine, because I lose my peripheral vision for about 45 minutes. If I take Mortrin before
my vision comes back, I won't get the migraine. If I don't take any asprin I will become extremely ill. I will vomit, get the shakes, and
will have to sleep for at least 6 hours to relieve the pain. Now, the doctors have given me imitrix shots that take away the vomiting
and pain w/in 15 minutes. They are not the cheapest, but I would rather pay for relief in 15 minutes vs. having to take 6 hours or more
out of time I could be spending w/ my family. I was told that everntually I will "grow out" of the migraines. When I was in grade
school, I would get 3-4 migraines a week, now I am only getting 1 a month. I have learned to relax myself which helps tremendously.
Before the imitrix shots, the doctors gave me biofeedback. If my migraine was severe enough the biofeedback didn't work as well. I
believe in the imitrix shot. It has been successful for me, and I love it!!!
Thank you for creating this web site - I finally have found someone who understands!
Sincerely,
---Shawna shawna@iw.net
Hi, my name is Tammy, and I've been having strange headaches for almost 2 years
now and can't seem to figure out whats causing them. Here's my story:
I started working part-time at a job that required using a mouse on a computer
4 hours a night and 8 hours on Saturdays. After 3 months on the job, I woke up
with an awful headache. It felt like I had a sinus infection. I went to the doc
tor and he said I didn't have an infection and gave me some medication. After 2
days, it went away. A month later, I thought I had an infection again, doctor
said, no again. After awhile, I started getting pain in my right shoulder and
neck along with these headaches. I sat at the computer one night, grab the
mouse, and WAM, I felt the pain go up my arm into my shoulder, up my neck and
into my head! That's what had been giving me these massive headaches! Meanwhile
my doctor retired and a new firm took over with about 6 different doctors. I
saw one of the doctors about my shoulder, he gave me anti-inflamatory medica-
tion and sent me on my way. It seemed to help, but then I wasn't doing any-
thing to trigger my headaches. See, heavy lifting, cleaning the house, any
physical activity would trigger my headaches. I went back and saw another
doctor, this one said it was migraines, I have been on about 6 different
migraine medications, and none work. They weren't hearing the muscle part at
all. Finally, I saw another doctor and she listened to me. Now I'm seeing a
Rheumatologist. He had me buy carpeltunnel wrist braces to rule this out. I
wore them Tuesday night and woke up Wednesday with a slite headache and my
hands hurt on the sides. By Wednesday night, I was in real pain. I wore them
Wednesday night again, and Thursday. By Thursday night, I decided that they
were what may have caused this headache and stopped wearing them. I had a
headache for 5 days. I lost 10 pounds from not eating and throwing up. I was
in so much pain and nothing would help. The unusual thing about my headaches is
that they start on one side of my body,(shoulder blade, shoulder, neck, back of
head, ear, eye and sinus) then usually the next day, switches to the other side
with the same areas in pain. Then, it just goes away. Once I had it on both
sides at the same time. I was in soo much pain, my husband took me to the ER.
A lot of help they were, the doctor said since I was seeing someone else I
have to wait until Monday (this was a Saturday) and go see him. He said, "Do
you think you can make it until Monday?" I replied, "Would I be here if I
thought I could make it til Monday?" If anyone else has these symptoms, please
let me know if you have found anything out about it. I'm only just beginning to
hopefully find out what's going on. email me at
tlwolfe@hacc01b.hacc.edu
I too, have suffered most of my life with migraines. I have been on many,
many preventive therapies, with none of them working. Imitrex injections
work some of the time. I have 3-4 migraines a week, and my HMO limits me
to 2 Imitrex injections a week, so a lot of the time I have nothing for
relief. I had been getting prescriptions for Percodan for when the
Imitrex didn't work, but then the "pharmacy police" told my doctor that
he was prescribing too much, and he cut me off of narcotics completely.
At least when I had the percodan I could function and enjoy life, even
though the headache was never completely gone. I'm sick and tired of
being treated like a drug addict when I ask for pain relief. Doctors are
supposed to heal, but now days they are too afraid they'll get into
trouble with the HMO or the Board of Medicine if they prescribe too many
narcotics. When a person has tried every other known treatment, and they
don't work, narcotics do have their place. Does any one in the Mpls./St.
Paul area know of any doctors who aren't so worried about their backside
that they will prescribe narcotics for migraine sufferers? If you do,
please e-mail me at patricia.mckasy@health.state.mn.us. I can't go on
this way - something has to change! Thanks.
Greetings,
I too am a migraine sufferer, however I know that I am not as bad as alot
of you out there. I started getting migraines at the age of 18 yrs.
I do not get migraines every day or once a week. I don't seem to have a
pattern but when it occurs, it seems out of the blue, and I am absolutely
miserable. I find that those who have never experienced a migraine have no
clue what it is like. Although I would never wish it on anyone, I do
sometimes wish they could feel what I am feeling just so they would
understand. My boyfriend is very supportive and I feel like I am
inconveniencing him. Does anyone else feel like this? Totally useless? The
first one that I had, the Dr. called it an atypical migraine. Can you tell
me what that means? I do have auras and my right hand goes numb and I see
spots and a jagged line on the left side. I usually take a ton of asprin
and breathe into a paper sack for about 15 minutes. Sometimes this helps.
I have not had a migraine in a couple of months and just had one about an
hour ago. My head hurts like crazy and I have to wear sunglasses around the
house. I had one a day ago also, and am wondering what it means to go so
long without having one and then to get 2 in a row.
Can you offer any suggestions as to what I should do? I do not like doctors
and feel that they would be condesending.
Thanks for being there!asap777@gulftel.com
I recently read a blurb in my daily newspaper about 400 mg of
Riboflavin daily helping with migraines, but it didn't say much else.
Does anyone have more info on this subject?
---paadland@Alaska.NET
I have been a migraine sufferer for many years. I am only 28, but
have lived with migraines for the past 15 years. It seems with each
year, the headaches get worse. It is a comfort to see that I am
not the only person out there who lives with the debillitating pain,
and that there are others out there who do understand the pain and
depression that the migraines can cause in your life. I have been
to many neurologists, and after searching for years, I finally found
a neurologist who is sympathetic and caring. Although I have been
tried on just about every type of medication there is, nothing really
seems to work very well. I use Imitrex but usually need to take the
maximum dose to get any relief. I also use fioricet, but only use this
when absolutely necessary.
I am lucky to have a very supportive husband, who takes such good care
of me when I am sick. But I wonder what things will be like if I decide
to have children. Is there anyone out there who has children/pregnant
to lives with bad migraines. I really would like some input to help me
make a decision as to whether I would be able to take care of my
children. I have always wanted children and the thought of never having
one due to the constant pain I live with, it just makes me very sad.
This is also something that I would not want to pass on to my children.
My father had very bad migraines, so I know it is hereditary. Does
anyone have any advice?
---Kim P. winer@med.pitt.edu
I'm 42 year old female and I have been having migraines since I was 18
years old. Back then the doctors were still in the dark about these
headaches and they gave me a cat scan and when they found no
abnormalities they assumed it was all in my head, so to speak.
My migraines would come and go and during my two pregnancies that they
stopped for awhile. Then years later they came back and worse. Some
lasting 3 days. It was some time ago after my doctors could'nt figure it
out, that I decided to make a calender of the episodes that I found they
were related to my periods. My doctor said for a cure I my have to wait
til I'm through menopause to see it they will go away. But I have heard
otherwise. We have tried almost everthing from pain killers to
Deprovara.Hormone therapy has'nt worked and even the Imitrex is
beginning to lose it's hold. I sometimes work with a doctor who tests
drugs for headache and migraine. He says they may come out with
something soon similiar to Imitrex but without the rebound affect.
---J.Ellis jellis40@ix.netcom.com
