Journal of Migraine Sufferers

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


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