Just found your site after having a pair of classic migraines over the
weekend. I think it's great to have a place to write this stuff down.
I got my first aura my final year in college during a class in 1989. Taking
notes, I realized I could not see the portion of the board where the
professor was writing. Each eye was affected identically in the same
places, not mirrored. Slowly, more and more of my vision grew into a blind
spot. After about 20 minutes, the area began to "shake" or vibrate around
(which I assume now was probably the blood coming back to wherever lost it)
and I got a bit sick to my stomach. I rode my bicycle home and could hardly
keep my eyes open because of the intensity of the sunshine. Then I slept
for about 20 hours to the next morning.
All subsequent episodes have had almost the same symptoms with slightly less
aftershock. My next one didn't occur until two years later at work. I was
entering data on my computer by turning my neck looking at a hardcopy
listing to my left. This time I mentioned it to other people. Most thought
I was nuts. One woman had similar attacks. I had another one the very next
day reading the paper. I assumed it was because I was twisting my neck and
tried to avoid that.
I've had three since then. One before a sporting event while warming up (I
performed very poorly in the game) two years ago, and the most recent two
this weekend. The first right after I woke up which was weird, and the
second while driving a car the next day. Luckily my wife could take over.
I've been reluctant to mention this to too many people after learning it was
a "migraine" because of the reputation migraine sufferers had. Sadly, I had
to have one before I though otherwise myself. My experiences are minor
compared to some I've read, but thought I'd give them. Good luck to
everyone, John K.
---5714@why.net
Ronda:
I am glad I found your page and I have some interesting self-treatment to
share with classic migraine victims. I am male, 47, 6'2", 250lbs. I have
had classic migraine attacks since college, sometimes as many as 3 per
week, usually about 9-10AM. They start with blind spots for about 10
minutes, then shimmering shapes for maybe 20 minutes, a short pause, then a
pounding headache for the rest of the day. The visual stuff is just a
nuisance, but the headache is really bad. I have found that a big dose of
table salt (a teaspoonful in a glass of warm water) taken when the blind
spots start eliminates the headache. This works for me, I would like to
hear from anyone else who tries this.
---Bob bob_mitchell@emeraldcoast.com
I have them daily I am now 45 years of age and after many years on
prescription and non-prescription drugs sought he at the Jefferson
Headache Center. My life is better, but cannot function at my job
(legal secretary). I have to use IM of DHE45, 40 mg Prozac, 750 mg.
Depokate and compazine supository as preventative. The DHE is only when
all else fails. That is the problem between 1pm and 4pm at least once a
week I need to DHE. I have to leave my job 1-/1 hrs away to go home to
to the shot. My boss has complained that during that time my work
slips. I cannot see, everythings is blurred. I am out on 2 week
disability right now but asked them to put me in another dept (800
people work there) and 24hr. word processing spot where I can work maybe
7am - 12noon. They were not exactly thrilled and gave no answer. Just
we don't have anything like that. I told them I need to switch hours
because the migrane time of the day leaves me disabled.
Please help.
---jcald@bellatlantic.com
I got my first migraine when I was 9 years old, at Disney World of all
places. I just turned 22 this month and they have gotten
progressively worse. I get migraines at least 4 times a week and miss
a lot of work because of it. Thank God I have an understanding boss!
They start behind an eye, usually my right eye. It feels like an
icepick is going into my eye and can last up to 16 days. I see a
neurologist regularly and I take Nortryptoline (sp?) every night,
Fioricet about twice a week and Imitrex pill form for the really bad
ones (though, aren't they all bad?). Fioricet makes me very dizzy, my
doctor doubled my dosage because they had stopped working. They have
stopped working again. Imitrex does NOT work, it just makes me very
nauseous but does nothing for the pain. I'm going to try the shot
next. I honestly think I'm immune to pain killers. Over the years I
have tried Vicodin, Percoset and Feverfew - none have worked.
Migraines run in my family, both of my grandmothers get them, my
father gets them, and my 12 year old sister started to get them real
bad about two years ago. I can sympathize, I missed a ton of school
too. I have a headache every single day, it's been that way for
years, the migraines occur at least 4 times a week, but get more
intense during my period. I've had to go to the emergency room
recently and I will never do that again. I don't know what they gave
me, but I couldn't stop shaking for 4 days, nor could I eat or sleep.
I only went to the hospital that day because it was the worst migraine
I had ever experienced and I was about to break my fingers so I'd have
something else to think about. If anyone wants to write, I'd love to
hear from you. Especially anyone around my age (21 or 22). People
who have never had a migraine will NEVER understand. Thanks for the
page, Ronda!
--- Danielle ddore@ccmailpc.ctron.com
Thank you for this web page. There must be strength in numbers. I only
wish that the doctor who wrote on my husband's emergency room record
that he has a "narcotics addiction" and never mentioned migraine would
read these pages! He also suggested my husband must be a heavy smoker
due to his gravelly voice (never smokes, has always had a gravelly voice
and if its sore its from vomiting from a migraine!) and a heavy drinker
(never touches alcohol and has given up his italian love for red wine
with dinner!)
I could go on as I'm sure many of you could about your experiences with
the doctors who have never had a migraine themselves and have entered a
profession that they must only be in for the money. I think that if all
doctors would just have one migraine day in their lives we would see a
change in the way patients are treated.
After 15 years of migraine pain, we find that a good footrub is almost
as effective as anything else. It can usually help my husband fall
asleep.
Now, how about some advocacy for allowing migraine patients to have a
"healthy addiction" to demerol? It is the only thing that really works
to stop the pain, and I have seen my husband become his old self again
after getting a shot that would knock out someone who would be "faking
it"! He does not fit the profile of a drug abuser and doesn't want to
involve himself with recreational drugs - he just wants to be PAIN
FREE!!! Since our last bad experience (after many) at the hospital, he
has not returned and has had continual migraine pain for approx. one
year. He's a stubborn one and vows never to be humiliated by the
medical profession again.
Peace.
---infosica@Alaska.NET
I am writing this to see if anyone has any information on Ocular or Visual Migranes. I've had migranes for years, but now the Doctors are telling me that I've got Visual Migranes. I used to have the visual aura before the headache, now all I've got is areas of blurred vision that do not go away and have no accompaning headache. The advice of the Opthomalogst is to just live with it ... I'll get used to it. I think the headache would be better since sooner or later it will go away. If you have heard of these types of headaches or even know what they are, would you let me know where I can find more information on them. I'm not willing to "just live with it". The Doctor says that the blurred vision was caused by the migrane storm that I had in July and that though, it may get some better, it will not go away. My question now is will it get bigger with the next migrane, or will I just eventually go blind from the migranes? Thought I'd look here for some info since the Dr's don't seem to have anything else they can tell me. Wonder if they are making it up as they go? Thanx!
---sduncan@iea.com
I have had about one migraine annually since I was in college, until this
year. I am now 47, and beginning in May of this year (1997) I began to
have severe migraines as many as three times a week! I have suspected
estrogen depletion or fluctuations as the culprit; however, after seeing a
neurologist, I began taking 30 milligrams of the tricyclic antidepressant
nortriptyline (Pamelor), and it has been a miracle drug for me. I tried
Midrin with some success at treating the headaches as they occured, but the
headaches became so frequent I couldn't safely take Midrin as many times as
I would have had to. But taking Pamelor has allowed me to work without
interrupted sick days, and I can resume my normal relationships with my
family! I still have the migraine aura every so often, but the headache
that follows is so mild that ibuprofin take care of it quite well! The dry
mouth, constipation, and slightly blurred vision have not been terrible
side effects for me, and I haven't gain the weight I had expected to taking
this medication. I hope others can benefit by this medication as
miraculously as I have!
---acandido@comp.uark.edu
