Case Histories - November 1997 (6/8)

Hello,

I have been a migraine suffer since I was 16 years old. My warning signs were gold flecks passing before my eyes and then two hours later the migraine would start.

After the migraine I would have side effects I would have either black outs or dizzy spells.

The migraines stop for a couple of years after I graduated high school but they started up again four years ago and worse. My best friend Rose finally made me go and see a migraine doctor who has since put me on medicen for my migraines *smiling* this was a year ago and I have been migraine free *smiling* I still have the gold flecks before my eyes but not as bad.

Thank you for taking the time out to listen to my migraine case history and I hope and pray that my story will help some else who is suffering from migraines to seek help.

Thank You

---Melody Byard BYARDM@coral.indstate.edu

I am a 29 yr. old female who started getting migraines in Sept.96. It has been almost a daily thing since then. I have aura, nausea, mood swings, and some nervousness. I have never experienced this in my life before Sept. 96. Like a lot of you, I have tried amitriptyline, inderal, imitrex, whatever! And my thought is that these drugs are only going to make the situation worse. Throw them in the garbage! Take as few drugs as possible to get by and go see a natural medicine dr. My regular MD was not interested in helping me figure out "why" I am having these migraines. Just take this she says! I found a college of natural medicine in my area and found a great dr. (a lot cheaper this way too) He is interested in figuring out why I am having these and then we will focus on the problem. (mine could be from neck injury in auto accident, hormonal, or even allergies!) All I know is that I have been discouraged and depressed until I talked to someone who cared and truly wants to help. Do all the research you possibly can and look into natural medicine. Even a good health food store is a start. I have decided that I was a happy and very positive person before this started and there is no way I will give that up! Get on top of it and stay positive. There is hope!!

Any thoughts? Write!

---Kimberly HMB.PDX@worldnet.att.net

Dear Ronda,

I wasn't sure I should write my story here because i don't have just migraines. Or at least not only migrains. I am 15 started getting headaches when i was about 11, right after a second sinus surgery. So we went to the doctor who did the surgery and he said that it was not the cause. So I thought ok now what do i do? I would get them around Jan and they would go away around May. I had to be home taught in 6th grade because i missed so much school and was taught at home the next year also. My headaches seemed to be getting better and I decided I wanted to go back to school. I was in 8th grade now and doing fine if I had a headache i took a pain killer and was alright. On New Years Eve I got this terrible headache and it started again. Everyday when i got up, when i went to bed, it was there i would get a couple hours of relief every once and awhile. We had all kinds of tests done, sinuses checked again, went to dozens of doctors and took all kinds of different meds. Nothing seemed to work. Or they would work for about a week and stop again and they would have to give me a bigger perscription. Again around May they went away. We had my allergies tested, my mom thought it was the school. So I stayed home and did my work there and took it up to the school and went back whenever i was feeling okay.

This year has been the worst. My headaches started on Nov. 13 and i still have them now and they have just gotten worse. I am out of school again so i guess it wasn't the school. I get all types of headaches, pounding, sharp pains, squeezing. I guess that must be why no doctor can tell me why i get them. I actually had to go to the hospital the other week because it was so bad which i have never done before. My mom says she is proud of me on how i handle everything, when all i'm thinking is what else am i suppose to do. I even felt bad asking her to take me to the doctor. I don't like talking about them because so many people think it is so easy "just a headache" HA...but i'm not sure how much more i can take. Right now i am looking for a headache clinic in Missouri. Can't find one yet. Well we found a pain clinic but they won't except me because of my age!!!

I did not right this for people to feel sorry for me. I did right this for some help...which i really need. Thanks for listening,

---Tricia Pishastl@aol.com

Ronda, I"m a long time migraine sufferer.I'm 37 and my migraines started about 10yrs. ago. My migraines come in waves that can last a very long time. I was being managed very well with fiocet for a long time until my migraines started changing. In stead of starting on the top of my head and waking up with them, they start with aching eyes. After the eyes start aching then they start fluttering when I try to relax them when they're closed. This has never happened before. My eyes are now very photosensitive and very tired all the time from the migraines. I take imitrex and fiocet but have found my self taking a lot of them the last 2wks getting migraines daily. Can anyone give me information on migraines and the eye nerve involvement. It's all really wearing me down.

---chet5@epix.net

Hi everyone,

This is an update since I've contributed a couple of times before. I finally think my medication is working. In addition to more severe migraines about once or twice a week, I was suffering from daily headaches and all the wonderful things that go with a migraine (nausea, fatigue, sensitivity, inability to think, etc). But I am happy to say that the daily ones are just about gone. I still get the weekly ones, but I think my daily medications of Corgard and Pamelor help make the abortives (Indocin suppositories - they work SO much better than the pills - and Imitrex) work better so that I can usually knock the headache out fairly well. I am also taking Tegretol because of the seizure I had earlier this year. My gynecological and family doctors 'tsk tsk' whenever they learn about my 'drug cocktails' (as one called it), but believe me, I say it is SO worth it. Nothing has worked this well before. I am walking almost everyday now, although sometimes they spark a migraine (exercise has always been a trigger for me). I still have to be very careful with my sleep patterns, the amount of sugar I eat in a day, and other triggers, but I am very happy with the way things are. Even planning a trip overseas (though I'm nervous. I don't know what will happen on the plane).

My big worry? What will happen when I have to go off the stuff because we are hoping to start a family next year. I'm terrified, and we are even toying with the idea of adoption. I know my neurologist thinks I'm nuts for doing it since it took us so long to get to this point, but what can a person do? I'm going to have some gyn. tests done ahead of time just to make sure that the whole plan isn't useless, and then start weaning myself from the meds early next year.

I know some of you are going through or have gone through this as well. I'd appreciate your prayers and silent support. Thanks.

---sd anonymous@ix.netcom.com

p.s. you know what is interesting? Though I don't have the daily 'headache' migraine, I do have frequent bouts of extreme nausea, diarrhea, even numbness on the right side of my face. All these occurred previously with the headache. Anyone else have that?

Hello,

I submitted my original story in the Mar 4/5 journal entries. It has definitely been a rough year. My family doctor started treating me in Feb. By Sep, I didn't want to even get out of the bed, so I went back to a different neurologist. He specializes in pain management and sleep disorders. He is fabulous. I was placed in the hospital for 3 days while he dried me of all the narcotics the family doctor had prescribed (I was absolutely a zombie, my work suffered even though I showed up almost everyday I was incoherent and my family realized they could make it on their own, I never cooked or anything, I would go to work and go directly home take a handful of narcotics and go to bed, it was an awful year of my life). I was given DHE injections every 4 hours in the hospital and since Sep I have only had one headache. Everyday I take (2) 250 mg of depakote (am/pm) and I take 20 mg prozac @ 7 am and 150 mg wellbutrin @ 10 am. I feel absolutely fabulous! This doctor has given me my life back and I don't know how I will ever repay him. There is not a monetary amount worthy of my living without those dreadful headaches. I have gained about 7 pound on the depakote, initially it tends to make people crave sweets, and I gained 8 pounds while just living in the bed, so now I am back to aerobics 3 times a week and trying to watch my food intake. But being overweight a mere 15 pounds is better than wanting to die on a daily basis. I hope everyone out there that sufferers finds relief. And Ronda I appreciate your taking care of the sales people soliciting via the email trying to make a dime off our pain. Bless you!

---dolleys@hq8af.barksdale.af.mil

I have suffered with severe migraines for over 25 years. I am 42 now. I have been to neurologists, and numerous other doctors with no relief. I have taken Fioricet, Imitrex and numerous other medications with little or no relief. Laying in a completely dark room in absolute silence after taking too much medication and eventually sleeping was the only way I could get any relief and this would go on for two or three days sometimes. In May of this year, I was browsing through the Internet and came across an article written by a neurologist describing a patient of his whose case sounded a lot like mine. She had even undergone surgery of some sort and still could not get relief. She started taking Feverfew which is available in most Health Stores and K-Mart and Krogers. She saw a difference in the headaches in 4-6 weeks. I was skeptical but was desperate to find some relief. I started taking Feverfew in May. I should say at this point that although I have migraines at random I usually always have a very severe one right before my period. After taking the feverfew for about 3 weeks, I started my period without a headache but with all the other symptoms (blurred vision, upset stomach, dizziness,etc.) I did some further study and found out that taking primrose oil capsules along with the feverfew took care of the headaches and the symptoms. I have been taking both now for over 6 months and have had only two migraines (neither as severe as usual) in that time (which for someone who normally had three or more a month is wonderful. This is the only thing that I have found that actually works for me. I would recommend that anyone suffering from migraines at least give it a try.

---KAREN_A.REECE@berea.edu

Hi Ronda,Great page! I was thankful to find that I'm not the only one "losing my mind" over my migraines. I am 37 and got my first migraine exactly 16 years ago this month. The headaches have evolved over the years. I used to get them within minutes of getting my period. I have four children, and I have always said that pregnancy is my cure because they go away while I am pregnant or nursing.However, I swear I've had one long headache since 1994. I live in a very small town on the Canadian border in Minnesota. There are about six of us in town that always seem to end up at the emergency room at the hospital at about the same time: when we have a weather change. Has anyone out there experienced this phenomenon? I can wake up in the morning and tell my husband that it's snowing without even looking outside. I also know whenever there is a storm front coming. As soon as the particular weather system comes into our area, it's like a ton of bricks hitting my head. The other five have the same story. I would appreciate hearing from anyone out there who have had similar experiences. Thanks!Please e-mail me at johnstene@means.net.

Thanks!

---Cindy