Case Histories - February 1998 (5/18)

I AM A 53 YR OLD FEMALE AND HAVE SUFFERED FROM MIGRAINES FROM THE AGE OF 12. VIOLENT VOMITING, SEVERE PAIN AND SENSITIVE TO LIGHT. ORGINALLY, THEY ALWAYS OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY HEAD -- THEN I STARTED GETTING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS EARACHES WITH THE SAME SYMTOMS, IT FELT AS IF SOMEONE WAS JABBING A KNIFE IN MY EAR AND COULD NOT FUNCTION. AFTER YEARS OF ER AND THE DRS. TELLING ME I HAD NO EARACHE OR IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD, A NEUROLOGIST SAID IT WAS A MIGRAINE OCCURRING IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY HEAD. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS, BUT HE MUST BE RIGHT BECAUSE IT FEELS JUST LIKE A MIGRAINE. THE ONLY RELIEF I GET IS GO TO ER AND LET THEM KNOCK ME OUT WITH A SLEEPING DRUG OR PUT HOT AND COLD COMPRESSES, LIE MOTIONLESS IN A DARK ROOM AND TAKE 2 DRISTAN EVERY 30 MINUTES WITH NORMALLY I END OF TAKING 8 TO 10. MY LIFE IS CONTROLLED BY THESE HEADACHES AND I GET VERY ANRY LATER BECAUSE I MISS OUT ON SO MUCH AND THE "OUTSIDERS" DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHATS GOING ON AND NEITHER DO I. YEARS OF DRS. AND DRUGS HAVE NOT HELPED. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THESE KIND OF MIGRAINES?

---Faye Palmer <topalmer@interpath.com>
Rocky Mount, Nc USA -

I have had Migraines ever since I started my Menstrual cycle when I was 12. I am now 29, and I have a mirgraine every month a few days before my menstrual cycle begins. I have been to family doctors, which really didn't help me over the years, they told me that since this does run in my family that when I finally go through menapause the migraines should go away, since they are connected with my menstrual cycle. My Female doctor does not seem to know that much about them either, but she did at least perscribe a very high dose of Motrin, which basically helps me get to sleep. I always know when I am going to get my Migraine, because my left arm will get numb, I can all of the sudden see real crystal clear, and my eyes will start to ache, then it will hit a few hours later, and I'm in bed and telling everyone to leave me alone. I have lived with this Headachs for many years, and would love to know what there is for me to relieve these monthly accurances. I have tried a aspirin every day and that helped for a while but they came back full force. I am going to see a specialist soon and maybe they can help me, but it seems like with my type of hormonal migraines they really don't know much about them, if anyone knows of some things that might help, I sure would appreciate the information, because I will try anything so that I can stop missing work, missing out in family functions, and having to be in bed for 24 hours and wait for it to take it's course. Thanks, Aimee VanderArk

---Aimee VanderArk <vanderark@torchlake.com>
MI USA -

SALT cured my migranes !!!! I am not sure if I posted this here already, but... Yes I had the classic symptoms, cross-hatch patterns in my vision, sections of vision missing, spacy/halo feelings, great pains, etc... Medication did nothing! I recalled that my father requested salt when he felt a spacy feeling or saw stars. After a few years of trying medicines and getting nowhere, I recalled my father's plight and wondered if I would try it. I did. When I sensed the migrane coming on, I would sprinkle, a pinch at a time, about a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt onto my tongue and leave it there. Could have been coincident, I would love to know if this works for anyone else. I suffered from migranes from 1979 until 1989 and have been migrane free ever since. If I ever feel the symptoms, I go for the salt. I would appreciate hearing from you if you try this. Ambrosini@JUNO.COM
Steve Ambrosini <Ambrosini@juno.com>
Wallingford, CT USA -

This week I took my husband to the ER with symptoms including confusion, He couldn't find familiar objects in our home, name our children, tell me what i did for a living, etc., headache at the base of the head which ended up across his forehead, high blood pressure, and projectile vomiting. After many tests and a night in the hospital a cranial bleed and stroke were eliminated. He was diagnosed with migraine equivilants and told to take 1 asprin a day, stay away from perservatives, alcohal, and only eat 1/2 banana occasionally. My husband has lost 6 hours of his memory on the night that this occured. I am in a health profession and have never heard of such symptoms indicating a migraine. Has anyone a similar experience? I would like to hear from you.

---Barbara Linville <barbara@midmo.net>
Gravois Mills,, MO USA -

I had my first migraine when I was 22. They immediatly started coming in some form or other daily. I've had the strange smells, aura, slurred speech, memory problems, etcl I am 33 now and have learned somewhat how to live with them, but there are still several days a week I feel like giving in. I have had every test, root canals on all my molars (for awhile the Dr. told me migraine was a toothache in disguise), sinus surgery, every drug I know of (although I have not been able to find out anything about the drugs in the news the last few days, I hope it's not Imitrex again). I have a headache most of the time and migraine develops at any time. A lot of the time it happens at night and wakes me up. My Dr. tells me to eliminate stress. What a joke! Have any of you eliminated stress?? I told him everybody is stressed and there has to be some other cause. He shakes his head and says my headaches are "atypical" and do not respond to traditional treatment. The neurologist said to hang in there and I would find "my cure". I don't know. My PCP seems to think I am a druggie just after pain pills. The only thing vicodin does for me is put me to sleep so at least I don't have to be conscious during the pain. Imitrix makes me so weak I can't move and is not reliable. The latest is Soma at a very low dose on a daily basis, Prozac, and lidocaine nasal drops for when the headache hits. I think the Soma could help at the theraputic dose, but my doc says no way. The lidocaine has helped on a few occasions. It is hard to get it in the right spot and it has no guarantee either. It is nice to read everybody's stories (not that I want to see anybody in pain) but most people don't understand this. My husband is sick of hearing I have a headache so I try to hide it. You can imagine how well that works. People at my job think it's a convenient excuse to shirk work, but I make sure to pull my own weight. They can't imagine someone who has a headache everyday. I have times without pain (which I treasure) so I don't think I'm crazy. Anyway, thank you for letting me get this off my chest. Good luck to all of you on finding your "cure" and PLEASE email me with suggestions.

---Cally Gallaway <cgallaway@qwksilvr.com>
Moses Lake, WA USA -

Hi,I've battled migraines for as long as I can remember. As a child I called them "sick headaches". In my teens I did research and put a name to them. I've been the rounds with Beta Channel blockers, Inderol and Elvil. I've tried Midrin and Ergotamine to prevent attacks. Yet, I'm still fighting migraines on a daily basis. Right now I'm taking Feverfew this seems to be helping. Has any one else got any ideas on how to deal with migraines on a daily basis? Thanks

---Jackie <faith@intercom.com>
Springfield, MO USA -

could someone please help me. yesterday i started seeing zig-zag lines of black and gold, and then i lost part of my vision, when i would look at something, i would only see part of it. after awhile, i started geting to when i would talk, the words would not come out like normal words, they would just be sounds. i was taken to e.r. and they ran all kinds of tests and i was told i had a migraine. i never had any pain, so i am really confused. i didn't know you could have migraines without the pain. please help.

---ronda <dustin01@flash.net>
austin, tx USA -