Case Histories - June #21

I forgot to say when i posted my message the other day that my first visit with a neurologist was a joke. it was so weird. he came in dressed like crap and smelling like smoke. he proceeded to talk about himself and how he felt a difference in his age when he turned 40, his joints hurt. he asked what i was doing there and then asked a few questions, like maybe two. then he had me stand up and do some motor coordination type things. then he gave me a cat scan and prescribed imitrex. whenever i tried to talk he would talk over me. so i would talk really loud, trying to get him to shutup and talk about my migraines, but he'd keep talking. then he rushed out. when he came back with my cat scan results i got a few sentences in, but then he took over again. i live in an area where there really aren't many pickins, i'm so depressed. he doesn't know the first thing about me.
jennifer <junebug@coastalnet.com>
NC USA - Mon Jun 29 19:19:30 1998

As a child I suffered from occasional migraines and often felt resentful of others who said that I didn't know what real pain was ( especially from my Mom who suffered from migraines). I was relatively pain free until fourteen years ago when I had heat stroke at age 33. After that, changes in the seasons (spring to summer, etc), and extreme temperature changes in the weather triggered very painful three to four day migraines. I went to doctor after doctor and was told amazingly stupid advice like, 'If you know it's only going to last for three days, why don't you just wait it out," and " I'd love to perscribe something for you but anything I would perscribe could be habit forming so I won't," " You must not have migraines if the weather brings on a headache." I was frequently treated by doctors as if I were tht mother-in-law on the television show " Bewitched" who had a "sick headache". I tried acupuncture, massage, aroma therapy, diet changes,over the counter meds until I almost overdosed, you name it. I've never met anyone who's had migraines triggered by the weather and often wondred if I were the only one. We moved to this area three years ago and I had to find a new doctor.To my amazement, this new doctor agreed with me that what I had were migraines. I've gone through an assortment of medications to find one that will work (Midrin, Darvocet,Fioricet, Fioricet with Codine). All either didn't work at all or put me on a three day "white cloud'.Now I'm taking Imitrex and it's helping a lot. I'm feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time. I've also found tht using a lavender spray on my pillow every evening whether I have a headache or not, decreases the severity of the headache somewhat when they do appear. I still change my schedule when the weather changes because i know I'll have a migrain within twentyfour hours but now i have hope. What I'd like to say to anyone who reads this is, don't give up.
jeannie <jmdano@aol.com>
Lafayette, in USA - Mon Jun 29 11:53:36 1998

Guess it helps to hear about other sufferers. My migraines began with my first period at age 13, and 30 years later they just keep coming. I have had some really bizzare ones, one lasted 6 months and the only thing that kept me from killing myself was the cry of my baby in the next room. Another lasted 6 months but had no pain, just vertigo, the room would spin before my eyes and when I would close them, I felt like I was spinning. Doc thought I had a brain tumor, what I had was a daughter who had begun to use hairsray. The hair spray fumes triggered a migraine equivalent. I was down to 1 or 2 migraines a month when I had a hysterectomy for recurring ovarian cysts. That was two and a half years ago and my migraines have been much WORSE. I can't take hormones cause I had breast cancer five years ago, so I am having horrid hot flashes. I wake up three and four times a night, that broken sleep sets up the next headache and on top of that fumes are a trigger for me. I can't go to church or the movies or anyplace people may wear fragrances. The worse part is that I had cooperation from my coworkers so they would refrain from wearing smelly stuff, but my new boss doesn't want to cooperate. I try to stay away from him, but some of the stuff he wears permeates the whole building and always send me home with a migraine. I have always had visual problems with migraine, but now I get blurred vision, not just bright blue flashes and black spots. Not only do I have to leave work, but my husband misses work too, cause I can't drive myself home. My new doc has me on verapamil, haven't noticed a change yet. I have Zomig to abort a headache, it works for about 2 hours, sometimes. But I can only treat 6 headaches a month with it and I am having 3-4 a week. Sleep seems to be the only true remedy, and that seems to be in short supply these days. How do yo that tip out of Ann Landers and showed it to me and of course, I laughed and said "yeah, right!" Anyway, I just thought I would pass that along to you. Be well! JTROUTEN@aol.com ~Jana~
Jana <JTROUTEN@aol.com>
Atlanta, GA USA - Mon Jun 29 0:20:47 1998

Migraine sufferer. Been on migranol,imitrex, zomig. new theory-menopause. Just so tired of hurting and get worried about resorting to meds at the time
Jean Phelps <MJeanTeacg>
Niantic, ct USA - Mon Jun 29 0:19:21 1998

Hi everyone! It's me, once again post-migraine day. Ugh! I am really, I mean really getting tired of these dang migraines! I woke up this morning about 6am and figured out I was having a flare up with my asthma ( yes, I have been blessed with that condition as well), so I proceeded to take my Prednisone 40mg that I take whenever I have a "flare up." I have noticed whenever I have to take Prednisone my migraines are really awful! Not that the migraines without the Prednisone weren't awful, but with the Prednisone is it double awful!! I have read in this journal where many other migraineurs use Prednisone for their migraines; however, they trigger my migraines and make the migraines more frequent and severe for me. Does anyone else experience this problem? I would love to hear your experience with this and anything else you feel like sharing about your migraine life. Please don't suggest I for go the Prednisone as it really does help my flare ups with asthma. We all do need to breathe, right? This drug really helps my breathing, but is plain horrible for my migraines!! I look forward to hearing from anyone that feels like emailing me about this problem I am encountering. Just remember..to all of you reading this message..you are not alone in your pain and suffering. We need to work together and support eachother in our search for a cure for this horrific condition we been given. Good luck to all of you and be well!! JTROUTEN@aol.com ~Jana~
Jana <JTROUTEN@aol.com>
Atlanta, Ga USA - Mon Jun 29 0:03:52 1998

I am 20 and had my first migraine when I was 9. I have had them regularly since I was 13(an average of one a month). Over half of my family on my dad's side have had at least one migraine. I always have visual disturbances before my headache, then sometimes numbness, nausea, and vomiting. I have been taking atenolol (a beta-blocker) daily for the past five years to prevent migraines. It doesn't make them any less frequent, but it has almost completely eliminated the nausea. I use caffeine to treat headaches when I have them. My headaches are much more frequent from May-Sept, especially in hot, humid weather and just before a storm. Between atenolol and caffeine (if taken during the aura), my headaches have become very manageable compared to what they used to be. I have also found that any kind of distraction can make my headaches more tolerable, so I no longer go for hiding in a dark room by myself. I have found that moderate exercise and anything to keep my mind off the pain are more effective than hiding away with nothing to think about but the pain. Has anyone else tried mild to moderate exercise to treat or prevent migraines?
Kim S <kimpsych9@aol.com>
Hartsville, SC USA - Sun Jun 28 23:48:15 1998