Well, it has finally happened. I have been reading these
postings now for a few weeks, every day. I have had migraines
for 20 years. Actually it will be exactly 20 years on July
30. The reason I know exactly is that's when my son who will
turn 20 on July 25 was a week old, that's when they started.
I guess there's not one drug, preventive, abortive, pain, etc..
that I have not taken at one time or another. I've seen neuros
30 minutes from home and 5 hours from home. I've been to MCV
and to a headache clinic in Baltimore. I still have migraines.
They had been lots better, I've been using stadol ns a couple
years with real good results. I had not been to the doctor
or er for an injection in 12 months until Sunday afternoon.
I had had a migraine since Tuesday that would not break with
stadol, lorcet 10 and excedrin migraine. I was scared at what
I'd find at the er, you know, hateful docs that just do not
understand. I have only wished a migraine on one person in
all my life of having them and that was a "SOB", pardon my
french, er doc I ran in to about five years ago. Anyway
the doc I saw was super. His motto he said was give big
meds and get me out of there. He gave me 75 mg demerol and
50 phenergan, then repeated 75 mg demerol and 50 phenergan
in about 30 minutes. I was there about 90 minutes total,
from registering in to registering out. I liked that doc's
ideas. Anyway, to get to the real reason for this posting,
My biggest fear, knowing migraines are hereditary was that
one of my children would actually inherit them. Well, I
spent the morning with my 24 year old daughter at the doctor's
office with a headache so severe that she could not see at
all out of her right eye. His diagnosis: "well gal, your
mom's done it to you now", "you have a migraine". She had
come home sick Saturday am with what she called a sick
headace, but I really didn't give it a second thought. She
called me from work early this morning and said mom, I need
you to take me to the doctor. Of course I did, and well
that's the results. He gave her an injection of vistaril and
gave her Zomig tablets, she took two and within a couple
hours it was completely gone she says, except for her head
being sore. I just hope in reading this page daily I might
can find something to help both me and her. Thanks for listening.
Pam <mtdoyle@swva.net>
Martinsville, Va USA - Tue Jun 30 16:05:19 1998
I'm 27, and I get hemipelegic migraines. I worry that I won't be able to tell a migraine from a stroke; my mother had a stroke when she was 28. As far as I can tell, the symptoms are the same.
K.C. Calore <Kacey68795>
Springfield, MO USA - Tue Jun 30 14:35:29 1998
What a goldmine todays Journal was, I really notice weather changes afect my mig. Also banana peels, never tryed them, but I do just love a nice refridgerated cabbage leaf. Purple leaves are so cool looking and pretty. I'm going to ask my neuro today about the theory of the mig. needing to get full blown befor it can stop. I've had them almost daily sometimes I take 2 Zomig sometines 1. Either way it;s way too much. I'm about ready to stop all drugs and just go through the pain. I cant deal with the idea of daily headaches and taking so much med. Has anyone had success with certain diets, perhaps cutting out all sugar?
Illl be back with my neuro.s input.
+
Liz <thenat22@aol.com>
burbank, ca USA - Tue Jun 30 13:15:31 1998
PS...When I did find Bfamily ( I was 31) I found a ton of migraineurs..Bmom, bsis, aunts aplenty. Bmom brags how hers got better as she got into her 30's like it was a maturity thing or something..I remind her she had a total hysterectomy in her late 20's and that I don't expect mine to get better til menopause. Also pardon all my spelling errors...a few hours ago I would have not been able to write at all. TTFN, Susan
Susan <SCB79@aol.com>
USA - Tue Jun 30 1:55:39 1998
I am just coming off a 4 day migraine ( at least I hope this is it)and thought I'd look on the net for any new ideas about coping. Glad to find this board. When I was in my 20's I started having terrible headaches every day. I had never been a person to have headaches or even keep asprin in the house. Suddenly I was going through bottles of Nuprin to no avail. I also had a few other sypmptoms which made the Drs "Certain" I must have a prolactinoma or pituitary tumor in my brain. I went through the expensive MRI's paid out of pocket ( due to high deductible) and blood work etc to rule out said tumor.Long story short I was diagnosed with Classic Migraines.I have had aphasia and agraphia, dizziness and balance trouble during, visual disturbances etc. I have greatly enhanced sensitivity of my senses as well. Nothing terribly unusual for classic migs. The bad news was I had them daily except, oddly enough, for the week before my period. I spent a lot of time charting foods, lifestyle etc . There are a few instances where foods where clearly the culprit ( sour dough just kills me and quickly too) but by and large most migs don't seem conclusive for me as far as triggers go. You can be sure once I do discover a trigger I avoid it like the plague. At that point in my life I was given Fiorinal and also put on Inderal. I had such terrible experiences with inderal that I couldn't stay on it. I had vivid scary and bizzare dreams. I become so depressed I cried for no reason...I couldn't see the forest for the trees. I think had I stayed on inderal I would have killed myself and not even known why. I know inderal has those reactions sometimes with folks who have a family history of mental illness but being adopted I had no way of knowing what might be in my family history. Gun shy , I avoided propylactic treatment for a year or more...and eventually tried Verapamil which I tolerated well. It greatly reduced the frequency of the migs. After a year or 2 on Verapamil I decided to go off it to see if my migs had changed in frequency...rather than live at such a young age on a major medication. I found to my delight that my migs where no longer daily. For the next few years I had migs ranging from a few a month to at one time going even 11 months without one. What I found was the further apart they are the more unbearable they are when they do come. I have never gone to the emergency room cause I have not had any confidence that I would find it helpful. Yes, the pain is so bad I think a vice and power drill to the head, or a bullet might be preferable if it would stop the pain...I do all the usual things to try and cope...and they all help in some tiny measure...But I figure I am not willing to take something that might make me break my 30 years without vomiting streak LOL..or that could make me feel worse and that could be dangerous..added to the hassle with the ER docs, the cost, the chances I not be helped at all..I chose to stay at home and hope for death. ( not really...a mig overstatement..you know what I mean) I have from time to time thought..well if they come up with a drug that looks really promising and really safe, I'll ask my neurologist if he can promise I get it if I go in and no hassles. Otherwise I try to remind myself that the drugs could kill me but the mig only feels like it will. I figure the pain is the lesser of 2 evils. I know many of you may think..she must not be hurting that bad to chose to not go to the ER but I am not at all convinced that the majority of you are actually helped by such trips. Between time lapse and Rebound visits and the hassles you all mention..I am sticking to my methods as long as I can. This mig lasted 4 days..the longest I have ever had continuous. I am not pleased. I took fiorinal fri hoping to abort it but part of me wonders and always has...if the mig doesn't just HAVE to go full blown at some point...and if it doesn't that maybe it will just keep at it til it does get to a peak. I think next time I may go back to waiting for peak and then taking the drugs. My usual mig is about 12 hours or so..sometimes 18. I press on my head, actually sort of fwap my head with my flat hand in a rhythmic motion...makes no sense how a sensitive head can want hitting but sometimes it seems to just sort of jiggle the pain...doesn't help it but somehow seems to be self comforting for a while..tap tap tap..not hard..just firm..like you thump on a coliky baby's backside when it is gassy...a comforting thump. Anyone else do this? I also sometimes let the water pick in the shower , on the bullit like setting...drone on my head and neck. My scalp is tender, it is one sided almost always..almost always same side..( not sure but I think I have had one on the other side) I sometimes have a great sense of inertia..anyone else get that? Where I can't even force myself to move...I just get my hands pressing on my head and posture whatever way I can bear and vegout. I can't read, I can't talk, if I am left to my own sometimes I can't even go get my meds or coffee...it is with extraordinary effort and clumsiness and time consumption that I manage to do something so complex as make coffee. Anyone feel that way? I get lower GI upset too from, I figure , all the coffee and fiorinal. I also like ice on my head, and I have done the plunging in ice head and I like it..problem is that the pain relief is only for moments. I sometimes wet my hair and sit infront of the air conditioner full blast...that helps momentarily too. I also tie a long sleeve shirt around my head and make it have knots where I want pressed on. I get odd senses of foods when sick..like I couldn't possibly eat a certain item as I "sense" it would make me sick. At some point I have to eat or I know that the lack of food will compound my mig. I'll even smell food first to see if it repulses me. I often end up doing toast. Whatever I settle on ..sometimes it feels great to have had it...othertimes I can't find anything that I feel won't make me feel worse. I get queezy but not barfy. Sounds make me insane and yet I can on occasion yell at the one making the sounds...( ie dh banging pots as he puts them away in kitchen..I'll yell...NO...stop...no pans...and he'll ponder...how can someone who has pain from loud noise yell at me..I figure the noise I am controlling doesn't bother me...the external noise and clanging does. Usually DH and DD are great but this time DH was preoccupied and I found myself really annoyed with him...he wasn't unkind..but he just wasn't at all comforting. Its like after 4 days he figures... this is old news...I don't like feeling like maybe he doubts my pain. He never has before but it bothered me more than I would have imagined. Makes me feel for those who have family and friends treat them that way all the time. I have had friends who want my DD to put me on the phone mig migraine and I, usually prim and proper am not the least bit patient with such notions. I WON'T /Can't talk at such times...and just can't believe folks still want to get me to come to the phone. I swear migs, allergies, asthma and pain in general are so disrespected in this country. For pete's sake...if I wanted to laze around for a day ( and I DO that from time to time) you can be most assured this is not how I would spend it. And for those who think Migraineurs want attention...trust me ..NO one would want what attention we get..usually either negative or condescending attention. Sorry to be so long winded...I have had enough rath built up during these 4 painful days. Thanks for you all posting and "being there" I have enjoyed your sharing although I am of course sad for you all...I could thump your heads if it would help LOL...Susan
Susan <SCB79@aol.com>
USA - Tue Jun 30 1:52:20 1998
I'm just awstruck at how much all we who suffer with migraines have in common. I have read absolutely every journal entry and will continue to do so nightly. I, like most of you, have suffered with migraines most of my life. I can remember at the age of 5 having "sick headaches". It wasn't until I was in college that they were diagnosed as migraines. Then I ran the gamut of all the medicines that were available for migraines. I am 44 years old and I have taken literally everything on the market for migraines. Because of a high blood pressure, I can't take any of the drugs in the Imitrex family. Just as well, because when I did not only did it not work, but I became very ill. Currently I am taking Lortab 10, Elavil and Phenergan. When I need something stronger, my doctor gives me shots of Demerol 150mg and Vistaril 100mg. Thankfully I can get this at his office instead of the ER. I will be going to yet another neurologist next Tuesday who is supposed to be one of the best in the Jackson, MS area on migraines. I'm hoping for the best...I've been having daily migraines since mid May and I can't continue much longer with this pain!
susan <susanlstroup@compuserve.com>
Yazoo City, MS USA - Mon Jun 29 22:28:40 1998
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 himnue to do so nightly. I, like most of you, have suffered with migraines most of my life. I can remember at the age of 5 having "sick headaches". It wasn't until I was in college that they were diagnosed as migraines. Then I ran the gamut of all the medicines that were available for migraines. I am 44 years old and I have taken literally everything on the market for migraines. Because of a high blood pressure, I can't take any of the drugs in the Imitrex family. Just as well, because when I did not only did it not work, but I became very ill. Currently I am taking Lortab 10, Elavil and Phenergan. When I need something stronger, my doctor gives me shots of Demerol 150mg and Vistaril 100mg. Thankfully I can get this at his office instead of the ER. I will be going to yet another neurologist next Tuesday who is supposed to be one of the best in the Jackson, MS area on migraines. I'm hoping for the best...I've been having daily migraines since mid May and I can't continue much longer with this pain!
susan <susanlstroup@compuserve.com>
Yazoo City, MS USA - Mon Jun 29 22:28:40 1998
