Case Histories - September #25

Like so many of you, I've had headaches all my life. I used to think they were sinus headaches (my Dad had sinus headaches). Then at a very stressful time I had a headache that put me in bed all day ( I would throw up if I tried to move. I began having headaches that lasted a week every month. My headaches will start on one side of my head, last for a few days, ease off, and then come back on the other side for a few days. When the doctor told me I had migraines he told me that they run in families and that he had treated my grandfather for migraines.(I'm sure that's what my Dad had too) The good news is that both my father and grandfather stopped having headaches when they retired. The doctor told me that hormone fluxuation can bring on migraine, stress causes adrenaline fluxuation adrenaline can be protective so that come the weekend adrenaline drops and that's when so many of us have the headaches. None of the usual pain relievers work for me. If I take a heavy duty pain killer I just feel drugged - with a headache. Luckily Inderal works as a prophelactic, and if I take Excedrin when I get the aura, before the pain starts, it will keep away some headaches. I have also noticed that I get dehydrated with my headaches (really dry mouth, chapped lips). I haven't figured out yet if it's cause or effect, but I've started drinking lots of water at the first sign of dry mouth. Hope my thoughts can be of help, as yours have been for me. - Pamela
Pamela Crabtree <distortdmbay.net>
Carmel, CA USA - Date: 09/27/98 (Sun) Time: 03:20:11 AM

Hi to all of you fellow sufferers!My name is Debbie and I am 45 years old and have suffered from excruciating headaches since I was 12 years old.I am so glad to have found this page on my computer.I think we must be the most misunderstood lot that there is!!!I was scared to death at the age of 12 when I started loosing my eyesight and had numbness on one side and then the horrible pain set in.My first visit with a Dr.brought about questions such as,'are you on drugs??'I was only 12 and at that time I had no idea what drugs even were!Finally he diagnosed me with hyperventilation,and advised me to breathe into a paper bag!!!I would love to see him now knowing what I know now.I would tell him to put his head into a paper bag!!!!I would get into so much pain I thought I was gonna die!It was hard trying to explain to friends that sometimes my eyes got funny and I would become numb and then cry with pain.I can remember many times overhearing people say "well I get headaches but I dont carry on like that!It was so frustrating!!!!So many of your letters sound as if they came right out of my mouth.Anyway I went for years with the ignorant attitudes of people and was about 25 before even being diagnosed with vlassis migraines and cluster headaches.I have been through 6 neurologists.a CAT scan,many blood tests,even taking cortisone shots in my talebone due to it being fractured,accupuncture,herbal remedies,choiropracters,an amish Iridoligist,biofeedback,DHE 45 injections,demerol,ergotimine,sansert,all sorts of antidepressants,midrin,imitrex,until finally a sympathetic Dr. put me on Fiorinal 3.It was the first time in my life that ANYTHING had ever given me relief,but as with all good things it had its drawbacks....I became dependant on the meds.I took them for 6 years and for the first time in my life I was able to go ahead and function as a real human being.I never had to miss anything,it was wonderful!!But I made the mistake of showing my own concern over taking these meds.That put up red flags to everyone and it became increasingly hard to get my meds.I became labled as someone who was merely wanting drugs!!!I finally became so frustrated with the time,stress,and anxiety that it took from me to try to get anyone to listen that I went to a Dr. and asked him to help me stop taking them.This was no easy task.Not only did I have to go through withdrawal,but once again I knew I had to go through all the pain once again.My insurance has dropped me due to being a high risk with headaches and being labled as a narcotics junkie plus I have been turned down by the last 3 policies I have applied to.There is nothing fair when it comes to being a chronic pain sufferer.I wish that some of the people who are so quick to take away pain meds had to suffer some of the same pain that alot of us live with dailY!!!!!THE FDA should maybe try to go after real drug addicts and give the chronic pain patients a break.Narcotics have gotten a bad rap because of the recreational users.What are the rest of us supposed to do????Were being ostrasized for something we have no power over.As of now I am on Ansaids,Darvocet,and my newest is Ultram.Its better than nothing but once again I am back to sqare one with my pain controlling what I can do and when.There are times it is so bad I just dont think I will be able to deal with it,but I have now for 33 years.Anyone who wishes to e mail me may do so.For the first time ever I know someone out there understands!Thank you all for sharing your experiences.It helps to know I am not alone!!!I hope and pray that whoever is suffering at this moment will find relief this very minute!Take care my fellow "pain"pals.bdmerrill@yahoo.com
Debbie <bdmerrill@yahoo.com>
Thorntown, In. USA - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 02:08:58 PM

Hey all I just wanted to share a great link with all of you Its a little on the technical side but if you can follow it, it is great http://www.ama-assn.org/special/migraine/newsline/conferen/conferen.htm I hope this helps some of us sufferers sincerely Bryan
Bryan <Ketchikan2@aol.com>
USA - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 01:22:49 PM

I see a lot of migraine sufferers from Ohio on this site...Maybe its in the water!!! Just kidding, I'm also a sufferer from Ohio...Imitrex injections saved me...I still have migraines, but the imitrex injections are the only thing that worked for me...I didn't like the imitrex nasal spray, or the pills..The nasal spray didn't work, and the pills took too long, and weren't as effective as the injections...Most of my migraines come in two's or three's...Sometime fours. The imitrex always gets rid of it, but it comes back the next day. After two or three shots, I'm good for another two, to three weeks before another attack. Its nice to know that I'm not alone.. Carol Ohio
Carol <ceedee3@hotmail.com>
Oh USA - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 08:03:59 AM

Hello everyone. Well, here I am early Sat morning sitting at the computer with a migraine. This is my first "real" migraine since my detox and gosh, am I tempted to break open the pain pills! I took my DHE-45 IM along with Phenergen and it seems to be halting the excalation of my migraine, so I thought I would write you here. I guess my day is already ruined becuz I will feel crappy all day long becuz of the pain I have already had this am. So, now I will have to miss my sons football game today and cancel any plans that I have made. Sound familiar? By reading the journal I can tell I am not alone in my pain. I feel for each and everyone of you! I think a big contributor to this migraine is the falling barometer due to the hurricane weather that is affecting the area where I am. I think I am a better predictor at weather versus a meterologist! ha! My head can always tell me when we are going to have a storm. Well, I guess I will get my ice pack and go lay down and pray this dang migraine will pass. Good luck to you all and email me anytime as I welcome any/all emails. I wish everyone a great and pain free weekend!
Jana <JTROUTEN@aol.com>
Atlanta, GA USA - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 07:34:13 AM

Hello all. This is my first time here. I want to know what you all think about this headache I had that sent me running to the emergency room. Wedensday night I had a headache. About the normal kind that I get from time to time, but I went to bed hoping it would just go away. I went to sleep and then 6 hours later I woke up feeling like someone had a flaming knife in one side of my head. It was close to my crown just on one side. It was so painful I came flying out of the bed. I quickly got the icepack and wrapped it around my head and went back to bed. The pain traveled down the back of my head and then spread to the front. My vision was blurry a little but the pain was so strong that I felt it was serious enough to go to the hospital. SO I woke up my husband and off we went. They did a cat scan and the doctor said that it looked normal. So I ask "well what is causing this horrible headache"? He said he really didn't want to label me as having migraines but that it could be a migraine or just a tention headache. He gave me three injections, a perscription for pain pills and I was on my way home. I slept for 8 hours and got up for 3 hours and back to bed for another 8 hours. Today I am having trouble speeking. Sometimes I start to say something and I am thinking it but it comes out another word. DO any of you have that problem? Could it be from the headache or the medicines they gave me at the hospital? The gave me Cogentin, Thorazeen, and Motrin. Anything you have to share would be greatly appreciated. Take care. Sincerely, Diane Banks
Diane <Texmercedes@webtv.net>
Dallas, TX USA - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 05:44:24 AM

Does anyone have any thoughts/information on pregnancy and child rearing as a migraine sufferer? We are considering having a child in the next year or so but I am frightened about the prospect as I currently suffer an average of 2-3 migraines a week. I don't think I can handle nine months without taking codeine or Imitrex but wouldn't even consider it with a fetus or while breastfeeding. And then, if I get through the pregnancy am I going to be a fit mother if I am incapacitated much of the time? My partner is very understanding about my migraines (for which I am grateful) but I'm not sure he recognizes how difficult it will be for us with a child. I have spent the past two years trying to find alternative therapies and have had some success with the herb feverfew (which shouldn't be taken while pregnant from what I hear), yoga classes, chiropractic and massage. While my migraines are fewer they seem to be getting more severe. Some people say I won't suffer as much while pregnant but other sufferers who have gone through pregancy advise that this is not necessarily true and that the migraines might get worse. I feel abnormal enough already because I can't eat what other people do, I can't socialize like my friends, I am off work a fair amout, I'm grumpy and often depressed. Am I destined to suffer as a lonely, single woman?
Nicole <nkitch@pathcom.com>
Toronto, ON Canada - Date: 09/26/98 (Sat) Time: 04:16:35 AM