What a God-send to fall upon this website! I am a 28 yr old female and I have been suffering from migraines for years. I have a 20 mo. old son and have noticed that the migraines have increased since his birth - in fact I had one so badly in the hosp. that I couldn't nurse him! For the past five months I have been having what seems like one constant headache. Pain everyday, some days with severe peaks where I cannot function at all. I have had to leave my job, I am on disability now, and I have yet to find a doctor to help me. I have tried all the drugs, Vicoden, Vicoprophen, Demeral, Darvocet, Imitrex (pills, shots, nasal spray), etc and so on. Just this Friday it took two shots of Demeral to ease the pain, but it just came back again on Saturday. Is there relief out there? Please feel free to share your experiences with me, it helps to know that someone understands (our spouses sure don't, do they?)
Samantha - samandjosh@yahoo.com
Samantha <samandjosh@yahoo.com>
Sunnyvale, CA USA - Date: 11/09/98 (Mon)
Time: 02:24:06 PM
I am currently suffering from Migraine headach, but I found a special way to ease the pain by inhaling the extraordinary aroma of Lavender flowers (thru an air refreshner).
I read much articles about Aromatherapy as alternative medicine, but Lavender is clearly helpful for migraine.
You can follow me by ordering a small Lavender spray for a couple of dollars and you will be happy. (I ordered it by Kinsman Company 800-733-4146, it's called "Earth Mists").
Take it easy. Stay well.
Jerry McCarthy
Brooklyn, NY USA - Date: 11/09/98 (Mon)
Time: 01:02:46 PM
Hi, I have been a "M" sufferer since the age of 6 and I am 33 now. I have been through all and tried all. I am now taking Inderal daily and for the real pain I take Zomig (works sometimes) and Percocets, Lorcets, Fiorinol w/codeine or whatever my doctor is trying at the time. Believe it or not if I can catch the headache before it has gotten full speed ahead Excederin helps. I also prefer to take Excederin PM or Tylenol PM and go to sleep rather than take the heavy stuff for the "not so bad ones". Most of the time if I have a serious one with flashing lights in another world type pain I always seem to get that hang over headache the next morning if I have heavy dosed on meds the night before. I have also found that with any of the narcotics the more I take the more headaches I have. I have even journaled the info and end up with the onset of a headache the day after I take a pain pill at the same time or within 45 minutes of the time I took the pill the day before. I do have the worst ones due to harmonal changes. I also have had a couple of migraines brought on by sinus/allergy problems...those were the worst I can remember in adulthood. I wish I knew why I have them and why won't they go away!!!!Good Luck and God Bless...you are all in my prayers:)
Breda
Acworth, GA USA - Date: 11/09/98 (Mon)
Time: 10:52:07 AM
Hi, I wish I had found this journal 8 years ago when I started violent cluster headaches!. The longest single headache I had was a year long. Like all of you I have treid everything including methylsegide and ergotomine. I an now on zolmitriptan which does help, but not every time.it has the least side effects of any drug I have tried so I just keep hoping that i will keep responding to it. I am also on atenolol every day, which helps, but poses problems as I have low bloodpressure to start with.
Some simple tips that my wife and I have developed overthe years; AVERY hot hot waterbottle with cover, sometimes two bottles, the water has to be boiling. Tiger balm rubbed into the effected temple, neck and sometimes shoulder. If it doesn't help, it's cheep and smells good!homeopathy has helped a little, and the acupressure points K1, K3, Li4 Lu5 & Liv3 may help in the early stages. My first line of defense is paractamol with codeine taken with strong tea( the caffeine effects the codeine and makes a stronger painkiller).
I have found no trigger, and when asked I say that may pain is caused by breathing in. This usually keeps my sense of humour, which is my biggest weapon and stops others asking all of the usual questions about coffee, cheese etc. Cluster headache is terrible, btu you do get remissions - I wish I was in one now, but what I hate is the terrible mood swing which I think is worse that the pain, except when I get a bout of hemiplegia as well. There is no cure, just try to deal with the pain, and as far as possible stay possitive. I have been there, am still there and will probably stay there. This ismy first pain free day for something like three weeks.
The best defense when you can is to keep smiling, it's less painful than crying which I find makes the pain worse.
malcolm <cn@warwickschool.surrey.sch.uk>
redhill, sy uk - Date: 11/09/98 (Mon)
Time: 10:21:06 AM
Such a relief to find all of you! I celebrated my 50th birthday this week and have had migraines since I was 8. I've been through every treatment one can imagine, along with being called crazy, a drug seeker abd hopeless. Doctors and their staffs start out by being very understanding and end up treating me like I have a desire to drive them crazy. Treating my migraines, for most Docs, has become a personnal issue for them where they push me away because they can't "cure" me and have to deal with their fear of being in trouble for perscribing quantities of narcotics. I've been told to suffer through it, that it's all "in my head", etc. I'm sure, after reading through this journal, that all of you know what I mean. I dom't want to take drugs, I just want to live my life and be reasonably pain free.
I've missed work, missed time with my family, lost relationships, been shamed by doctors, nurses, pharmasists, family, friends, coounselors and specialisrs. Until I met my wife, the only consistant support I've received has been from my cats!
Any way, I wanted to introduce myself and invite anyone who would like to e-mail me. God Bless us all. I wish for all of us that each 24 hours of each day be pain free.
Steve <rebos@terracom.net>
Madison, WI USA - Date: 11/09/98 (Mon)
Time: 12:43:41 AM
I havn't been able to read this journal for a while and was very distressed to see the comment about the DEA. Give me a break, why doesn't our government go after the real drug dealers and problem people. Because that's to dangerous and it's a lot safer going after innocent people suffering migraines and their doctors and thats a pretty sad statement to say about our fine government. I hope that the informants, agents or their loved ones never have to go through some of the pain we suffer. I have lost 3 years of my young childrens lives because of the pain. Fourtunaly I have gained control of the headaches for the time being but how long will it last this time? I just pray that when I need to have a pain killer again my doctor who has been the most understanding MD I have found doesn't have to worry about legally giving me, yes a narcotic, to give me my life back during an attack. To those trying to make a problem for people who are just trying to help each other...SHAME ONE YOU!
Dee <salem2335@aol.com>
USA - Date: 11/08/98 (Sun)
Time: 10:15:40 PM
I have been a migraine sufferer since i was 18yrs old and am now 43. I have had relief sometimes with fiorinol and 1/2 of a valium (yellow). But the best thing that I have found and has really worked for me the past year has been to go to a GNC store and buy feverfew. It's a pill you take three times a day. Although I just take all three pills at once and also take a stresstab pill. It takes approximately three weeks for this to build up into your system but I feel like a new person!!! Also I bought one of those buckwheat pillows that has magnets in it. I don't know if that has anything to do with it but I only seem to get that period headache now. I was having approximately 3 headaches a week. And to go down to One a month is wonderful. I have recommended the feverfew to other people along with the stresstab and it has worked for them also. Give it a try, what have you got to lose, but a headache!!!
Ruth Meyer <Angelpraze@aol.com>
Thonotosassa, fl USA - Date: 11/08/98 (Sun)
Time: 09:43:26 PM
