I guess I get a two for one deal today. A migraine is pounding along with a cold and sore throat, so I don't feel as bad as I usually do for taking the day off and calling in sick. I hate using sick leave for ANYTHING, but I espcially hate using the same reason over and over again, i.e. migraines. It makes me wonder if my supervisor and co-workers are thinking that I am making this up or something in order to get a day off of work. It is frustrating, to say the least, because unless you have migraines, you have no idea that it is more than a headache, that it involves your whole body, and can ruin your whole day. I have been where Kristen from Brookfield, IL has been, in a mall, having fun, when a full blown with aura migraine has struck, and that means a zigzag blind spot and nausea and light sensitivity, and sometimes medication takes care of it, and sometimes it does'nt. I have to go Christmas shopping tomorrow, so I guess I'm glad that it hit today, because I went some last week, with another full-blown migraine. I wonder if the upcoming holidays are to blame for this? It really is aggrevating, and I hope that it is'nt going to be a one or more a week deal all through the holiday season. Does anyone else in our migraine family in this journal get an increase during the holiday season?
Barbara B
USA - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 09:12:53 AM
Thank you all who responded to my questions about Magnesium, as a supplement & Migraine preventative. 'Specially Victoria with the Migracin plus info, Dollie with the feverfew spray info & Dianna for your Spirit. I'm going today to the Herbal Path, it's a store run by a registered Pharmacist who now deals in Herbs ,Vitamins & Natural products. He may have some added input to why & how the Magnesium might help.
This is the start of a busy & stressful time for most of us. This year instead of trying to clean, cook & entertain, my husband & I are going to a condo in the Mountains for the Thanksgiving week end & we're cooking lobster not turkey! Hope every one gets thru this next holiday week pain free!
Never let yesterday use up today!
~Lynda~
Lynda <rkells@ttlc.net>
Nottingham, NH USA - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 08:59:11 AM
Hi there, everyone! It's been a little while since I've written in, been busy working on the book, don't you know. Hey, did anyone see the X-Files on Sunday? That episode was the most concise way of describing migraines that I've ever seen. Granted, the episode wasn't about migraines, but it described the way I feel when a migraine hits to a T. I was able to point to the screen and tell my mom, "That's exactly it! That's what it feels like!" Way to go, X-Files! Anyway, I just thought I'd tell you my latest migraine story: A couple of weeks ago, I was Christmas shopping with Mom, down at my favorite mall. Now, normally, shopping is one of my favorite activities, and the day started out great. I found just about everything I was looking for, there were a lot of sales, wonderful! Then, at about 1pm, BANG! Lightning stike headache (as my ex-neuro called them). I shook it off, and went about my shopping. A few minutes later, BANG again. And again, until I was in the throes of a full-blown migraine. My mood changed from content to downright grumpy, and the day ended up pretty bad. We left the mall, and found that the day, which had been pleasant, had turned into a huge thunderstorm, (which probably had something to do with my headache). The migraine hung on for a full week. Then, just when the pain is easing up, whammo! Another storm. This time, not only a thunderstorm, but really high winds. We were starting to worry about the roof coming off, and our family room (which is an addition) was creaking like a wooden ship on the seas. Then the power goes out. Which means that not only do we have no light, but we have no HEAT! And for me, cold makes my migraines worse. My sweet neighbors offered to let me spend the night at their house, because they have a fireplace, but I was hurting too bad to accept their offer. What a life! Well, I hope everyone else is having a pain-free day. And if anyone would like to contribute any stories for the book (about the human side of migraines) just e-mail me, OK? Thanks for listening (reading). Kris
Kristine <KHatak4444@aol.com>
Brookfield, IL USA - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 08:56:42 AM
Most of the case histories I have read here mostly focus on migraine
headaches with or without an aura. While I experience these symtoms on a
regular basis, I find that most of my migraines are not accompanied by
a headache or aura. The majourity of my migraines start with a change in
mood (feelings of euphoria followed by depression and anxiety) and are
accompanied by nausia, sensitivity to light, a pale face, extreme tiredness
and visual phenomena (e.g. the room zooming in and out or vivid colours).
These episodes of migraines range from extremely mild to severe and
occur in clusters - e.g. three times in a week, followed by two weeks
free of migraine.
Sometimes I also have a large swelling on the left hand side of my forehead
(which looks like a skin coloured spot), which appears at the
start of a migraine and dissapears after 3/4 hours, depending on the
severity of the migraine. This swelling usually occurs with a headache,
aura and a tingling sensation around my left eye and left hand side of
my face. I am not on any medication for migraine as I rarely get
severe headaches and I find it really difficult to recognise when a
migraine is starting.
Does anyone else have similar experiences?
Nicholas Furini <ndf1@leicester.ac.uk>
Leicester, UK - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 06:53:52 AM
KAREN, yes, Imitrex made my nausea at least triple in it's intensity.
I don't like that drug because when I used to take it, it was like
I wanted more than anything to get that drug out of my system. I would
say that the side effects for you don't outway the benefits.
Denise
USA - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 03:39:57 AM
Hi, I've suffered from migraines since I was about 12. I'm now 20 years old and have tried all kinds of different medications to help with the migraines. Most recently, I asked my doctor about Imitrex. He gave me a prescription for the 50 mg tablets and told me to take one half when I first get the headache and then take the other half two hours later if I still have no relief. So, a couple months ago, I woke up early in the morning with a migraine, took half an Imitrex (25mg) and within a half-hour, the headache was completely gone. About a month after that, I wake up early in the morning again with another migraine, except this one is worse, so I take the half that I had left over from my other migraine (25mg) and go back to my bed to lie down... Anyway, the headache got worse and worse for about an hour, and then I started getting nausea really bad (and I don't usually get nausea with my migraines although it happens from time to time), so the nausea gets worse and worse for about an hour and a half, then I start getting numbness and tingling in my hands and later it moves down to my feet. Pretty soon, I start throwing up and I can't stop(and I NEVER throw up even when I absolutely need to.. that reflex is stubborn or something with me). I threw up about 5 or 6 times in 3 hours and then finally went into the doctor where they gave me a shot of phenergan to calm down the nausea and help me get some rest, but they had no idea why I had such a bizarre reaction to the Imitrex especially since I had taken it once before without a problem. Anyway, has anybody ever heard of a reaction like this and have any idea what could have caused it?? Thanks in advance for any replies.
Karen
USA - Date: 11/19/98 (Thu)
Time: 01:36:44 AM
I have been dealing with migraines for the past seven years. I take Imitrex as soon as I feel the aura coming on. My biggest concern when I get the migraine it will always come in the middle of the night and throughout the day I will have on an hourly basis a strange feeling come over me and if I try to talk the words will come out backwards at that moment. This is very frustrating.
One morning I woke up and was unable to talk. I could not remember details like names, but I knew what was going on and I just could not talk. The left side of my face was drooping down and I had pain in my left arm. I fell like it might have been a stroke.
Help if anyone has a similar case.
Nicole <Nicolep198@aolcom>
USA - Date: 11/18/98 (Wed)
Time: 09:37:48 PM
