Hi everyone, i'm so glad i found this page as i too am a long time migraine sufferer for about 20 years and it helps to know that i'm not alone with this frustrating syndrome. Right now i'm in the midst of an every other day migraine cycle which seems to come on this time of year. The migraines are severe for about 14 days around my period(which was when they started at age 16) and then for the rest of the month are moderate to mild. I'm interested to know if anyone else suffers from the dibilatating (sp?) guilt when i count my fiorinal at the end of the month and find i've gone through 50 again. l know it's not my fault and my doctor is the best yet l REALLY PUT MYSELF THROUGH HELL. Part of the guilt is that i am a recovering alcoholic for thelast 5 years and i really can't talk about meds in meetings because there aren't alot of migraine sufferers in the ones i go to. My close program friends know about the fiorinal and know i've never evn gotton a hint of a buzz off it. My dr. has tried to convince me to use more potent narcs but i'm scared, not of becomimg addicted but because of he additonal guilt i'll heap on myself. I did stop the fiorinal for about a year when i first recovered and was unable to work or function.With the help of 50 mgs amitryptiline, 50 mgs paxil and the fiorinal; i'm able to run my business, go on vacation, and do fun things with my friends and spouse yet the guilt remains. I often feel like l have a 'dirty little secret' when i'm at AA and am unable to reconcile myselfto this. I guess i wonder if any one else feels this way out there.IF So feel free to e-mail. I'd love to talk with other people who go through this because my terrific , sympathetic, husband needs a break! SORRY I RAMBLED but i guess that's what i needed to do. wendy
wendy <bluetulip9@aol.com>
stratford, ct USA - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 01:35:49 PM
Something I've noticed, those of us who type in all Capitals are mush harder to read than those who use upper and lower case. It may be because I have a headache or it may be true. PLEASE shut your cap locks off. I love reading this page. It provides useful information to make life easier. I hate to miss an entry because the type is hard to read.
Mary <mcn4@msn.com>
NY, NY USA - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 01:07:17 PM
What is a "Pain Contract"? It sounds like just another way to torture
and belittle Migraine Sufferers.
Lisa <lgshipp@yahoo.com.>
huntsville, tx USA - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 12:45:04 PM
For the person asking about Staydol,the lawsuit& David Shaprio. That lawsuit has been around for quite sometime & ever so often re-surfaces. There isn't really any evidence to support their action.
USA - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 10:48:06 AM
Well, I hope most of you had a pain free weekend. I wish I could say
the same. It started out fine. I was all geared up to go do some
holiday shopping. The stores weren't too bad and I was actually
having a good time. Around noon, I could feel a headache starting. I
thought maybe I was just hungry, so I went to get some food and take
some Excedrin, just in case. Forget it....too late. I fought it, but
by 2:00, my head was throbbing. Went, as usual, from the back of my
head to both of my temples. My head hurt so badly, I thought maybe I
shouldn't drive home. Well, I didn't want to leave my car, so I drove
home on what was probably the worst drive of my life. By that time,
there was so much traffic, that a normally 15 minute drive took me
almost 45 minutes. I was sure my head would just blow off. When I
finally got home, I had to sit in my car for about 5 minutes just to
try and ease some of the pain. I got inside and went straight for my
midrin and an icepack. Laid down for the rest of the day, but I
couldn't rest. I was laid up all weekend. I am so sick of this. I
can't believe, that in 1998, they can't find a cure for these things.
I am at work today, although, my head is absolutely splitting. I've
already taken 2 Excedrin Migraine and am working with very dim lights.
I'm hoping to make it the whole day. Well, I hope to anyway, as it's
only 10:30 and my head is killing me. Here's to hoping you all have
a pain free day and make it through the holiday pain free. God Bless.
Joanie
Joanie
Allendale, MI USA - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 09:40:01 AM
Hello,
I just discovered your excellent migraine-forum and want to explain my case. I live in Belgium, 52 year old male and suffer for many years of what my neurologist calls " migrainous equivalent ".
I do not have significant head-aches, only mild bilateral headache sometimes.
I had aura or " scotoma " years ago but they have gone, probably because of the medication I take which is propanolol, dihydroergotenemesyl, acetylsalisyl.
I must add that I suffer from serious neck arthrosis at the level c3-c4 and c5-c6, especially at my left side.
A few months ago, very weird dizziness-vertigo problems started and I feel very anxious and get an unstable gait at that moment.
Lately insomnia problems are added. I sleep for about 2-3 hours and then my sleep is disturbed by either vertigo (I sometimes dream I have vertigo and when I wake up the vertigo is really there !) and/or numbness, especially of my left arm and hand but also slight pain in the neck mostly leftsided.
I cannot drive long distances in my car anymore because it gets me dizzy.
I had CT scan without and with contrast liquid and also carotid artery echo and duplex. Nothing abnormal was seen. My bloodpressure however varies a lot and can increase very rapidly especially the diastolic pressure and it is not abnormal that I have 145 against 105 diastolic. I must say that I have had a lot of problems lately and that I am very stressed. Neurologist says it is a combination of all these factors.
Sometimes I feel confused and very disoriented too, as if the world has been turned by 45 degrees/.
Can anybody give me some advise or comfort ?
Kind regards,
Marc
marc van den broecke <willys.distillery@skynet.be>
Merelbeke, O-VL BELGIUM - Date: 11/23/98 (Mon)
Time: 09:06:07 AM
