I don't remember when my migraines started. I was so used to my mother having them that they didn't seem foreign to me. I know I have had them for at least 12 years. I found Imitrex and it works great for me, but it does nothing for my mom. Now I feel guilty because she has them worse that I ever did and can't find relief. She has tried all the meds. Been getting Demoral shots when it gets to bad for as long as I can remember. She also has had 1/2 of her stomach and some of her intestinal tract removed due to bleeding ulcers. There has been some news of a bacteria that causes bleeding ulcers linked to migraine headaches. Does anyone else have both conditions? If so have you found any meds that work on the migraines?
Shannon <shannonkk@hotmail.com>
St James, MO USA - Date: 11/25/98 (Wed)
Time: 11:22:47 AM
Hi everyone. It's your friendly neighborhoood writer again. It's been a nasty week, and I really need to vent... I've had daily migraines all week, which is bad in itself, but then, over the weekend, I noticed that my cat, Buster, was looking and acting kind of strange. I made a vet appointment first thing Monday, and found out that he has cancer. He is 13 years old, and the prognosis is not good. He's had blood tests and X-rays, and the next step would be ultrasound and biopsy. However, the ultrasound and biopsy will cost between $500 - $800. Maybe I'm strange, but if I had the money I would go for it. The vet said that if the cancer is in only one spot, it may be treatable, but I just can't afford it. It's killing me that I can't help my sweet friend because of finances, but there it is. I've been crying since Monday, and (at least for me) crying makes my migraines nearly unbearable. I've been popping codeine like candy, and I'm starting to get rebounds. (The codeine doesn't help the headaches much, but it makes me a bit calmer, so I don't cry as much.) I know that I may sound a little crazy to be this upset over my cat, but my animals are part of my family, and he is such a special cat. I found him in an alley 10 years ago. He was a mess, so dirty I thought he was gray, until I gave him a bath and found that he was actually beige and black striped. Skinny as a rail, and nearly dead. The vet's opinion then, was that he would not make it. Well, ten years later, before this horrible cancer, he was fat and happy, and the best friend I could have wished for. Now, to sit and watch him dying by inches is just tearing me apart. Well, enough of that or I'll be weeping all over the place again. Does anyone have any advice on how to keep myself calm without drugging myself out? I'd appreciate it. Thanks for listening.
Kristine <KHatak4444@aol.com>
Brookfield, IL USA - Date: 11/25/98 (Wed)
Time: 11:01:14 AM
Hi everyone. I've just found this page and I'd like to add my support to all sufferers out there. We've recently been told that our nine-year old son suffers from abdominal migraine. Can anyone shed some light on this condition? Our doctor seems content to shovel drugs into him but this doesn't always work. Are there alternative remedies that others have found effective? Best wishes to all readers.
Mike Askew <mike.askew@sysop.co.uk>
Manchester, England - Date: 11/25/98 (Wed)
Time: 11:00:45 AM
Kati,
Read below about getting pregnant w/migraines.
I only suffer migraines about once or twice a month during my period,
so bad I can't even move my head or I'll throw up. My doctor gave me
Ketorolac (Toradol). He said it wasn't a migraine medicine, but they
use it in the ER for pain--has something to do with helping the blood
vessels and works well. Of course once I got them I haven't had another
headache bad enough to need it so don't know how well it works yet.
I've just gotten to where during the first few days of my period I get
up and take a couple of excedrin to ward anything off and it seems to
work.
For many of you who suffer migraines have your doctors ever checked you
for food allergies--many times migraines are caused by that. Especially
those of you that say pumpkin pie, msg, etc. give you migraines this
may be the cause. If you find out some food really triggers a
migraine you should just stay away from it.
There is a drug store website that you can go into their pharmacy
for information on all drugs--tells side effects, what it's for, etc.
It's www.eckerd.com. I've used it several times to look up medication
information.
Now to the part about pregnancy and migraines. During my first
pregnancy I had an entire month of constant migraines/vomiting
nearly all day and of course ended up in the hospital for I.V.
fluids due to dehydration since I couldn't keep anything down. I
was given midrin (I think that's the proper name) and told it was
safe. Of course I only took a few then finally got better--I was
given them near the end of the suffering. My baby turned out fine.
Of course over the long term I couldn't say how safe it is. I'm sure
if it wasn't I wouldn't have been given it. and of course anytime
you get a severe headache during pregnancy you should alert your doctor
because it could be a symptom of another pregnancy-related problem.
don't assume it's just a migraine.
However, I would talk to your doctor about this before you become
pregnant so you know in advance. Of course you may get different
opinions. I suffered from food allergies and had a bout with them
during my second pregnancy. I asked one person (nurse practitioner)
if it was o.k. to use my injection kit if I had life threatening
breathing problems (which thankfully I never had) and she said yes,
because if you die the baby is going to die too), so you have to take
a chance, which of course I fully agree with. Then when a doctor
actually saw me and I asked for a new kit since mine was expired he
grabbed it out of my hands and said no, you can't use that, it will
go straight to the baby's heart and kill it. Well, I said, if I die
from not being able to breath the baby will die too, and he still wouldn't
give me another one. Little did he know I had another one at home that
I would have used if I needed it, but luckily I never have needed it.
BarbaraM
Prattville, AL USA - Date: 11/25/98 (Wed)
Time: 09:38:37 AM
This is my second time writing to this journal. I find quite a bit of info from all your entries only my problem is, I've tried everything. I have tried from the anti-depressents to the Imitrex and it's look a likes, and do you think there is a doc out there that will try something new. I am right now looking into pain management clinics and I hope I don't have the same problem as one of us that I read cuz I did that. He claimed I was a narcotics addict. NOT!! I only use them when needed. But you can't get ahold of them when needed. My worst experience I think was this last migraine, I was the Matron of Honor at my best friends wedding. I woke up with a migraine. I went through the day as best I could and just couldn't do it anymore. I had to leave hating to spoil her wedding I whispered to her and was sneaking out when the lady that was waching my children was coming in to tell me my oldest had broken his ankle!!! Now, my head was really pounding. I took the chance after getting him comfortable to get to the ER and they treated me. Much to my surprise they treated me. Then I contact my regular doctor and he acts like I should have stayed home with my son and worried about him more than myself. I couldn't belive what I was hearing. If I was in no shape to even move how was I to take care of my son? We stayed at my friend's house and she took care of him so I could go to sleep, (she's my hero) and in the morning my headache wasn't so bad so I could take care of him. Of all the nerve of this doctor telling me to put my headache aside and take care of someone else. I wish upon him just one of my most painfull migraines and hope he someday will understand that when you are hugging the toilet you can't help anyone else. I wish upon him just 1 pain full migraine and to all these other docs that don't want to help 1 for them too, it might not be nice but maybe they'll understand what we really go through.
Berta <B1wall1000@aol.com>
MN USA - Date: 11/25/98 (Wed)
Time: 09:26:22 AM
