Hello...
My heart goes out to all of you who suffer from migraines. I'm writing with a SUCCESS story that I'm hoping might some of you. I'll be brief in here, but please feel free to contact me via email if you'd like to discuss any of this further!! LisaRobCO@aol.com. I KNOW that what follows won't help everyone... but I hope it can help someone!!
First, some history: I'm 34. Many others in my family suffer from migraines: One grandmother, two uncles (one paternal, one maternal) and my sister. When I was an adolescent, I began having classic migraines with the aura...spotty vision...numb fingers...nausea. These seemed to subside when I was about 20 and returned with regularity during both of my pregnancies (at ages 25 and 28). While I had occasional migraines between those times, they were not frequent or regular.
From age 28 to about 32, I just had infrequent migraines. At 32, the migraines became more and more frequent; they felt as painful and incapacitating as the ones I'd had before, but no longer were accompanied by the nausea, vision problems or numb fingers. About 18 months ago, the headaches became more and more frequent (about 4 per week) and finally, in September 1997, a migraine came and never went away. I began keeping a journal where I would rate each day on a scale from one to ten (ten being unbearable). I went to my general practioner over and over and we tried antidepressants, pain medications, traditional migraine therapy prescriptions, etc. to no avail. I had an MRI and saw a neurologist who simply wanted to re-adjust and increase medications and more medications. I had eliminated everything from my diet and slowly re-introduced foods - never finding a food that would trigger the migraines.
Prior to the never-ending migraine, I noticed that the migraines were hormonal -- tied to menstrual cycles, birth-control pill cycles, etc. This coincided with the headaches during the pregnancies too. My G.P. is a woman...and she listened to me. We adjusted estrogen. We adjusted progesterone. Etc. Etc. I told my doctor that I wanted to have a hysterectomy and wanted to get rid of my ovaries which seemed to be the source of the problem. A OB/GYN finally agreed.
Bottom line: I had a hysterectomy and both ovaries removed. This isn't for everyone... I already had two children and was not planning to have more. While I wasn't thrilled with the idea of major surgery, I was ready to call Dr. Kevorkian before this. I'd made my husband's life miserable; wasn't being a very good mom to my two kids. I didn't like getting up in the mornings and needed so much pain medication that I slept a lot or was just zoned out.
I HAVE ONLY HAD TWO MIGRAINES SINCE SURGERY IN FEBRUARY 1998. It's now December 1998 - and that is amazing. I'm on Estrogen Replacement Therapy which keeps my estrogen at a constant level. For me... it would appear that my body's natural fluctuations in estrogen were triggering the migraines - and birth control pills, etc. were only influencing the amount of hormones, not the ups and downs... they would only ride the waves naturally produced.
Like I said, this is not for everyone. But perhaps a closer examination of hormone levels can benefit you, too!!!
Good luck!!! I'm interested to find others who have the same experiences... I'm going to write to my insurance company who wouldn't approve the surgery until my OB/GYN found a mild case of endometriosis. Thank God she did... I'd like to hear from others with similar problems and solutions!! Thanks!
Lisa <LisaRobCO@aol.com>
Fort Collins, CO USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 11:06:58 PM
hi! I have had migraines since the age of three, and come from a long line of migraine sufferers. I to have tried all of the drug treatments and nonconventional treatments available with little result. I am a RN and know alot about migraine treatments available. I am one that has to resort to taking painkillers to ease the migraines. the imitrex, zomig, and other new drugs in similiar classes have never worked for me. they elevate my blood pressure to a dangerous level, and I have high bp already. I am 26 and had a near death experience during childbirth which has left me with high bp. One thing that I have tried that has worked where conventional medicine and doctors have not is to go see a naturopathic physician. He did some central nervous system testing on me to find out what I had sensitivities to, big or small, this includes food allergies, envirionmental allergies such as petroleum fumes etc., and minute disruptions in my body that occured naturally due to genetics and such. I went from having 4-5 migraines and tension headaches a week to 1 a week, sometimes 1 in two weeks. What he said made alot of sense to me especially with my medical training. He placed me on natural supplements taylored to fit my needs. It was so much better than medicine, zero side effects or complications, and they all helped the different areas of my body to make a healthier me! I also learned alot about what foods to avoid( the ones I was sensitive to) so that they wouldn't trigger a migraine. All of the sensitivities we found were triggers for migraines. I used to think that I didn't have any food allergies or that they weren't connected with my migraines because I couldn't see an obvious cause and effect. The sensitivities that I had to certain foods would build up in strength over a number of days and would trigger a migraine when they became strong enough. I feel better than I have in years. Painkillers & caffiene will cause rebound migraines from 1- several days later, thus a continual migraine cycle, with possible addiction with prolonged use. If anyone wants to email me with questions or comments, please feel free to do so.
sincerely,
ekonrad
ekonrad <ekonrad@hotmail.com>
cleburne, tx. USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 09:10:38 PM
Hello again! I want to say thanks to all the responses I have gotten
about taking vicodin on a regular basis. I will be seeing my doc next
week to discuss it before I try it. I'm sorry that it took so long to
sendmy thanks but one of my friends, who is like a second mom to me,
lost her husband Friday to a long battle with cancer. She too has
migraines which you can imagine were horrible so I have been unable
to even get near my computer. I mailed her this sight and I hope that
she will be able to come here now that she has the time and needs the
support. Once again thanks for the advise and a place to come to where
you know you are understood. Happy Holidays to all ! Anna
Anna Chase <mchase@icx.net>
Knoxville, TN USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 08:54:24 PM
Hello Friends,
Well this weekend was pathetic. Thanksgiving & Friday were fine.
Except that I had to stand in line for 2 hours trying to get a "furby".
But that is a different story :) As we speek KoKo (my Furby's name) is
sleeping on the desk next to the keyboard. **** WARNING ***** Your kids
will be bored with this toy in HOURS.
Now on to the reason I am writing today. Has anyone ever tried putting
a bannanna peel on the back of your neck & on your forehead when you
have a migraine? I know its an old wives tale, but it seems to work.
It might be that your skin absorbes some of the potassium in the peel.
But it feels so nasty *YUCK*. I was wondering if anyone else ever did
this. Feel free to respond in our fourm.
Now as for the reason this weekend was pathetic. On saturday (after my
friday chiropractic adjustment & massage) I woke up feeling like I had
been hit by a train. I took a furinol w/codine & a soma & after that
failed, I took an Imitrex tab. It took the edge off till late afternoon.
Well by about 3:30 I was wiped out. I went home & took a nice hot bath
and tried to relax as I was to attend a party that night. When I got to
my friends house, my head was again throbbing & I took another furinol
w/codine & ate something. 2 hrs later it was still there & we were leaving
for the party. I did something I had never done before & will never do
again. I took another soma & Furinol w/codine. Wow, was I tripping. The
pain did seem to abate, but not for long. To my dismay, the party was
being held in a club that plays Techno music... Thump Thump Thump... You
get the picture. It really didn't do much for my headache or mood. I was
even rude to these 2 guys who hit on me. Well I was rude for a Myriad
of reasons, the least being my headache :). As soon as we left the club,
My head felt so much better. I had my friends stop at a 24hr Dunkin' Donuts
so I could get a cup of coffee. That did the trick. I woke up at 1:30pm
and I felt so good! I was even able to eat chinese food (w/o MSG)
something I haven't done in over a year! However this morning, I had
another attack. It was a mild one but I know when I get dizzy it is one
that I stay home with.. no driving for me when I can't see the road.
I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday with your family & friends.
Take care & Be well. ~DIANNA~
Dianna <ghost@gte.net>
NPR, FL USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 07:55:51 PM
To Aryn: I tried to e mail you about your report, but your e mail address listed seems to be incorrect. E mail me personally if you are still interested.
Shannan
Shannan <shanan1023@aol.com>
OR USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 07:19:43 PM
I'm new to the net and amazed at my "family" of migraine sufferers.I too have tried a wide range of therapies in the past 16 years. Bio-feedback, acupunture, acupressure, massage therapy, feverfew,vitimin supplements,drug therapies including, steriods,imitrix,zomig,maxalt,calcium channel blockers,antidepressants,beta blockers,DHE nasal spray,midrin, cafergot,fiornal,anaprox,demerol and on and on......What I have learned is that altho we share many symtoms each of our headaches is unique. What is a trigger for one is not for another, what works best to relieve our pain is different from one another.What is so great about this is that we can share our ideas and get comfort from knowing that someone truly understands our pain.Knowing what others are doing puts me in control with my options when visiting my doctor. Thank you I hope to continue to visit this page!
Tracy Murray <tmur400>
minneapolis, mn USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 06:28:24 PM
Dear Aryn,
You wanted info on migraine from one of us, but your email address bounced back. Should you look here again (or anyone else who might find this site useful), you might try pointing to: http://pslgroup.com/MIGRAINE.HTM I think that's right. If not, change the l to an i. That should work
Catherine <cadams@ilnk.com>
Jax Beach, FL USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 06:01:11 PM
Just thought that I would pass along the okay that I got from my neurologist that it is fine with him to take neurontin and doxepin. I was concerned, since they are both pretty strong drugs, but he answered my voice mail today and said it was okay. There are times that it is scary trying new drugs, and using new things to help one disorder, because it could cause another to act up. It is scary because I have had migraines go haywire in the past with different medications. I had to go off of the pill, which I was using to control ovarian cysts, because my migraines just went goofy. It is hard sometimes, because you never know. I have had a off again, on again headache today. Maybe stress, or the remains of flu/sinus infection, or it may be the new medication reacting with a side affect. Its just hard to tell. It is so hard dealing with a couple of different disorders. There are times that I feel as if I am a walking medicine chest.
Barbara B
USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 05:17:56 PM
Here I am. I am 24 years old and have had migraines since age nine. They have always been pretty bad, but the past few months have been terrible. I am a recent grad with an MSW trying to work -but it is so difficult with an almost daily migraine. I am frustrated, angry and scared that it is all just getting worse. I recently started seeing a specialist in Wellesley, Dr. Speirling, and he has me on a bunch of new mediactions that are so far not doing all that much. He put me on Prednisone in order to break a 10 day migraine cycle. I was on it for three days. Was better for another day and here I am again. I take Zomig for the bad ones- but that pill seems llike a joke to me, and a musle relaxer for the less intense ones. I also just started a Beta-blocker as a preventative. YIKES -i sound like a pharmacy. Does anyone have any advice, or suggestions, or ideas about meds? I am finding it so helpful to read through everyone's entries. Many of them sound like I could be writing them....I also just got married about three months ago -and that is WONDERFUL! I wish i could just enjoy life more!!!
Robyn B Hoffman <robarihoff@aol.com>
Waltham, MA USA - Date: 11/30/98 (Mon)
Time: 05:15:17 PM
