SANDY: I have irritable bowel syndrome as well. Apparently the number
of medications I take can irritate that condition. Lately I haven't had
as many flare ups as I used to because I cut way back on my intake
of dairy foods. I can no longer drink milk, eat cheese or have anything
with sessame seeds in it. These 3 foods will trigger an IBS attack quicker
than anything. Try weaning yourself off of milk products... It has been
of some benefit to me. Good Luck & God/dess Bless! ~Dianna~
Dianna <ghost@gte.net>
NPR, FL USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 11:11:24 PM
I have had headaches since 1986 and have been on Remeron (30mg per day) for the past 2 months and it has been a life saver. I have tried every other drug out there including MAOI's with no luck. Now my headaches have gone down from 5 a week to about 1 every other week. I am making a push for Remeron, my HMO put up a fight but I won! Now I am fighiting for Zomig but Imitrex works but I always get an Imitrex relapse the following day. Anyone has any questions about Remeron just e-mail me at Bearman@hotmail.com.
Later,
Bob
Robert Bierasinski <Bearman@hotmail.com>
USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 10:16:37 PM
My neurologist just started me on a new drug called serentil-is anyone else taking this medication for migraines???
Linda <Otmaj@aol,com>
USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 06:26:06 PM
I have been a migraine suffer for 4 years now. Ever since I been going through the change of life. Do harmones really a vital part of migraine suffers. If anyone out there is listening I am running out of ideas. I been to all kinds of doctors but no one seems to no what I have been through. I have been call a druggy to just needing attention. I purchased WEBTV for my son for Christmas and browsing, trying to do reserce o my own when I ran into this column. Ronda this is great to Know that I am not realy alone in this terrible annoying pain that just doesnt
seem to go away with anything that I try. I have tried them all. What can I do? Please help. murlloyd@webtv.com
maryjanelloyd <murlloyd>
eldorado, il USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 06:07:21 PM
Istarted to suffer from migraines in high school. I would take sinus medicine and tylenol and cry myself to sleep. Back then I would get them once a month or even less frequent but for the last five years I suffer from migraines about every day to 3-4 times a week. I was sent from doctor to doctor till I was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Pseudo-tumor-cerebri, and Depression. With each of the diagnosis causing some of the migraines. I am a single parent of two kids both with ADHD, so when I am down with a migraine the stress on the family was greatly maximized. The doctors were relunctant to treat the migraines with pain medications. They would prescribe sleeping pills and nausea medicines for acute attacks. Preventive medicines to try to lesson the occurrance. And at the ER i was labeled a drug seeker. After missing so much work and school I am now tring to get disablilty. I was forced to quit school after they refused my financial aide when i was a year from getting my degree. I have now found a good doctor is willing to treat the pain along with trying to prevent some of the occurrances. I take imitrx, tylenol 3, stadol ns, gabitrol, effexor, ambien, and benedryl on a regular basis. The occurance of the migraines hasn't lessened but the time that I have to absolutly crash and give the day up to pain, only happens about once or twice or month. I look forward to hearing from other sufferers with new ideals.
Lisa King <wennepoh@hotmail.com>
Jacksonville, IL USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 04:35:33 PM
Sandy -
I just read your entry and I can partially relate. Probably your problem is an ulcer type thing - perhaps ulcerative colitis? I am definately not a doctor, but I know the stress that these migraines can cause and a result of constant stress can be ulcers.
I am only 28 and when I was 21 I lost my colon to cancer, so I pray to God that this will not be the case for you. Don't get me wrong, I have led a very fulfilling life - even gave birth to my first baby almost two years ago - but any type of cancer is no fun.
For your sake, I suggest contanting a gastroenterologist in your area and having some tests run - colonoscopy, endoscopy, upper GI, barium enema (yuck) - and hopefully that will put your mind at ease.
Hang in there and let me know how things go - okay?
Take care,
Samantha
samandjosh@mindspring.com
Samantha <samandjosh@mindspring.com>
Sunnyvale, CA USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 04:13:00 PM
this is my first time on the internet. this was the 1st place i looked up.i've had migraines since i was 9. i'm 32.for the last 2+ years i've suffered with daily headaches & migraines. searching & seeking relief has been a nightmare,not only for me but my family as well.when the daily h/a's started i sought relief from my fam.doc.
then switched dotors,and experienced many humiliating situations.
from being told there was nothing wrong,to it was all in my head,
or that i was a drug addict.i then was paraded thru numerous nuerologists.even being hospitalized last year for 9 very long & grueling days.with no relief[long term].as for medicines,name it's been used.i've had #'s of iv drugs,prescrp.pills,shots[shots in the back of my head].i've found out the hard way how many meds. i'm allergic to.[1 nearly fatal.]it was finally decided by 1 nuerologist
that there was nothing to be done, she was "out of her bag of tricks".
that was a very low point for me. luckily my boyfriend kept pushing.
he has been a godsend.i even had oral surgery, a disc removed from
my jaw.it was destroyed from years of tmj.a lot of hope from me & my family that finally this would do it.that was 6 months of waiting[insurance]in july i had the surgery [the 2nd one].still ihave the chronic headaches & continuous migraines. i started reading this page, now i know i'm not the only one out there.until it happens to you ,it's hard to relate. families try but they get tired.i feel like mine is.i know i rambled on but i thought maybe there's someone who'll understand.it gets overwhelming.
kelly <H2o366@aol.com>
tempe, az USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 12:12:28 PM
well it has been interesting to reading the historys. there of course may people like me with the same remedies etc. etc. I heard on the new a few days ago the people who suffer from migraines - have a very high risk of stoke and blood clots in the brain. This is how I ended up at this site. Does anyone have any more info. on this?
I am a young 42 with four kids and I love them dearly. But all my life - went I get these migraines - that usually hang around for days. When I get them or one coming on - (this started when I was 13) I think about ending my life. I be come another person and doctors say it is depresstion. NO, I know it is the foods from resturants, wine,weather, etc. I try to avoid them, but sometimes it is hard, specially the weather. I am general a happy person and glad to be alive on this earth and would never never do anything to hurt my family feelings in anyway.
But why do I get a feeling of self destruction went I get into the migraine moden? Any ideas?
jul
JulOnly <wducey@swbi.net>
Saugeen Shores, canada - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 10:53:15 AM
Hi - hope everyone's holidays went pretty well. I was wondering if there is anyone who because of the migraines and the stress of having them has deveoped irritable bowel syndrome, or any irritation of the colon. I have been going trough this problem for the second time in 6 months. This has caused my stress to increase 10 fold as I keep thinking I my have colon cancer, which then increases my headaches. Any info from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks, Sandy
sandy <sandj71>
ny USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 10:09:47 AM
I have been suffering with migraines since I was 15 years old. (I am now 32). I read a few entries and can relate to them all! About TMJ- I also have this problem and have found that a chiropractor works wonders! When the dentist wanted surgery the chiro said "No" and has been taking care of since (about 3 yrs now) I need to have him adjust it about twice a year Really! I had tried other chiro and the one I now have performs an adjustment on the inside of my mouth not just the outside. For the holiday shopper, I find that shopping off hours is much easier to handle. Take advantage of the early shopping hours or the late night hours. There aren't so many people then and it is a much more pleasant experience. For the person who's child is suffering from headaches at 13. I was hospitalized at 15 for tests because of headaches and nothing was found. Sixteen years later and nothing has been found. Try having your son's schedule rearranged at school. I found my headaches weren't quite as frequent if I did my most thinking required classes in the morning and had electives such as gym, music, or art in the afternoon. I did not figure this out until I was a Senior in high school. It didn't get rid of my headaches but the severity did decrease. Anything is worth a try. As for the treatment I am on now, my doctor put me on Elavil daily and I feel like a zombie. My husband says the cure is not worth it! I have to agree. I use Imitrex via a shot (the pills don't work fast enough and the nasal spray made me sick) and sometimes Percoset. Fiorinal works wonders but makes me incredibly hyper and therefore I can't take it in the evening. I also suffer a great deal with upper back pain that nothing seems to relieve. Oh wow! I just noticed I was running on. I hope something I have said does help someone.
Pamela <davepam@toolcity.net>
Meadville, PA USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 10:09:29 AM
Estelle~ Just a suggestion about the Xmas shopping for next year...
Try ordering from catalogs, from the shopping channels if you get any (QVC) & gift certificates for stores & restaraunts. Any thing to stay out of the stores! I guess many people also shop online.
I do quite well with catalogs. It's easy, no rush, you can start now checking some out to see if the mercandise & prices are comparable.
This year I did alot of crafts & homemade things that I started months before.
Hope everyone is having a good 1999 so far?!
~L~
Lynda <rkells@ttlc.net>
USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 09:31:02 AM
Brenda Martin-You were wondering if anyone else suffered from TMJ as well as migraines? Well, I do, and there are times that I can't tell if the headache I have is a migraine or is the result of TMJ, it can hurt so bad. Nothing I have tried so far has helped the TMJ, with the exception of wearing a bite guard at night on my lower teeth. Dentist thought I was probably gritting my teeth too hard at night, so he recommended this. It does help, and I'm grateful for it, but most of the pain meds I've tried that kind of work for migraine don't work at all for me with TMJ. I have also used a heating pad on my jaw, just to loosen the muscle. The spasms can be awful, can't they? About 800 mgs of ibuprofen helps some; I have'nt tried muscle relaxants yet, but only because of being on other meds for other health disorders. Although, if it got bad enough, I would try them. They usually start in the morning, the TMJ headaches, but can hit at any time, and can cause severe, migraine-like pain. That's why I can never tell if it is really a migraine or a TMJ headache. I know it's a migraine for sure when I get the aura, like I had last Monday night. I hope that this helps you to know that you are'nt alone in this. That's why this page has been a godsend to me, and to a lot of us.
Barbara B
USA - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 08:30:22 AM
Hi to all,i visit this site every few days to find out the latest medications etc that us sufferers endure.Being in my early 30's i suffer from daily migraine/tension headaches & like everybody else i have tried everything to the point where i have almost thrown in the towel.
It is great to read all the entries from all over the world but i was hoping there was a few more Australians out there who would like to share there experiences,hopes & dreams of defeating this nervous disorder.
I have tried what i believe all the medications available in Australia,Imigran,Sandomigraine to name a couple,also tried all the anti depressants(on my doctors advice,i don't think he is listening).
I have seen neuroligists etc but none of this seems to work & i end up having almost daily injections of FORTRAL which i recommend to everyone else the best thing since sliced bread if you can handle the shots.
Being treated like a leper by most,having a lot of time off work(but i actually lasted a whole month without going home :)is something we all go through but i am hoping that meeting a lot of understanding people will help us all through our days of endlest pain & despair.
My case history reads like a tomb & i thought i'd just drop a line to
let people know that it is widespread the ignorance & misunderstanding
about our condition.
My heart goes out to you all & i would be most happy to hear from anybody that just wants to talk as i am a good listener & i know how you feel.
Regards
Dave
David <libra1@one.net.au>
Sydney, nsw Australia - Date: 01/03/99 (Sun)
Time: 01:19:14 AM
