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how i am dealing w/migraine

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 3/25/2006 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
hello,

i am a terrible speller when i "type" so bear with me.

migraines started in middle school. ped told my mom i had school-itis!

pain is real by the way- i think pain causes depression and that is why they want us to take anti-depressants. during teens and twenties and early 30's  had 4 a month lasting days... could not function let alone take care of my son! he was very quiet! bless him!

i am going to be 37 next week and feel pretty good MOST of the time. i have one every 2 or 3 months now and haven't gotten the er shot- dem and phen in years. mine come with the aura- little sparkles.

things that gave me my life back:

1- know thy triggers. mine are pms, changes in barometric pressure, alcohol (too much!) mascara, some foods, lack of sleep and certain smells for god's sake!

2- chiropractic adjustments. saw a dc after a horrible car wreck and noticed they diminished a lot when i was treated for whiplash/back strains...i get them all the time but am a massage therapist who works with one BUT most insurance plans cover. don't get all the pt- the adjustment will do fine- my neck is always getting out of whack and i swear it can help!

3-catching them EARLY is key, taking something and laying in dark, quiet room with an ICE pack. the cold shrinks superficial blood vessels in the head. i don't hope it'll pass if i get the feeling- go for otc/dark rest and ice pack asap.

4- calcium-magnesium supps. act like a beta-blocker with no side effects. * take daily at night- take multi in the morn bc B vitamins interfere with your ability to digest. also acts as a calmer and helps you relax- remember "warm milk"? also * get calcium that's say 600 and mag at 300. mostly find it as 500/250 but gnc has 600/300. u want the mag to be half the calcium.

5- sleep- lack of will kill ya.

6- massages- many schools have student clinics if  cost is an issue. i myself, am in big believer in bartering and will trade a massage for all kinds of services! just ask one.

7- i will have to come back- lil sis out drinking with her friends and needs a ride home...

KEEP THE FAITH- I will come back and tell you all i know- spent YEARS- like half my life figuring these out! get offended when non-migraine people call them HEADACHES!!!!!!!!

 

Posted 3/25/2006 7:27 AM (GMT 0)
well- sis is home safe and sound. think i am the only one around here this late. i am in the greater cincy area. hope everyone finds their strategies. the above have changed my life. if i can't catch it early, i like axert and relpax. above all , i have to stop and take care of me and not ignore it as it arises.

i also notice AFTER a busy weekend, drama or trauma that life brings- i must take it easy as it seems when prob settles down or event is over- the migraine will crash in.

migraine is hard to treat because the triggers are as varied as the individual. keep a log on your calender- that helped me find my own patterns!

if you get a sudden severe headache like you have never felt before and not previously diagnosed with migraine- have someone take you to the er asap. could be life threatening.

the pain is real so don't let anyone tell you that you are crazy. listen to your bodies.
Posted 3/27/2006 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Good post.  I am glad you have gotten things under control.  It is as heck of a process!!  I wanted to add that it is so amazing to me how migraines will hit when the stress is on the way down.  That was probably the biggest surprise to me.  I always just assumed I would get them in the middle of stress at the highest peak.  Nope . . . I get them Thursday or Friday of a stressful week.  When I am winding down for the weekend they show up.  I guess on the positive side at least I miss less work that way.

Thanks again for the ideas and things to remember.

Take care,

Drew

BTW Happy Birthday :-)

Posted 3/28/2006 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there,
I have to say that it is wonderful to sit here and read that other people are experiencing the same things that I am, I would never wish Migranes upon anyone.. it is just great to know that I am not the only one.
Posted 3/28/2006 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
don't you hate when people say, "i get headaches all the time- take some aspirin" basically- quit whining!!!!!!

i guess the let down is God's way of letting us get thru tough times. maybe the adrenaline keeps us going... who knows?

really the cal-mag is a godsend.

take care everyone and hang in there!
Posted 3/28/2006 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hey open-Minded,
Thanks for sharing your story. I am new here and wanted to share with you what has helped me. I started getting headaches when I was 10. At 19 I started getting mirgaines once a month. 2 years ago I started working at a daycare and was sanatizing with bleach daily. My migraines went from once a month to 3 times a week. The doctor put me on amitriptyline at night. This helped and I was back to one migraine a month. Well six months ago they came back with a vengance! The doctor upped my dosage, but that wasn't helping. I did some research and found out that toxins can cause migraines as well as other health problems. So I found a company that makes safer cleaning and personal care products. I switched out my home and got on the vitamin pack this company offers. I haven't had a migraine in 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!! I am no longer working at the day care so being away from the bleach has helped a lot.

You mentioned that mascara bothers you. I know that cosmetics have lots of toxic chemicals in them maybe that is the problem. Just a thought!
Posted 3/29/2006 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds familier. The smells are my worst trigger. I get "perfume" and other scent migraines that have just about done me in. Trying to get people that doen't suffer from migraines (and even some that do) to understand that their perfume gives you a migraine -- well, it is enough to give you a migraine. I have had to change jobs three times in the last year because of it. I'm starting work next week at a very small firm that is headed by someone that also gets perfume and scent migraines, so I'm hoping this will help.

It really limits your life to suffer from scent or smell migraines. I can't go to any "gala" events, or even the movies or grocery store without getting "slimed" with perfume and/or cologne and it has caused me severe depression, etc. from the constant migraines.
Posted 3/30/2006 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
business owners really should have a no perfume policy. some do but mostly in service related fields. i don't think people in hr realize it's an issue at most businesses.

was on a chair massage gig at son's school for teacher appreciation. had a "christmas cookie" candle going and woman got ill. i don't use them on out calls anymore.

love mascara but you r right- even the gentle ones get to me! miss it as i don't wear much anyway and if i had to pick one type of make-up, it would be mascara.

hang in there and keep your logs. ( i just wrote mine on the calander in the kitchen)
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