Posted 7/26/2012 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
After about 15 years of thinking I have chronic sinus headaches and infections, an allergy doctor tentatively diagnosed me with atypical migraines instead.
I was getting allergy testing for the second time to explain my chronic headaches, nasal stuffiness and post-nasal drip and terrible fatigue that I get all winter long. Last winter was particularly bad, so I sought medical treatment, yet again.
The theory makes a lot of sense, especially considering my headaches tend to be along the sides of my temples and higher on my forehead. Also, the pain increases tremendously when I bend forward or move a lot. None of the sinus treatments prescribed ever seemed to help, which also links in with the migraine theory. My mother has had "sinus headaches" her entire life and her sister has typical migraines, so with that family history, I was diagnosed.
My problem is that I can't wrap my brain around the word migraine. I tell friends, who always heard about my sinuses, and I find myself explaining that it's not a "real migraine" because I don't have the crushing pain and aura and all. But it puts me out of commission for days/weeks during the fall/winter and makes it hard to be good mom/wife/worker/runner. So, it is something.
Anyone else have this? The other symptoms, like yuck stomach, nasal inflammation and fatigue, drive me crazy.