Sorry for the late and short post today. I'm suffering through a migraine that started last night and won't let up. Here's a surprisingly accurate description of how I'm feeling:
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The brightness of my computer screen is hindering the length of this post. But, I thought to myself, I bet some of our readers suffer from migraines too. Maybe I can find something worth sharing with them on Pinterest. And, do you know what? I was supremely let down by how many whiny-type posts came up when I searched "migraine". Seriously, the type of things that I don't even want to post here; images/cartoons/typography that were snotty and unhelpful. This really threw me off guard, because Pinterest, in my experience, is mostly really positive.
No matter, I came up with a couple of posts that I thought were actually USEFUL.
This post really hits the nail on the head for me. All of these items are available at my house and in my car, in the event that a migraine strikes while I am out. I am not as diligent with the journal as I should be, but still, very spot on here:
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Knowing migraine triggers is HUGE. Heat is my big, big, big one. I call 79 degrees "migraine weather"-- because, despite my being born and raised in the lovely Arizona, I can feel migraines start to creep up the back of my neck when it hits 79 degrees.
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Hahaha! And I know that we all like to cope with humor, so these next two made me chuckle AND are true:
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I'm so sorry that this post lacked my usual spunk. I think I've hit the wall. I wish all of you a marvelous and creative Sunday. I know I'm not alone when I say that I can't wait to see what you've come up with for the Use It Up Challenge.
Ta ta for now!
Rachle
I lived with pretty constant migraines (not the throw yourself into bed and not do anything kind, but a literal constant ache that ebbed and flowed in severity.). Anyway, I started taking a magnesium supplement for something else...when I noticed the constant ache was gone. I went off the magnesium supplement when I realized it wasn't working for the thing I was usi it for...and the headaches came back. So now I'm back on the magnesium and have been blessedly headache free for months. Since starting the supplement, I have only had one migraine. So yeah, I'm all for magnesium. My diet also includes a lot of magnesium rich foods, so I guess I'm the kind of person who just needs a lot more magnesium than most? I don't know. But it doesn't hurt to try it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHey Rachel (great name! haha!),
DeleteThanks for the heads up about magnesium. I'll definitely check into that. I should take my multivitamin with more consistency, but find that vitamins are one of the things that falls through the cracks. But, I'm definitely interested to see if magnesium would help me get through the summer.
I'm so glad to hear that you've been headache free for months! That's great news!
Thanks again for the comment!
I hope you feel better soon. I have had one or two severe headaches in my life (reaction to medication) and they have made me profoundly grateful that I don't suffer from migraines.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine,
DeleteThanks for the well wishes, they're much appreciated. Headaches are no fun, for anyone, ever. I can only imagine that medication reactions are at the top of the 'not fun' list. I hope you don't have to deal with any more of those anytime soon.
Thanks again for the nice thought!
totally understandable!! I've gotten migraines since I was a kid. SO not fun!! :( None of the meds they've ever prescribed for me have worked so I use Advil Migraine and a dark, cool room to sleep it off. I like using a cool, damp cloth or even an icepack on my forehead and back of my neck. Hope you feel better soon girl!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie. I'm so sorry to hear that you get them too. Ugh, aren't they awful? I think our migraine regiments are very, very similar! Medication, darkness, cool temperature. I'm totally dialed into your station! Have you seen the "Frog Togs" at Big 5? They're one of those magical towel type things that help keep you cool all day. My boyfriend got me one to help fend off headaches, and it's been a huge help.
DeleteThanks again for the comment and well wishes!
I'm a lifelong migraine sufferer - since age 5. My main trigger is hormonal flux with my cycle, but I also get them if I skip meals, or if a low pressure front moves in suddenly. After I had my 3 kids, I started getting them even more frequently - last year I had 2 or 3 a week for the entire year as we messed with my meds and tried to find an answer. It SUCKED. I downloaded this app - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-pain-diary-chronic-pain/id338627856?mt=8 - I really like it because it's highly customizable and I can print reports for my doctor, keep track of med changes, etc. It's more than I usually pay for apps, but it turned out to be worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteI switched to a progesterone-only birth control pill on December 8 (thanks, app!) and my last migraine of 2013 was on December 9 & 10. I was migraine free for 3 months, until I had one last week.
I found a great chiropractor who really helped, along with the change in my birth control. But most of 2013 was spent trying various combinations of meds for 6 - 8 weeks, deciding that they weren't providing relief, and switching. It was really, truly awful.
Take a bit of advice from me, and if you start messing with your hormones, try the progesterone-only pill FIRST! Hahaha! The one I'm on is called Nora-BE.
(I also take Imitrex, Vicodin, Compazine for nausea, I tried blood pressure meds, and a wide variety of birth controls as well as triptans besides Imitrex last year before FINALLY coming up with a combination that works, hallelujah. I feel like I should have an associates degree in medicine or pharmacy by now... Seriously.)
As far as comfort care goes, hot tea and an ice pack to the back of my neck, along with a high protein bland meal (peanut butter, cheese, or scrambled eggs) usually does it for me. If I don't eat, I'll vomit (hence the compazine). The tea settles my stomach. The ice pack helps the throbbing. Our new house has a deep bathtub, and I found that sitting in a warm bath and letting the water cover my head as much as possible without drowning really helped for the low-pressure triggered headaches. I may have to invest in a snorkel.
Amy,
DeleteThanks so much for taking the time to write such a detailed comment. Holy cow-- you really have been running circles with these things, haven't you? I'm so glad to hear that you've finally found a medication routine that works for you-- you must feel so relieved. I certainly would.
I've got a couple of doctor's appointments coming up, so I may discuss my migraines with them to see what they say. I find that I won't get sick to my stomach if I catch the headache early enough, but of course, sometimes that's a luxury that i just don't have.
Color my jealous about your snorkel-deep tub! I definitely wish I had one of those.
Thanks again for the comment and stay awesome.
We have to stick together! Glad you're feeling better. Love your blog!
DeleteHope you feel better soon! I can see you're not doing well cuz you spelled your own name wrong at the end of the post! lol
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Aileen! Great catch! I hadn't even noticed. But, yes, I feel like that's a pretty good indicator as to how quickly the brain shut down. Thanks so much for the comment!
DeleteOne thing I find helps when my migraines aren't too far advanced is using one of those "Magic Bags" heated up. I usually put it on the back of my neck, and often over my forehead and whichever eye is being affected by the migraine. I will, of course, take my migraine Advil first. I read that heat helps to expand the blood vessels and allows the blood to move more freely, and it seems to help when I do it. If my migraine gets to far along (like if it comes on and I don't have anything to take for it), then sleep will sometimes help, and when it's at its worst, throwing up (which happens and is not self-induced) seems to help - even though I hate when that happens.
ReplyDeleteHey Shelley,
DeleteReally? You have luck with heat? That's something that I usually stay away from (since I'm so temperature sensitive). I'll have to keep this idea in mind. Maybe a warm wash cloth next time?
And, yes, I completely feel your pain about sleep being the biggest remedy. I don't know if you feel this way-- but I find that taking medication usually doesn't head it off completely. Sleep is the magical reset button. And, of course, getting sick to your stomach is awful, but sometimes does help.
Hope another migraine doesn't get you any time soon. Thanks for the comment!
My mom suffered severe migraines for years, until the doctors found out there was a problem with her gall bladder. I don't remember what the problem was but once fixed, the migraines vanished! Maybe you could check it up with your doctors.
ReplyDeleteGet out of here! An issue with her gall bladder! Now that is one thing I hadn't ever considered. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the thought, and I'm glad to hear that your mom isn't plagued by them any more.
DeleteI'm going to be the thorn in everyone's side - If you have a migraine you wouldn't be on the computer AT ALL ....you would be in bed, with an ice bag on your head, wishing that an airplane engine would fall thru the roof and end your everlasting hell....
ReplyDeleteYou're falling prey to the assumption that all migraines are the same and that all people handle pain the same. They aren't and they don't. I may wish for the plane to crash through the roof, but I'll still be trying valiantly to work because deadlines wait for noone.
DeleteHiya naughtysquirrel,
DeleteThanks for your comment. It sounds like you have awful migraines, all of the time. I think Eagle Archambeault and I may operate on the same frequency, since I couldn't agree more with his/her post. I highly recommend a damp washcloth/gel ice pack, trying different pressure points in your hands, and lying down in a quiet room (or maybe a room with some white noise). Good luck with your migraines!
Eagle Archambeault, for the win! You took the words right out of my mouth! Thanks for the comment-- I'm glad to know that I'm not alone. *internet high five* Thanks for your input!
DeleteJust a comment on Magnesium supplements. I have to take Mag as a supplement after my chemo treatment. I was up to 6 pills a day to try to keep my level up. You don't want to take too many! They affect your digestive tract in a bad way. Diarrhea. Magnesium oxcide is the cheapest version and the worst on the GI tract. So just be cautious when starting them to see what your body tolerates. BTW I now take 4 pills daily of Slo Mag. It's so much easier on my body. Much love.
ReplyDeleteAnother migraine sufferer here - of the every other day variety. I've tried a ton of preventative medicines. First Topamax which helped, but I still got 1-2 per week. It also has awful side effects, so I stopped that. Second was a low blood pressure medicine which didn't work at all, especially since my blood pressure was already low. On that check-up my doctor couldn't even find my pulse, so I stopped taking that one. Next I tried a low-dose anti-depressant where I had a bad reaction and it made me depressed (when I wasn't to begin with.)
ReplyDeleteSo I finally went into my Neurologist and said that I was sick of hopping from medicine to medicine where I just don't feel like myself. He then suggested a combo of magnesium & riboflavin (B2.) It works as well as the Topamax (I'm down to 1-2/week, most weeks only 1!) but without the terrible side effects. So I definitely recommend talking to your doctor about magnesium/riboflavin.
I also found some relief with allergy medicine. I take Zyrtec every night, and when I have a bad week of migraines, I find that pollen is usually high so I start Flonase as well.
And yes, I'm also someone who fights through migraine pain as much as possible. With how often I get migraines (and most of them I can catch pretty early so they don't get bad) I can't stop my life to treat it. If it gets bad enough, I need to. But as a whole, I would not be a productive member of society if I gave into the migraine all the time. (Actually, my stupid health insurance is making me try Imitrex for the second time because they don't want to cover my Maxalt. The Imitrex completely knocks me out when I take it - I don't have time for that!! ...and then doesn't really work.)