Hi,
I came across this site and read some of the journals,and I am so glad to have!!!!
I am a 36 year old that suffers from Migraine and cluster headaches.
I have epilepsy {which I refer to as "E"},and the migraines are from having the condition.
I wake up some days,and feel "off",and sure enough within hours,I will have a Migraine. I take Ibuprofen and Midrin ,which usually work. I have from 5-8 a month.
I know what it feels like to have a Migraine and I can truly relate!!
I can hopefully gain some insight from everyone on here,and will look forward to being here again.
Dawn

Dawn <pacerfanthree@yahoo.com>
Saturday, February 23, 2002 at 22:24:13

Hi,
Well I just happened upon this site, and glad I did. I have been getting migrane headaches for over 20 years. Officially I was diagnosed 15 years ago. For a very long time I just suffered them through.. Alone in a dark room with plenty of ice pressed to the left side of my head. It was tough not to be able to go out and have to cancel your plans, but now I take Imitrex and it works! I am grateful for it, becuase it has saved me from leaving work early, or breaking plans.. It does work but it is very costly and not sure it it is good to take 2 or 3 times a month? I usally get about that many headaches in a month..
Some times more.. Like in Dec. I went to Mexico and for some reason I got 3 in one week?? So not sure if anyone has experience weather as a problem, if so, let me know.. I am going to try the yoga and see what happens. Glad to get this tip from D and glad it is working for you!
Well like most I pray that someday we will not have to experience these headaches, but in the meantime this is a good way of finding what is out there is what is working for some..
Thank you all for sharing..
God bless
Doreen

Doreen
Friday, February 22, 2002 at 15:43:51

Hello all-

It has been a long time since I have ckecked in and I felt it was time. I had a MTBI in March, 1997 and in 1999 was diagnosed with a migraine variant wherein I lose partial consiousness and the ability to speak. The aura is a metallic taste in my mouth and erratic breathing. Originally the docs thought they were seizures but ruled them out. Several medications later, I had beeb in klonopin and now only take that is I a having a "spell" and it sometimes works to lessen it. After the spell, I feel fatigued and somewhat disoriented. In the last week, I have been having them every day and I am starting to go crazy. My neuro is useless. Any suggestions? Anyone with similar experiences. Please write me directly! Thank you.

Lisa <extremetruth@aol.com>
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 19:59:25

Hi Everybody,

I've been reading everybody's entries and I keep coming across memory loss as one of the common denominators of migraine. I've never really paid attention to it before. I've always focused on the headaches themselves, rather than side effects. I've noticed that lately my memory is not as good as it used to be. First I decided I was on the early stages of Alzheimers (which at 30 scared the .... out of me), then I decided I just wasn't paying attention. Then I decided to start taking Gingko Billoba or whatever else. I just don't seem to retain information the way I used to. It's very scary to me. If any of you have any information about the memory loss and the way it is related to migraine, could you please pass that on to me? Or if it is due to the different medications? I'd really like to know if this is headache related. I am in a good cycle right now. No headaches in about 3 weeks. I still feel like I have Alzheimers though!!! I had a physical recently and according to my Dr. I am in great shape so I have to wonder where this is coming from. Thanks for letting me vent!!! Please pass on any information if you have it.
Thanks,
Betty

Betty Kashouty <bkashouty@gulfbend.org>
Monday, February 18, 2002 at 17:06:19

I had my first migraine in the 11th grade, at the age of 16. It is really scary when you experience the "aura" for the first time. I am terribly near-sighted, and I was convinced that I was finally going completely blind. Fortunately, by the time my mother pulled me out of school and rushed me to the doctor and explained to him what was going on, he diagnosed me right away with migraines (my mother and her father both had them in early adulthood). My doctor prescribed Cafergot, but it never helped. Besides, it's an incredibly unrealistic treatment because I usually get migraines in the evening, and if I took Cafergot, it would keep me awake all night. For a person with a job or school to go to every day, this just isn't an appropriate solution - life must go on. The only treatment I have found is to go to my room, turn all lights off and get rid of anything that makes noise (noises are the worst part for me - the tiniest noise is like fingernails scratching a blackboard), crack a window (because even the slightest scent of anything, even a scented candle across the room, can make me feel like I'm going to vomit), get in bed by myself, and go to sleep. I get quite sleepy when the pain hits, thank God. I can usually fall asleep within an hour of the onset of pain. Nothing else has ever worked. My headaches are *always* accompanied by an aura (lasts about 30-45 minutes, is reminiscent of what you see after a camera flash but jagged and colorful) and my face, expecially around my mouth, goes slightly numb. The migraine pain never lasts more than about 8 hours, but for the next 2 days afterward, if I cough my head aches. I'm lucky to only experience them 3 to 4 times a year, and I think they became more frequent when I started taking Ortho-Tricyclin. I read many of the entries in this guestbook and really feel for everyone. I've heard that Excedrin Migraine helps, but have never tried it myself. I know I don't have it as bad as most sufferers, but I sympathize and hope and pray for a cure very soon. Take care. :-)

irene <trixieirene@hotmail.com>
Sunday, February 17, 2002 at 16:14:15

Hello Friends, Had a terrible migraine last night. I went to the ER and got a shot. I had to take my granddaughter with me as I am watching her as her stepdad is in the hospital. My daughter is into different healing techniques. Last night she told me she had a new book on Chackras. She told me to work with my 6th chackra and it might help my migraines. It has to do with the third eye and the headaches. A friend has tried this and his are gone. I am open to anything right. At least the DR last night was nice he's seen me before so knows my case(Pseudotumor Cerebri) and gives me the Stadol and Phenergan. I got rid of it and hope it will not come back anytime soon. I will let you know if the chackra stuff works. Thank you for the kind words of all who e-mailed me about my fight with my Dr. Tay Hodges

Tay Hodges <tayhodges59@hotmail.com>
Wednesday, February 13, 2002 at 22:03:52

Hello all you migriane suffers out there-

I have also suffered from migraines more many years. Mine started about 15 years ago after eating chinese food. I found out through my on research that I have a allergy to MSG. I also have a seizure disorder which has brought on by Nutra Sweet. MSG and Nutra Sweet have the same type of amino acid in them and it messes with the natual amino acid we have in out system. Women have more of a problem with this than men. I had to tell my doctor all this information. I take Depicote for my siezures and along with a beta blocker it controls my migraines. In fact, this last September my doctor took me off my beta blocker because I had not had a migriane in two years. I just recently went back on it due to a cycle of migraines that were triggered from stress. I have taken the Imitrex shop MANY times but that it only temporary relief.

I have gone several nights this week without sleep. My migraines usualy hit me while I sleep. I had one this afternoon so hopefully I wont have one tonight. The beta blocker takes about two weeks to kick in and it has only been a week today. What I have been doing in the meantime is putting a hot compress on my right temple, I have cluster migraines, and do deep breathing excersies. It takes about 3-4 hours but eventually it goes away.

I understand your pain!
Nancy Friend
Tuesday 2-12-02
thefriendfamily@cox.net

Nancy Friend <thefriendfamily@cox.net>
Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 23:25:42

Ok, I did it. Went to the doc yesterday because I pumped gas on my way home from the gym and immediately felt the nausea and head pounding. This new doc had me lie down on the table while he inserted a flexible and small catheter (ink-pen barrel sized) into my nose till it hit the back of the nasal cavity. That wasn't fun, but wasn't as bad as losing my cookies. He very slowly injected a tiny amount of lidocane (like the dentist uses before working on teeth) and let the catheter drain completely. I was to lie down for 20 min, but within 5 minutes my headache was gone!!!!!!!! He talked to me the whole time asking if I was ok and I could easily talk back to him. I told him the tears were from happiness. After 20 years, many many docs, thousands of tests and $$, something so cheap and simple as this did it. He said in all his research he's found no side effects since the med doesn't go to the liver. It can be done up to 3 times per day, but I drove myself home feeling great, played with my kids outside ~~ IN THE SUN ~~ then cleaned my house instead of plopping down on the couch. The doc gave me the bottle of lidocane which should last a long time and the syringe and catheter (just keep clean for re-use) I can't believe something so simple worked so well. Write if you want more info. Gotta go play Mom now and put the kiddies to bed. Still feel great! This headache probably would have lasted days or even weeks with weather, hormones, stress, heredity, etc. I am still in awe. And now I can do it myself and be back to normal in 15 min. He doesn't require an office visit every time. How cool is that! Ok. Let me know if you need more info. I'll be sure to write back, but not till next week. Finally having our honeymoon after 9 years! Take care all and hopefully pain-free days are coming!

Jen <jc72569@aol.com>
Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 20:54:52

Hi Everybody, just wanted to drop in and see how everyone's doing. And to vent of course. I thought I had heard it all, but I guess I was wrong. My boss, whom I thought was a pretty decent and understanding person, turned into a toad from hell. During my quarterly evaluation, he makes an offhand comment along the lines of how I excel on some projects, then follows that with a comment about how he can't believe how big an airhead I am sometimes. This is after I've explained that when I get migraines I can't think. And that when I take enough of the medication to knock out the headache, I am then a little out of it. I have killed myself coming to work with migraines so that no one would think I was making it up or abusing sick leave. I've had people tell me that I am so pale and look so terrible they wish I'd go home because I'm making them nervous. AIRHEAD? Who does he think he's kidding? I debated on filing a complaint with the HR department, but then decided not to because I really like my job. I've been giving the boss the cold shoulder. It's taken him a while but I think he's finally caught on. I kind of thought it was a little hard to miss, what with me getting up and leaving the room when he comes, not speaking other than to respond to a question, etc... Normally I am a happy-go-lucky kind of person and I still treat my co-workers the same. I just figured if he thinks my laughing and joking makes me an airhead, then I won't laugh and joke with him anymore. He asked me the other day if anything was wrong, because I haven't been myself lately. I wanted so badly to tell him that it was okay I just let some of the air out of my head and i guess my sense of humor fell out too. But anyway, he's made some big screw ups this week so I feel better. Although I am so tempted to ask him, so now who's the airhead? Wow, I guess I have grudge holding issues. Oh well, he's not worth it. He's the king of idiotic remarks.
Hope everyone has a pain free day.

Betty

Betty Kashouty <bkashouty@gulfbend.org>
Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 16:44:59

Hi my name is Brandy and i have suffered from migraines for 6 years. The only thing that helps me is demeral anymore and the doctor that i have only has me on amerge. That does nothing for me at all. I also have a 6 year old daughter that is ADD which doesnt help the migraines. But oh well that is something that i will have to work on.

Brandy B
Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 09:40:58

Hello friends, I am so frustrated right now I could scream. I had my doctors appointment yesterday. My Doc came in and instead of her normal sunny disposition she said I am going to talk to you and you are going to listen. I am discharging you as my patient. You have broken our contract and I think you are a drug addict. I have reports of you going to every ER in the district and getting shots of Stadol and Nubain and you lied to get them. I asked her if I could explain to her what had happened and she said it did not matter and to get out of her clinic and not come back. I burst into tears and took my guide dog and walked very fast to our car. I will tell you what happened. I hurt my back in dec. lifting my granddaughter up into our bed. I went to our Prompt care for some relief as I could not walk or sit or lay down with out my back spasming. I did not think that this would violate my contract with my doc, as it had to do with my migraines, not my back. I was not thinking that one shot of Stadol was the same as the other. The second time I was at my daughter in laws and had a headache and my granddaughter broke my bottle of Stadol Nasal spray and I went to the ER for a shot. I am now looking into a pain center I have a refferal to 2 different ones. I just hope that my doctor has not called and spoken to any other doctors in our district. I have heard of that happening around here. They put you into a data base that identifies you as a drug addict and no one will treat you. I could understand if I had a a vague medical complaint but I have a brain tumor and they can't operate or I would be parlysed. I wish I could do something for the pain but I don't want to take oxycontin or morphine, I like the stadol as it does not make me high or fuzzy feeling. Has any one else had this kind of thing happen. Thanks for letting me vent my frustration at my doctor and the med profession in general.

tay hodges <tayhodges59@hotmail.com>
Monday, February 11, 2002 at 03:27:36

This is my first time posting......I am 28 and get migraines at least once a month, have for years, and the only thing that has been able to combat them is a combo of Imitrex and butalbitol or Maxalt and butalbitol. That is, until 6 months ago when I found that doing my yoga video regularly (3 times a week or so) prevented them. I have been migraine- free for 5 months!! It is so effective for me that I can even stop a migraine in progress, if I do my yoga routine as soon as I feel one coming on. I had been doing non-yoga exercise regularly for years, but it wasn't until I did yoga specifically that I got such great results. I assume it works because it relieves physical and mental stress.

In addition, through years of looking for causes I've learned to stay away from caffeine, alcohol (wine, in particular), and movies with crazy special effects.

Hope this helps someone else who is looking for the causes of their migraines. Good Luck.

-D

D <petunia@nyc.rr.com>
Sunday, February 10, 2002 at 22:48:54

Well, here we go again. Another doctor wanting to try something different. Has anyone had treatments that include passing a lidocane-filled capsule into the nostril and leaving it for 20 minutes to dissolve, then removing the capsule remnants from the nasal cavity? This doesn't sound like much fun to me, but at this point I think I've tried every med under the sun, chiropractic care, biofeedback, psychology sessions, and I'm just tired of being a guinea pig. The doc says he's got a near perfect success rate with this treatment and to 'just come in when I feel the migraine coming on.' At least he's flexible! He says this treatment is the same as what the dentist gives into the gums to numb the area he's about to drill, but the same effect happens when the lidocane enters the capilaries of the nose. This evidently shuts down any chance of pain reaching the brain receptors since nasal medication reaches all areas of the head. I'd love to hear from anyone who's had this done before. Hope to hear from you!

Jen

Jen <jc72569@aol.com>
Sunday, February 10, 2002 at 14:18:40

hello, well i found this sight a while ago, and i come here to read new postings every day Glad to see other people out there who understand what i go through. I am a 23 year old female, the first time i remember getting headaches was in grade school, but i really started to notice them about the age of twelve, that's when i started to get them on a regular basis. My father used to call me a "pill popper" and tell me it was all in my head. Then when i got to high school they started to get excruciating, and that's the way they are all the time now, Sensitivity to light and sound, usually starts on the right side then moves to the whole head and down the neck, feeling sick, break into a sweat, it varies on the length of time they last - it can last from half an hour to two weeks- then after, i am so exhausted even the next day i feel like i'm in slow motion. I just found out last month that migraines are hereditary on my mothers side of the family, who i just started to get to know last year. I tried to ask my doctor about it but he just tries to say that it's just my sinuses- I even tried to go to a chiropractor for about 6 months with minimal relief, lol - I'm going to try to find a new doctor because i have these a few times a week , but i have to find some relatively cheap insurance before i do since i don't have any where i work. Sorry this is so long, just excited that you all know what this is like and don't think its all in my head.lol. thanks for listening

Jerri <razalas46637@yahoo.com>
Sunday, February 10, 2002 at 01:10:48

Hello everyone! Hope you're all visiting this page because you're enjoying pain-free days today. I am pain-free right now, but I've had 3 or 4 episodes in the past week with aura and no pain, yesterday I was having trouble forming sentences. What fun. Anyway, it's frustrating because I don't know if I should cancel my plans or what now when the flashing begins. It's horrible enough on its own, but I'm always worried that THIS time, the pain will start . . . anyway, that's my life right now. I also want to comment on what a couple of you have talked about, that you thought your migraines were sinus-related at first. The last time I had Chinese food, I thought I had food poisoning at first, but my boyfriend had eaten the same things and he was fine. After four days of the worst, most unrelenting headache I've had in years, I finally crawled out to the doctor to see if I had a sinus infection or something -- I just couldn't imagine that I would still be having "just" the migraine (bad enough, but I hope you know what I mean). Doctor said "Nope. No infection. That'll be fifty dollars." ARGH! Thankfully, it abated after two more days of dutifully popping my meds. I haven't touched Chinese since, needless to say. Anyway, I think it's interesting that so many of us try to search for any other explanation for what's happening. I know I was hoping that I did have some kind of infection; at least then there'd be antibiotics, but there's no cure for migraine.
Take care,

Adrienne <ADRIENNE.RUSSO@maine.edu>
Saturday, February 9, 2002 at 14:40:48