Hi Everyone,

I am on day 43 of one of the worst migraine's I have ever had. I haven't been completely headache free for over 3 years now, but
they have been fairly manageable with only a few really BAD days each moth.

Now, I am in complete despair. Last night I was in a modified fetal position with my head buried into an icepack sobbing. Amerge
didn't work and I had to wait until it was safe to take cafergot which also didn't work. I can't take narcotics unless I am admitted.
For whatever reason my system reacts too strongly to them and I go into resp. arrest so have to be monitored. My partner finally
gave me benadryl to try and knock me out. I did sleep but woke up with the headache just the same as it was. I don't want to go
into the hospital. Last time they kept me for a week and put me on i.v. meds which did help while I was there but as soon as I
went off them the headache came back. I can't raise my son unconscious or from the hospital but I can't raise him curled up in my
bed, either.

I am reaching the end of my rope. I used to think I could handle any pain having delivered 2 babies naturally but that pain ended
and this isn't. I am here in bed with my laptop and am so grateful to have a place to write this. I know that you all understand. I
can't talk like this way anywhere else. Last time I said that I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand this pain to my MD he
wanted to lock me up. I was so pissed. They want you to tell them how bad it is, but then if you do, they want to lock you up. I
pointed out to him that if I were going to kill myself, I have had many opportunities to do it but haven't. It took what little energy
and reserves I had to talk him out of it so now I know not to EVER tell them how bad it really is.

I know I am ranting but I need to. I am so tired of feeling like this and of having people look at me like I am a complete loser for
taking a leave from my Ph.D. "just for a headache". I am tired of being a guinea pig to all the MD's out there who really haven't a
clue as to what is going on. I am tired of not being able to drive because my vision is so bad with my headache. I am tired of all
the stupid neuro symptoms- the unsteadiness, the memory loss, the loss of words, the dizziness, the nausea, everything. I am
tired of not being able to get anything done.

I wish there was a breakthrough for all of us and a med was developed that would get rid of our headaches/symptoms without
doping us up. That is my biggest wish. It used to be world peace but I am getting selfish. Thank you for letting me rant. My eyes
are killing me so the computer is going off now.
-Suzi

Suzi <Suzi92677@yahoo.com>
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 13:18:58

I'm 27 and didn't know what these horrible things they incampacitate me for a day or days at a time. Until I was about 20 or so and finally put 2+2 together about all the times I was sick as a child. The times I was poked, proded, and probed in every possible with no results ever coming out of it except a phobia of needles and doctors. I've lost jobs, missed school days and just normal events I should've had as great memories are things I missed because of migraines. My wife (been together 6 yrs) I think finally has an idea of have bad and all encompassing a migraine is. She at first wouldn't believe me when I would tell her about how bad they are until the first time I had a full blown one with her home and couldn't get to anything in time. She acted the way everyone else does pleading w/me to go to the hospital, which as we all know up till recently didn't do any good and some times made things worse. I've finally been pused to look into getting a disability rating to have protection for work since the world only missing 3-7 days a yr of sick time doesn't work out. My dreams and attempts at military service are now forever dashed with this self realisation of how much I am powerless against migraines. I've tried so many things homeopatheic junk was first after the traditional over the counter for relief failed. All homeopathis did for me was my place smell like a weird rain forest LOL. I've been on all kinds of drugs now and even once had a shot of somthing that looked like a black liquid in army basic training. I'm not stuck taking 500 mg of depakote 2 times a day which has for the most part helped. When I do start to have one take another prescription called zomig, (I forget the doesage because I keep it in my wallet) advil migraine, and aspirin. The aspirin I take daily also since it's a blood thinner and it does seem to help some. THey seem to be increasing though in frequency and that really scares me! I know many fellow sufferes are worse off then I am and all I want to do is live a normal life!!! I don't want to worry about my plans and every day because I might get a migraine and can I get to someplace safe to rest. I want to take my wife horse back riding .....but can I risk it. Migraines are the worst joke every planned on man kind because no treatment works the same for every person or even every migraine! It's just nice to at least know that I am truly NOT alone!

Thankyou my fellow serviors

Paul <pgh3rd@aol.com>
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 02:03:57

I am just writing tonight out of madness and frusteration. I have had migraines for 14 yrs now. My neuro has been giving me stadol ns for about 6 mos for mine since nothing she was doing was helping me anynore and I had some bad reactions to a few meds together. Anyway my dilema is this. I had a friend stay with me because she and her husband were having MAJOR problems like involving the police. Anyway she had a migraine and I knew it. I just keep my stadol by my bed and no one here bothers it. I go to use it last night and I had just a half of a bottle left yesterday morning when I was dusting the room. Anyway I got a major headache so I was going to take MY MEDS. Guess what NONE left. Not even any in the spray nozzle. She had taken half a bottle in not even three hours. My guess is that hse took half a bottle in one dose. Not sure but guessin here. My children know not to mess with my meds and are old enough not to go play. I have explained to them before that this is a vey bad medicine and it can hurt them really badly if they mess with it so they don't. SO I go ask her how much had she taken. One dose she says. Well I know better cause I knoew how much was in that bottle. My problem is now I have a raging headache and cannot get anymore for three more weeks. She cannot get this from her doctor because he as never given it to her before. I know she was very lucky to even wake up. This mornign she tells me that hse has something to tell me so I listen. She cries and says I am sorry. SORRY? How does sorry even fit into this picture here. She has taken ALL of my meds and I can get no more for three weeks. I have chronic daily migraines and even one bottle usually lasts me three to four weeks on having these so often. I don't want the rebound and the effects or being addicted to the crap so I just suffer lots of the times. This one is just the kicker that would send me to the er if I knoew I wouldn't get treated like and addict for taking the stadol. I am just venting here because this is supposed to be my best friend and look at what she has done to me. Now I get to go to the er tomirrow when I can get someone to take me since my husband is away with his job right now and I don't want to put anyone out having to keep the kids all night for me. I am sorry but thanks for letting me vent tonight.

sfg <sfgwife@yahoo.com>
Saturday, January 19, 2002 at 23:09:42

I have been a migraine sufferer for all most 30 years. I have tried EVERY drug out there. I have recently been seeing an osteopath (soft tissue manipulation) and an anatheieogist for oscipital nerve blocks. I have been able to stay clear of narcotics for almost 2 months. (I am a person who gets migraines so bad that I have been hospitilized for up to 8 days with one) I am alternating vioxx and flexirall each day (1 only)
When a migraine starts I take 2 ativan and 2 periatin and lay down. This is quite an improvement over the 3 shots of morphine and 2 shots of phenigren I have needed in the past. I think God is working on me and I hope he isn't done yet. I have found sooooooo much relief in the osteopath and nerve blocks. I would encourage anyone to give it a try. It is WONDERFUL to be rid of narcotics (I always felt like those were just bandaids and I knew the pain would still be around when the narc's wore off. Thank you and God Bless You.

ANNE
Saturday, January 19, 2002 at 20:27:24

Looking for Migraine folks in Charlotte, NC.
Is anybody out there?

Lindie <Lindie1701@aol.com>
Saturday, January 19, 2002 at 10:45:32

In reply to the note from Susan, I had botox treatments last year, but they did absolutely nothing for me. In fact, I had a migraine during the shots. You can't really judge by another person's reaction, though. That's what is so strange about migraines, everybody responds differently. What works for one person has no effect on another necessarily. I didn't have any facial paralysis or any other negative effects either, so I'd say give it a try. Some people swear by it. Good Luck, Clyde

clyde lassell <classell@ix.netcom.com>
Saturday, January 19, 2002 at 07:55:56

Hi, I am 26 years old, I have been getting headaches from almost 12 years, I have been taking all sorts of medicines but i have not been able to get over the pain, I got a brain scan done last year, but the scan report showed no problems. I have been getting a partial blindness when the intensity of the pain is high. could somebody help me getting out of this pain

Sunitha <Sunithamurthy@hotmail.com>
Friday, January 18, 2002 at 01:13:45

Has anyone had any experience with Percocet? My doctor had me taking vicodin, but it does not help anymore, so know he has perscribed me this stuff. I had to sign 2 pieces of paper just to get it. Is my doctor turning me into a junky? I am very concerned! Please email me.... Thank you!

Debbie <h20skijunky@yahoo.com>
Thursday, January 17, 2002 at 19:54:58

Thanks for the replies to my post. If I can help anyone please email me.

M Acton <macton13@hotmail.com>
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 at 17:27:43

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with Botox. Also, can someone recommend a good doctor in Chicago?

susan <susan@mkb363.com>
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 at 16:11:51

Please fellow sufferers if you are using over the counter pain relievers, such as excedrine migraine, stop it. They do cause rebound headaches. I am 29 years old and have had migraines since the age of 12 and realized the problem of these kinds of pain relievers about 6 months ago. Since I quit using them, the rebound headaches have ceased. I advise codine or some other prescribed pain reliever. I also advise imitrex and/or amerge. I hope this may help someone.

M Acton <macton13@hotmail.com>
Monday, January 14, 2002 at 22:43:04

Hello fellow sufferers, I have not had a cluster event in (9) years until a month ago I began to get minor headaches, yet they were different and 14 days ago I began the episode I'm on now. This episode is much worse than I remember, where I am getting 5 attacks a day. Two during daylight hours and three at night. They are timed, it seems, at night for 11pm,2am,&4am. Consequently I have not had much sleep in the past two weeks and the events themselves are unimaginally painful. My general practitioner doctor has tried 3 different therapies and I'm taking Lidocaine for onset and Imitrex for acute attacks. Though incredibly expensive, this therapy is not working very well and I still dread going to bed knowing I will awake in the middle of an attack. I have reached the end of my rope and don't know what else to do. I practice pain therapy while sitting on my bed fore I must keep my head above my chest level. It seems that at all time I walk around with the aura of an attack that is about to begin and this is a scary existence. In the past these episodes prevail for one to two months and I feel that this is just the beginning of this bout. I will keep you all in my prayers and I hope that you all can keep me in yours.

Gregg Harris <grharris94803@yahoo.com>
Friday, January 11, 2002 at 17:47:24

Hi,

I would like to thank all the people who already mailed me with information for my paper. It's helping me a lot!

Eve

Eve <nimrod_fever@yahoo.com>
Thursday, January 10, 2002 at 15:37:19

Hi. I am 26-years-old and I got my first migraine a couple of years ago, (so I'm still rather a novice when it comes to migraine treatments.) At first, I was really, really scared - it was a headache unlike anything I had ever experienced. Everything came out clear in a cat scan and spinal tap, and I was diagnosed as having migraines. (I also went to a neurologist and he agreed with the initial diagnosis.) Now I get them every month or so. I rarely experience the auras, but I do get a pulsing pressure behind my eyes and my eyes begin to feel very tired. I have attributed my neck stiffness to working at a a computer, but I get regular massages and I do yoga several times a week, so now I'm beginning to suspect that my stiff neck is also a migraine symptom. Last night I had a doozy migraine. It began at approx. 5 a.m. Pressure in my head; feeling like I was going to pass out; throwing up; neck pain; and shivering uncontrollably. I feel better today, but exhausted from the ordeal. Interestingly, the barometric pressure changed drastically last night. I live in Canada, and when I went to bed it was approx. -5 celcius - today the temperature has gone up and it feels like spring. Also, I should be getting my period within the next couple of days ... Does the onset of menstruation trigger migraines? Also, could cat allergies bring on a migraine? Right now I am not taking any real migraine medication - just Tylenol - but would be really glad to hear if there are any you would recommend. I am a bit of a health nut, and hate taking any medication of sorts, but it's getting to the point where I just might have to. I am really glad to read that I am not alone out there. Would welcome other peoples thoughts!

Robyn <danaglass@hotmail.com>
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 at 17:16:03

Hy,

I'm a 21 year old university student from Belgium and I have to write a paper about alternative treatment for migraine. I'm basically looking for stories about using other things than the traditional medication (using plants, home remedies,...)
You can always mail me if you have soms tips or experiences with that kind of things (did it help?).

Eve <nimrod_fever@yahoo.com>
Tuesday, January 8, 2002 at 13:26:48