Read the post in the migraine journal about nerve block
injections and I, too, have had the injections from a pain
clinic in the metropolitan Washington, DC
area and can tell you that the shots helped me, too for a short
while. The clinic recommended that I go to another pain clinic
where they operate on the occipital nerve (spelling???) and
actually burn or singe the nerve causing the pain. It takes
about six months for the nerve to regenerate. It would mean
that I might have six months or so
of a normal life without migraines, but there is a down side
to the procedure. There is a possibility that it could leave
you paralyzed. I was a real wus and opted not to do it.
I guess there was 1 in 300 chances that it could leave one
paralyzed.
I didn't like the odds. But, I did have the injections twice.
Guess there were risks with those, too, but I did not know it
at the time. Be sure to ask questions about this operation, if
you are a candidate. Insurance does not cover it.

Best of luck to all in the New Year............Mary

Mary Bates <mtbates1@aol.com>
Tuesday, December 26, 2000 at 12:40:39

Hello all,

Have a great holiday season and hope we all manage to get through the season with as little migraine pain as possible.

Catherine

catherine <clauze@biovail.com>
Friday, December 22, 2000 at 08:47:32

Hello to migraine sufferers out there,

I personally do not have a migraine horror story, but my mother suffers terribly with them. She has been getting migraines since her childhood (about 6-7) and they are getting worse with age. I am 14 now and often have headaches too, however, they are most often stress-related. Should I get them checked out just in case the migraines are hereditary? Does anyone have any suggestions for what I should do to prevent these headaches from becoming worse?

Oh yes, I am also doing a power point presentation on migraines for my biology class. If anyone has some interesting URLs concerning migraines (other than this site of course), please feel free to send me them.

Thanx,
Erica

P.S. THIS SITE ROCKS!!!!!!!

Erica <ricki_38@hotmail.com>
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 18:19:47

Hi everyone,

I was so happy to find this site. I have had a headache for about 12 weeks now. On a scale of 1-10 I'd say the pain ranges from 2-4. My eyes feel funny. They are sensitive to light or t.v. at times. Sometimes I feel pressure inbetween my eyes and the bridge of my nose. My pain seems to move. Also sometimes in my forehead a burning pain, Pain also in back center of head sometimes pain is on the right sometimes on the left. Not constant, just little sharp pain every now and then. Does anyone experience stuff like this. My doctor told me at first it was tension headaches now he says they are migraines. Maybe I have a combination of headaches going on. My CT and MRI were negative. I was experiencing tingling in arms legs and face when this was done. Now I have started having this nagging headache. Any response would be appreciated.

Hope everyone out there is having a good day.

Dawn <deboltpat@yahoo.com>
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 13:51:18

Hi everyone,
This is the first time I have been to this site. I am 21, and I have been getting migranes for about 3 years. I have been blowing them off, hoping they will go away. Today I had a migrane and it was the worst for me. They don't last very long about 30mins to 2hrs. I usually get the felling like I am drunk, and then the lights arrive. I take Excedrin for migranes and it usually works, but sometimes I feel terrible afterwords. One time I was talking to my dad after a migrane and I couldn't say what I was thinking. I could still speak, but he said it sounded like I was hung over. I have read a few of your stories today for the first time, and it sounds like most of you have extremely bad migranes. I have found some usuful information on how to cope with them. I wish there was a cure, so everyone wouldn't have to deal with them. Thank you all for your input on this site; it has helped me a lot. Let's all pray that a cure will come soon.

Nick
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 13:34:02

Well, it has been a while since I have posted and here it is three o'clock in the morning and I am up with another killer headache thinking about this journal, but in a good way. I thought that I wouuld share with everyone what I have been through in the last few months. I am 28 and have suffered with these headaches for 12 years. I have done all the meds, tests, and late night ER tragedys with no relief like everyone else until about 4 months ago. I went to a great headache clinic out in Worchester Mass and after more tests and meds and garbage I not only found out that I had these migraines but I had a different type of migraine that involves a c2 nerve in the back of my head that makes them unbearable and which is what makes them last so long and sometimes unresponsive to meds. They discovered this by giving me a , this sounds worse then it is-trust me- needle of some type of lidocaine and other medicines injection in the nerves in the back of my head. Within five minutes my headache was GONE. I have never in my life had relief like that from ANY medicine. This proved to them that my headaches can be helped if not REMOVED completely with a surgery to "shut off" this nerve in my head. Chances are I will still get regular migraines but they won't be half as bad and they will be treatable. Not like what I live with now. Problem is- only one doctor in my area does it, he's three states away, I am traveling to have it done(it is only an overnight surgery) but I have the only insurance company in my area that doesn't pay for it. SOOOOOO Frustrating. So while I fight with them I am on daily pain meds and preventatives. And still have to make those annoying trips to the ER.Even with a name to my headaches now I still get treated like I am lying when I go. It is so terrible. Hopefully maybe I could help someone else with this information. The injections are called nerve blocks. They are really great.

kristin Lacombe <jahida@aol.com>
Thursday, December 14, 2000 at 03:31:48

Greetings one and all,
As I scanned through the journal pages I noticed that there aren't many men who a) get migraines or b) haven't found this site yet.
I began suffering migraines at the age of 27 right out of the blue. For years I would get auras and a slight headache, but nothing compared to the migraines I suffered for years. I would get the auras first then tunnel vision in my left eye and then just go blind in that eye for the duration, they were so severe that they would cause me to vomit. All light, sound and movement would have to be eleminated. I'd lay there in agony waiting for the episode to conclude. that was usually 12 to 24 hours later. And I'd be exhausted afterwords.
I was told about Imitrex (sumatriptan succinate) and told my Dr. who prescribed the medication. I took it as self administrated shots. And it worked. In 20 minutes the pain was gone. But I am not into pharmacuticals. I don't even take asprine (which is usless on a migraine)! Besides, they don't even know why or how it really works and that scared me.
Then I discovered feverfew. I started taking the herb (in a tablet form by Migrafew from Nature's Way) every night before going to bed. It has helped enormously :O)
I still get migraines but they're fewer and further between and the pain has lessened to where I usually never vomit. I still need silence and darkness, but I'm not distroyed by the migraines anymore.
I hope you all find the thing that helps you most!

Eric Max <asterfaerie@yahoo.com>
Tuesday, December 12, 2000 at 00:22:54

Hi Jean,

Yes. I had not been sleeping well for about two years. During that time, my migraines worsened (although I didn't link the two). My dr sent me to a sleep clinic where they determined I was suffering from very mild depression which was causing poor sleep.

I've since started meds (I'm on my third try). The one I'm on is working wonders. I still don't sleep perfectly sound, but my migraines have decreased significatly. It was quite suprising to me because I had to go off my preventative (for bad side effects) shortly after finding a good antidepresant and my migraines just kept getting better rather than worse.

I have gone from 6 migraines/week to about 2 very mild, slow moving migraines/week. I have my life back.

Hope this helps.

Catherine

Catherine <clauze@biovail.com>
Friday, December 8, 2000 at 09:15:23

Hello to all. I just discovered this site yesterday. I have really enjoyed reading the other journal entries thus far. It's good to read "real" stories and experiences from fellow migraine sufferers, rather than reading impersonal medical mumbo jumbo.
I have always been plagued with bad headaches since I was a child. As I got older (teenager) my headaches got increasingly worse, becoming migraines. I have always been "pre-warned" before I actually get sick and have the horrible head pain, with light auras. I immediately know I'm about to get a migraine because my eye vision gets weaker, I see "crystallized" lines and spots. I also get something like tunnel vision, in that my side eye vision is gone. I have these auras for about 15 to 30 minutes and then they go away. Next, the pain hits. If I can lay down and go to sleep(and not wake until it's over)it's a good migraine for me. However sometimes the pain is so great that I can't sleep and every sound, light, movement puts me in agony.
Luckily, I have not had a "BAD" migraine for over 2 months. I did have a migraine last week, but I was able to sleep it off. When I woke up later, my head was still pounding but the type migraines I have now are much better than they used to be in the past. So I can get through it better now. Up until two years ago I had migraines 2-3 times a week, very disabling. I went to a couple of doctors (not much help)I was put on medication for them but It wasn't working for me so I got off of it. That's is when I started researching a bit about migraines and paying attention to what I was eating. After many many migraines I started looking at the ingredients in foods I had been eating, remembering where I had ate and what foods I had eaten and then got migraines. I found out that MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate was one of the main causes of my BAD migraines. I was getting 2,3,or four migraines a week becasue almost all the foods I was eating at that time contained MSG in some shape or form.
Through further research on MSG I found out that many names on food ingredient labels can contain MSG without actually being called MSG. Here is the list of Hidden Names of MSG that I have posted on my refrigerator. These ALWAYS contain MSG: Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Hydrolyzed Protein (plant, vegetable,any kind), Sodium or Calcium Caseinate, Autolyzed Yeast, Yeast Extract, Yeast Food, Yeast Nutrient, Textured Protein, Glutamic Acid, Monopotassium Glutamate, Gelatin. These OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing: Natural Flavors, Natural Flavoring, Bouillon (cubes or stock), Canned broth, Carrageenan, Whey protein, Whey protein concentrate, Whey protein isolate, Soy sauce, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, Malt Extract or Malt Flavoring, Malted Barley, Maltodextrin, anything Protein Fortified, anything Fermented, anything Ultra Pasteurized, anything Enzyme-modified.
I stay away from everything in the "Always Contains MSG" list. Unfortunately, I have ate some things where I forgot to check the labels closely or ate something at a potluck where MSG was in it and then gotten a bad migraine. It can be a lot of trouble and hassle to check everything before you eat it or have to stop eating at places where foods contain MSG. I used to love to eat at KFC but it's not worth it to me to feel horrible for hours to take that chance. Since I try to stay away and avoid these ingredients I have been much more healthier and almost migraine free. I now just get a migraine about once a month the most now is twice a month. Up until my last migraine last week, I had not gotten a migraine in over 2 1/2 months. If I get a migraine now I can almost always link it to my periods (hormones) or changes within my environment such as strong smells (cleaning products)or very bright lights. Or unless I accidently eat something I didn't know had MSG in it. I also started going to a Chiropractor last year and that has seemed to help me too.
While MSG is not the cause of migraines for everyone, it is the greatest cause of my migraine problems. Because I cut out all forms of Monosodium Glutamate from my diet my own migraines have drastically reduced in number and frequency and went from totally debilitating to manageable for me. As you can see I love to write. I really hope some of this information may have helped someone, like it did me. Thanks, Erica. If anyone would like to email me you can at: ejmj76@yahoo.com

Erica <ejmj76@yahoo.com>
Friday, December 8, 2000 at 00:28:44

Has anyone attended a sleep clinic? My doc has recommended it to see if there is link between how I am sleeping (or not sleeping) to my migraines. If anyone has attended a sleep clinic or knows any thing about them, I would love to hear from you.

Jean <jandrhome@msn.com>
Wednesday, December 6, 2000 at 20:36:16

I believe my migraines started when I was in seventh grade when I was blacking out
during school. They kind of went away during my eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade
years. Then one day (last summer) I was at work and passed out after complaining of a
terrible headache. when I came to, I couldn't move my right side and was in horrible pain
on that side. My mother came and took me to the emergency room where I was given two
injections of medication. I felt better and the ER doctor gave me a prescription of meds. I
went home and didn't return to work until two days later.
I went to work on that Friday feeling OK. Then about 4:30 that day I started
complaining of a headache and took my pills. My manager told me to sit down. Then all of
a sudden I started losing feeling in my left side and my chest felt like someone was taking
a needle and sticking it inside my chest. I was then taken, by ambulance, to the local
hospital and given more drugs and sent home.
That day my dad went to my place of employment to get my stuff and was told I
was fired. My dad informed my employer that I wasn't fired but that I quit. I haven�t
worked since then.
Well for one day I was better. I went to my grandparents house for a birthday
party for my grandmother. While I was there a big storm brewed and I feel dizzy and went
and laid down in the den. All of a sudden I couldn�t move my right side and was in a lot of
pain. My whole family was there and witnessed me trying to remain calm while I feel like I
am dying. My grandfather and two of my uncles lifted me into a wheelchair while my mom
was on the phone calling my doctor. We were told to go to Scottish Rite Children�s
Hospital. So my mom, grandmother, and I drove from Tallapoosa, GA 2 hours to Scottish
Rite. Again I was given meds and sent home.
Things like this happened two more times. Then we finally went to a neurologist.
He was very kind and told me that All this was very normal and I just needed to take pills.
So I did and everything was fine for about three months. Then one day in November,
while I was walking to class, I collapsed in the hall. I went to the nurse�s office and rested.
I felt better so I went back to class. So while sitting in my desk I felt very dizzy and fell
onto the floor and passed out. When I came to I couldn�t move from the neck down and I
couldn�t talk. It was very scary. With the help of some teachers I was taken again to the
office and waited for my mom to take me to the hospital. Of course I was given meds and
sent home. Now I am just getting over my newest migraine spell where I will lose my
voice and vision. Losing them both at the same time is very scary. I lost my voice and
couldn�t sing in the school�s chorus Christmas Concert on December 5th. But it�s OK. I
am having to lean to live my life with this, and that�s why I wrote this.

Sarah Hahn <skyeyes2001@yahoo.com>
Wednesday, December 6, 2000 at 16:02:22

HI all,
New here. I am searching for some answerss to my headache troubles and anxiety as well as comfort and reassurance.
As a child I had headaches and my visual perception will make things big and small, But it stopped...Over the years I had tension headaches here and there.Then when I was pregnant with my daughter at 36 I had a scary experience with scotoma and aura..I thought I had a stroke..I have mild elavated Bp and Panic attacks anyone who would like to talk write me at kasl2000@yahoo.com

Thanks to all and be pain free

Betty

Betty Powell <kasl2000@yahoo.com>
Wednesday, December 6, 2000 at 13:27:39

I'm a seventeen year old student and have suffered from migraines and tension headaches since I was seven years old. I've always been a good student and active in many activities. Migraines have taken over my life, my school work is suffering! I get headaches that go on for weeks, and I'm an advanced placement student , one day of school for me is like two and I have missed so much school time it isn't funny. I feel so helpless and there really isn't a direct cause for my headaches ,I wake up with them and I have tried all kinds of experiments and testing. All of the many medicines that adults have tried, I was on when I was 10 or 12 years old. Now I'm on meds that make me drowsy or sleepy, but I still wake up with pain. I'm supposed to be looking forward to college, where as now I don't know if I can take care of myself alone cause my migraines make me feel as if I am paralyzed. I've battled teachers and bosses who can't understand the pain I go through, and I'm supposed to be carefree and looking forward to life, where as now I feel like I will never be able to have a normal life. I've had to give up so many things that I love because I don't physically have the capacity to do them, and I can't cut back on my classes cause I have the mental ability to be in them, and I need to challenge my mind! I'm in desperate need of help and will try anything!!!! If anyone can really help me, all the doctors have done is pump with medication, which do nothing for me, I probably have the liver of a 70 year old from everything I've been on. I'm at a big cross road of my life, and instead of outgrowing migraines like my doctors have said I would, they just keep getting worst, Thank You for Listening

Katie <Dramad5436@aol.com>
Monday, December 4, 2000 at 19:42:55

Hi~I haven't posted in ages but read the journal often, basically for reassurance that all of the other symptoms (depression, fear they won't end, etc.) that accompany these ugly headaches are actually experienced by other people, and not simply by myself as it seems when one hits. To Danielle, your symptoms are basically identical to mine--and for me, the loss of my "normal" vision, even for an hour, causes me absolute panic. I have had the visual aura for about 11 years now (I'm 25) and it is the worst part of the migraine, in my opinion. For me, Imitrex prolonged the aura, and I discovered that only being able to take 2 tablets in a 12-hour period did not help the pain. But of course it may work really well for you. So now I take up to 5 Midrin in a 12-hour period at the onset of the aura, which helps a little bit better. I have also discovered that a blood pressure medication called Tenormin has helped to keep the migraines at bay so that they are a bit more infrequent. At least it helps the migraines caused by blood pressure (I am also terribly allergic to MSG, another culprit, which means no KFC or BBQ chips!). I tried Inderal first, another b/p medication, but with it came many unpleasant side effects. One thing that I found which actually increased the frequency of my migraines was when I took some narcotics, which would spike my blood pressure and thus cause a migraine. I am still looking for something that will help the pain that the Midrin doesn't. So if you end up reading this, I hope it is a bit helpful (and hopefully not too "me, me, I, I" sounding, although for many of us a resource like this Journal is all that is available). Through my reading about the "classic" type of migraine from which you and I suffer, it can be a whole different type of monster altogether from non-aura migraines. But they are all horrific, and I hope that you and your doctor are able to work together to find a treatment that brings you relief. And if he/she can't or won't, go and find a doctor who will. There must be at least one on this planet! Good Luck and migraine free days for all

~~~Kate
Saturday, December 2, 2000 at 01:28:09

Hello my name is Elsie.... I am 37 yrs old and joined the migraine sufferers club 3 yrs ago after a neede hysterectomy...if i knew then what i know now i would have denied the surgery. I am currently in the middle of a continuous headache that began on tuesday of this week
I have inhaled my imitrex sprays twice a day and have not had any relief...i am beginning to wonder if i have developed an immunity to the medicine...lastnight i fixed myself a "migraine cocktail" as my cousin and i call them of 4 tylenol pm, 4 aleve and 4 motrin... it is
a wonder that niether on of us has died with all the drugs we put in our systems...oh and my blood pressure medicine that my neuro put me on though i don't have high blood pressure...today i am substituting for a prek class and have worn my sunglasses inthe building so i
am a sight to see...I too have has "suicide Headaches" and am glad that i am not really crazy and see that there are others that have thought the same...the episode before this one was really really really bad...my head was on fire, the burning so unbearalbe..the only way
to stop it would have been a quick shot to the head with a hand gun....my husband finds it very hard to me sympathetic towards me because he doens't understand the pain i am going thru or maybe non sufferers can't imagine being in such pain...sometimes i think that if he could
have just one-he would totally understand...as a mother of 2 teenage boys, i have found myself sort of floating above the pain soemtimes because the daily grand doesn't stop just because my head hurts...i am still a wife and a mother and life goes on for me...now if am at the
diareah and vomitting stage then it is off to the emergency room for me...luckily i found a dr. who is also a migraine sufferer and she is very helpful to me...i would like to be on a preventative program....well i better get going..need to get kids ready ot go home...thank
you soooooo much for this sight and God bless you alllllll....remember that you are not alone out there and if you need someone to vent out too-i will be here....
Elsie :-)

Elsie <elsicln@excite.com>
Friday, December 1, 2000 at 15:14:28