Migraine Journal

The on-line migraine journal is intended to be an area for migraine sufferers to post their migraine histories and experiences.

The journal is intended to be a place to accumulate experiences and information, which can be used as a reference to those who wish to learn more about what it is like to be a migraine sufferer.

Please note: Posts are no longer being added to this journal. Please use the discussion forum for question/response types of entries.





Hello im brigette a 15 year old from ca and i have suffered from migrains sience i was 6. Doctors say it was from stress and gave me meds but nothing seems to help if you know of a good med. please help me . thanks.
Brigette
E-mail me if you know a good med!

Brigette <chasity@trust-me.com>
Thursday, November 30, 2000 at 22:15:02



Hi.

I thought I had migraines beat. They run in our family... my grandmother, brother and cousin on my Mom's side have had them since their youth. My Grandmother's disappeared around middle age.

However, mine didn't start until I was 27. It was very scary at first. First I would start to feel a little "spacy" and then I would experience numbness in my right side, have difficult talking or thinking cognitive thoughts or sometimes see "stars" that would grow from a dot to eventually obscure my entire vision before any of the other symptom was felt. Then the headache would start and nothing would stop it. Light and sounds would bother me until it was totally over.

I would get them sometimes a few in a week or not at all, but I stopped planning anything. It was a real inconvenience and very scary. I thought I was "dying" or was having strokes or eplilepsy until I was finally diagnosed.

But as mysteriously as they began, they left. I haven't had one in 4 years until this week. As soon as I felt the "aura" I knew I was in trouble. I was in the middle of a client meeting and luckily I had my partner with me to do the talking. All I could think about was the flickering flourescent lights and how I just wanted to get away and was hoping I would be able to say thank you and good bye when we left.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the doctor. When I had migraines a few years ago Imitrix was just coming out, but before I needed to try that, my migraines disappeared. Maybe there are new and improved drugs. I hope I don't have to give myself a shot, but compared to suffering, I will take the shot.

Thanks for listening.

Danielle

webprincess <danielle@2bytes.com>
Thursday, November 30, 2000 at 16:13:17



Jay,

Thanks for the suggestions.. my diet is already quite strict.. I am vegetarian, I don't drink and I haven't eaten choc in about two years (it's so hard when you are having a bad day!).. I will try out some of the relaxation techniques.. maybe I should convince my boyfriend to start perfecting his massages!! I have been doing really well lately.. I have had two migraines in the last eight weeks.. so I am not going to complain at all (I got used to having about 3 or 4 a week).. it has been a combination of acupuncture and physiotherapy.. but it seems to be doing the trick.

Thanks again for the vote of confidence.. I hope that you stay well,
Much love,
Becci

P.S - if you see this message, could you email me and confirm your email address, because I tried to email and it got rejected for some reason.

Becci Lane <rebecca.lane@kvearner.com>
Thursday, November 30, 2000 at 08:52:06



Hi everybody, I have been diagnosed with something called complicated migraine that causes stroke symptoms (left sided weakness, confusion, ect..) I have had three of these episodes. After the first one I was told I had had a stroke after the second one in Sept.2000 I was told I had migrainous stroke or complicated migraine. I developed severe right sided headaches after having viral menningitis about five years ago. My Meds seem to finally be working and have went two weeks without a head ache... Am on verapamil, aggrenox, amitryptiline, and zocor.... I con't to have the left sided weakness and tingling in my left arm and face... If any of you know where I can find any info on this type of migraine please let me know... Thanks Cathy

Cathy <cathyann@willapabay.org>
Tuesday, November 28, 2000 at 20:05:56



Hello everyone,

I'm Lynette from Melbourne, Australia. After reading Ronda's journal several symptoms pertinent to myself were discussed. Some of these included a flushing face when the blood pressure is effected by the migraine and also an intractable unrelenting migraine that can occur for a long period of time. My own history is a continuous migraine in both hemispheres of the brain that started on the 1st March, 1996 (4.75 years).

During that time I have been hospitalised as a rebound migraine patient but I did not respond to the treatment given by the neurologist. Presently, I take Endep 50mg (2 morn + 2 night), Epilim EC200 (1 morn + 2 night), plus when needed to keep the migraine down a cocktail of other drugs & Imigran. This usually enables me to function although the side effects cause many problems.

One journal entry from Alan Chilcoat (would you please send me the name of the neurologist mentioned in your journal dated 21.9.00. In it a neurologist stated that 2 percent of migraine sufferers have them 'non-stop').

Does anyone know someone who has had a continuous migraine and found a way of stopping it. I do not want to 'celebrate' the migraines fifth anniversary. May all your migraines be a distant memory - regards Lynette.



Lynette Ripper <lynetter@bigpond.com>
Tuesday, November 28, 2000 at 02:21:24



Hi All!
Hope you are having pain free minutes. Well, I wish that I could say the same. I have had a nagging headache for a few days now and it is starting to get worse. Joy! I have a few questions fro anyone who can help me. first, my neuro is going to give me stadol nasal spray. I am unsure of this. I have heard so many bad things about this med. If you can give me insight it would be greatly appreciated. Second, my mother has had migraines for years. and that is where I get mine from. Isn't that a nice thing to inherit......lol. Anyway, she has been havin different headaches in the past few days. They come in waves she says. Does anyone else have ones like this? I would love to hear about them also. Thanks, Nikki. May you all have a few pain free minutes in your days.

nikki <sonflr@aol.com>
Monday, November 27, 2000 at 21:34:00



Hello, I am a 33 year old suffer of migraines. I have had them since I was about 17 after having my second child they got worse. I am new to this web site and have read alot of entries. If there is any one out there who has also had tingling on the right side where it feels like your whole right side has falling asleep and real sharp pain and burning in your head or at the nape of your neck. I have been to the doctors, she has just referred me to a neurologist. I was in car accident in May and I thought that maybe that was the reason for the burning in my head but this is something that has just started. I come from a family with a long history of migiranes. My mother has had two strokes and a heart attack when she was 38. My great grand mother had them so did my grandmother.

Michelle Dunbar - Sterling <dmikkimouse@aol.com>
Monday, November 27, 2000 at 15:42:28



Hello everyone, I have not posted in a while, I did not have access to the internet. This site is so supportive for so many people. I am trying to find a new doctor it is damned near impossible. I lost my doctor when we found out that she could not see me because she dosn't take my insurance and won't take cash. I have had migraine's for 38 years, I also have Psuedotumor Cerebri, it causes the migraines as well as many other triggers. I get headaches nearly every day. My doctor has had me on Stadol both the injections and the nasal spray. If the Stadol doesn't work I can take Nubain. The Sadol works most of the time very well. It doesn't make me high or sleepy unless I need to go to sleep. I have been on the same dose for 10 years and have not had to take more and more. I just wish I can find a doctor who will follow the same plan as I have been on for 5 years. I have been looking for 2 months. I only have 3 refills left to last me in December, as well as in the truck as I will be on the road with my trucker hubby all of December. I hope I will not have many headaches on the road. If any one has any ideas please email me, Tay

Tay Hodges <tayhodges@hotmail.com>
Monday, November 27, 2000 at 04:36:31



Approximately three years ago I posted an entry asking for feedback about being pregnant while having chronic migraine. All the responses i received were positive. I'm happy to say that I have a six week old daughter and that i had a very positive experience with my migraines while pregnant. I thought others might benefit from my experience. In my mind there were two key ingredients that made my pregnancy successful. 1) I had a wonderful obstetrician who viewed my migraines as a problem to be managed while pregnant. She viewed my comfort (and therefore lack of migraines) a very important consideration and during each visit we reviewed the effectiveness of my prophylactic medications. 2) My obstetrician and neurologist discussed my medication regimen when it needed to be adjusted.

I saw a "high risk" obstetrician during my pregnancy. Specifically she worked in the Maternal Fetal Medicine department of one of the university hospitals in Pittsburgh. I originally consulted with her about one year before getting pregnant to discuss whether I could take any medications while pregnant. Prior to becoming pregnant I was on a combination of Inderal and Nortryptilene which i took daily. Based on discussion with my neurologist, she recommended that I increase the Nortryptilene dose and lower the Inderal dose when I was ready to try to conceive. Early in my pregnancy I had problems with my blood pressure dropping too low and therefore I tapered and eventually discontinued the Inderal. We then adjusted the nortryptilene dose as I needed to during the pregnancy. I had been using Imitrex for migraine relief which is not safe during pregnancy. Because I have a form of pediatric migraine that causes dizziness rather than pain, I do not get relief from pain killers. My OB told me that I could take compazine or midrin infrequently for migraine relief. However, I get terrible extrapyramidal side effects from compazine and midrin is so infrequently effective for me that I did not feel the benefits outweighed any risk. Thus I did not take any medication for migraine relief while pregnant.

My migraine experience was very different than I expected. I had more frequent migraines during my first six weeks of pregnancy. After that, I did great until the early part of my second trimester when they became worse again. We increased my nortryptilene dose which kept the migraines under control until early in my third trimester when we again decided to increase the nortryptilene dose. We discussed the possibility of adding back the Inderal if the nortryptilene alone was not adequate, but that weasn't necessary.

Ineeded to have a c-section (unrelated to the migraines,and I asked that Imitrex be available in the operating room in case I got a migraine immediately after delivery (which I did). After I had the baby, my mirgraines were unstable for about two weeks which i believe to be due to the hormonal changes and sleep pattern changes. I had decided against breast feeding so that I could take any medication I needed without worrying about risk to the baby.

The nature of my migraines changed while I was pregnant. They lasted for a shorter amount of time (a welcome change) and my "onset" symptoms changed.

Again I strongly recommend anyone wishing to become pregnant 1) see a "high risk" OB (Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist or perinatologist)who agrees that your migraines are significant and should be medically managed during your pregnancy; 2) Be sure that the physician managing your migraines and OB are willing to work together and with you.

Beth Schwartz <swrtzy@adelphia.net>
Saturday, November 25, 2000 at 16:07:46



Just got Botox. Anyone else? Not sure how a muscular cure can
help a non-muscular problem. But what the hey?

chris dillard <chrisdillard@chrisdillard.com>
Friday, November 24, 2000 at 14:44:03



Dear friends in pain,

I have suffered migraine pain for fifteen years. I had MRA's done, met with famous neurologists (it's genetic take the pill, they said) tried acupunture, changed my diet, prayed harder, sat in doctor offices and left with mountains of prescriptions...

Migraine are the body's response to something wrong and you need to find the solution.

I need to share two informations that changed my life. That gave me my life back.

Two years ago I tested positive for a pre ulcer condition called "H. Pilori" bacteria and got treatement (antibiotics.) In an article by the New England Medical Journal titled "H Pilori linked to migraine" you can instruct yourself about it. Since then my migraine got milder and then I was able to count four to ten weeks without re occurence! It's been over a year since I treated the stomac bacteria and I can't remember when I last suffered from a migraine attack.

Unfortunately not enough doctors are aware of this discovery, in fact if you mention it to your doctor, he/she most likely won't know about it.

Please, inform yourself or someone you love who's in pain. I no longer suffer from the violent attacks that used to ruin my life and worry my son and husband.

Also discard all hair dies as the skin's exposion to amonia is very toxic.

Look and you shall find.

Best wishes to you all.

Beatrice (San Diego)

Beatrice <ringb@home.com>
Monday, November 20, 2000 at 08:34:08



We have been around the block with my daughters migraines for about 4 years now. She started to see a psycologist and he diagnosed her as having anxiety. I looked this up for definition ; chest pain, heart palpatations, and a pit in the stomach, and this can lead to headaches. Well she has had anxiety since she was 5 years old (or less)she is now 21, the migraines started the end of her Senior year. We (and Dr.s) kept looking for a medical problem. Many tests, medications etc. and now she is on Effexor which is suppose to help anxiety/depression and should help her migraines. She is going on her 3rd week on this new medication (mind you she has trouble with most meds) and she is doing very well so far. After about the 5th day the everyother day migraines stopped. She is going back to college in January. I think we are finally on the right track.

Karen <Kbout2@home.com>
Saturday, November 18, 2000 at 20:35:51



Hi all, have not written in awhile. I went to a pain clinic yesterday and was told I suffer from tension and migraine headaches. The dr. wants to put me on three meds which I am not happy about. I wanted to see what you all think. The meds are Pamelor,Singilair,Tenormin, I did look them up in a medical journal. I dont have high bllood pressure or asthma, which is what two of these are for. The other is an antidpressant to help me sleep. I am really uncertain of what to do, I have already been the route of so many drugs at one time. I have not filled any of them yet waiting to hear what everyone thinks. Actually I have been thinking of trying a more natural aproach like Melodie. I did go for holilictic therapy with no results. Any input will be apreciated, I had to miss work agian today because of pain. thanks Peggy

Peggy L. O'Connor <songwritermpo@hitter.net>
Friday, November 17, 2000 at 10:57:08



I am new to this site. I feel so much better knowing that I am
not alone in my migraine pain. Many friends, relatives and
co-workers do not understand. Some seem to think the migraines
are brought on by my reactions to stress, upset or fatigue.
Maybe those things are triggers, I don't know. But my sister,
mother & nephew all suffer from migraines. My neurologist
diagnosed me with classic migraine which are hereditary. I have
accepted that I will live with migraines for the rest of my
life, but my husband really hasn't. He says he understands, but
occassionally he becomes angry because of a migraine that causes
us to miss a party or just be trapped in the house for a nice
weekend. I've tried to tell him that it is okay if he wants to
go out without me. But he says he doesn't want to go without me,
which is very sweet. I feel guilty and ashamed about my migraines
and unless I know a person very well I do not discuss the issue with
anyone.

I too become depressed at times and have feelings of hopelessness
and despair. I dread having migraines at work. I read lengthy
documents all day long & I fear that because of a migraine I will
miss something important.

I mostly use the disolving Maxalt. It seems to work quicker than
the other medications I have tried. I have tried them all. From
blood pressure meds, Imitrex, Amerge, Zomig and over the counter
products. Maxalt seems to have the least side affects for me. But
the side affect that I still have and also upsets me at times is
the flushing of my face. It took years for Doctors and myself to
realize the connection to the rosacea I now have. Apparently because
of the medication opening up the blood vessels which helps to knock
out the migraine it also opens up the facial blood vessels as well.
I have heard that drug companies are working on creating a new
migraine medicine that would hopefully not affect the face as much.
I truly hope so. My face was so affected by this at one point that
I was even getting small cysts on my cheeks & chin which is very
much rosacea symptoms. It always seems to me that just when my face
is clearing up from the medication I've been prescribed to apply to
my face, that a migraine comes and I need the Maxalt and my face
becomes red again. I used to have beautiful skin, people always told
me my skin was so pretty. Now I am ashamed of it as well because I've
read about how many people mistake rosacea sufferers for alcoholics.
And what is even more sad is how many people think people w/ migraines
might be alcoholics or drug addicts as well. It's depressing at times.
I try to tell myself that it doesn't matter what other people think.
I try to inform people when I hear them saying things that proves they
are ignorant of migraines and what sufferers go thru but after awhile
you feel like you're whinning. Kind of like I feel I am doing now.
Anyway, I'm sorry I sound so sad. I have had a bad week. I have had
migraines on and off all this past week. I have only felt good for about one day
out of 5. But I feel better after writing this.

Thank you for this site and for helping me to feel better about my
migraines.

Murphy <Murphy2030@netscape.net>
Friday, November 17, 2000 at 10:56:25



Dear Becci: Believe it or not, many migraines have to do with neck/shoulder/back muscles. There are other things you can do. For instance, you can try moist heat from a heating pad applied to your neck and shoulder which has the effect of relaxing the muscles. You can try deep breathing exercises right before going to bed. While taking a shower, run the water on your neck area and gently bend your head sideways, towards your shoulder, to stretch the muscles in you neck, one side, then the other. Your diet is also important - cut out alcohol, caffiene and chocolate (no fun). All of this makes a difference as to the frequency of headaches. Good luck.

Jay <jay@mhh.com>
Tuesday, November 14, 2000 at 17:02:57


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