---angie <FrumpyG@aol.com>
albuquerque, nm USA -
I now know of two chat rooms for Migraine sufferers.
1. http://www.nooduitgang.com/health_bbs/migraine/index.cgi.
2. http://neuro-www3.mgh.harvard.edu/interaction$/chat/index
Perhaps some of us can start spreading the word. It is a lot more interesting when there are people in the chat rooms. Hope to hear from someone there.
---Jennifer <premoire@concentric.net>
San Francisco, CA USA -
I'm an 18 year old female who has suffered from migraines since I was about ten.
I'm not sure what exactly sets them off....usually if I sneeze I seem to get a
headache. There is only one word that comes to mind when I think of migraines:
dabilitating. I can't consentrate or even think straight. My school marks have
suffered greatly and I've had many a fight with my parents over this. I'm sick of
lying in my room with the blinds closed, lights off, praying for the pain to go
away. When I was younger, I smashed my hand with a hammer to redirect the pain
away from my head.....needless to say, my hand AND head hurt. Today I was
prescribed Cafergot, which is a migraine abortive drug....seems to curbed the
severity of my current headache. If anyone is on this drug, please email me and
let me know it's affect.
In regards to Herry.....may I suggest putting your head in a vice and closing it until your skull cracks....then perhaps you can sympathise with us....until then, please keep your useless comments to yourself.
If there are any young adults out there (17-22) who suffer from migraines and would like to converse with a fellow sufferer, please drop me a line.
---Lija R. <blackwidow4@hotmail.com>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada -
I cannot express in words how relieved I am to have found this site! I am 21 years old and have been suffering from migrains since the age of 9. At first, I could just take two tylenols and go to sleep; they would be gone in the morning. 2 years ago, though, the pattern changed. Tylenol no longer worked, I had visual auras, vomitting, insomnia, blackouts, and constant, unrelenting pain for 2 weeks. After trying every type of medication the Dr. would give me without relief, I ended up in the emergency room for demerol shots (the first of many trips). I really thought I was dying. That was just the begining. It has been two years now and they have not only gotten worse, but also more frequent. I have tried imitrex, fiorinal, demerol, midrin, percoset, wigrain, compazine, etc. Sometimes when I get the aura, if I load myself with medication, it helps lessen the intensity, but often that doesn't work. That means for at least the next week I cannot function at all. I can't even get out of bed. I, too, have been to a million Dr.'s and had all sorts of testing from blood work, food alergies to CATscans, etc. I have heard the comments about using it as an excuse to get out of work, school, commitments, and all. I have seen how the Dr.'s look at me suspecting that I am trying to scam drugs or something. I don't want to take them, but I need relief. And the next person to tell me to "take 2 tylenol and go to bed" I'm going to smack (like I never thought of that)!! I am writing this after just being released from the hospital, again, with demerol shots. They let me sleep, but this damn thing is still here. I missed an entire week of classes and I don't know what to do. I feel for all of you because I know what you are going through (when I started reading this site I began crying). In a strange sort of way, though, it has made me feel better. I thought I was the only one out there struggling with this horrendous problem. I'm missing so much out of life. During this most recent "attack" I actually
prayed that God would put me out of my misery (I'm not suicidal, but it hurts so much!). I'm afraid to do anything for fear that it will come back again (I can't find a trigger). Please, if anyone out there has any suggestions, I'm willing to try anything. I need help because I don't know how much of this I can take anymore. If anyone knows of a chat room for migrain sufferers, I would love to check it out. In the meantime, my e-mail address is DeChiaNi@shu.edu and I would love to hear from and talk to someone who understands what I am going through. I wish you all of the best!!!!!!!!!
Nicole De Chiaro
---Nicole De Chiaro <DeChiaNi@shu.edu>
South Orange , NJ USA -
hi.
i am a fellow migraine sufferer.
heat and bright lights trigger attacks.
in the last couple of weeks, even though it has been extremely hot, i have
not experienced any attacks.
during the same time i started having frozen yoghurt in the mornings.
honestly i do not know whether this is the real reason for the absence of
attacks, however i have been told that indians believe that yoghurt is
'cooling'.
possibly you might want to give it a try
good luck
---Joy Oen <joyoen@pc.jaring.my>
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -
I have had migraines for 27 years since I was 10 years old. I have 2 distinct types of headaches and are both considered vascular in nature. One is called the "common" migraine that lasts 3-5 days. They occur upon awakening and are usually on the right side of my head. The sometimes "switch" to the left and lasts the full 5 days. My neurologist says this is good and is indicative of migraine. I take Fiorinol #3 for pain and Phenergan if has nausea. To prevent them, I take the best combination I've found to be: Inderal, Depakote, and Pamalor. Trigger agents are: Hormonal fluctuations, chocolate, heat/sun exposure, weather changes(barometric pressure changes, rain), emotional outbursts, salty foods(boiled crawfish),alcohol and stress. THe second type of headache lasts 7 days or more and NOTHING helps to relieve the pain. The pain occurs behind my eyes and "travels" across my entire head. It is described as a "stabbing" pain in my head like being stabbed with an ice pick or as one person I read says, it's as though "someone is stabbing me in the eye with a red hot ice cube." The pain comes and goes and is extremely sharp and almost impossible to function with. I have used Torodol injections successfully at times and usually have to abort the headache with
Depomedrol injection (corisone) to break the cycle. Both my 2 children have headaches and my son whom is 10 has been diagnosed with migraine since age 6. He is on Inderal daily and his headaches usually occur as a result of a weather change or emotional outburst of crying or getting very upset. I have had much guilt because of the genetic predisposition as did my own mother.( she still has migraines at age 63). I have read much on the subject and I wonder if there is any relationship between people with migraine having other medical conditions such as autoimmune disorders, chemical imbalances in the brain(seratonin). I had Graves disease at age 22(hyperthyroidism) and severe PMS. My mother has a collogen tissue disease. My son has severe ADHD(chemical imbalance in the brain). My grandmother developed Schizophrania at age 26. I read other people have Muscular Sclerosis or Rheumatoid Arthritis(autoimmune disorders). Still others have a seizure condition ( brain related). If anyone can identify with my case history please email me. No one understands the misery or family disruption except other migraineurs. My sympathy goes out to all of you as we are bound by this terrible disability.......
---Lisa Boudreaux <kboudre2@bellsouth.net>
Broussard, La. USA -
I am a 35 year old male who started to get headaches as hangovers from nightly drinking binges. This lasted for approx. 8 years until I had made myself so sick, drinking was out of the question. Now I find myself like many of you with daily, painfull headaches and no relief in sight. My neurologist knows my whole ugly story and after a few years of tests (all normal) just wants to treat my pain I have been on Inderal since 1989, Midrin helps, but when you use it so frequently it's like everything else, not so effective. So here I am taking heaps of Excedrin every day just to survive. Life can't stop just because I have a headache. What's new, right?? How can you not feel depressed sometimes whe you are always in pain? Does constant pain ever make you feel like your doing something wrong in your life?? Oh well, just some thoughts on something only other headache sufferers can relate too.
Right now I would love to live a few days taking no medications!! That sounds great, but unrealistic. Has anyone successfully weaned themselves off "drugs" for good?
Thanks
---Phil <FOOF35@aol.com>
Port St Lucie, FL USA -
I am 33 years old and have had migraines since I was 12.
Luckily, they have decreased in severity and frequency as
I have gotten older. However, after having a baby in the
fall of 97, I started experiencing blurred vision similiar
to the auras of my migraines. After consulting with my
family doctor and an opthamologist, they both feel I am having
a type of migraine that consists only of aura and no pain.
This has gone on now for 3 months. The flashing lights seem to
have stopped for the most part, but I still notice a blurry
circle in my right eye if I close my left eye. Also when I
go outside in the bright light, I seem to notice this spot more.
I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and if so,
how long it lasted.
---Kim <rivabros@vaxxine.com>
St.Catharines, Ont Canada -
It's nice to find someone I can whine to; it all started two and a half years ago, I had a head injury near my temple on the right side. I spent 5 days in the hospital, the left side of my face was paralized, I had a fractured skull, ruptured left ear drum from the pressure of my brain swelling and spinal fluid was leeking out. The first six months I had a hard time moving about without assistance, there was an awful pressure feeling in my head, the room was spinning, and I was very nauseated. After getting out of the hospital I was sent to a neuro surgeon, he said I would be good as new and back to work in a month, Ha Ha! Then it was off to an E.N.T. I found out I damaged the nerves on the right side of my head behind my ear which caused the paralyses on the left side, and had inner ear nerve damage which caused the dizziness, he said I would be better in 6 months, you guessed it, he was wrong. Several doctors, most of the medications I see here, terrible balance therapies, and misdiagnoses latter the current diagnoses is migraine and inner ear damage, a lot of my facial movement has come back with the help of therapy. Reading through your letters I see a lot of similarities and some differences, my headache is not a sharp pain, it's more like an over all pressure feeling, accompanied with dizziness, nausea, and loss of balance. It doesn't go away I've had it every day for two and a half years, it just veries in intensity throughout the day. Noise, smells, and any kind of motion seems to aggravate it, (riding in a car is like a roller coaster ride that don't stop, for those of you out on the road don't worry I'm not aloud to drive). I'm also like a human barometer, I don't have to watch the weather channel to know when a storm is comming in. Right now I'm on 20mg of Prozac for depression (I wonder how I got that?) which has helped, and 700mg of Neurontin daily, the only relief I get is sleep, I'm at my best after just waking up.
Any help would be appreciated.
dave1@ccia.com
---Dave <dave1@ccia.com>
PA USA -
