Journal of Migraine Sufferers



Hi there, I have a friend with bad migraines. She has had them for a long long time. Many tests have been done of the years and things which just show migraine. She mentions that she sometimes feels a vein aching at the back of the neck...maybe like having a stiff neck or somthing...has anyone come across similar problems like? Also, does anyone know of any foods that for some sufferers are a cure? I remember once someone said that they ate these K9 or something cornflakes and it cured the headaches... BUT I cannot remember the cornflakes...I think it was something like K9...could anyone enlighten me? My best regards to you all. All my love is with you. Laura.
Laura <haydenl@hotmail.com>
UK - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 08:07:08 PM
I have suffered from migraines since age 2. I am now 25 and have them more than I ever have before. 2 - 3 a week. I've tried midrin, imitrex and zomig. I have vicodin, and phenegren and they seem to be the only things that dull the severity of the pain. The others don't work. I've heard that being on antidepressants helps. Maybe I will try that. Does anyone have any better ideas? I'm not depressed!!!
Lovisa Starcevich <brizza@oly.net>
olympia, wa USA - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 06:00:09 PM
I was looking up a new medication on the web when this site popped up. Wow! I wouldn't have believed so many people suffer like I do. I have read some of the different stories and previous postings, and I too have gone through much of what everyone else has. I have been a headache/TMJ/Trigeminal Neuralgia sufferer since a car accident in 1987. I do truly have ALL THREE conditions, and another condition that has had me down for the past 2 years. I have recurrent viral meningitis due to the Epstein-Barr virus that I carry in my body. I contracted mono at age 12, and the neurologist feels that I have been a migraine sufferer since then, and the car accident left me with a fractured and dislocated jaw as well as a closed head injury. My situation may be different from other migraine sufferers, but my life is basically the same!! We know all of the reasons for my dilemma, but we are still working on the treatment!! I have had daily head pain in one form or another since 1987, so I truly feel for everyone that posts here. I have run the treatments from family doctor, ERs, detox, neurology, numerous CTs and MRIs, to chiropractic treatment and massage therapy. I have even tried hypnotherapy. It takes time to figure out what works best for any one individual, and I think people sharing their experiences is invaluable. You can not put a price on empathy; I have found it to be the ONE best way to get some relief. I currently wear an appliance in my mouth for my jaw, I take Tegretol daily for the Trigeminal Neuralgia, I take Darvocet and Esgic when needed for migraine. I have had to go to the ER for relief when my medications don't work-and the staff there look at you like you are a junkie or mental. I have had psychiatric counseling-the conclusion being that I am one tough cookie to deal with ALL of these conditions- anyone else would have killed themselves. I don't pay attention to their misunderstanding anymore, and sometimes that is not easy to do. I meditate, eat right, practice relaxation, use heat/massage/ice, take my meds, and if I am still hurting, well, I have to go to the ER. On one occasion it turned out I was in a full-blown meningitis recurrence, and I would not have known if I hadn't gone to the ER. Thank God I did! What I thought was "just" migraine with aura was severe brain inflammation with a blind spot in my eye. What I am trying to say here is; we do what we have to in order to survive. One thing I have found that helps is daily exercise. Try starting a walking program when you are in a good physical state. It has worked WONDERS for me. My absolute headaches are few and far between now. Don't blame the medical profession, they just don't GET IT. Thanks for the web site!!!
carolyn <richardson_carol@hotmail.com>
Bremerton, WA USA - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 03:43:16 PM
I am glad to see that the journal is up and running. I missed reading all the letters. I guess mine was one of the ones that got away!! Oh well ....... As I said before I have been sufferring from migraines since I was a teenager.(thank god the medical doctors have come along way since then) I was on all kinds of different meds, for years Midrin seemed to do the trick, now it does nothing for me:(. I am currently on a antidepressant called Elavil so far I have only had one break though migraine in three weeks,not too bad huh! The only thing is I am tried, I'm hopeing that will past in time. I still have ol faithful Stadol NS for back up(can't the taste it leaves though) Anyway I just wanted to say to all the migraine suffers out there....Hang in there! I hope all the migraine sufferers out there have a pain free day :)
Carol <Flames one@aol.com>
OK USA - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 03:33:03 PM
Hi guys! I was wondering if anyone here is on prozac as a preventave? I am and I would like some feedback if possible! Thanks again
Michelle <booshome@msy.bellsouth.net>
La, USA - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 02:56:46 PM
Dear Rhonda, Thank you so much for your website. It has proven to be a great comfort to me in my times of need, and a well-spring of relevant information. I have suffered with migraines since childhood. I am now 36. About 5 years ago I decided to go to a doctor to see if if he could help. My mother had taken me as a child, but nothing really came of it. I was basically taking over the counter remedies up till that point. Anyway I started taking a combination of Midrin and sometimes Tylenol with Codeine. The Midrin helped for a while, but hen lost its effectiveness. I noticed that exercise improves the condition and MSG/aspartame/nitrates are all triggers. Living in Bangkok I have ready access to over the counter codeine and cafegot. I began self treatment with cafergot and Tylenol with Codeine, watched my diet, and worked out regularly. Last week I decided to try to get off the cafergot and tylenol with codeine, because I was taking them almost every day. What followed was a four day migraine. Finally, I went to the hospital and saw a neurologist. He told me that cafergot and codeine are the worst medicines for migraine because they cause rebound headaches. He put me on a non-steroid anti-inflammatory, bellegral, amytryptaine, and Sibellium. I have been migraine free for four days, and am very pleased. I hope one day I can get off medication completely. I wish I had never went to the doctor five years ago. Back then I was probably getting a headache 2-4 times a month. I would rather just throw up and go into pain contortions for 24 hours then be taking all of these drugs. But hindsight is 20-20. Adios from the land of smiles (Oh yeah to the guy that wants to know about Avimigran--its the same as Cafergot caffeine and cafergot) Wishing you a pain free life!
Jonathan Leeds <lawentity@hotmail.com>
Bangkok, Thailand - Date: 08/23/98 (Sun) Time: 07:28:20 AM
I have suffered with migraines for nearly 15 years. I am seeing a specialist for them, but he has yet to find ant thing that works except Nubain with Visteril.He gives me the medications to inject myself, but its only enough to get through a few headaches, then its back to the emergency rooms, and they act like I enjoy coming there. Some of the nurses and doctors are alright, but some of them treat me like I'm a skid row junkie. I mean here I am a middle aged woman, vomiting in a pan, wearing sungasses at night because headlights, streetlights, and the lights in the hospital are killing my eyes,and then I have to listen to this imbesile tell me how I;m having too many of these headaches, and should see my doctor more often. But I see him every 6 weeks to 2 months, but I can't argue with these people, I'm in too much pain. What are we suppose to do?????
Gail Plunkett <Adagail@webtv.net>
USA - Date: 08/22/98 (Sat) Time: 11:24:49 PM

BACK     INDEX     NEXT