Wellness

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@Carolm 

Thank you for sharing your migraine time line.  I'm really happy for you that things have tapered over time.  Imitrex is a wonderful rescue drug.  I use it just about daily and sometimes 2x/day..

My hope for you is that at some point your migraines will simply "burn out," leaving you, finally, in peace.

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Thank you for sharing, beach-mom.  Sounds as though you've really been through the ringer, as well.  I was involved in physician education in the last position I had prior to retirement which is when my migraines really ramped it.  Not fun.  It still seems as though research lags in this area.  Yes, several treatments have been released in the last 2-3 years, but I cannot take any of them and Botox is out for me, as it worked for a good 2 years, then stopped working.

Though I'm unable to relate to the vicious migraine you had that one day in class, with an inability to recall (fuzzy brain syndrome), I had a weird what must have been aura, which I never have.  It was December and I was driving home at 10:30 at night, after having just performed a Christmas concert.  Still in my green velvet dress, I was driving for home on a 4 lane street, when I went blind!  Yup - blind.  In about 20 seconds, my vision improved in just the center so I could see just a tic of the red rear light of the car in front of me.  What a blessing.  I took my pulse, checked my breathing and heart and was convinced I was not having a stroke.  So...I just drove really, really slow right behind that car in front of me, praying it would not turn.  Then I wondered how I was going to tell where my turnoff would be to my street.  I prayed more.  We drove more and more, farther and farther.  Then finally the street started to rise and I knew we were getting near my street when all of a sudden - BAM - my vision returned.  I cannot tell you how grateful I was!  30 minutes later I had one of the biggest spikes of my chronic migraine ever.

Such is the life we live with migraine.  It is indeed life changing, as evidenced by the events you found it unable to attend, due to this curse, for this is what I deem it - a darn curse.

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@Mz iMac 

Thank you so much for sharing how migraine developed for you and what your status is at present.  I'm so glad to hear that things have tapered off for you and that the Imitrex nasal spray works well.  I use it as well, mostly daily and sometimes x2/day. 

Hoping things continue on the same road and that you remain relatively headache free.

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@patbz 

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your friend.

Yes, I'm aware of pathologies which can exist.  As a matter of face, all with migraine, especially females, will be more prone to stroke.  I have a CT coming up, which was delayed, so will find out of anything suspicious, to which you allude, may exist.

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@ItsME 

You paint a complex migraine picture.  It's surely a challenge living with migraine and trying to not only figure out triggers, but then, especially with the food or additive ones, trying to eat around them!

So glad to hear that though you cannot tolerate Imitrex, you're able to find relief from Maxalt and it does the trick for you. 

Honestly, I do know some of the triggers (perhaps 50%); however, the other 50% of the time, I have no clue why I'm having a migraine and/or why it's on my left side or my right parietal or my right forehead or all 3 at one time.  This complex of 3 different areas of migraine has just developed in the last 2 years and become literally "living on Imitrex" is ludicrous.  The left side, which includes my left face, I've had since July of '84.

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@NEvans2 

Now that's just the hardest road of all, I think.  To have migraine, have it subside, leave, then return with a vengeance.  As we'd say as kids, "Not fair."  So glad you're able to find relief with Imitrex.  Don't know what I'd do without it.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey.

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@Xivambala 

Thank you for sharing you history of migraine.  I can relate to much of what you said, though mine did not start at a teen, I did end up in the hospital for a week with my first one, quite unconscious.  When I awoke the Chief of Neuro told me they thought I had had a stroke, but the scans ruled that out.  This physician told me I had broken all records in her long a storied career for the worst migraine she had ever seen.

I'm sure, by your description that you and I have had some of the worst, for sure, and I'm very sorry to hear that.

I hope there is a medication or medications you are able to take when a migraine is coming on.  I wish I could take those super Excedrin pills full of caffeine, as many folks seems to really achieve good results with those.  I had 2 Petty Officer assistants in the Navy, both of whom took those special Excedrin with excellent results.  However, I have a heart issue, so caffeine is out.

Take care of yourself through these daily stresses.  My job was so stressful that I'm finding in retirement a great deal of peace and calm, including at this time.  I also went through the very, very nasty pandemic of '68-'69, so I remain at ease.

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@CAcableGirl2 

Oh my goodness - wish a Coke would work for me.  So glad you struck upon that remedy.  How fortunate you are/were.

But, I'll tell you a secret.  When I've had a bad, I mean a really bad, run on spikes of my chronic migraine and nothing will quell the pain, my husband goes to the bakery in the market and brings home one of those quarter sheet birthday cakes.  I cut a piece maybe 2"x3" and maybe 10 minutes after I eat it, my headache is better.  Now go figure.  Yes, in years past I've been prone to hypoglycemia, not connected in any way with diabetes.  So we, meaning docs and me, cannot figure this out.  But...it works maybe 75% of the time, when the Imitrex fails to do so.

[catter70]

I started with migraines when I wass about 15. I think they pretty much went away when I was 48. I tried Imitrex but the cost was more than I could afford at that time.Plus, I had trouble injecting myself. 

[LindaSal]

@beach-mom  Wow, my life of migraines is almost identical to yours!    Though I now get them way less frequently (thankfully) than I used to.  My mom had migraines and my adult kids suffer from them too.  They can be dreadful!