Powertronn, Hi, bare with me, this is the first time on the message board. I read your message and thought I'd share some things I've experience in my 30 years of migraines. I saw that you asked if migraines are forever. I guess some people would dispute my answer, but my neuroligist told me there was a chance I'd grow out of them the same as I grew into them. They came out of nowhere. I have a very bad case of migraines. I have classic migraines that can lead to 3 days of severe, horrible, horrible pain (sometimes landed me in the ER, if I get dehyrated). I also have cluster migraines. The pain is worse, but don't last as long and the headaches go in and out. Just as you think you are ok, BAM, there comes another one. I had a job (administravie assistant) up until 6 years ago, barely able to hold onto it, because no one understood my headaches. When I'd return to work, I looked normal, just really tierd. If I'd gone in with my arm in sling, then they would understand. It's like the public needs to see something wrong with you. I'm on disablility now (I live in the USA). I hate being disabled, but it's so much nicer now if I get sick, I am home and I don't have to explain to my boss. Like I said, no one understands the headaches so it is hard for them to understand what you going through. It has cost me almost all of my friendships. My husband gets "mad" when I'm sick, not mad at me, but mad because they cannot find the exact cause. I've been to several Speciality Migraine Clinics here in the US (even Chicago Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, I stayed three weeks). I didn't get any good results. They put me on MAO Inhibitors, and that was horrible, I won't ever take those again. Migraines are different to a degree on each person. Food is a big migraine trigger, you have to figure out what you can and can't eat. MSG is in almost all canned and boxed foods. That's a big NO NO for most sufferers. I found out that bananas and oranges can be in the bad category too. Thing is, most of the time you can have the so called bad migraine foods, but in small amounts. For instance I love pizza, but can only get away with one slice. If you do a search for foods bad for migraine sufferers, I'm sure you can find all of them. That doesn't mean they are bad for you, just some of them. You pretty much have to test yourself. Some people go to an alergy doctor too. I've also gone to a hyptomist (he helped me some, he could take me from a "9" migraine (one being the smallest migraine and 10 being the largest) and get me down to a 3. It made me feel like I'd been running all day. It drained me and I'd have to sit around the rest of the day. I want to try acupuncture. I've made several appointments, but would get sick and couldn't take myself. I've heard good things about
them. My doctor recommends it, my physical therepist, and I read a lot about
it on the internet. My biggest enemy is light. I can't be around any kind of flashing light, for instance candles, I had to get rid of. Even something small as someone lighting up a cigerette. I don't smoke, my doctor said it was bad for migraines. Smells are beginning to trigger a lot of migraines, especially heavy perfume other people have on. I had to quit wearing it, and I miss it. I do get
very depressed with the migraines. I don't want to spend my life like this any longer, so I can understand the depression. My neurolist says migraines and depression go hand in hand. I use Imitrex for my migraines. Currently I'm not taking any preventive meds, trying to rest my body. I've been reading up on Topimax and I believe it would be a good preventive medicine. It doesn't have a lot of side effects. The best side effect, is no weight gain, or so it says. A lot of the prevention medicines have so many side effects, it's not worth it in alot of cases. I gained alot of weight on Inderal and then again when I took Calan (prevention). I lost the weight, but it was hard. I recently tried physical therepy. I believe they could have helped me more if I could have made more of my appointments. I get a WHOLE lot of tension in my neck, sometimes running down my right arm. If I get the migraine with the horrible tention mixed with it, I can forget about
taking Imitrex to get me out of it, because the tention (or muscle spasms, some people call it) has to subside or taking the imitrex is a waste. Imitrex is not for everyone. It can be hard on your heart. I have migraines daily, which is rare. I am constantly fighting them. Ice packs help me a lot. The physical Therapy place carries good ice bags (nice size), so if you need to get ice packs, that's the place to go. I go no where without taking an eyepatch for my eye, my headaches end up 98% in my right eye. I also have things that are made of wood. this little animal like thing with legs and balls as paws. I have to sleep on wood at night most of the time, to hold in a tension point (very hard to explain). But if I don't sleep on it, it's important to go to sleep, because it take 2 or 3 points off of a "9" or "10" migraine. Don't give up on your migraines, alway keep researching and depend on yourself more, not the doctors. Doctors are wonderful, but they do not entirely understand your "unique" problems. I know from having depression, you cannot ignore it. Stay on the internet, finding the right "recepe" for you. Trust me, I'm still looking. I rarely get on here, because I am sick so much. Not sure how I ended up here and saw your message, but I hope I could help some. I know I said alot, and maybe not the right thing, but if I failed to answer anything tht you are wondering, feel free to write me back. I've noticed I've become less social to, so you really have to push yourself. Buy you sunglasses that wrap around to keep the sun out of the sides of your eyes. It's small things that help. I'm sorry for your suffering and if I can help, please let me know. God bless.
