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TOO MANY YEARS.........

Finally, I am writing my 'almost' 72 year old story, only Miss Slevin WROTE my story, almost to the "nth"...!

After hesitating, and reading so many other stories for quite some time, mine was a copy of most of them, from one end to the other!

My migraine experiences were too many and like so many other migraineurs....I, too, could write a book.....(with punctuation help) for which I am embarrassed to not do well! (Maybe that is the reason I have taken so long to write "my story"...!). At age 74, I still suffer, even at this very moment.

I recently did something my Primary Physician agreed with, I stopped all other meds that I was taking, just to see if any side effects might be causing the 'break through' migraines that have been unbearable recently, which happen at least two to three times a week or more often. Unbelievably, the 'break throughs' are down to maybe...one a week. I have come to the conclusion, thus far, it could be the Levothyroxine I was taking for slightly low thyroid, headaches are just one side effect of that med, but maybe not too as I have a break through today, possibly caused by some sugared popcorn I had yesterday, sugar could be just one of my "triggers." But I take narcotics also, wish I didn't have to but they are my life saver...for the past 47 years. That is hard to divulge that but they did give me a life. I do know at times I get rebound headaches, a chance I must take!

When I started taking the narcotics back in 1968 I did not know there was a chance of dependency, my doctor took them also since he was a strong migraine sufferer also. He told me to never be without them....I never was.

I started back then with just one or two pills a month...I was employed for 35 years, raised two children, which by the way I had a migraine while delivering both...and have been married 54 years. I have a fully supportive husband, I am so fortunate!!! We met our first year in high school, so he knew way back then about headaches, yet he stuck by me and still does!!! He is wonderful, as I have been sick so much all of my life in so many ways, other than migraines also.

But around year 1998 I began having them more often, it seems after I had broken my left arm. (An innocent accident while roller skating.). I was caregiver over the years to several relatives and friends. The last person was my "soul mate" girlfriend of 25 years, who passed away after a seven year struggle with breast cancer in 2004, I tried so hard to help her to live!!! I went into a depression, probably my seventh or so....those I took care of and watched over we're very close to me.

In 2003 I lost my doctor of 40 years due to bone cancer, another devastation!! What was I to do since over the years the FDA was starting to give us a hard time in getting our pain meds? It took me 3 years to find a doctor who understood headaches, although he called them "headaches", he wasn't sure they were migraines until a few months ago, my husband rushed me to his office while I was having a mild, aura migraine, stroke. I was having difficulty speaking and seeing. I asked him what was wrong with me, he told me...a serious migraine!!!! Since then he has taken action, I will have ANOTHER MRI on my neck and spine, he attended a Pain Clinic recently. I know I have spinal bulges and problem vertebrae....plus had a whip lash in 1973, have a deviated septum, fibromyalgia, trigeminal nerve damage, (I wear a mouth guard nightly) have nerve damage in the arm that was broken, sciatic nerve issues down both legs to my toes, carpel tunnel syndrome-both wrists...plus hereditary migraines....father, grandmother and a second cousin who had Epilepsy. That is a lot stacked up with having body pain and I think a lot of it contributes to my head pain and migraines!!!!

I was told at age 3 I was running around the house screaming and holding my head, all people saying I was a spoiled child! My mother knew different, she would calm me by rocking me in a chair and putting a cold cloth on my forehead, I would either go to sleep, waking up...just fine. Or I would vomit, then go to sleep, waking up just fine! I had a wonderful mother and dad who always took good care of my brother and I. As I got older, my dad would give me soda and water which would make me vomit, then I would go to sleep, waking a few hours later and all was well again!!! They could never figure out what was happening, nor could the doctor...this was back in the '40's. It was a struggle going to school all years, even had a migraine on my graduation night! I missed proms, cancelled boyfriend dates and different extra curricular activities and if I did go to whatever...I always had to go home early, with a sick headache, as we used to call them. I don't remember when headaches began to be called "migraines!".

There are so more incidents that I could write about re: migraines, but I know anyone on migraine.com has a lot to say too. I do not know how I survived all the pain in so many years except I did have those who supported me.....! I now have to have Cateracts removed, I am very frightened as all my migraines are in the eyes, feels like I have a "boulder"in the eye that is paining at the time. Actually, the whole side of my body is in pain that the migraine is on in my eye....not one spot on that side is without pain. I feel it is spine related. But between insurance companies and Neurologists who are unbelieving a person can have so many things wrong with them, possibly stemming from migraines....not many believe my complaints.
I went to two Pain Specialists who loaded me up with so much pain meds I did not think I would be able to quit all of it...but I did!!! I am now just on one, the same one I started on in 1968...it still works for me but I fight to keep it under control. I have had two surgeries within the past two years, been to the ER for migraines several times over the past few years....still they continue!!

At 74 years old, it is not easy, as the older one gets, the more pain that "pops" up here and there every day. I try to walk a lot, keep active with my little dog, and keep my house going with the help of my husband...don't know what I would do without him. AND migraine.com has been a Godsend! I have been on the Internet for years, asking Medical sites why we couldn't get help? Finally BIG things are happening and migraines are NOT JUST HEADACHES! Thanks to all who have pushed for help....and it was wonderful to join AHMA!!! And I pray for those younger ones coming behind me.. there will eventually be a cure, or at least, IMMEDIATE help when a migraine begins, so suffering will be much less than we experience today. Thank you...migraine.com

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