Anyone Have MILD Migraines??
Even though I was diagnosed with migraines upon menarche, I remembered disagreeing with my pediatrician since I knew what migraines looked like, because my mother is a sufferer, and I just never felt that bad. My mom's headaches were debilitating for her while mine were just a constant irritating nuisance. I know that I don't have to have all of the signs and symptoms in order to have migraines, but I'm not light sensitive or noise sensitive. There's no aura, weakness, or vomitting or severe pain. I usually just have between 1 and 4 headaches a month that last for three days. They are usually triggered by lack of sleep, menstruation, and certain smells and are accompanied by nausea. The only things that makes it worse are sudden movements and certain smells. And although I'm a bit more irritable and have a harder time concentrating because of the pain, I'm still able to go about my day to day business without the aid of medication (not like any of it gets rid of the headache anyway.) So if I do suffer from migraines I feel like I have a very mild version of it. Can anyone else relate?
Hi Keylew,
I'm sorry your mom has a difficult time with migraine. However, not everyone gets debilitating, extreme attacks. I don't experience aura or weakness but have migraine. I know many people with migraine who carry on with their day because they have too. They've adapted to their pain. From the symptoms you've described and triggers you mentioned (irregular sleeping patterns, menstruation, sensitivity to odors https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-sensitivity-odors/) it sounds like migraine. But I'm not a medical professional, and good to hear you already have a diagnosis.
We really don't like to see migraine pain last longer than 72 hours because it can increase our risk of stroke and something called status migrainous. Here is information on this; https://migraine.com/blog/what-is-status-migrainosus/.
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, staying hydrated and trying to avoid sudden movements and odors can help reduce migraine frequency. However, we can't avoid fluctuating hormones. Frova, a triptan developed to stop the migraine process, can be used to help prevent attacks triggered by menses. Let me share that information with you; https://migraine.com/blog/short-term-option-for-migraine-prevention-frova/.
I hope that helps,
NancyI have mild migraines then the migraine with aura which causes incapacitating mega pain beyond belief. For the tolerable migraines I just found that I need to take my meds and not try to avoid doing so out of fear I am taking to much meds. The mild migraine is painful but more like a constant drone type pain right between the eyes usually.
I have mild migraines for the most part. Pre-menopause I would get a bad one with vomiting etc about once a year. The headaches have lessened with menopause. Recently I have been getting auras with no headaches- just feel wiped out afterwards. I also get headaches that last 1-4 days- low grade pain but constant that I think are migraine related.
I think it's got to 10years or so now that I've been 'chronic'. I'm envious of women who tell me their migraines lessen after menopause: mine don't look like they will, and my menopause doesn't seem to want to start!
I started yesterday with a milder 'head' that didn't really blossom into much. I had to work, and luckily it was a day without constant interruptions and resetting of task priorities. So my mental noise was quieter, my visual gaze was more constant, and I could vary tasks for ergonomic breaks. I need to remember this, and find a way to build it into my regular work routine.
But the evening wasn't like this, so it swelled a bit. And when I went to bed, although dog-tired and keeping to my good routine, the night migraine started.
Don't you hate the sleep palpitations?? The waves of sweat and non-stop thoughts that fall over themselves creating the mounting panic that solidifies the tension in your scalp? The way your comforting cool bedlinen magically turns to diamond-encrusted sandpaper lacerating every pressure point it touches? And how you KNOW if you don't deal with this now, in the next five minutes, you just won't sleep for 3 days, but if you get up, the meds mightn't work and mightn't get any sleep anyway? I resisted for what felt like 30 minutes but was probably only 2, then got up, tried a patch and sat on the couch for an hour.
The problem for me is that after a day and night like this, my first-reading blood glucose level is way too high. And it's the stress hormones that do it. But my family doc doesn't want to accept that and says I'm prediabetic (the dietician says it the stress and chronic pain).
