I've had headaches since I was "too young to have headaches" according to the old country doctor when I was 5 or 6.
As a child, before I was 5-6, I also had at least one severe concussion (unconscious, seizures, etc) and during childhood I fairly regularly would get concussions from overexhuberance and/or klutziness. I'd say I probably had 8 concussions before I was 18. My last concussion was a fall from a horse that cracked my helmet in 3-4 spots, dislocated my shoulder, bruised by coccyx, and left me with nasty cuts & bruises almost 2 years ago. Apparently I will never learn how to keep this head of mine from making sudden impact with hard/immovable objects. This last concussion seems to have accelerated the downward spiral of my life into migraine hell. So I wonder if it's a cause or if it's just coincidence.
I have also been lucky enough to have been diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 years old while 20 weeks pregnant. I did chemo while pregnant, delivered a healthy baby girl, and did more chemo. The gift of cancer is one that sometimes keeps giving... Mine has gifted me with chemo-induced neuropathy, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome from both vascular and neurological aspects, surgical menopause at age 30 with no hope of hormonal--not even plant hormone supplements--relief, other symptoms of nerve damage, and anxiety. Since cancer (treatment) gifted me with so many hellacious things, is it possible that this is a cause of my descent into migraine hell or just more coincidence.
Apparently my genes hate me too (and I'm not just talking about skinny jeans that only seem to emphasis my ever increasing rear end) because my breast cancer was 'caused' by a genetic mutation of BRCA1. Before my cancer, I also was diagnosed with a mutation of the gene MFTHR responsible for b-vitamin conversion/uptake and heavy metal elimination among other things. This mutation is also responsible for 4 of my unborn children being in God's arms instead of mine. I have a strong suspicion that I also have a mutation of the gene CD6 (something or other) that is responsible for normal metabolization of medications including pain medications, anti-depressants, and a whole other host of medications--many of which are used either as preventatives or abortives for migraines. This gene (and others like it) are also responsible for other sometimes seemingly random things. From what I've read there are several migraine 'genes' too. So since, my genes are out to get me one way or another, is it this genetic funk that is a 'cause' of my permanent residence in migraine hell?
I know that it is unlikely that anyone else would have the 'luck' to have the collection of possible causes as me. However, I was wondering if anyone else had any insights and/or knowledge of even just one of the 'causes' above.