Husband With Chronic Migraines...new to this journey

Hi @IdahoMartha, at the risk of sounding like a corny old scary movie - all are welcome! We love seeing care partners here because we know our members have great support. And I'd like to assure you that we're here to support you as well.

I wanted to share lists of articles on Intractable migraine, and on some of the devices and tools members use, while you're waiting for feedback from the community.

Chronic Intractable Migraine - https://migraine.com/search?s=chronic%20intractable
Devices - https://migraine.com/search?s=devices
Cefaly - https://migraine.com/search?s=cefaly

I hope that helps a bit! - Warmly, Donna (team member)

Hi, Martha. So glad you two have found us. It's not an easy road, and I'm so glad to hear you are being such an advocate for Tracy. You also seem pretty knowledgeable about migraine treatments so far! I have some questions that may help us get a better sense of where to direct you. We can't give medical advice, but we can offer options that you may not have considered yet.

Has he had a full medical workup done to rule out other conditions that may be present? What kind of doctor are you working with? We are big believers in board-certified migraine or headache specialists. Neurologists are great doctors, BUT they often treat a wide range of conditions and so may not be super well-educated about migraine specifically. A migraine specialist, on the other hand, has had focused education. There are also headache clinics that can do outpatient or inpatient work, and some doctors may offer telehealth consults if you can't get to them. Here's a directory of headache specialists in the US:

https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/find-a-doctor/

Other things I'm thinking about: People in high stress situations can develop migraine. There can also be dietary components. It's a great idea to keep a headache journal if you can, even if he's chronic -- do pain levels fluctuate? Are there cycles you can discover? Any warning signs like yawning, auras (as you mentioned) or irritability? All of those things could help paint a clearer picture for your team.

Lastly, there is still hope. The trouble with migraine is that there are dozens of treatments, medications, devices, supplements, etc -- and you need to find the right combination for Tracy's unique situation. People with migraine have very individual experiences and treatment regimens, Just because something worked for someone here doesn't mean it'll work for him ... but something that many find ineffective could be a part of his routine with great results. It takes tremendous perseverance, but the vast majority of folks here have found at least one thing that helps at least a little!

I know that's a lot to digest, so I'll stop here. Know that we are here for both of you on this journey. Ask a million questions and vent as needed. Take good care of yourself too, Martha! -Melissa, migraine.com team

Hi Melissa,


Thank you for the response. Tracy is actually seeing the only headache clinic in the state of Idaho. We are very lucky to be seeing the best doctor for migraine and he is just down the street from our house. This is helpful; it is also hard to get into him. It's hard to get into any doctor these days.


We have been able to recognize cycles and differing levels of pain through his cycles. He is still finding new triggers and we are taking notes.


Thanks for holding out hope for us. Tracy works really hard at keeping hope. You are right; there are so many different treatments and things to try. It's all so overwhelming and a bit frustrating. Thankfully, his doctor doesn't mess around with things and moves through the different treatments pretty quickly (well at least in regard to number of visits, not actual calendar days which seem too long between visits). Just a couple of more days until his 2nd botox shot and hopefully it works more than the couple of hours the first one did.


Martha

Hi Melissa. The results from the 2nd shot were that the day after he had a good day with no pain and no migraine symptoms. He was at his baseline of a 1 or a 2. But today he has one of those migraines without pain and not feeling so great. The doctor did approve of the Cefaly device saying it was a good time since nothing has seemed to work thus far. We only get to see the doctor every 3 months. He said that if the botox didn't work, contact him in 6 weeks and he will try a new preventive shot (if insurance will cover it). He told Tracy that we still have lots more to try, but it comes down to insurance...which kills me. In the mean time, Tracy's short term disability will turn into long term disability. AFter he talked to his bosses, he had to create a response email that said he is out for 3 months and to contact his boss. He had to remove himself for chat channels and decline all meeting requests. This about killed him. It felt like the nail in the coffin. He has been very depressed since the doctor's appointment. Hopefully he will find some peace with what is going on soon. We have also found a friend to come over and hang with him while I get out for "me" time. This helps his spirits too. I just can't be everything to him... his whole social network and care taker and wife and mom AND care for my elderly mom who was just in the hospital. So I'm grateful to my friend who shares the same interests as my husband who can come over and watch tv or work on the 3d printer or just sit and be quiet with him...all depending on his head.