43 years and counting...
I have experienced what has been diagnosed as severe classical migraines since the age of 14; the headaches have controlled a good portion of my life for the last 43 years through High School, College, marriage and being a newlywed, wife to a great husband and mother to two beautiful children.
They come on with unrelenting frequency and violent throbbing ; vomiting until there is nothing left but dry heaves and green bile... they have been a part of my most utterly devastating days such as cancer, or the deaths and funerals of dearly loved family members, and they have insidiously snuck into my most joyous family occasions such as wonderful holidays or weddings or even the births of our precious grandbabies.....migraines have sought to ruin the most special times of my life and for many years and through many drs I felt that I was partially "responsible" for "letting the stress of the situation get to me" thus causing my horendous monster migraines....I just "have a feeling" that I am going to have a headache...it begins on one side on my head and then into my eye, throbbing so hard that I feel that my eye will jump from it's socke.
I have found that an ice pack, an Imitrex and a dark room will help alot but for many years before the MIRACLE of Triptans, I made myself sick with tylenol #3, and all of the other meds that my Drs and I tried in vain to use....If the Imitrex does not work after using the max of 2 in 24 hrs, I have learned not to wait but go in to the ER for an injection of Demerol/Visteral.
My Dr does not give narcotic injs in his office so it is necessary to go to the ER but it is worth it because a quick shot will take care of the vomiting and the headache and will most times give me quick relief from the pain. At this point I am finding it necessary to go for a shot about once every month - 6 weeks. This is much better than it used to be as there were times over the years that I was having an injection 2-4 times a month and sometimes more than one shot per headache and even a few times of 2-4 days in the hospital because of migraine pain/vomiting that was uncontrollable. At this point, I take preventative meds daily (Topomax) and I also have supplemented my nutrition and have been able to reduce the frequency of my migraines from 18-20 per month to 1-5. I have 5 siblings and all have severe migraines, grandmother and mother did and my son and daughter have since childhood...
I continue to pray for a cure or a miracle or some sort........
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