Always hopeful

Migraines have been a part of my life for over 50 years. I had always gotten an aura migraine which was usually brought on by hormones or stress. In earlier years there were no migraine medications, so I would just go to bed and sleep it off fairly easily and they weren't very frequent, maybe once a month. Little did I know that in my mid 40's I would develop a different kind of debilitating migraine that I couldn't easily sleep off because it was so painful. I have seen many doctors over the years with no real answers. I have taken my share of triptans over the years, which I believe now add to my frequent migraines and my right leg swells up. I have learned and I am still learning how to just manage them myself with lots of pit falls. I am currently weaning myself off of triptrans and seeing if my migraines will be less frequent. I just go to bed and sleep for two days, with the help of sleep aides because the pain is so horrible I can't sleep without them. I do not take narcotics (they trigger migraines) or any other drugs including NSAIDs. I do believe I have MOH, which is why I am weaning off of triptans. I do take valium to sleep off the migraine. I am so thankful for that drug.

One unfortunate thing is I have hardly any understanding from my husband who has never had a migraine. I am thankful that he doesn't give me a hard time if I sleep for two days, that would just add to my stress. I have finally given up trying to make him understand about all the triggers, etc. He always thinks he has a solution, oh well. I really don't think he believes in migraine triggers, but he won't admit it. His actions show he doesn't. I really try to not talk to him any more about my migraines.

We have a son who has had migraine headaches from birth and developed cluster headaches at age 19 to age 30. This breaks my heart, but many times, after age 19, he told me he contemplated ending his life because the headaches were all day long every day with no relief and so painful. He went to college and worked with these horrendous headaches. I don't know how he did it. No medication worked, and everything else we tried gave him no relief. He had no family support other than from me. My youngest son also suffers from migraines, the aura type and even he couldn't understand his older brother's suffering. One thing I am thankful for is that my two of three sons that is a sufferer does not take narcotics and they try to muscle through the headaches and be strong because ultimately that is about all we can do because we all have tried literally EVERYTHING including Botox.

I am always hopeful for a miracle cure.