Been There Done That

Dear fellow migraine survivors -

I wish I could have shared this story long ago but the internet wasn't available then. This is my personal perspective and what has happened to me. My mother had migraines. My migraines started when I was 17 back in the 70's. I'm now 59. I live in Ohio where weather is always changing. I've been to the myriad of doctors, headache centers and used prescription meds, over the counter meds and nothing and I mean nothing has ever helped. I've tried the hot/cold, magnets, botox, triptans. In my early years my migraines were triggered by my periods, the weather and stress and very severe. I realized that pulling my hair back caused a migraine, even wearing necklaces. I had a typical "migraine brain" but never realized it. I was married early and I had three boys. I can say that for each pregnancy I did NOT get a headache for each of those 9 months and it was like heaven even though I was carrying around a bowling ball. Probably because it was winter time and my hormone levels were even. Marriage didn't work out - he was more interested in going out and I found myself always having to cancel because of another headache. He was not supportive. I've only called in sick to work a hand full of times. Stupid to work through them but I do. Just take some meds to take the edge off and go in. In the business world the men my age aren't the most supportive. When I get a migraine it lasts for 3 days and then the 4th day I'm exhausted. They are usually triggered now by the weather changes.

I can say that the older I get they are less frequent and less severe. Throughout the years I've just figured out this is my life and there is nothing that can be done about it no matter how many tests, drugs or treatments there are. I stopped going to headache doctors years ago. These headaches are awful.. the pain, the aura, the ringing in my ears, the confusion, and the vertigo are indicators that my quality of life has not been the greatest. I have found that my dogs have helped me cope, people not so much.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully your migraines will get better as time goes by.