A Cautionary Story of Resilience
Mine has been a long and convoluted journey with migraine. I've been having migraines since I was 10 or 11, but my mom decided that it was just sinus problems and anxiety, giving me antihistamines and aspirin, and told me to suck it up, push through, and to not be lazy.
A strike of lightning made my migraine worse
Then, when I was 14, I got "nipped" by lightning, as in, I was turning the (old-fashioned tube-type) TV "off" just as the lightning hit the 52 ft tall tower with the antenna on top. Well, the TV was fine and not a tube in it showed that we'd been hit (the antenna was another matter!); the reason the TV was fine was because I took it all. Fortunately, I was already turning it off, so I just threw sparks for the next several months. Turns out, it was also slowly doing all sorts of other damage and made my migraines worse.
Finally diagnosed with migraine
I actually (finally) got diagnosed with migraines at age 25 by my optometrist, of all people! He told my mom (who was the one paying) and me that these migraines were triggered by the bright sunlight (and living in the Rocky Mountains means it's even stronger). Back then, the only thing he could do was give me extra dark polarized sunglasses. He couldn't even suggest any doctors that I could see, for (then) non-existent, affordable meds (I was a cash pay, unemployed, college student).
Finally, in my late 30s, I had a PCP that gave me Relpax, and it WORKED! But, because I was so poor, I'd only use it when all-else-failed! But, because I didn't AGGRESSIVELY treat them back then... they've now become a constant companion.
Another diagnosis impacts my treatment
Then, in my early 50s, I was diagnosed with an exceptionally aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), even more aggressive than "regular TNBCs, that are now all considered aggressive. The chemotherapy I received (to kill the cancer and save my life), made my now "normal" constant background migraine a pain level 3-3.5 up from 2.5-3 (oh joy, as if).
In an effort to stop, or at least reduce, the number of days/level of my now constant migraine, my migraine neurologist and I tried one of those then brand new treatments - Aimovig. Of course, the ONLY side effect that the manufacturers claimed there was, was constipation. Yeah, RIGHT! (NOT!)
Chemotherapy and migraine management
A couple of years ago, I found out from my oncologist that if you've had chemotherapy for ANY type of cancer, that ALL the biologics, NOT just the anti-CGRPs, will RANDOMLY react badly and might even try to kill you. After being on it for just 8 months, I wound up in the hospital for 3 days with an A-Fib event. So now I know that I can't have ANY biologics, for anything.
Along with the A-Fib, the Aimovig also left me with lymphedema, tinnitus in my right ear, weight gain of over 50 pounds, 2/3 of my hair falling out, and increased my background migraine to a pain level 3.5-4. Thank you, SO very much!
My current migraine treatment regimen
My current regimen of meds and OTCs is doing great, but it was a long road to get here. I'm using Botox (that lasts for about 8-10 weeks), Naratriptan, Diclofenac Pot (tablets), Diclofenac gel, Lidocaine patches, dry-needling (for neck pain and lower back pain that triggers migraines and also makes me occasionally fall down - leftovers from a car wreck), and OTCs that include Butterbur, Boswellia, and Feverfew (WARNING: Do NOT use Feverfew within 12 hours of using an NSAID! Neither of them will work that way and they each interfere with Platelets.) I also use other OTCs to reduce the total number of migraines of 5 or above.
I also NOW aggressively treat my migraines at the first sign, usually with herbs and OTCs, but if it's one of the ones that I know need the Naratriptan or Diclofenac Pot, they're in the batch of medicines from the get-go!
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