I Am A Migraineur

Hello. My name is Charlotte and I am a migraineur and have been for 63 years. I have tried every medication, every type of therapy, every holistic pill, every diet, everything designated for migraine sufferers and I can't get this monkey off my back. Some of the things I have tried give me relief in the beginning but not for long.

My journey started at the age of 13 when I suffered my first migraine with my period and every month for the next 41 years except for pregnancies. I'd suffer with head pain for the first two days and then it would subside until my last day when it would reappear. It wasn't until much later I found out I had hormonal migraines. My OB/GYN gave me a prescription for feuranal and said I also suffered from abdominal migraines. This was 30 years after my first attack when I discovered the name for my monthly affliction.

After menopause, I was given a prescription for elavil for fibromyalgia which kept them at bay for a few years but not eradicated. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis a few years later and then the fun began. I went off the elavil when I started taking synthroid and I, who had never experienced aura, was in the hospital twice because I was having vision problems--the wavy lines, the shooting stars, the inability to focus. Finally I was diagnosed with an ocular migraine. Then the fun began. I suffered constant vertigo, numbness of the left side of my body plus the vision problems. The endocronolgist insisted my migraines had nothing to do with my disease and shut me down every time I tried to ask for help. I've since learned that migraines are co-morbid for Hashimoto's. I longed for the hormonal days when all I had was the pain and I could keep it at bay with anacin or my OB/GYN's prescription. At least I could function someway, somehow, somewhat but daily vertigo, numbness, abdominal migraines and vision problems made me a shut-in. At least when my husband was alive, I could lean on him and he could do the driving to my numerous doctor,acupuncture, holistic,and therapy appointments but my husband died at the end of last year and I'm all alone left to try to function as best I can under the most trying times.

This year I have tried physical therapy, Inderal and homeopathic migraine relief plus counseling. The Inderal caused major hair loss so now I'm wearing a wig which is a major headache. The counselor claims I'm giving them to myself because I didn't receive nurturing as a child. Actually, I get some relief from the homeopathic pills but there is no relief for the abdominal migraines. There is no happy ending here and I think it's safe to say there never will be.