Life on The Island

After one too many ridiculous sessions with my neurologist, I gave him the boot and went on strike from prescription medication. In the face of constant migraines I stopped taking Zomig, which had never helped but had caused me to be irrational and irritable. I decided if the Excedrin Migraine & Aleve combo didn’t help me then I would just be stuck. There were many days on which I was just that, and my ability to work became sporadic.

About 4 years into this to commitment to abstain from prescription meds, I met a migraine I couldn’t shake. I went 2 weeks without being functional before I tearfully showed up to an ER. The physician was fantastic. She was attentive to my mumbled requests and broke that migraine cycle. She recommended Botox or acupuncture since my migraines were so frequent and I was opposed to the usual drug treatments.

I had great results with my first round of Botox and okay results with a different physician and different placement the next time around. Then my family and I moved to The Island.

Up until then I had only suspected rainy weather had an impact on my migraines but after just a few months on the island, I was able to verify that was indeed true. I felt every single storm system 72 hours out as a migraine and to my absolute horror, the tiny island had only two seasons: rainy season and less rainy season. I had been looking forward to living the beach life but ended up cowering inside of my house just blocks away from the sand.

My new health insurance did not approve the Botox treatment and the neurologist (the only one on the island) had no clue how to administer Botox anyway. He did his best by prescribing Topomax for prevention and Imitrex and Zofran for abortive treatment. My poor quality of life convinced me to try the medications.

It is more than 2 years later and rainy season again. I have tried many preventive meds (some for the second time), paid for Botox out of pocket, and used Imitrex religiously. Insurance covers 18 pills per month and my script is for use up to 4 times per day. My migraines are chronic and no matter what, 18 pills fail to cover an entire month of daily migraines. I gave up working nearly a year ago and I see a disability application in my future.

I love the sound of falling rain and even the gentle rumble of thunder, but I dread another rainy season. It feels as if half my head may explode and even if it doesn’t, my shiny positive perspective has finally begun to tarnish.

But I haven’t yet had B12 injections and that seems worth a try. Although not covered by my insurance, I ordered the Cefaly with a script from my neuro and I’m praying it works. In the meantime, I will move off of The Island in less than 6 months and I am clinging to faith and hope. I have faith that my migraines will get better and hope that one of these treatments will be the reason why. All it takes is one.