Lifelong Migraines

I am 62 years old, have had migraines since I was 11 years old. They were called all sorts of things back then: tired eyes, hormonal, allergies, sleeping too much, sleeping too little, and on and on. In my 20s the word "migraine" came to be. I enjoyed wonderful migraine-free months with each pregnancy! So hormones did play a part. Various doctors prescribed meds; friends suggested home-grown herbs or other fixes (putting hands in ice water while putting feet in hot water!) In the 90s, sumatriptan came on the market Yay! although the first few years it was injected and packed a crazy punch - both at the injection site and then this sensation that the top of my head was coming off! And it was expensive so I waited until the headache was full blown before I took the med. And as we know that never works. I have been in several emergency rooms over the years and been treated with narcotics, morphine drips! I held out hope that once I hit menopause they would go away...they didn't. I know my triggers and do my best to avoid them: food, food additives, smells, sleep patterns. I can't control the weather and this year that seems to cause the most...and I have had too many headaches, both ocular and 'regular' migraines. I have been reading alot about the new tens unit from Cefaly that looks like a WonderWoman headband that delivers pulses through electrodes on the head. I just received it this week and tried it yesterday. The headband isn't for use with a headache but rather a preventative or a 'lessening' of the attack. You wear it for 20 minutes a day. So I will report back as to how this works. Supposedly no side effects, other than getting used to the impulses. I have been averaging 15+ days a month this year with a migraine. Who talks 'regular' headaches? The ones that people say they take Tylenol for? I wish! I am keeping a diary and will let you all know.

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