Lifetime of Pain

I have had migraine symptoms as far back as I can remember. They started with the weather, pressure from storm fronts moving in, and the direct sunlight. In high school they became worse and I was told that they were just stress headaches and to work through them. Nothing over the counter ever worked so I just dealt with the pain, primarily by trying to ignore it. By the time I was in my late 20’s early 30’s the pain and symptoms became intolerable.

Being dismissed by doctors

I approached my PCP about it and all I get is “All of your symptoms are in your head, you’re fine.” Ultimately, she was right, but at the time I did not get very far. By my mid 30’s I get a second opinion, the same thing, it is all in my head. Frustrated, I push the symptoms and the 2nd PCP sends me to a neurologist. Because of my symptoms, she thinks that I have MS. After much imaging and blood test, I finally get to see the neurologist (who is an MS specialist) about 6 months later. As I am describing my symptoms to her and as she starts asking questions she was frustrated “because this is a classic presentation of chronic migraines and the PCP should have sent me to a headache specialist.”

Finally receiving a migraine diagnosis

Y'all I was 37 when I was finally diagnosed!!!! It took another year and a half to get to a headache specialist, COVID, but we are beginning to try and figure out a migraine plan by playing with different medications and treatment options for me.