Long time sufferer

Here's my story! When I was 12 I started with classic migraines. No one knew what they were and I was hospitalized for three days to run tests. Finally an old time general practioner said he knew what it was. I am now 58 and have suffered with migraines since I was 12. In high school I had 6-8 severe from July to November. I went to several doctors but they told me it was my nerves. Multiple people in my family had migraines so I had grown up with an awareness of them. The kind I got was different though! I often felt like everyone thought I caused them! In my late 30's my migraines came all year long and I had difficulty talking and processing in addition to right side numbness and visual blind spots. I usually lost feeling in half my face, and right arm. I went to a neurologist at that point and have seen one pretty much since. I work through the ones I can, take fiorinal and put bags of ice on my head and neck. I take propanerol daily but can't take any of the sumatriptan due to side effects. I have done Botox, lidocaine injections, physical therapy, a mindfullness program, allergy shots and the migraine diet. While I work at treatment I understand it is what it is and I function. I dislike people telling me "It must be stress" or their friend found a "solution" or "oh you have one of those again!?". The absolute worst thing to hear is" wow, I can't remember the last time I had a headache, why don't you drink more water??" Most of my relatives have migraines and my husband and his family has them too! Everyone"s migraines are different, their treatment is different and what they need to function is different. I do find that I hide as many as I can because others get frustrated with it. Ever two weeks I get a three day migraine, I get classic migraines in waves maybe three a month and then I skip a month, I get daily headaches which I'm not sure if it's allergies, neck problems or what. All in all I truely understand the effects of migraines on a person's life, their job, and their family. I can't even imagine what my life would have been like without migraines! I do recognize that others deal with far worse so I am thankful for what I do have; a very supportive husband and children, a great neurologist and an understanding employer.