Don't Give Up

I have had migraine headaches since I was eight years old, being thirty four now you can say I have had migraines for so long I can't remember a time without them. I have seen many doctors over the years, each would tell me that I needed to try a special diet, eliminate stress, change my life style, take over the counter medications. They simply did not understand the number of migraines that I was getting and that taking over the counter medications as much as I was simply was not healthy, I would seek doctor after doctor and each doctor would look at me and write it off me looking for pain pills (believe me I have enough medicine to take with asthma and allergy issues I don't need to add on more Rx meds if I don't have to). I finally had a doctor that said I should try Imitrex which did nothing and then Relpax.

I still had no real relief but the doctor had me taking basically handfuls of over the counter medicines and finally he had the insight to give me the referral to a neurologist specializing in migraines. I had the blood tests, MRI tests, and other basic tests, and found that yes I have chronic migraines, they do run in my family but with some daily medications and some adjustments I have found some medicines that help.

I have also gotten rid of many of the lightbulbs that have the flicker rates that cause headaches, started working in a new office that has more natural light so I don't need to work under artifical light all day, and have been more careful in my diet. I have to say that I still get migraines but with a doctor that is helpful I am seeing the light, also this website and having people that understand what it is like to have migraines it is very helpful.

I do find the triggers that I experience most often are the ones I can't prepare for, I work in an environment with many workers and when I pass by someone they may have a really strong perfume on and bam I end up getting a strong migraine, sometimes the people are nice and they will avoid wearing the perfume other times I am able to stay away from that area. I also work two jobs and find if I am not careful I can work myself too hard and not eat and end up getting a migraine from being too hungry, tired, and dehydrated, it is important to make sure you take care of yourself on a daily basis even if you are busy otherwise you run yourself down.

I also noticed that if I am lax on making sure I get my eye exam every year I end up getting more migraines. Eye strain sometimes ends up causing some of my migraines. This might be because I work in front of a computer most of the day and my eyes are put to the test most of the time.

I wanted to pass this on to anyone who might have children who have migraines... I had migraines as a child and this is something that I always cherished. When I had migraines and "hibernated" in my room for hours or days I always came out and would realize that life had gone on without me and as a child that is sometimes hard to understand. As a parent it is great when you can go out of your way to make sure you spend some time and do something special once the migraine is over to do something special with your child to make sure they don't feel left out....