Bursting Water Balloons and Fireworks?

I have suffered from bad headaches since I was in elementary school. My parents and doctors attributed my headaches to not wearing my glasses as a kid.

Receiving an official migraine diagnosis

After I had my second child, I was officially diagnosed with migraine. My left eye felt like it was made of a water balloon ready to burst. The entire left side of my face starts throbbing and pulsing. I can feel my heartbeat in my eye. A day or two before the actual pain starts, I become very sleepy and drop things. Sometimes my words get mixed up and I have little to no ability to concentrate. I feel exhausted.

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My migraine symptoms

Within about 24-48 hours, my eye feels like an arrow or hot poker is piercing the back and front of my eye. Sometimes I can't open my eye, sometimes I get gold diamonds or fireworks flashing in my eye. I have to immediately lie down, in a dark, cool room with little sound. I am nauseated by smells. I have had to put ice packs on my eye for relief. The actual headache goes away after a day or so, but then I have severe "hangover" symptoms (dry mouth, no concentration, nausea, brain fog, etc).

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