My Pain Meds Don't Work As Well

I have had migraines for about 40 years. At first, they were only once a year, then they were a couple of times a year, then once a month, then several times a month, then several times a week, and then every day.

Starting aimovig for migraine

I went on Aimovig which is a monoclonal antibody and after a few months it kicked in and I had a year without a migraine. But then they started coming back and I eventually switched to Emgality which is not working. At this point, I am getting migraines every day and take triptans every day. I don't like doing this because I could be getting rebound headaches but I can only take so much pain. I do lie down but that gets painful after a while. I also take Tramadol when the pain gets to be too much. I might take that once a week. I'd like to take it more often but I don't want to get addicted or have it not work as well.

Depression and mental health

It's interesting reading the articles on depression because I have just started seeing a therapist because it is so discouraging having these migraines. I can see that depression is a common side effect of migraines as is anxiety. And all the stuff about feeling you can't plan anything ahead of time really resonates with me.

Staying active

I am retired so it doesn't impact my work. My husband and friends understand about my migraines and are very supportive. I do take part in a number of activities such as watercolor, sewing, biking, and bridge and generally have a very good life. During the pandemic, I have used Zoom calls more and I find they really aggravate my head and cause a migraine. I have also started using a nebulizer for a lung condition and I find that the noise of the nebulizer and then the necessary hard coughing afterward can bring on a migraine.

Good days and bad days

The good part is that eventually I have a good day and although it may not be migraine-free, I can take the migraine medicine and the pain goes away and I'm on my way to regular life. I just tell myself that when I have a good day I am going to go out and see friends or work on some projects around the house or go shopping. That way I have some good times even though when I have a bad migraine I despair. It's kind of like a teeter-totter kind of life.