Who Would I be Without Them?

Hello, Vic here. I have suffered from migraine from the age of 13 or so. They had been so frequent that 50% of my waking time up until January this year was spent with one. I did high school with them, I did my BSc with them, I do my job with them. This year the frequency has increased. I have had them every day now for 6 months.

They were not properly diagnosed until this year despite frequently visiting doctors for the last 12 years to ask for help. They often said take paracetemol. Painkillers do not work, nor does sleep or special diets. Triptans are my only relief, but I can only use a maximum of one a week and even then they only relieve the pain- leaving me in a zombie fuge state. When I asked for a referral I was dissuaded. This time I insisted. The neurologist said, "you have classic migraine. Keep trying the drugs." So I continue along the list of medications. None have had any positive effect so far. I must be on the 20th by now.

I am currently working hard on sleeping well, eating well and improving my posture. I exercise a lot but at a height of 187cm, there are of course slight postural issues I can improve.I study massage at present and so get regular massage myself. It is always nice but the relief does not last.

I suspect that although I feel like a laid-back person, my migraines are stress-induced. My greatest stress is migraine. Fantastic.

My partner used to suffer migraine at a similar frequency until he discovered he was wheat-intolerant. He has maybe one a month now. I hope and wish and long for a similar release.

I get very low sometimes.

Almost nobody knows this as, despite this massively self-pitying story, I am a very positive and contented person in public. I try to live the feline life and take pleasure from the simple things: friends, food, sleep, nature, sensations.

Migraine: who would I be without you?

Thanks for reading,

Vic x