I Will Not Give up Hope

By wao618

2 min read

I have been an athlete my entire life - competitive swimmer, figure skater, runner, triathlete, rock climber and have taught all sorts of classes from spinning to aqua classes. When I was 30 (18 years ago), I was diagnosed with migraine. At that time, they would only hit me every few months and I would take a Ketorolac pill and it would go away. Eventually the migraines became more frequent and the Ketorolac stopped working. In time, all abortive migraine medications stopped working.
I have seen two regionally well known neurologists who specialized in headaches. In addition to practically every abortive medication available, I have tried Depakote, Topamax, Neurontin, Tofranil PM, various blood pressure medications, Reglan, Phenergan, Botox, bio-feedback, diet tracking and changes, birth control pills, nerve blocks, acupuncture, chiropractic care - to name a few. Some would work for a while then stop.

I am now seeing a pain doctor who is numbing and freezing nerves throughout my head on a regular basis. This works sometimes. As most people on this site I have been to the ER many times and more than not am treated as though I am drug seeking so I stopped going.
I cannot exercise regularly and this has been difficult for me. I recently had to quit doing hot yoga after doing it for years because it started triggering migraines. I would be lying if I said I don't have my share of pity parties but I haven't given up hope. I started looking in the realm of natural remedies, such as sacral-cranial massage, wearing a frozen cranial cap created for people who go through chemo, use of essential oils and meditation. I went gluten-free, although it hasn't helped the headaches it has aided with the nauseousness significantly. For me, these things have helped with the severity although I still have migraines more than not.
I am very fortunate to work for a company and have a boss who cares about me and my health and have been able to work with me. I started counseling and have been learning how to make self-care a priority in my life and have left toxic people and relationships behind and am embracing my friends and family members who support me and are healthy for me.
I am going to Cleveland Clinic in a few weeks. I have no idea if they will be able to help. The point is that I'm not giving up - I have developed realistic goals in my life given my chronic pain. I have learned that sometimes the best I can do is get through the day and to be ok with that. This website has been a good support for me because I know I am not alone in this painful and frustrating journey. So join me fellow migraineurs in supporting each other so we can all not give up hope.

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Katie M. Golden Moderator
Wao618, thanks for sharing your story and for giving hope to others. I applaud you for not giving up. It can become so frustrating when you try so many treatments and still have debilitating Migraines. You have reached a healthy level of acceptanace of your condition while fighting for a better quality of life. I understand your frustration on not being able to exercise. I wrote 2 articles about my own struggles. And while I used to love hot yoga, it's dehydrates me so much and causes Migraines. <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/crunching-my-way-to-the-zoo' target='_blank'>http://migraine.com/blog/crunching-my-way-to-the-zoo/</a> <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/running-zoo-miles-migraine' target='_blank'>http://migraine.com/blog/running-zoo-miles-migraine/</a> I hope your trip to the Cleveland Clinic is successful in helping you to manage your Migraines better. There is a short forum discussion on this Clinic in our forums section and we'd love for you to share your experience there as well. <a href='https://migraine.com/topic/cleveland-clinic-headache-program' target='_blank'>http://migraine.com/topic/cleveland-clinic-headache-program/</a> I wish the best for you! -Katie <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>Migraine.com</a> Moderator
summermaiden Member
I am so sorry to hear of your horrendous predicament, I too was an athlete I can truly sympathise because for 18 years I have been a frequent sufferer of severe chronic migraines frequently spending as many as 15 days a month in agony in a darkened room with vomiting. For the whole period I have been searching for a solution and have visited hundreds of Migraine specialists neurologists,neurological hospitals homeopathist acupuncturists etc etc . Without success. During the whole of this period I was trying out different medications and preventatives that didn't work , triptans didn't work ,painkillers gave me overuse rebound headaches between attacks ,Botox made me worse not better. In fact medication with its side effects occasionally gave temporary relief initially if at all, but made me even iller after a while. Two years ago after when yet another medication gave me frightening uncontrollable tremors I became scared to continue taking any more prescribed medications. The overall side effects from medications which I was subjected too over the years had been really horrendous, I would like to suggest that due to the extensive medications that you too have taken over the years your whole system is toxic and this in itself is making you ill and increasing the Migraine problem. I have been helped enormously by 'the liver detox plan ' this is an old book written by Xandria Williams which you can still purchase on Amazon . If you follow it strictly and stick to it you get enormous relief within a few days , and I'm not exaggerating. It is fantastic for tackling overuse of painkillers and general medication, no ill effects on the contrary fast relief. It appears hard to follow but my goodness when you have reached the end of your tether and do not know which way to turn it is a blessing. This is not a migraine cure but it is certainly a method of making yourself feel far healthier. I am now able to go swimming for an hour several times a week Which Makes me feel like I am on the road to recovery. Since I threw out prescribed medication the only drug that I use at the onset of an attack is the over the counter Solphedeine plus effervescent pills.remarkably I have found that they frequently abort an attack altogether or reduce the severity from ten down to about four or five. (THEY MUST NOT BE TAKEN MORE THAN 8 DAYS A MONTH NOR MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS.) I also use a homeopathic remedy 'argen nit 1 million' at the onset of an attack and any anxiety, and every morning I take 2 homeopathic remedies for prevention of migraines, carcinosin 30c pills 014g ,and chelidonium 3c The migraines have not gone away by any means but the dreadful nausea has and with the help of the above recommendations I am overjoyed to mostly have far less severity so that I can actually tolerate light and even sit up in bed with a book when I am ill these days, which is a huge improvement over being pinned to the bed in a dark room with a sick bucket and acute head and neck trauma for 48-72 hours at a time. I wish you good luck for the future.