How migraines have changed your life

Migraine Headaches
#1

I’ve had migraines for 25+ years. As I’ve grown older I’ve had to change the way I lived. It started out small…can’t eat certain things. Then I noticed day light was triggering them, so I changed my work hours so I went in early in the am and left before the noon sun. I wear sunglasses or tinted glasses because even office lights are too much. The car windows had to be tinted, heck I had to get a new car because the old one had a squeak somewhere that would send me into tears by the time I got home. At work I put up a cube shield so the lights could be blocked. I can’t go to clubs anymore, not that I really could before. But now I can’t even pretend it doesn’t hurt, the lights and noise are way too much. Sports, games, recitals are all done with pre-emptive medication and prayers. I’ve had trigger block injections, ociptial nerve blocks, 35 botox shots around my head. So much time is spent going to doctors and hoping work won’t get angry just so I can find something to make it stop. Whatever new treatment is out there I’m chasing it, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, sensory deprevation, orthodic insoles, multitude of eye exams, mri & catscans.

I live my life in fear of the next trigger, because it’s not enough to have the migraine. When it gets so bad I need to goto the ER the staff treats me like I’m a druggy looking for my next fix. When all I want is to be put out of my misery.

#2

boy do Iknow how you feel.I worked in a lighting showroom for 10yrs. I spent alot of my time in sun glasses. I must have looked pretty strange. Right now I am on cymbalta,crestor,alprazolam,cyclobenzaprine,TOPROL XL, and avapro. I take meds to keep me calm (stress gives me a migraine)I take avapro for high bloodpreasure( if I skip it I will have amigraine for sure)I take cyclobenzaprine to help me sleep. Alprazolam is fo anziaty.In no way am I telling you to take these meds. I’m just saying they work pretty well for me. You may want to talk to your dr. about it.

Good Luck,
Pamela

#3

I certainly can relate, my migraines started as a child, then my family called them sick headaches, they worsened at puberty, and then I developed cluster headaches too. I can’t stand any kind of flashing lights on TV, clubs, and night driving is impossible. Every light is blinding and painful. Temperature changes, barametric pressure changes, stress, and ciggarette smoke, perfumes, air fresheners. No way can I go into a Victoria’s Secret Store, that’s a headache for sure.
I take Zonisamide as a preventative, imitrix pills and / or a imitrix shot, aleve, xanax and recently they added nuronton (for my shingles pain) but it helps with the headache pain too, and with sleep. I am real pleased with it. I take them all together as a" cocktail". Per my Doctore for me, You check with your Doctor.
These work pretty well for the migraine headaches, it’s just they happen so frequently I can’t get enough meds, imitrix, to last the month. I hoard my migraine meds like they were Free Passes to Heaven. I will endure headaches to save meds in case I have a worse headache.
Migrains SUCK they mess up your life, they are unpredictable, and invisable (till you are vomitting).
I feel for you, here’s to dark rooms, cool pillows, quiet and relief!

#4

I too cannot walk past a perfume counter or air fresheners or I will get migraines. I have tried the discontinuance of certain foods, but that is not it. I know the pressures in the air will give me migraines and I too am on blood pressure medicine which helps. Right now we are having so much rain here in Texas that I have had a migraine almost everyday. I take my relpax, which helps, but do not want to do this on a daily basis. I have tried topamax and another preventitive medicine they just don’t help. I know that mine are hereditary, gosh I wish they weren’t. I sometimes wish I could cut my head off just to get them to quit hurting.

#5

I too cannot walk past a perfume counter or air fresheners or I will get migraines. I have tried the discontinuance of certain foods, but that is not it. I know the pressures in the air will give me migraines and I too am on blood pressure medicine which helps. Right now we are having so much rain here in Texas that I have had a migraine almost everyday. I take my relpax, which helps, but do not want to do this on a daily basis. I have tried topamax and another preventitive medicine they just don’t help. I know that mine are hereditary, gosh I wish they weren’t. I sometimes wish I could cut my head off just to get them to quit hurting.

#6

I too cannot walk past a perfume counter or air fresheners or I will get migraines. I have tried the discontinuance of certain foods, but that is not it. I know the pressures in the air will give me migraines and I too am on blood pressure medicine which helps. Right now we are having so much rain here in Texas that I have had a migraine almost everyday. I take my relpax, which helps, but do not want to do this on a daily basis. I have tried topamax and another preventitive medicine they just don’t help. I know that mine are hereditary, gosh I wish they weren’t. I sometimes wish I could cut my head off just to get them to quit hurting.