Not The Favorite

So, I’ve had these migraines for 20 years. I’ve tried what seems to be everything to prevent them. I’ve changed my eating habits (no dark chocolate, no MSG…), I try not to go too long without a meal (I guess it lowers your blood sugar level and causes a migraine), I’ve tried drugs (Elovil, Imitrex, some nasal spray to keep me decongested, Propranolol, and the list goes on…) I tried tracking my migraines with my cycle but since I’ve had them since I was 7, I seriously doubt the two are related. I even get them if I cry or if I laugh too much or even if I jump around too much. And in the last few years, somehow barometric pressure has made its way into my list of triggers. And really, there is absolutely nothing I can do about that last one.

So, what do I do when I get one? Take Advil Cold and Sinus, Gravol and go to sleep with a cold pack over my face. But some days nothing helps. Some days I can’t even sleep because it hurts so much. Yesterday was one of those days. And it sucks because it hurts so bad that all I can do is sit and cry and crying makes it worse! I’d like to not have to rely on pills to get me through the day. I’d like to not have to worry about planning something with the thought in the back of my head, what happens if I get a migraine that day?

I know there are more serious things out there that people have to deal with but I still have debilitating pain at least 2-3 times a month. Sometimes they last for 3 days, though it’s usually only one day.

For those of you out there who’ve never had a migraine and only thinks it’s “a really bad headache”, you are grossly incorrect. Sure it’s a headache, but it’s a headache on one spot on your head and feels like someone is jamming a knife in and out of that spot while twisting the blade. And then you have the sensitivity to light and sound with some nausea on the side. If the migraine is brought on by a change in the weather, add severe sinus pressure into the mix. When the migraine finally subsides, my whole body is exhausted and I feel physically drained.

Good times… I was hoping that they would have come up with a solution that would work for me in preventing these migraines over 20 years, but nope. Trying something new works for a few weeks and then it’s back to the pain. The only time I was migraine free, was when I was pregnant and Jon has some reservations about me being constantly pregnant until menopause. I tend to agree with him on that point.

I haven’t really had much to write about in the last week and since I’ve had two migraines this week, I figured it was good enough. I suppose I could have written about the stupid Rogers cable installers who never come prepared to do the job required. Let’s just say it was a good thing Jon stayed home while the digital cable was being “installed” (I say “installed” because although he knew he was installing digital cable, he didn’t bring any digital terminals with him “Our office ran out of them”. Right… or when they came the first time 3 years ago to install a cable jack and didn’t bring the god damned tools to do it. Um, wtf?! ) or they’d be pulling the mangled body of the cableman out of our dumpster.

Labels: Migraines, People Are Stupid