Oh, My Aching Head
Unfortunately, today's going to be a day spent fighting a migraine. Lucky me. If you aren't familiar with these types of headaches by being lucky enough to have never had one, I'll give you just a brief list of symptoms.
Intense throbbing, usually only on one side of the head.
Sensitivity to light and/or sound.
And my personal favorite, nausea. (Just kidding...this is the worst part).
Do any of my readers who are fellow M.S.er's know if migraines are common in M.S.? Do you guys get them too? The reason I think there may be a connection is that when I look back to the time I believe my disease started, after all nobody can be sure when their M.S. began but we can make an educated guess based on when symptoms first started to present themselves, I had my first migraine. Hmm. Kind of makes me wonder if there's a connection there somewhere.
I'll take one of my magic pills in a minute and hope it does the trick so I can enjoy my day, because I really don't want to be camped out on the couch fighting the urge to lose what little I was able to eat, while covering my head with a pillow to block out the light. But, if any of you have migraines along with your M.S., or if you are just unlucky enough to get them anyway and you have any information you'd like to pass along, I'd love to read it.
posted by Miss Chris | 6:21 AM
20 Comments:
Yep, I get them in spades. Once or twice a month. My favorite magic pill is called Maxalt. Works for me but not for some other sufferers. Seems to be a common thread with MS though. Two things come to mind here: Women are more likely to suffer from 1) MS and 2) Migraines. Sooo, it's obvious that boobies cause MS and Migraines. (Ignore the fact that I'm male, have NO boobies and have both ailments.)
LOL...just read dear mdmhvonpa's comment and now MUST comment on that!
Contrary to male popular belief, men DO have "boobies"...they just lack the estrogen and progesterone levels sufficient to make them grow or functional...
MDMHVONPA...you big boob! (This should start a war of the words between us! LOL)
Oh yeah...I've never had a migraine in my life and I can only empathize with how bad they must feel. I'm one of the lucky ones...with "boobies" too...
Linda D. in Seattle
I'm laughing so hard right now. My comments keep getting better and better. I hope "Have Myelin" stops by for a read today because I know she'll get a kick out of it.
Thanks you guys....I'm feeling better already! :)
Hello Miss Chris,
sorry, (nah, happy) but I haven't had a headache in any form in years.
I used to get them but I suppose that was a reaction to stress, along with heartburn.
I ate Aspirin and Tums by the big family-size bottle.
Then I quit working for that ass-hole and replaced the malaises with incipient poverty.
That was back in '95.
I've traveled from Montreal, Quebec, to Ottawa, Canada, to the 'States, (like Atlanta and New York area,) got another job or two (well, actually four but the last one has lasted since September '02,) had a serious MS attack, a minor exacerbation, colds and food poisoning, but I've avoided headaches.
I learned my lesson. Don't work for ass-holes.
Disease is a cake walk compared to working for ass hole.
I've had migraines since junior high, so I honestly don't think there's any connection between them and my MS. Migraines suck! And it's hard to find people who sympathize if they've never had one. I take Imitrex when I get one. I can feel it starting to work within 20 minutes and "usually" within 1 1/2 hours, it's gone.
Um...and yeah...if you can manage to not work for an asshole, it helps your health considerably!!!
I've never worked for an ass-hole. Well, unless you count the one who inadvertently became my boss and dumped me! Jerk!
I have boobies. *glaring at mdmhvonpa with the long, complicated name I can't remember due to swiss cheeseitis brain lesions* Everytime I see his name I feel like I'm taking a NeuroPsych Eval. Was supposed to take one but my Neuro forgot. Goodie gumdrops!
Maxalt sucks. Ergotamine sucks. (it's just mushrooms with fungus, my niece said...) Imitrex sucks unless you want a heart attack. Betablockers sucks. Percocet is a brain-busting, head-falling off drug. There's more, but I can't remember their names. I have a bag full of failed medicines. I suppose I should throw them away but I PAID for those suckers (well, a copay anyway) and somehow it seems sinful. We have figured out that Triptains (sp?) do not work for me.
I too, started getting migraines shortly after my first bout of ON. Never had a migraine before in my life till ON attacked me like a rabid tapeworm that entered via my Iris. Too much information, maybe?
My Neuro cleared me for medical pot. He said it would help my migraines. It did but it's giving me another headache. You can't go to Walgreens and buy it. You have to GROW the frakking stuff. Sheesh. Do I look like a pot farmer to you? Pfffft!!!!
I will say this: It killed my migraine, it cut my klonopin dosage in half as well as my baclofen. I was also able to eliminate AmbienCR and I slept till 9:30 am.
I just need a pot farm now. *sigh* Preferably one that won't make you high....
I'm not much help am I? And NO, I'm not a stoner! Mommy said!
Have Myelin:
I wish Medical marijuana was legal here in AZ. I'll bet it would work wonders on all my ailments. I'm glad it works for you and...your mom's right. Your no stoner! And you definitely don't look like a pot farmer to me. Not that I've ever met one, as far as I know.
By the way...don't ya just love mdmhvona! I think he's a riot!
LindaD: Really? That's what those things are? Hmmm, and for years I thought they were tuning dials. Go figure.
Charles: I'll bet if you put the tums INTO the ass-hole, you would have felt better too! Some day I'll need to tell you about 'AssPennies'.
Sherry: PTTTHHHHTT!!!! ... (stoner)
:)
Ever thought of reiki?
Just started reading your blog, and was happy to find it!
On the subject of migranes--I do not have MS, but I've gotten them since I was 4 (I'm 24). They started after a concussion caused by a toy fire truck falling on my noggin in kindergarden class. Anyway, the only thing that helps them is laying in a dark room and trying to sleep it out. Easier said then done, the only other magic trick is when my body is kind enough to make me vomit. That releives the headache, and the stomach issue. Yuck.
Hope you got rid of the migraine and enjoyed your day.
Ergotamine! That's derived from the fungus that started the Salem wich trials: Ergot.
I hope you feel better.
mdmhvonpa, AssPennies? I bet there's a story in that! (Feel free to drop in your, uh, two cents worth. [You knew that was coming, didn't you?] :-)
What a raucous group of commentators here! Just my kind of peeps...LMAO
Linda D.
Never had migraines, but when I do get a headache, it is pretty mind-numbing. Major stress seems to be a factor. What has your doctor told you about the migraines-MS connection?
spider, depending on which MS'er you ask, and which given Neuro they happen to be with at that given moment in time, the answer will be:
1.) It's part of your MS.
2.) It's not part of your MS.
3.) It's all in your head, take some prozac.
My CURRENT Neuro says it's part of my MS. So did my previous Neuro but not the one before that. I'm two for three so I say yes!
I gotta hear the ass penny story...
For the record I am NOT a pot farmer. :p Or a stoner. Just a migrainer with MS who doesn't like mushrooms with fungus on them. :-)
I should send mdmhwpoiasjfweor with all the confusing letters my extra Maxalt. It might have some of the Ergotamine fungus spores on them! After all they're in the "Do Not Take" bag... heh.
What a crazy bunch of commenters.
I'll post the AP story on my blog tommorow. Its a bit Rated R and my family reads my blog. But hey, they know that I'm twisted so there it is.
Hey Linda D.
I read your "where's my parade?" post and I soooooo agree! I feel exactly the same as you do. I've been wondering for 3 years why we aren't important too. By the way, Meredith Viera's husband has M.S.. I wish she'd do more about it.
Believe it or not, a good antidote for headaches is a strong cup of coffee. I don't know if it would work for migraines, but for run-of-the-mill headaches coffee seems to do the trick, at least for me. (btw, I love the cartoon. lol!)
Coffee and such can definitely affect migraines - both positively and negatively, depending on the person.
For me coffee, hot chocolate, or even strong tea, on an empty stomach is a prescription for getting a migraine - guaranteed. About 20 minutes later the guy with the sledgehammer starts creeping around behind me, just waiting to leap out.
Coffee can also do a number on the stomach.
I think it is important to remember that we all respond different with our MS. I personally get headaches almost everyday. My neuro claims that MS and migraines can go together but not everyone with MS will have migraines or even headaches, just all depends on that person. I take 200mg of Topamax twice a day and it seems to help but I do get headaches still from time to time. I am not sure there will ever be anything to make them go completely away....having said that, Linda, don't we live in a state that allows for smoking pot for medical purposes? Maybe this is something to check into? LOL
I like the idea of cutting some of the other meds in 1/2 as well, not sure that I could become a potsmoker, however.
Boobies? Got 'em. Migraines? Got 'em!
Sometime they put me out for the day...hope yours get better. I'm not on anything yet to help them..shoot, maybe I am but can't remember!!
Post a Comment
<< Home