I have struggled with migraine headaches for most of my life. You know the ones I mean, the kind where the only treatment is extended time in a dark, silent room.
Real life does not provide for a whole lot of dark, silent rooms.
I have a migraine right now, a real killer. The light from my laptop is, in fact, bugging it a little bit, but I'm not tired enough to sleep and any light I'd put on to help me to read would be even more of an aggravation.
This is the first really unbearable one I've had for a long time, and I figured that I'd share the treatment that has completely changed a life peppered with headache hells into one where I'll occasionally get a headache but it's not unspeakable (until today, at least, but this is the first real wowser I've had in over a year).
Bear in mind that I've tried any number of migraine therapies over the years, ranging from Coca-cola to Imitrex to aspirin, and this totally straightened things out.
I went to my physical last year and got talking with my doctor about migraines (where we were at in terms of treatment at the time was Percocet for pain--my migraines are ridiculously painful--and Valium for the accompanying neck-aches that go along with them). I was telling my doctor how unthrilled I was to be taking potentially addictive drugs for freaking headaches (I prefer to save the Percocet for when the pancreas is acting up), and she started telling me about a recent breakthrough in migraine treatment.
When my doctor first mentioned that a very low daily dose of the anti-depressant amitriptyline has shown to have very solid palliative effects on migraine sufferers, I got all self-righteous.
ME: I don't think I need an anti-depressant.
DOCTOR: It's an off-label use of it.
ME: But I'm not depressed.
DOCTOR: You're pretty damn depressed when you have a migraine. (I love my doctor)
Anyway, I decided to try it and, along with the occasional Max-Alt (which knocks them down before they can really get roaring), my migraine problem has ceased to be an issue.
I'm not sure what's going on today, other than a certain time of the month combining with a huge degree of stress to create the perfect migraine storm, but I'm just glad that I now feel this way so infrequently.
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I've heard of people having success with amitriptyline. Glad it's working for you!
ReplyDeleteHuh, I may have to try that out. I myself have had migraines for most of my life and usually the only treatment that works is sleeping in a dark silent room too. Since I got reading glasses and stopped eating gluten, mine have gone done a ton too, but I might want to give this a try as well...
ReplyDeleteDeath to migraines!
Hope ya feel better. :-)
Maxalt rocks. Even at $5/pill. It's the only thing that darling wife is reasonably sure will work. And even that doesn't work a quarter of the time. In those cases, it's allergies causing the headache, we think.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're feeling better!
I started getting migraines in my 20s, and they have gotten worse as I've gotten older. And, unfortunately, they've increased in frequency and severity in the last month or so. I totally relate to your sufferings, and I'm sending you all the positive vibes I can muster. :)
ReplyDeleteI get migraines from time to time. They are absolutely hideous. Unless people experience them, they can never understand (like the boss who says, pop some aspirin, it's just a headache).
ReplyDeleteMy remedy is a dark room, ice bag freezing my head, Advil, Tylenol, and a Cola. :/
triptines cause weight gain, be wary. love my zomig!
ReplyDeleteand thanks for the timely post, suffering right along w/ you right now
I feel you. I've had migraines as far back as I can remember. Dad gets them, too. Debilitating with the light and sound sensitivities, nausea, and all that. I fear for my daughter. I've never found a successful remedy other than prevention, but that still doesn't stop them from coming on about once a month or so.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a migrane I'm rather glad to be able to say, having seen someone suffering. Very glad to hear you've found something that, usually, keeps them under control. Hope this one didn't get any worse, and you are fine again now.
ReplyDeleteI've never experienced such severe migraines. I can only imagine your pain but I don't think I would be blogging or reading at all. I'm impressed. Hope you feel better!!
ReplyDeleteI've tried 8-9(?) meds, including Ami, all of them antidepressants, for my tailbone pain. And I'm not depressed. Frustrated, but not depressed.
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully not frustrated anymore because the current med seems to be helping.
Oh man, migraines is just a shorter way of saying "Let's Just Commit Suicide Already."
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. ):
They're terrible.
Hope you feel better.
I used to work with a lady who had migraines. I knew because I was doing her health and safety check every year and we suspected the air con and the 'clean' air it was chucking out. When she stopped working for the company her migraines stopped as well, probably the air-com and retirement. The fact that also moved to spain may have helped too.
ReplyDelete