My posts won't always be this long. I just want to give you a strong background of myself before I begin so that I don't have to explain these things later.
I began getting headaches as far back as I can remember. The migraines didn't begin until about seventeen years ago, when I was twelve. They started out slow and by the time I was in high school I was getting one each week, like clockwork. I remember lying in bed on my right side, praying the the pain would at least drain into that side so that it wouldn't hurt so bad on the left side. The only medication that I had available to me at the time was ibuprofen (Advil), so I began taking three or four at a time, getting minimal relief from it. The pain was excruciating, and would last anywhere between 12-24 hours. Between then and now (17 years later) I have been to 25+ doctors, tried 20+ medications, had 5 CAT scans, 4 MRI's, and a spinal tap. I have tried neurologists, MD's, DO's, chiropractors, massage therapists, ENT's, TMJ specialists, and so on. I have been on anti-depressants, beta-blockers, steroids, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory's, anti-convulsants, and medications for nerve pain, high blood pressure, and anxiety. These were all of the preventatives that I tried. There was a time when the doctors did not know what was wrong with me and only prescribed pain-killers, as needed. These did nothing. They didn't even take the slightest bit of pain away. I was finally diagnosed around 2002 with chronic migraines. The doctors began giving me different types of migraine abortive medications (triptans) until we found one that worked. Today, I take no preventatives (since I haven't found relief from any) and take Maxalt-MLT, as needed, when I feel a migraine coming on. I suffer from a headache almost every day of my life. I have stress (tension) headaches, sinus headaches, TMJ pain, etc., as well as the migraines. In an average month, I have about 4-10 actual migraines, and the Maxalt often works, but not always. I end up in the hospital a few times a year, and I miss tons of time from work and from my life. It scares me to death when I sit down and really acknowledge how much Maxalt I actually take. There have been no long term studies about the drug, and I fear for my health in the future. My migraines make me scared, each and every day, and I need something to take the fear away. I am going to keep track of my journey to find relief, and post my progress along the way. I hope that some of the things that I try may help someone else out there, even if it doesn't help me. I want my life back. I want to stop living with pain every day. I want to stop being afraid, and I want to be able to help encourage others to fight for these things as well.
Cherry Blossoms
