Migraine city

Some day I’ll write about my migraine journey – it’s been a hoot, let me tell you.  But today I wanted to talk about my current migraine.  My current painful migraine.  I haven’t had pain like this in…years.  

In  a few weeks I’m having a medical procedure that requires me to go off all anti inflammatories for two weeks prior and 8 weeks after.  So of course my head decided to play games and as I was working on Tuesday I felt my brain flip over.  That’s the only way I can describe it.  I was sitting in a chair and my brain flipped.  There was a brief moment of vertigo and I felt a bit lightheaded and I knew that the migraine was on its way (I’m very familiar with this phenomenon so I know it wasn’t a stroke or an aneurism or anything)

I went to my first line defense: Relpax.  Swallowed it and went back to work.  It seemed to be working – the pain didn’t progress by much and I was still able to concentrate.  I cut out of work a bit early and rested a bit, babied myself, felt the pain grow….dug out some peppermint tea to drink with honey (an old, old tactic suggested to me by a chiropractor back in the dark ages)….had some chamomile and valerian to help myself sleep.  Hoped it would diminish by morning.

It did not.  My migraines are generally less intense after a night’s sleep, then the pain builds as the day wears on.  This was my Wednesday.  I took a few tylenol, drank more tea, started pounding water to make sure I was hydrated, got a neck rub, did some yoga, dug out the essential oils…the pain continued to build and grow.  I managed to join the evening dog walk but it was slow going and I had a very light dinner.  Sleep was painful – I’d nod off and the pain would wake me up.

I seriously considered taking Thursday off to rest, but I had a lot of work to do and I wanted a distraction from the pain.  At this point it was sharp, all encompassing – like a tight iron cap over my head with tiny thumbtacks poking into my skull.  I put an ice pack on my head, drank some strong black tea and tried some biofeedback.  (40 years of migraines has given me a lot of pain mitigating options.) Mid morning I asked my hubby to source some Hot and Sour Soup. This is another remedy (possibly folklore) for migraine management.  The story goes that a man noticed his wife’s headaches got better when she ate spicy food so he brought it to his doctor’s attention and it made the news.  Dr. Google tells me that studies have shown that capsaicin is effective in pain management AND that spicy foods can trigger migraines.  Such is the way.

I had some spicy soup for lunch and felt better for 90 minutes, then the pain returned.  Took a couple of non-NSAID pain pills that haven’t touched the pain.  So much for that. Sigh.

So Why am I sharing this?  What’s the point?

This is not a plea for pity or understanding, it’s my way of grounding myself during a trying week. If you’ve ever wondered about migraines, maybe this will help you understand the sufferers in your life. If not, aren’t you glad you don’t get them?!

So, what have I figured out about migraines this week? I’ve had to cut pain medications in the past for various reasons and I am always reminded that even though I feel like the meds aren’t doing much to treat my headaches, they ARE actually helping because there is reduced pain with medication.  Going without reminds me that what I’ve been doing works pretty well.  

I am amused at myself because while I know that exercise, stretches, ice, regular sleep schedules etc. will help my migraine life, I get lazy and careless and don’t do them regularly.   And then when I don’t have the crutch of pain meds, I go back to the tactics that served me in the past.  They may not be terrifically effective, but at least I feel like I’m doing something to help myself.  They distract me.  And the cat and I had a nice floor interaction when I was yoga-ing.

I always fought through my headaches and do my best not to become an invalid.  I would say most of my friends have seen me in the midst of a migraine and not noticed the difference.  As much as I can, I want my life to be about more than pain, more than sympathy, more than this condition.  It’s my own business.

Chronic migraines – they’ve been a life journey.  I’ve tried many therapies and talked to a lot of people who have the solution.  My observation is that the cause is complex and combinatory and sometimes I can have a little citrus and cheese but most of the time that’s a ticket to Pain Central.  I won’t even FLIRT with dark chocolate and red wine – the reward can’t begin to compensate for the damages.

Curious to see where this one goes and how long it will last.  Time for another mug of peppermint tea with honey.  And I give myself permission to take a sick day if I need one to kick this pain to the curb.

Day 4 – pain is better and I had a few hours of energy and a clear head. And now it’s back. Hoping it breaks by the weekend.