Just when things looked under control...

By Spudgirl Friday, May 14, 2010

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Wow. What a roller coaster ride this week. I had gone amost two weeks without a major incapacitating migraine and thought (silly me) that there was some light at the end of my tunnel. Thinking that the preventatives were finally working and that the daily little spits and sputters of pain on the left side were all that would be coming my way. I was looking forward to more days of being pain-free versus pain-full.

Wednesday dawned like a regular day -- Little twinges on the left side and some throbbing at the base of my head. By mid-morning the electrical jolts on the left were coming more strongly and frequently, and my throat was starting to get tight. By late afternoon, I was rocking and rolling with a full-on headache. My brain/mouth connection couldn't find the words and I had a rasping voice when they did manage to come out. Headed home from work and took a Maxalt. Nothing. The pressure built, so for the first time, I took a 2nd Maxalt. Again, nothing. All I could do was rock in my chair and cry -- it hurt so bad. I just wanted to be unconscious. I kept telling myself that if this keeps up, I'll ask my husband to take me to the ER... but of course I kept moving the time. Just give it another hour, it will break. I know it will break, maybe just another hour.

Sleep didn't come and the pain lasted all night. By morning, I was still in tears and called my doc. I'd never had a migraine go this long or hurt this bad before. Into his office first thing, and a shot of demerol --the headache finally broke just before noon. Good heavens.

Today, the usual residual pain/melon-head is still hanging in there, but at least I am functioning again. Don't know if there are any answers here, but I needed to vent some of how this episode scared me. I hate the idea that the usual meds no longer work to knock down the headaches. Having to get an injection seems so extreme. I feel like such a whiner -- was the pain really that bad or am I just getting timid and weak? I don't know. I just don't know.

Thanks for giving me a place to vent.

Comments (5) | Add comment

califmom2

5/14/10 11:31pm

Hey friend, sorry to hear about the setback when things were going so well. Hope the recovery wasn't too bad.

Had the same thing 3 years ago w/Imitrex. Ended up in the ER at 2 in the morning. Changed to Relpax. Now also on Topamax. I am sure I will change again within a year or two. Nothing lasts and our stupid heads keep changing on us. Keep your chin up and don't let the monster win!

Spudgirl

5/15/10 12:29pm

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I really appreciate this forum and the folks who participate.

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

5/16/10 9:54pm

Hi Spud,

Try not to get too discouraged. Since you went almost two weeks, that sounds like an improvement. Try to remember it takes baby steps, and a long time. This is just a little set back, you'll get rid back on track.

Did you eat anything different, miss a meal, get dehydrated or was there a weather front coming or going? These things may make a difference in the severity of an attack for you.

Just some thoughts....

Bob

5/20/10 10:24am

I know. I know. Good heavens, I know--exactly what you went through. It's not only that you experienced one of those mean suckers that gave you such agony, but also that you had a setback after being two weeks pain-free. Then there is your issue of needing to see a doctor because it wouldn't subside with your own medication. It took some demerol to break the cycle.

I know because I have gone through the same thing. I once went to a hospital for a shot which they frowned on giving me--a shot that put me out for perhaps five minutes or so. When I awakened, the pain was gone. But it is depressing in a sense that I was driven to this. That was perhaps thirteen years ago. My headaches have never left me. I get them more days than I don't get them. They usually drive me to bed with Imitrex and cold compresses. My salvation is that they are generally not too long lasting (under two or three hours and even sometimes less than one hour), and they are not too intense (between a 2 & 4 on the 10 scale). But yesterday I got one for TWELVE hours. Those pulsations are amazing. Usually it is concentrated above my left eye, but this "visitor" was throughout my entire head. It was like blowing air into a balloon, and the air pressed on the circumference of the balloon, trying to get out. For some time the pain hit a 6 or 7.

We have setbacks. We have disappointments. We become disallusioned. But look at the cycle you are experiencing over the last three months, let us say. Do you see an improvement? Don't evaluate it from a daily perspective or you are being unfair to yourself, in my opinion.

As for myself, I am disallusioned because I cannot get rid of my almost daily headaches. And I am disallusioned because there is ABSOLUTELY no common denominator to their cause. But I keep trying everything to alleviate and eliminate these migraines. Can you with certainty point to a trigger. If you can, this is a blessing. Take advantage of this.

One final point: Cindy McCain, John McCain's wife, spoke quite recently of her bouts with migraines, and how difficult and disruptive they could be for her. She did state that migraines seem to be less apparent as people age beyond 65. (I do hope I am accurate in stating her opinion.) I am nearing 68, and the frequency of my headaches is at the high point in my life--a life of headaches since childhood. There is much to demoralize us when we suffer from migraines. The pain and disruption of our activities are so pressing. But we have sites like this and friends who hopefully care and are sensitive to our pain. We can hope that one day better medications will either eliminate migraines or knock them out quickly when they begin to arrive. We keep hoping!

HANG IN THERE!

Spudgirl

5/21/10 5:53pm

Thanks for the support everyone. I guess that in the short term, you're right -- this was just a little set back. Yes, overall things are getting better little by little. The migraine on Tuesday was 'easily' handled by the Maxalt - only about 3-1/2 hours for that one and no loss of speech. I have to admit I was scared when it started to build that it wouldn't be that simple. We were out of town and I didn't know if I could just 'run in somewhere' to get some heavier duty meds. Whew! Dodged that one!

I remember the all day-everyday headaches. It wasn't that long ago. So, yes, I am showing signs of progress. Wish that could be said for all of us. Thanks again.

Just when things looked under control...

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