Feel like I am losing my mind and letting my family down due to migraines

By ang_gar 1987 Thursday, October 02, 2008

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I have had migraines for about 20 years and was diagnosed about 11 years ago. I have been diagnosed with everything from Vascular Migraines to Debilitating Menstral Migraines. I had a hysterectomy (for femaile problems) in October 07 and, while the migraines are not quiet as frequent, I still have them extremely bad several days out of the month.

I am at the point that I feel my family and friends are tired of hearing me complain about them or not wanting to do anything because I fell so bad. I seriously feel like I am losing my mind. I also have 2 herniated discs in my neck, which seem to intensify them at times. I sometimes feel like it is all in my head; however, if it was, I would make them go away, because I DON'T enjoy the pain, nausea, occasional vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and the rest of the symptoms. It just seems like no one really understands, so I try not to say anything at all when I am having one.

Am I losing my mind or what?

Comments (19) | Add comment

michelle

10/ 3/08 9:46am

I was diagnosted in 2003 with vascular migrans, I went to a head and pain specialisd and he put me on about 5 diffrent meds.After a year I stoped all meds and had no problems until april of this year and I have one everyday,some worse than others . It was very hard for my husband to understand for the longest time. People who do not migrains dont understand. My husband became very simpathetic to my head achs when I ended up in the hospital due to a bad reaction I had to my provenitve meds. I lost all use of my body I could not talk very well it was one of the scariest things I have been throu my husband thought I was dieing I dont rember much of what happend for the first 5 hours only bits and peces. Know I am waiting for my app with a speliest at the university of Michigan and hopefully I will be able to get on something for relief. Since I have vascular migranis I can't take the normal migrain meds or so I have been told. I love this web sight because everyone on it know how bad a migrain can get and how it can really effect your life. Don't feel alone and your definatly not lossing your mind just keep talking to family and friends they will eventually get but if not you always have us who are were your at.Good luck

ang_gar 1987

10/ 3/08 9:31pm

Thank you for your comment. I agree with you that people who do not have migraines DO NOT understand what those of us who suffer with them go through. I do like this website, it is so full of usefull information and people who are very informative.

jami

10/ 4/08 5:29pm

I haven't had them as long as you......14 years . I know what you mean about letting everyone down. I am coming off of a bad "spell". I get tired of dealing with them and missing work and family events. I try my best not to miss the important events but you know how it goes. The headache creeps in turns to a migraine and you just try to mask it with a smile and not get physically sick and hope your drugs kick in soon. I am very out going so when I am quiet people know. I hate the person I become with a migraine..... she isn't fun!!! She is just a survivior!!

Hope you a migraine free today!!

Jami

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

10/ 5/08 3:22pm

Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!

I'm glad you've found our site. We can provide you with information and support about Migraines and headaches and assure you that you are not losing your mind. How does that sound?

Recent studies have confirmed that Migraines can cause silent brain damage. People with a long history and/or frequent Migraine attacks are at an increased risk for brain damage. Continue reading Yes, Migraines Can Cause Brain Damage.

Migraines can have many symptoms. These include dizziness, nausea, head pain, light sensitivity and confusion. Some people may experiece each of the four phases of a Migraine attack (prodrome, aura, headache and postdrome) while others only get two of the four phases. Anatomy of a Migraine describes this in great detail.

There are medications that can be taken for Menstrual Migraine. We have an Ask the Clinician question HERE that may be helpful.

It sounds like it is time to see a Migraine specialist. This doctor is the expert who treats patients with Migraines and headaches. Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? will tell you exactly why it is important to see this expert. Then you can check our lists of patient recommended specialists HERE.

Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.

We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.

Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information and a spot to sign up for our free newsletter on the main page of our site, http://www.MyMigraineConnection.com.

If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.

Welcome again,

Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert

Tammy

10/ 8/08 1:03pm

I started having migrains before I was 10, I am now 38 yup still having them, never could afford dr's, huge medical bills for blackout migrains have destroyed my credit but the amazing thing was my family not once made me feel like i let them down, my children decided at a very tiny age "the monsters in mommies head are fighting again" one would bring me water the other would bring me a garbage can, both would very quietly watch their cartoons. I felt horrible for not being able to play with them ALOT! Now my daughter at almost 17 has migrains, she understands them but her father doesn't. I was able to finally stop having the blackout migrains, only the powers that be know how all I know is that I was not able to care for my household in that condition. I still find no real relief from these "monsters fighting in my head" doesnt matter what I do. I hope the people who suffer more than I do from these can learn the food triggers.... many, many, many things.. especially if you drink wine... eat bacon, lots of info here for relief.

tinava

10/ 9/08 12:28pm

I just got over a 5 day migraine. I feel your pain... I also feel I am letting my family down.

Always remember to make every good day count no arguing no worrying. Tell your family you love them always.

I am actually having a procedure done 10/21, it's a triiger point injection to the neck area at the base of my skull- on the right side. My doctor told me he has performed this procedure on people with cronic headaches including migraines, with much success! I will let reader know how I do after a few months.

I will think of you in my prayers

Tina

TRACY

10/15/08 9:08pm

I just read your comment--Good Luck with the injection procedure. I hope you get relief--Wow wouldn't that be great to be able to say "I have relief from migraines"!! I will be thinking and hopeing for you on the 21st.

Tracy

tinava

10/16/08 7:55am

Thanks so much!

Jen

10/ 9/08 12:43pm

I have had daily chronic headaches and migraines for 28 years. I too have herniated discs in my neck.

Nobody understands me either, I cry in my neurologists office and beg him to do something. People say to me, its just a headache...They don't get it cause they can't see it.

I'm going to try facet injections again.

Hopeless in PA.....

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

10/10/08 8:27am

No Jen, you are not losing your mind, but it sounds like it is time to find a new doctor. Have you seen a Migraine specialist? This doctor is the expert who treats people with Migraines and headache disorders and can make all the difference in peoples lives. We have a list of patient recommended Migraine specialists you can see by clicking HERE. Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? will tell you exactly why it is so important to see a Migraine specialist.

Please don't lose hope, we do understand.

Jen

10/10/08 9:28am

Thanks for your comments. I have been to the Jefferson Headache Clinic in Phila as well as many other neurologists and specialists. I have had many treatments (including botox) and have tried many medications. Nothing seems to really touch my daily chronic headache.

I'm working with a chiropractor now and I am going for facet injections for my herniated discs next week.

I tried facet injections 3 years ago but I'm willing to try them again. I don't know where I will go from there.

R1 Girl

10/ 9/08 1:52pm

We all get to that point at one time or another (or several times :D). Don't lose hope. Have you tried muscle relaxants yet? I had terrible spasms, to the point where it didn't feel like the back was convulsing because is was already so hard. The muscle relaxants have made a HUGE difference in relieving the pain the spine, and giving the body a chance to heal. I use baclofen nightly. I makes getting up harder, but it's better than the alternative. As for the nausea, do they have you on Reglan or Phenergan? It makes a huge difference in your bodys' ability to absorb the proper medications. Early studies indicate us migraneurs have defective tummies which, even before a migraine, do absorb correctly. I guess what I'm trying to say is, do you have a good migraine specialist? It took me way too long to find the proper help. I kept thinking regular docs should be good enough. When the nice ones wanted to help, I wanted to keep trying with them. In the end, I suffered years of pain unnecessarily. The "cures" my specialist gave me have been known for ages. And they have made a huge difference.

Friends and family just don't understand, no matter how caring they might be. I just think it's hard for them comprehend the level of oppression one feels from this chronic disease. A good doctor helps, and other migraineurs have been the occasional knot at the end of the rope help. Don't give up hope. Reach out. We're all in this together.

Best of luck!

Dawne

R1 Girl

10/ 9/08 1:57pm

Oops! Sorry. I'm in the middle of one right now and I noticed a bunch of words were missing. :P I'm sure you can relate.

We all get to that point at one time or another (or several times :D). Don't lose hope. Have you tried muscle relaxants yet? I had terrible spasms, to the point where it didn't feel like the back was convulsing because is was already so hard. The muscle relaxants have made a HUGE difference in relieving the pain to the spine, and giving the body a chance to heal. I think the compression of super tight (and painful) back muscles hurts the disks over time. I use baclofen nightly. It makes getting up harder, but it's better than the alternative. As for the nausea, do they have you on Reglan or Phenergan? It makes a huge difference in your body's ability to absorb the proper medications. Early studies indicate us migraneurs have defective tummies which, even before a migraine, do NOT absorb correctly. I guess what I'm trying to say is, do you have a good migraine specialist? It took me way too long to find the proper help. I kept thinking regular docs should be good enough. When the nice ones wanted to help, I wanted to keep trying with them. In the end, I suffered years of pain unnecessarily. The "cures" my specialist gave me have been known for ages. And they have made a huge difference.

Friends and family just don't understand, no matter how caring they might be. I just think it's hard for them comprehend the level of oppression one feels from this chronic disease. A good doctor helps, and other migraineurs have been the occasional knot-at-the-end-of-the-rope help. Don't give up hope. Reach out. We're all in this together.

Best of luck!

Dawne

ang_gar 1987

10/ 9/08 2:05pm

I am actually on pain meds and muscle relaxers for my neck injury and they do help, especially since the herniated discs are so close to my head. But, there are times that even those don't provide much help. It just gets so frustrating after a while when nothing seems to take the migraine away completely. You really start feeling like it all in your head. Although, I tell myself (and others) that if WERE all in my head, I would make it go away. I'm sure anyone who has migraines can understand that. I have learned to pretty much keep it to myself when I have one and not say anything about hurting, although, the people close to me can tell by the way I look that I am having one.

anthony

10/ 9/08 3:38pm

You are not losing your mind Ive had migranes over 30 years and I to have challenges also. My job has discrimanated against me in a way I cant explain right now. I do miss social events I miss a lot of work so you are not alone in this just take one day at a time learn to relax and we are all wishing you the best.

ang_gar 1987

10/ 9/08 3:48pm

Thank you. Mine is a day to day issue with my job. Fortunately, I work from home so that helps some, but it still doesn't change the fact that I cannot always function because of a migraine. It really doesn't matter if I work in the office or at home... the migraine and it's effects are still the same, working on a computer all day and dealing with work issues still gets to you just the same. As I am sure all of you can understand.

TRACY

10/15/08 9:00pm

I feel your pain-really. I also have suffered for 20 years and have put my family through the ringer with my migraine attacks. Don't give up! Easy to say I bet your telling yourself but I'm sure your family and friends understand more than you think. Finding a place to talk to others who suffer as we do has helped me. I was ready to give up and hide in my room until other migraine sufferers starting talking to me and giving me support. I turned to some holistic remedies to try to ease the migraines. Chiropratic, massage, herbal supplements and such. They haven't stopped the migraines but seem to be less frequent. I have been on most of the migraine medications out there and had way too many side effects to stay on them or they just did not work for me. I thought I had to at least try the holostic approach. I don't know if what I have said here will help you but I hope it did somewhat. Hang in there!!

Calli6

10/25/08 10:31pm

We've all been at one time or another where you are now, so don't feel bad. If a person has the flu people understand and can sympathize because they've probably had it too. Most people don't know what a migraine feels like and they think of it as a "headache". So hang in there, do the best you can and know that most of us feel the same way!

rbcool

10/26/08 2:32am

I didn't think anyone had the same problems I had. There seems to be a lot of us. I have suffered from migrains for over 40 years. Usually one or two a month. After my hysterectomy I had one every day for over a year and slowly lessened to a couple a week. I now average one a week unless I have a flair then it is several weeks of every other day. I also have neck problems that I think trigger the attacks. Two years ago I was diagnosed with RA so now I am on a roller coaster between the two problems.

Most days are good ones and now that I am retired I can handle the pain better. Teaching was very hard during the attacks. I just take one day at a time and enjoy being alive. Hang in there.

Feel like I am losing my mind and letting my family down due to migraines

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