Nancy Bonk

Health Interests

Migraine/Headache pain,  Lupus,  Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (PTC),  Hashimoto Thyroid,  Cervical Spine Fusion

Drugs I am Taking

Nancy Bonk has not shared any drug information.

About Me

My first real experience with chronic head pain occurred when I fell in my driveway carrying our son to the car in 1996. I slipped on a tiny patch of black ice and was unconscious for twenty minutes. Somehow I managed to get to the phone and call for help. I couldn't remember my neighbors number, and never thought to call 911.

Since "the fall" I have suffered from chronic daily intractable head and neck pain. The ER doc missed the two herniations when I fell because he failed to do a cervical xray. In 2004 I had a two level cervical fusion to take care of the spinal compression and hopefully help with the pain....

In addition to chronic pain, I started experiencing lots of joint and muscle pain, fatigue, hair loss, tender points,  and weight gain, . No one ever seemed to figure out what the problem was, or try to connect any of it.

Finally I found a new primary doctor who decided to run some "different" blood tests. This doctor has been the only one in the last ten years who has taken the time and effort to figure out I have more than just a "headache." Low and behold, turns out I had hypothyroidism, Hashimoto thyroid - my very first autoimmune disease. Then we moved on to a lumbar puncture which indicated I had Pseudotumor Cerebri, or Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. Next we moved to another part of the autoimmune world called Lupus.  My immune system seems to have a few "issues" in addition to chronic pain.

My family is fabulous. Michael, my husband, has stuck with me through thick and thin. During all our frustrations trying to figure out what is "wrong"with me, he has had some tough spells. It cannot be easy being the spouse of a chronically ill wife. Our daughter is a senior in high school and is the editor of the yearbook. Our "baby" a 7th grader, who is a black belt in TaeKwon Do. A silver mini poodle, Lilly, round out the family.

Educating and supporting people with Migraine disease and chronic illness is very important to me. Working with you in the Migraine Forum and reading your SharePosts let me get to know you better, and I look forward to that a great deal.