I've been a member of the forum for several months now, but I figured I would register on this part of the site too. I'll post a bit of an intro for those of you who haven't "met" me before. 

2007 was a difficult year for me, health-wise, even though my personal and professional life went very well. This year brought my second struggle with both chronic daily headache and frequent migraines.

I've had frequent headaches most of my life. My mother always told me they were sinus, which I believed because I also had such terrible allergies. By the time I was 14, I had terrible allergies and chronic headaches. It wasn't until my third year of college, when I turned 20, that I finally found out what was going on with my head.

My allergist referred me to an ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor once we realized my headaches may not be just allergy-related. My ENT sent me for a CT scan and discovered I have a deviated septum and quite a bit of blockage in my sinuses. She sent me for a consult with an ophthalmologist and neurologist to ensure my headaches weren't something else, before I underwent any surgery to correct my sinus problems. I never had the surgery. My first neuro put me on Topamax, and my headaches were gone within two weeks. The constant dizziness and nausea were gone too, and for the first time in my life I understood what it felt like to be "healthy".

I graduated from college in 2006, and within a month, moved out west and tried coming off the Topamax (per my neuro's suggestion). By July 2006, I started having dizziness and nausea again, with minor head pain. I dismissed it as allergies. It took me until December to see my new PCP. Thinking it was a sinus infection, she tried me on some antibiotics. When those didn't work, she referred me to an ENT, who diagnosed me with allergies and headaches and referred me to a neurologist. I was rather upset that my headaches had come back so quickly and insistently.

Since I first saw my neuro in February, he and I have been working to find a treatment regimen that works for me. I haven't had much luck yet, but I am more dedicated than ever to finding something that works.

2007 was a very difficult year for me, health-wise. My headaches and migraines are the worst they have ever been. I've watched parts of my life pass me by while stuck on the couch, in pain. When I first realized the Topamax wasn't going to work for me anymore, I hit the www with a vengeance and started reading anything and everything I could find about migraines. I found my way here in June. And I've never looked back.

I don't believe in new year's resolutions, but I am rededicating myself to my healthcare. I have my first appointment with a new headache specialist next week. I am willing to do what it takes to find a treatment regimen that will get my migraines under better control.

I am looking back toward 2007 as a year of growth for me. I've learned much more about my disease, and have started keeping a headache diary to better understand my patterns and symptoms. At least now I feel like I'm doing something toward getting better. I am looking forward to 2008 as a year to continue to learn about my disease, but also to take my life back piece by piece.