This is not the life I signed up for! My husband & children didn't either!

I share your pain. I am a 27 year old female and I have been suffering with chronic migraines since I was only 12. I was diagnosed back in Mexico at the age of 13, they seem to go away for a while but when they come back the get stronger. I absolutly hate when people think you can fake such a painful thing or when they compare it to a simple headache. But what I hate the most is that I feel that I can't even be in control of my own life. But I try my best, my husdband is very supportive and takes care of our one year old when I lay useless in our bedroom for hours.  When the pain is absolutly unbareable I noticed ice helps a little. try putting some ice cubes in a plastic bag and put a cloth over them and place them over your head where the pain feels the worse. in general something really cold seems to nomb a little

take care

monica

Hi stacy, just read history of Migraines. It really can be a nightmare for the sufferer and our family. Half the battle is with the doctors who dont understand that taking an asprin and chilling out isnt on the cards, your head has different plans than you. I now take Imigran injections which i do myself as well as morphine strength pain relief. My whole family has suffered from this and we found that getting your hair dryer putting it on heat and point it at your face or the side of your head can bring about instant relief far better than any pill.  Let me know how you get on.  all the best, Ian

I have lived with migraine all my life, I'm 62.  The tricks we try!  One of the best for me is to go swimming in cool water, in the mid 60's - -sounds awful but it really helps.  Ice packs on your neck and head also numb the pain but do nothing to get rid of the headache.  1 Chiropractor I saw was able to adjust  my migraines away but others have made them worse.  Also, 1 massage therapist I know can get rid of a bad headache but it takes a long time, 2 hours sometimes.  I have had success with acupuncture too.

I think we need to be doing alternative therapies along with medications and do we need to talk about diet and a healthy lifestyle?

Talking with other migraine sufferers is HUGE.  This sight I have found to be very supportive; just to know other people will respond and understand and may even have a new trick or new med to try.

Keep trying.  Any time you have days without a migraine it's worth all the searching.

Stacey -  Indeed, those who haven't experienced this invisible mugger do not understand just how brave and amazing you are!  The mom of a young child, and you mention that you are still working!  Please consider seeking another neurologist who specializes in Migraine - and in the meanwhile, have you also looked at your personal triggers?  I was surprised, in my 40's, to learn that I had some very real food triggers, by doing a rice elimination diet - under the instruction of an allergist, but you don't need a doctor to do this, where you add one food at a time, to see what may trigger migraines for you.  I was surprised to learn that corn, oats, peanuts, milk, citrus fruits, food preservatives, msg, and sadly, chocolate, trigger severe migraines the same or next day for me.  I still get migraines, but at least I'm not also "firing" off additional ones, and it gives me at least some feeling of control. 

Migraine may not be visible to others, or completely curable, but there are new combinations of drugs and treatments coming out everyday, and exceptional, caring supporting people and professionals to help. Its hard to "count your blessings" or plan your strategy when you're in the middle of a cloud of aura stars and pain, but when you catch a blue sky break - breathe deep, and work on building your building your support plan.  Take care!  Lynne

I am so sorry to hear about your story.  I am 31 years old and have been suffereing from migraines for about the last 16 years.  When I became pregnant with my first child I stopped having them- didn't have them again until after I deliverd my 2nd- about 12 weeks ago. Since then I have been having them on a daily basis.  I am so depressed and stressed out about this.  i am missing spending time with my family and time from work.  I can take Relpax which alleviated the pain- but i know with the frequency I should not be taking it every day.  I have an appointment to see a neurolgist (about the 4th one I have seen in the last 15 years) and am somewhat hopeful he will be able to find something that helps me.  I am very sorry to hear that you are suffering- but it is somewhat comforting to hear that I am not alone.

I'm sorry you have to deal with the pain. I understand what you're going through. I'm in Va as well. Mine got worse when I turned 40. More on my page. Too much to type here. LOL

Hope you're having a migraine free day.

Teresa

Hi Stacey,

  I too have had migraines for 25 years and i am 48. It is awful and i know how you feel. I love this site it is nice to talk to people who actually know how you feel and don't think it is just a headache, that really angers me.My husband has been so supportive also and even my dog knows when i have one. That is just crazy she will just lay beside me and won't leave untill i feel better. I hope some day we find a way to manage or completly rid  ourselves of them. Hang in there.

                                                                 Liz

Dear Stacey,

Living with migraines and doing all you do - wow - you are one powerful woman!  I hope you have a good migraine specialist that LISTENS to you and crafts treatments for YOU, not just passes their drug du jour.  My daughters migraines (last 12 years) have been a family affair and eventhough it's not what your want for your family, that's the way it is.  A few suggestions/words of caution:  It has been our experience that over a long period of time drug therapy changes, escalates, and ultimately becomes part of the problem, so it is vital to have a medical specialist with extensive knowledge and a philosophy that keeps you away from the rebounding and opiate drugs and also embraces alternatives. My daughter's experience in a nutshell: migraines since childhood - a couple a month, escalating in teens to once a week, continuing to morph into chronic daily headache with a migraine each week that would last 3-4 days.  Has been on/tried different preventative and abortive combinations/nerve blocks with only minor relief, culminating with 2 ER visits a few months ago. Long story short, a new MD at our headache center took her off everything except elavil to detox from all the drugs that cause rebounding and we added alternative therapies - an ND who is doing homeopathy, biofeedback, and nutritional supplementation, and a rolfer for physical therapy.  It's not been a picnic these last few months, but she is improving steadily, going for up to a week completely headache free and she feels stronger than she has in years.  We are cautiously hopeful, that the cycle of getting better only to have everything stop working will finally end.  Keep looking for what will work for you and remember that eventhough you are a powerful woman, it's OK to stop and let others be the strong  one when you're in need.

Hi Stacy.  I know how you feel with the never ending migraine battle.  I've had them for years too.  Over the years they only seem to get worse instead of better.  I've tried every preventative medication out there & it has not worked.  I've been hospitalized twice & given DHE45, Decadron, phenergan & morphine.  It would stop them for a while but they always came back.  Now I give myself DHE shots at home.  They suck & are very painful.  I've also had some very bad ER experiences.  ER doctors DO NOT think migraines are worth their time.  The other day my neurologist gave me a cortisone/marcane shot in the back of my head to try & help stop them but it didn't work.  He said I had gotten Occipital Neuralgia from having so many migraines.  Who knows what he will try next.  My husband does not understand migraines & the pain they cause.  He comes home & I'm on the couch in so much pain & he gets frustrated.  He thinks I'm just being a wimp & lazy.  Its hard on our marriage because I never feel good.  I know this will sound mean but I wish he could just have one so he would understand how painful they are.  Only people with these horrid things understand what others go through. 

I was up this morning early with a bad one & started looking online.  Johns Hopkins has a new Headache Center.  The website is below.  It's worth seeing if your doctor will refer you & maybe they can do something for you.  I'm going to talk to my doctor about sending me there.  I wish you lots of luck in finding some relief.

Sheree

http://hopkinsneuro.org/headache/index.cfm