Hi Winnie,

I am surprised at the things we have in common because in my daily life I feel alone and therefore assume I AM alone with these symptoms. This is an encouraging site.

I read your post on being an introvert. I am the same. I love being around people but a little socializing at a time is all I can handle. I find I'm exhausted afterwards. We really enjoy attending a class at church on Sundays but then I'm wiped out for the rest of the day. I've often wondered if having migraine disease makes me that way but I don't think so. Being around too many people for too long or just being with one intense person (such as house guest/s) can cause me anxiety (feeling trapped) and give me a headache quickly.

My son lives in Arizona and suffers from migraines. He sleeps with a humidifier in his bedroom year round for headaches associated with dry air. (we use one here in Memphis in the winter when the heater is running) Whenever I'm traveling, I always take my neti pot and use it with salt and warm water to cleanse and soothe dry sinuses. This has worked amazingly well. Arizona also seems to have dry dust blowing which is a trigger for me and the neti pot works great for that as well.

For several months out of the year, we cruise on our sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay. I often find the lifestyle to cause "sensory overload." The wind, glare, heat, motion, heeling, and STRESS all contribute to being a migraine trigger for me. I wouldn't do it if I didn't love being on the water. And actually I find the salt air to be refreshing on my sinuses. Unlike in your case, my husband is the sailor and I stay below where it's dark and out of the wind. If it's an overcast day with not too much wind, I will come out into the cockpit. This is the compromise we've come up with. I couldn't stay on the boat and be out in the elements or I'd have a migraine every day of my life.

I am 57. I started having severe migraines in my early forties. I believe they were hormone related as in hormone imbalance. I always had them with my period. There was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent them. I seem to have outgrown most of that trigger by now, thank God. I am using bio-identical hormone creams, prescribed by my doctor, and they have really helped me feel more on a even keel. (no more hot flashes/night sweats, and I'm sleeping more soundly)

I suspect that as I'm getting older, triggers bother me more easily. I get tired more easily and stressed more easily. But by being very careful about eating a natural diet, (no additives) avoiding the food triggers I've discovered, exercising regularly, and sleeping soundly--I am much improved without having to resort to drugs as often. Zomig on a sailboat makes me feel like I'm going to die from something other than the headache. (it causes nausea, pounding heart, cold sweat for me)

I'm happy to hear you're much improved. That is encouraging to all of us!

Jane