I have been suffering with migraines for over seven years now(I'm 35) and have been looking for a place to post for awhile, so here goes.

My headaches began seven years ago as stabbing pains behind my right eye. This would occur 3-4 times a month for about 2-3 days each.

Now, every day I wake (when I can sleep that is) with horrible stabbibg pain, dizziness and aura vision. I also experience short-term memory loss in addition to a myriad of other symptoms. Most depressing though, I have seen my quality of life seemingly evaporate. My wife and two children love and support me, but the toll this has taken on them is obvious and painful to contemplate.

I have been unable to work for going on four years now. I had to give up an $80k job a year, a job I didn't necessarily enjoy, but one which I was very good at.

My first experience with a "headache specialist" five years ago prepared me for what I've faced ever since . A noted specialist in our area, a highly recommended one, frustrated after months of unsuccesful medication trials, told me he could no longer see me. When I asked why, he told me he believed a psychiatrist would be more helpful in my case. For the next five minutes, he proceeded to tell me that if he couldn't help me, it was because I wasn't "sick".

Since that day, I've overheard many a conversation mocking my condition or diminishing it. Worse, I've been called lazy and a loser who just doesn't want to work, in one case by a close relative.

I'm still looking for answers. I have seen several new doctors, been on an ungodly number of medications and have been hospitalized several times.

I've been told there are support groups out there, but at this point, I think I'd just love to know/hear that there are others out there suffering/praying/hoping/pulling their hair out just as I am.

If anyone has feedback to offer. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks

Marty