Migraine Headaches Support Group
Migraine is a neurological disease, of which the most common symptom is an intense and disabling episodic headache. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head and are often accompanied by photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound) and nausea.
I've put this or very similar posts here before. When it's so bad that I barely get a break for days my thoughts go to bad places. I daydream about my death. I'm not in any way suicidal. A suicide in my family many years ago made me see how much pain that caused. But still I daydream about overdosing or being killed in an auto accident or going off a bridge. Anything to end the pain.
I'm a licensed massage therapist. Earlier today I put a post on craigslist - Free massage for migraine victim - but it got flagged off before I could make contact with anyone. Sometimes giving or getting a massage helps. That calm contact with another person while relaxing music is playing is a big help.
I'm one of those people who keeps going, but I see my life going by. Instead of a career I have pain. Instead of spending time with my grandchildren when they visit I have pain. My yard makes my house look like it's been repo'd because I can't stand the sunlight to go outside and take care of it. I have to stop. This is turning into a bitchlist and if you're reading this support group you already have your own list.
I'm a licensed massage therapist. Earlier today I put a post on craigslist - Free massage for migraine victim - but it got flagged off before I could make contact with anyone. Sometimes giving or getting a massage helps. That calm contact with another person while relaxing music is playing is a big help.
I'm one of those people who keeps going, but I see my life going by. Instead of a career I have pain. Instead of spending time with my grandchildren when they visit I have pain. My yard makes my house look like it's been repo'd because I can't stand the sunlight to go outside and take care of it. I have to stop. This is turning into a bitchlist and if you're reading this support group you already have your own list.
There is nothing that I can do or say to eleviate your pain but to say that I understand and am here for you anytime you wish to talk. Sometimes a distraction is helpful.
Take care my dear friend...Rae
I have a collection of meds. Sometimes one works, sometimes another. Usually I will take one med and if I'm lucky it works. If it doesn't then 90 minutes later I'll try another med, and if necessary another in another 90 minutes....and so on. Usually sooner or later I get some relief but I'm worn out, exhausted from the effects of the pills or what some people call a "migraine hangover". Remarkably, some days I'm migraine free.
A good day is when the migraine isn't so painful or when I manage to bring it under control. A bad day is when this just goes on and on, ruining my whole day.
Of course now my life has become so oriented around this lifestyle that I don't have anything useful to do anyhow. The things that need to be done in my yard or around the house aren't going to be done by me because I'm going to stay away from sunlight and noise.
I did manage to graduate massage school and become licensed. The biggest dissapointment lately is that people aren't knocking on my door asking for massage. This is something I can do - calm, dimly lit, soft music, a person to person contact that helps both of us. Tremendously different than my last job teaching high school, which I just became unable to do any more.
A friend sent me this article - http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/23/brizendine.male.brain/index.html?hpt=C2 and my wife wanted to know what kind of grandfather do I think I am - the cuddly grampa or the crabby old man. I had to point out the difference between the "cuddly" relationship I had with the 11 year old back when she was 2 or 3 compared to the younger granddaughters who are 1-3 now. In the past I hand-fed them to get them to eat, did their nails and fascinated them by drawing pictures of them and making up stories. Now I can barely stand to be around small children. Migraines have changed my life. There might be sunlight after the storm, but I don't see it yet.
I just thought I'd pop in to the migraine discussions to mention that my acupuncturist told me that acupuncture has helped quite a number of people who suffer from migraines. I tried acupuncture to help with another problem, but it became a bit costly after a while, so I had to stop my sessions...but perhaps you might consider giving acupuncture a try if the migraines are really horrible.
I hope you find something that will help. Take care. :)