As a migraine sufferer, I cannot explain the pain to those who haven’t experienced a full-on migraine attack. As from my own experience, it feels like your head is tightened in a vice, very uncomfortable yes.
I was diagnosed with migraines a few years ago. My first migraine started off with frequent little nosebleeds. I couldn’t help but think this really isn’t normal.
I hoped the pain would go away on its own if I took a paracetamol or two. I went to the doctors and they prescribed Zolmitriptan. Whenever I got a normal headache I was told to take one of these so it wouldn’t become a full-on migraine. It worked for a few weeks but they soon started to wear off and now I’m back to having migraines almost every day.
Early hours in the morning I was starting to feel very sick, sometimes often would throw up, I couldn’t cope with the pain anymore. I phoned the out of hours doctors at the hospital, they told me to book an appointment for an X-ray and scan on my head. I made the appointment and a few weeks later was booked in for my head scan. The day came and I thought I would finally have an answer as to why I’m getting all these bad pains in and all around my head. The scan results came back, nothing. They couldn’t find anything as to what was causing my permanent strong headaches. Yes, of course, they agreed it was a migraine, but they didn’t seem even remotely bothered.
The number of times I’ve been told to take paracetamol and sit in a dark room like I haven’t tried that. People get them mixed up with headaches, no. A headache is not a migraine. With a migraine, the pain pressure builds up stronger and stronger until it almost feels like your head is going to explode. Headaches can be there for a few hours and then go away, but a migraine lingers forever.
My migraines attacks sometimes cause my vision to go awol, which is called an aura migraine. My main triggers are bright lights, flashing lights and loud noises. It’s not just a throbbing pain in the head, it also hurts right behind the eye sockets. I am currently suffering from a migraine as I write this. I am drinking cups of tea and I know people would jump up on that saying ‘caffeine is bad for your migraines” yeah yeah but I want a cup of tea.
I would like to continue to spread awareness to those who do not completely understand what it’s like to live with a migraine. Also, to share my experience and help others with the same condition. I would not wish this on my worst enemy.
