I had headaches most of my childhood, but never had a migraine until I was 33. By this time I had two children, the youngest was 4-years old, and I hadn’t been sick since I was a kid. At first the migraines were just 5-6 a month, around my period. I talked to my gynecologist, who told me to see a neurologist, but thankfully gave me some Maxalt to get by on until then. When I took it the first time I thought it was a miracle!
I went to the neurologist, had the MRI, and was told that I have Classical Migraines and then put on 50 mg Topamax, twice a day. This was all within a month following my first migraine, but now I had 20 a month. My Topamax was steadily increased, Neurontin was added and also increased, and now I only use the Maxalt if my headache has been at #4 out of 4 for more than 3 hours (which is about 7 out of 30 days). I live with migraine pain and debilitation every day. I’m now on 400 mg of Topamax and 900 mg of Neurontin, and also use Phenergan as needed. They recently added Halcyon for sleep, (after a year of insomnia).
I would call the visual effects of the migraine more like a hallucination than an aura. The smallest light source is unbearable; from the clock radio, to a computer screen. I wear shades in the house. When I have a migraine the pain starts like a band around the base of my neck, then up around my temples over my eyes, all the while tightening. Finally, it picks a side and settles in. Then the pain in my neck spreads into my shoulders. I am disoriented, I cannot think of the words that I want to use, I mumble, and then I have memory gaps. I require assistance from my husband in caring for myself, I vomit, I have panic attacks, I sob, and I lash out.
I have not worked in a year, and my Cobra insurance is running out soon. I am going to a headache specialist this week and praying for God’s mercy. There is no use talking about my marriage. Anyone who has ever been chronically sick knows you end up alone even when the spouses don’t leave; He says he’s not cut out for this.
Afterthought… I never drink caffeine, I do not drink alcohol, I hate chocolate, and I never take NSAID’s.
