Migrane

Brain and nerves
1

I am a 37 year old female who suffers from migranes. I started having headaches since the age of 11. I have since been told that they have changed to severe migranes. I had 2 stents place in my brain because my neurologist advise me that I had elevated pressure in my brain. At first he didn't want to do it, until he saw me crying because I was in so much pain.

Since I have had the stent for the past 2 month's my life has not been the same. I was on 9 different medications that didn't do anything but cause me to sleep. I have had several lumber punctures, which have not work. I even got a second opinion and was told that my brain was not the issue as the problem was due to the swelling of my right and left optic nerve. The doctor indicated that they were severely swollen that were bulging in they back of my head, and that is what was causing the serve pain in my head. The doctor told me to follow up with my optomologist. Needless to say I did, and explained what I was told by the second opinion doctor. The optomologist brushed everything off, and was totally in disagreeance of what I was told.

The only good thing about that visit was he took me off of all the medication I was currently on, because he indicated that I was on too much of it and there was no telling which ones were working. To this day I am still having painful migranes, and none of the doctors I am seeing are listening to me. All of my cat scan and MRI are all coming back OK. I am so tired of going in and out of the ER. I don't know if there is any relief. I forgot to mention that I have been off of work ever since my procedure, and was admitted 6 days after my procedure back at the hospital due to sharp throbbing pain in the back of my head, as well as me being dizzy and unable to walk.

I just want to be pain free😢

2

Hello Meka,

First of all I am sorry to hear you have so much pain that they cant seem to control and of course you have a right to be pain free.

After what you have been through the Drs should be a lot more understanding than they are at present.

You may have got tired of going to see them, but if you are still in so much pain you have to nag and nag to to get them to listen to you.

We have all been there at some point, not knowing how what to do because of the pain.

The meds that I take used to make me sleepy to start with, plus other side effects, but they die away after time and still control the pain,

They have to find the right meds for you.

Just come on here in the mean time to update us on your progress.

Good luck Meka and hope they find you the right meds soon.

3

Thank you for responding. I will definitely keep everyone posted on my continued journey.

4

Hi Meka, firstly just to say I am sorry you are in so much pain, its dreadful.  As a fellow migraine sufferer I sympathise.  I live in the UK and am being treated by a Neurologist.  He tells me that most neurologists now believe that migraine is the sister conditon of epilepsy which is why so many migraine sufferers respond favorably to the anti epeleptic medication.  Unfortunately I didn't and have tried everything to no avail and I had to give my beloved career as the constant migraines and the associated raised blood pressure made it impossible for me to work.  I have now been given botox injections  (36 injections all aound the head) every 3 months for the past year and a half and they have really helped, they reduce the frequency and severity of my migraines.  I am not sure about the long terms use of this treatment but for now  i will continue as I am so greateful to have found something that helps.  You might also want to read about the link to some foods, extract from research, 'in the late 1960s, researchers began suspecting that a food compund called 'tyramine ' could also play a role in migraines. One researcher noted that some people with migraines who also had a deficiency of MAO had headaches after they ate foods containing tyramine.'  I recently have started to try to avoid these foods and that also seems to help a bit.  I hope this helps and good luck. 

5

Thank you so much for responding, and providing me with some helpful information. I will definitely look into the types of food I eat, and will continue on this non ending journey.

6

so sorry to hear about your struggle...I too have migraines and they occur almost daily.  I have had the botox injections and that seems to lessen the severity (no more trips to the ER)have you tried drugs in the triptan family? they work pretty good. also there are "pain clinics" that deal with chronic pain you might look into. Acupunture is helpful as well     good luck God bless

7

Hi Meka, sorry to hear this, the pain is too much to take I know

I have a migraine everyday, even with Triptans hard to control the pain

be persistent, I also take feverfew herbal and magnesium Im hoping my specialist will give me the botox injections

hope we all find help soon

good to know about Tyramine, will look out for that

Thanks

8

Thanks for responding. The doctor I went to for a second opinion suggested botox. She wanted to try one other thing first.

9

Hi, Meka. I feel for you. Stents in your brain. Wow. I know it is difficult when you feel pain.  I am practicing meditation and relaxation techniques when I feel pain coming on. Instead of tensing and getting all worked up emotionally, I consciously try to relax, listen to some soothing music and use some aromatherapy. It really helps and sometimes totally stops the headache. I think a huge component in migraine is emotional upset/turmoil and overthinking. I would continue to seek out doctors, eventually you will find one who knows what the problem is. It is a process for sure but we can't give up. Hang in there. Try the diet elimination. Add magnesium glycinate supplements as this is a HUGE help. All the best to you and keep us posted. Patricia

10

Thank you so much for responding. I will take your advise and try supplements. I will keep everyone posted when I find some relief.

11

'I think a huge component in migraine is emotional upset/turmoil and overthinking.'  I think this is a very unhelpful comment, would you say the same for someone who had epilepsy or MS?  Migraine is a very real illness and is considered  to be the sister condition of epilegsy and whilst stress does not help any illness, any suggestion that migraine is caused by someone 'overthinking'  is not only risible, it is offensive. 

12

its always ppl who dont have migraines who minimize it and say things like "take a couple of tylenol and get over it"    I had one person say that and then (ha) they got a migraine and said they would kill themselves if they ever got another one!  Ummm yeah welcome to my world!