Hey tentfire, more migraines

[dsmith]

Hey girl. You are my migraine sister. Something ain't no fun sharing. Had 2 yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!1 And the grandkids where here. Dennis was funny. I am one that gets the vision disturbance with mine. Like looking into the sun kinda. Well, when the second one hit, I was playing video games with the grandkids. Kept missing the mark. Dennis looked at the game, and at me, and said, "Granny is having a migraine, shut it down". He can read me like a book. I was bound and determined to keep playing with them. My daughter was here, and she just took them home. I HATE those things. They are in no way bad for your health, life threatening or anything like that. But as you know, they are very frustrating. Everything just stops for them. I fight it, but Dennis can usually catch it. I hate that you get them too, but it is good to have someone to gripe and carry on about them with.

[tentfire]

They are in no way bad for your health, life threatening or anything like that.

One of my doctors once, jumped all over me when he found out I had migraines, how bad they were, and that I just tolerated them. (I was starting with a new doc after mine had retired.) I had been having them so bad that sometimes they would last for 2 - 4 weeks. I will NEVER forget that 4-week migraine!!! Yes, non-stop the whole time. Anyway, that doctor told me that severe migraines were not good on the body and could cause all kinds of problems. He had put me on a migraine preventer (which was great, I hardly ever had one) but my body couldn't take the med after a long while. Tooooo many side affects worse than the migraines.

I have quite a few remedy tricks that often help if you want me to share any of them with you. Here is one of my favorites:

Eat a whole, York Peppermint Patty (the full-size ones). I like them best right out of the freezer. Then go lay down for 30-minutes or an hour and let it start kicking in. Why do all this? Those Peppermint Patties are high in NATURAL peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is a great, natural pain killer (and it seems to do other stuff, too). Somehow, the combination of the natural oil, with the chocolate and other ingredients, sure give some great relief, often times, to a migraine.

You know, migraines are really misunderstood by people that don't have them (and I wouldn't wish them on anyone). A migraine can affect various parts of your body, just one part, or all of it. Sometimes you don't even have a headache, just feel really cruddy, an upset stomach, and general aches. When I have what I call my "full body" migraines, my head hurts, my tummy hurts, my eyes hurt, and I feel like I have heavy weights tied all over my body. And I hate that tunnel vision ..... good thing I don't do that too often.

I am sorry you have them, too. It can really feel debilitating sometimes. But yes, it sure is nice to have someone else that completely understands, to share them with. Hope you are over yours now.

[dsmith]

Thanks for that info. You better believe I am gonna try that. I've had them since I was 16. I have never had one last more than one day though. I can't imagine what you've been through to have them that long. I have gone as long as 3 weeks, with them hitting daily. Sometimes more than one a day. The doc says I get them in clusters. But yeah, they do hit all over. And I am so drained after one for a day or two. Once in a while, I can kinda tell one is coming up. I get that drained feeling before it hits. And I can get really down and depressed. Then, sure enough, here one comes. I hope I don't get to try the peppermint patty anytime soon, but I will put some in the freezer. Thanks again

[tentfire]

Just got over a 3-day one. Head didn't hurt much(felt the pressure), but my whole body sure did. Constantly felt like something was pulling me down. Glad it is over.

I have heard of the type that are in clusters. That would be terrible! I guess we adjust and just flow with whatever type we get. I have had mine since I was at least 5 or 6, maybe younger. Took until I was in my mid 20's or so for the doctor to figure out the underlying cause. Of course, there are several triggers (especially MSG and aspartame) but my biggest one is barometric pressure changes. Raw onions always set my dad off. You just never know.

Do you know what any of your triggers are?

[dsmith]

I'm sorry you had one. I feel for you. It's nice though that we have each other to talk to about them. Thanks for sharing even though it is bad news.
I have tried to find triggers, but can't find none. The only thing that seems to be going on often when they hit, is a change in weather. Not all changes in weather, but I have started noticeing that when they hit, there has been some kind of change. Usually from cold to hot, or hot to cold. So that kinda goes with what you said about the pressure. Maybe we are on to something. I KNOW it is not stress with me. There have been times I have been under EXTREME stress, and no migraine. And then I will have one hit when I am happy and "chilled" out.

[tentfire]

I was online working on one of my sites. When I logged out it jumped back to my Yahoo! page and this article was highlighted. I just had to jump on here and share it with you.

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100830/sc_nm/us_migraine_gene

This confirms/explains why, when I eat anything containing MSG (monosodium glutamate) I get a bad migraine. Don't know if it will help you or not, but thought I would share, just in case.

[dsmith]

Thanks for that. Really interesting. I do believe that they are genetic. I have heard they hit every other generation. Don't know if it's true or not. My mom said her grandfather (I never met him) would set with a wet towel wrapped around his head and just moan about his headache. That was way way back and nobody knew about migraines then. When I started getting them, she said she knew that is what was happening to him.

[dsmith]

Accidentally hit post. So instead of modifying the previous one, I'll just start a new one.
Anyways, a couple years ago, I worked with a 60 year old woman. She was so scared because she had started getting migraines. She didn't know they were migraines. She talked about the spots and swirling lines. With the headache, stomach ache, etc. I told her not to be so scared that they were migraines. She just knew something was seriously wrong with her. Went to the doc, and sure enough, they were migraines. Now she has adjusted to them. It is so odd for them to hit so late in life. But it did with her.

[dsmith]

Had one Sunday. I was so mad at myself for not buying the peppermint patties yet. That is on my list the very next time I am at the store. We were packing to go fishing when it hit. Didn't want to tell Dennis because I WAS going fishin regardless. He did catch it. Was hunting bread ties for the fishng baskets, and was having a hard time since I couldn't see good. He was gonna stay home. I insisted. Was sick at my stomach all day long. Had that drugged fealling and was tired. But we did get to go anyway, and I enjoyed it despite feeling lousy