I have suffered from these suckers for eleven years, ever since I was 17 years old. Have made quite a name for myself at jobs because I would refuse to call out with one, even though they lasted 3 days, I could not eat, and I was so worn down from the n/v that I passed out on more than one occasion. Fast forward, I am now in grad school, rounding with a cardiologist whose wife is a neurologist. After seeing me get down with one, he got me in to see her (after telling me I was nuts to wait so long), and she started me on Topamax for prophylaxis and Frova for the acute spells. I could kiss this woman, I feel so much better. My migraines are stress-induced, and with school, I was getting 2-3 a week, so I was basically in pain 24/7. Now I have had 4 in 2 months, not great, but 100% better than it was. I hope after school they will become less frequent.
I have one problem. No one else in my family has these, so they do not understand what I go through. My DH is the worst. I usually wake up with these, and have had to miss work a couple of times this year (only 2, mind you). His take is that I am just lazy, and I am just whining because I don't want to work. I DO want to work. I would not be getting an NP certificate if I was not interested in working. It's no good trying to explain things to him. Then, at times, he's really caring and sweet, and wants to knowwhat he can do for me, he's sorry I hurt, etc.
My parents, God love them, are not as bad, but almost. They insist on having a conversation with me, keep all the lights on, the phone rings nonstop, and when I say that I am going home, they act hurt and say, "Well, you can lay down here." I know they miss me when I am not there, (I only live 8 miles away) but the noise does not stop when I lay down.
Aside from hexing them into a migraine so they will understand, I don't know what to do. Any other sufferers out there? I'd love to get to know you.
AngelFireRN, I am sorry you have to go though the migraines and deal with unsupportive family members. I am, too, long time sufferer. I've been dealing with mine for the last 20 years and thankfully my family is very supportive and understanding. I just started "experimenting" with Topamax, still adjusting dosages. It does work, although not 100%, the life is much better. Side effects are annoying and I am waiting for them to go away, or if they are here to stay I will have to weigh in if they are worth living with. My migraines are triggered by so many things that I joke that they are triggered by life itself. Symptoms are typical too: n/v, sight, smell, sound sensitivity, occasionally auras. Recently migraines got so bad that I would get them 5-6 days/week. I attribute that exacerbation to our recent relocation to a different climate.
Had them 2-4 days q month from age 28 to my TAH/BSO at age 40--stopped as quickly as they started.
My mom had them , and I got ticked as a all-knowing teen because they seemed to be so "convenient" for her. No clue at 15 what stresss PLUS hormones could do...
Know what works for you...I finally got my DH to understand that a migraine was like a bad hangover, motion sickness, and being hit on the head with a hammer--all at the same time. Hope that you get some relief, or at least some empathy!!
I found out that I have severe fatigue after Imitex, po or IM, Axert and Relpax. I mean fatigue to the point that I would turn into vegetable (not literal of course). Migraine would subside, I would sit on the couch, for hours, unable to move my limbs, talk or have any emotions. I wonder if I had drool in the corner of my mouth sometimes. It would be so bad, that when I had migraine I would think long and hard how bad is it and if it really worth taking medication because the of the fatigue. I finally stopped taking them.
BTW - misspelled words are the result of the Topamax. LOL I just can't win. Why can't I have a weight loss side effect of Topamax? Why did I end up with inability to spell words correctly?
i am 60 and cannot remember a time that i didn't have migraines. my mom called them "sick headaches" and she, too, suffered from them. i had all the symptoms: light sensitiviy, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, dizziness, etc. there even was a time when smelling a certain cheese triggered a migraine. mine would last for at least 5 days, if not longer, and i was literally house bound. getting into nursing only made them worse and i found that caffeine and advil were the only things that helped. like others, if i woke up with one, i was done for!!
now, the good news!!!! as i got older, the frequency has lessened and i was only getting one every month or so. since i retired from nursing and my stress level has dropped drastically, i can't remember the last time i had a migraine. i have headaches but nothing compared to a migraine. i know that i was a very stressed kid and a stressed nurse and now with less stress, less migraines.
hopefully, you will be like me and have a decrease in them as you get older. getting older has to have some perks!!!
Yes! Someone who has migraines too! I have had then for 12 years but they were under control til nursing school. My head pounds so hard I can hear my pulse in my ears. I take maxalt too and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesnt!!! I mean when your head hurts and then you start vomitting... just makes your head hurt worse! What to do????
Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.
I also get migraines. I started getting them when I was in about 3rd grade and my mom honestly thought I had a brain tumor or something! I used to have them for several days straight and I would get them often. Now I can usually tell when I am going to get one because I get an aura a few hours before... I get the whole tunnel vision, light and noise sensitivity, n/v, and I just feel fuzzy like I am in a dream or something. If I take something and go lay down for a while when I first start feeling like I am going to get one, I can usually fight them off. Thankfully with my doctors help, I was able to figure out most of my triggers so now I only get a few a year!
Specializes in Med-surg; OB/Well baby; pulmonology; RTS.
Yet another migraine sufferer here. I've had them since I was 12 or 13 (started getting them several months after I started menstruating). Mine are triggered by hormones; lack of sleep; stress; low blood sugar. I've taken Maxalt and Zomig with good results at first, but then they stopped working: now I am on Relpax and it usually does a good job, if I take it early enough. I've also been given Imitrex but haven't taken it yet. I've been started on Neurontin for mine as I can't take Topamax due to having a hx of kidney stones.
There are times the Relpax doesn't work and I have taken Tylenol and ibuprofen, I have to take a narcotic (ONLY after I get home from work or am not working that day).
I get the n/v, sensitivity to light and noise. I will occasionally get numbness and tingling in the opposite arm of whichever side my head hurts.
Had them 2-4 days q month from age 28 to my TAH/BSO at age 40--stopped as quickly as they started.
This is what my mom and hubby thinks will help me since mine are majorly hormone related.
Hi, How are you... I have also suffered from migraines for years and like you believe that mine are stress induced. I take imitrex for acute episodes and have for years, yet just began taking Topamax last week. I am curious to see if you have had any side effects or anything I guess weird happen when taking the Topamax? (I think I have just noticed some drowsiness although it may just be working nights and going to NP school LOL) I have heard so many mixed reviews. What dosage did you begin on? My Dr. began with 50 mg once a day at HS and then wants me to progress from there. Any help or feedback on Topamax would be great thanks:)
Hi there,
I've been on Topamax since October and it has completely changed my world. Before, I was having migraines at least twice a week. I was exhausted all the time and spent a lot of time lying on the couch with a headache. I was also working nights and going to school during the day, which definitely didn't help things. I started on the Topamax on 10/8 and changed jobs on 10/21. I switched from night shift, 3 12s a week, to day shift, a mix of 12s and 24s (EMS - we can sleep at work). I had strange side effects from day one. I couldn't taste the carbonation in soda anymore, from the very first day I was on the Topamax. I had tingling in my hands and feets. I was tired a lot, especially about 30-60 minutes after taking the Topamax. I was forgetting words that I knew previously. However, those side effects gradually faded away (with the exception of the carbonation thing, I still can't stand soda). I've only had a handful of migraines since starting the Topamax. I also take Imitrex to get rid of a migraine if I do get one. I'm still on 50 mg a day at bedtime, although I was thinking of talking to my doctor about upping the dosage for the antidepressant benefits. It will likely take at least 2 weeks for the levels to stablize in your body, so be patient. The side effects will lessen or go away completely and you will be left without your headaches. I also lost about 20 lbs in the first 2 months of taking it. Nice little side benefit. A friend of mine said it made him feel crazy. Keep in close contact with your doctor if you exerience anything odd. good luck!
I've had migraines since I was 12yrs old. My mother also has migraines, so she's pretty helpful. My boyfriend is also pretty good when I've had bad episodes. I don't think he really understands, but so far he's been sympathetic.
I started getting migraines everyday right before I started nursing school so they had to put me on a Betablocker & when that wasn't enough they started me on Topamax as well. (which many of you have mentioned this drug) I was still having migraines almost everyday on these 2 medications, so by the end of it all I was up to 200mg of Topamax.
I began to see a neurologist & she lowered my Topamax to 100mg because I was VERY tired all the time. She also gave me other helpful tips like eat 3 meals with protein, 12oz/day of caffiene, try to stay on a regular sleep schedule, no more than 3 days of pain meds (advil, tylenol, whatever other migraine med). She said you can take as much as you want in those 3 days but no more than 3 days a week. So far this has all helped decrease my frequency of episodes.
Forgot to add a few thoughts: I never took meds simply because I just don't like to take anything that is not OTC for personal reasons. I did find that if I made myself throw up that my pain was decreased. Also, meditating seemed to help if I was able to concentrate enough but as you all know, that is hard when you have a migraine.:redbeathe:redbeathe To all of us in this boat.
Had them 2-4 days q month from age 28 to my TAH/BSO at age 40--stopped as quickly as they started.
My mom had them , and I got ticked as a all-knowing teen because they seemed to be so "convenient" for her. No clue at 15 what stresss PLUS hormones could do...
Know what works for you...I finally got my DH to understand that a migraine was like a bad hangover, motion sickness, and being hit on the head with a hammer--all at the same time. Hope that you get some relief, or at least some empathy!!
I haven't had one for 25 years, since my TAH/BSO also! The 'cure' was a little rough but it stopped a life changing/ruining history of migraine. Funny, just thinking of migraine, even after all this time, brings a memory of fear back to me.
No one who has not suffered from incapacitating migraine can even imagine how bad they can be....This is not a 'headache', people!! I personally had the aura, then a feeling like a spike being driven into my head on one side, light and sound sensitivity, nausea and vomiting for literally HOURS. Carried cafergot to take at the first sign of headache because this was before the 'good' meds came into use. Even Demerol IM didn't help and that was what the ER gave back then!
I totally sympathize with you and hope you take comfort in the fact that you are not alone with this problem and that you find your relief!
SilverRain
18 Posts
AngelFireRN, I am sorry you have to go though the migraines and deal with unsupportive family members. I am, too, long time sufferer. I've been dealing with mine for the last 20 years and thankfully my family is very supportive and understanding. I just started "experimenting" with Topamax, still adjusting dosages. It does work, although not 100%, the life is much better. Side effects are annoying and I am waiting for them to go away, or if they are here to stay I will have to weigh in if they are worth living with. My migraines are triggered by so many things that I joke that they are triggered by life itself. Symptoms are typical too: n/v, sight, smell, sound sensitivity, occasionally auras. Recently migraines got so bad that I would get them 5-6 days/week. I attribute that exacerbation to our recent relocation to a different climate.