Thursday, December 3, 2009
A Recent Development
In the last month and a half or so, I've developed a new stress response: migraines. I've never had to deal with them before, and I wish things could go back to the way they were before. I can deal with uneasy stomach and cold sores. These migraines occur on Thursdays and sometimes Tuesdays, which coincides with my typography class and class critiques. I've found that high doses of caffeine help mitigate the pain, but then I'm hopped up on this stimulant. So on days that I need to be at my best, I'm in pain or I'm jittery. I've never had a problem with an occasional Coke, especially of the vanilla variety, but I've never been a caffeine addict either. I don't particularly like how it makes me feel. I tend to crash off any high I might get pretty fast. And now I worry that if this trend continues, I'll get used to having caffeine in my system and it won't work as well on the headaches. Is there anything out there besides caffeine, and absolute quiet and darkness, that you've found that helps with migraines?
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8 comments:
I'm not sure I've ever had migraines, but I've found that drinking a lot of water and getting a lot of sleep helps my headaches. That, and taking a few minutes to relax and calm down when things get stressful.
Sorry I don't have anything better. Hope your headaches get better.
I like Tim's advice ... but I've never had actual migraines either. I have found sleep deprivation + stress cause a lot of my headaches. You could also consult a physician for ideas. So this is the biochemist in me, but be careful about your caffeine intake - not only is it addictive but it can have some gnarly side-effects on your cells. :) I wish I could be more helpful. Good luck - that sounds like no fun at all!
Oh, I already don't like what caffeine does to me, so I am trying to lowball on the intake.
Obviously the previous comments haven't suffered from migraines. A migraine is not a headache. The only way I can explain it would be like having a dagger piercing through the back of your eye sockets and gradually being jabbed and turned through your brain while stabbing the back of your neck. Sound about right? My fellow migraine sufferers who have also given birth tell me that because of their migraines, childbirth is actually bearable because their pain tolerance is already so high.
I am so sorry to tell you this, but there is NOTHING you can do for them. I've been a migrainer since I was 4 yrs old and had a severe head injury. It's awful in every way. I get them often and they don't go away until I throw up. I usually end up crying like a small child, which is nothing short of embarrassing, but so far-I've had charitable and loving roommates who know "the drill." I assume my husband will be just as cool some day.
A cold cloth on the forehead and on the back of the neck are comforting, but won't make it go away. I had a neurologist one time try to put me on a preventative medication -Topomax, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of the side effects. (Not to mention it's expensive). Call me sometime, I'll give you some more tips.
God bless you, and I feel your pain..is all I can honestly say!
Maybe mine are just a step below migraines then. I had the stabbing pain behind one eye, it felt like a railroad spike being driven from just above my eyebrow down at an angle behind my eye socket. There were a couple times where I thought it would spread to both my eyes, but thankfully stayed in one place. And light and sound only made things worse. However, there was no nausea for me, I was expecting it, but it didn't come. And I didn't quite get to tears, though it was pretty close. And what made it worse was knowing that my wife needed me, though I was incapable of doing anything for her. The next day, the driving pain was gone, but I could still tell where the pain had been, I thought of it as an echo of what I had felt the night before.
But after the first occurrence, if I feel something coming on I take one Excedrin Migraine, and then sip on Coke for the rest of the day and I can cope. I won't say I'm fine, as I dislike all the caffeine in my system, but I can manage the pain and function within fairly normal parameters. After getting them every tuesday and thursday for 3 weeks, I haven't had any for a week and a half. Maybe that first one was a migraine, and what I felt since were just intense stress headaches. I don't know, I haven't been in to see a doctor or anything. I just know that what I have felt was miserable.
Belch, that sounds awful! I hope it doesn't persist. -Woodine
I can't say that I've ever heard of belching as a side effect of migraines.
I know you meant blech, but I couldn't resist.
extra strength advil gel caps !!!!! i get one atleast once a week they are the worst things ever !
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