So Kid 1’s migraine is back. We are controlling it for now. We have a follow up on Monday and that’s when we will figure out a more long term solution. Right now mostly it’s severe nausea. She is taking medication for that too, and it’s keeping her from vomiting but she still feels nauseated, which is awful.
But this morning we managed to get half a protein shake and a few sips of coffee into her, so yay.
We haven’t written in weeks. This has been a long and painful ordeal. It seems like I always wake up because my child is in severe pain.
I sent a thank you note to Eloisa James. I ended up reading SAY NO TO THE DUKE, and it kept me sane.
Thank you for all of the awesome recommendations.
SAPPHIRE FLAMES was reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly. They like it.
SWEEP OF THE BLADE will be available in paperback on release date or shortly after. Because it’s a POD (print on demand) book, the company that prints it won’t let us take preorders. I don’t understand why we can’t do preorders. What difference does it make if they receive the order on the release date or prior? I wish I had more information for you on why that is, but I am really dumb right now, so I don’t.
Still haven’t figured out who sent the diamond painting. The investigation continues.
Some of you asked if the deleted scene/short story Misadventure is referenced in SAPPHIRE FLAMES. It is. You will now have insider knowledge of what went on. It fits very nicely with the narrative, so we are stoked to see if you laugh when you start reading those parts. 😉
Kid 2 has set a daily reminder on Gordon’s phone to “poop his pants.” We can’t figure out how to turn it off. Kid 2 is old enough to legally drink, by the way.
Finally, I did this silly meme on Facebook.
I have realized that Samuel L. Jackson is my Patronus.
P.S. fun with science. Make excel speead sheet maybe 20 cells 5 columns. Pie charts graphs work too. Data points are OVER TIME maybe hourly or so do pain level 1- 10. NOW find weather app includes barometric pressure. You all have a hurricane plus sitting on your curb. Chart pain level BP changes over time. Keep up until weather changes. Note results.
This is my problem. I can tell you that in a week or few days that there will be a significant storm or severe drop or rise in the barometric pressure. I think there is only anecdotal evidence that people respond to weather changes, but my headaches usually correspond to those changes.
I’d have to dig up the papers again, but from what I remember, it’s more that while there is evidence, people respond differently enough that it’s really hard to quantify usefully. Actually –
https://www.securevideo.com/blog/2016/03/18/global-barometric-variation-annual-maps-and-monthly-raw-data
while this isn’t exactly rigorous, a lot of people seem to have found it helpful, and I found it interesting? (FWIW, my migraines – which are complicated – seem to be doing a lot better in NC. The thunderstorms here just don’t hit me nearly as hard. Then again, I might have skipped part of the harder part of Spring my moving down…)
But, of course, migraines are defined not by what triggers them but by a common neurological endpoint. But at the same time, managing the starting points is often really useful, but those vary hugely across individuals?
Most of my allergies are air allergies. When the barometer drops: dust, pollen, and other stuff rises into the air and I get a headache. Was treated for head colds as a kid until saw a different doctor in college and found out had allergies. So when I hear migraine triggers, will say sinus headache and take an allergy. Works better for me.
As for the nausea, try eating a few potato chips or any thing else that is salty or something with vinegar. Ginger cookies might help some too.
+1
Clear blue sky, no thunderstorms predicted. Killer weather headache. Ate Tylenol like mints. Vision gone to black and white, crying in the bathroom at work. Huge storm blows up out of nowhere, thunder shakes building. Fifteen minutes of violent storm, then back to blue skies. Headache finally gone.
So, yeah, I believe it when someone tells me the weather is making them sick.
Yeah, major barometric pressure changes puts the metaphysical equivalent of an ice pick through my cheek bone and eyeball. Every time. Depends on how much change and how long it lasts as to whether or not I get a headache. Usually acetaminophen + asprin barely scrapes the surface.
You’re getting a lot of suggestions because although the resulting migraine is nearly the same (still different symptoms across migraineurs, eg I don’t get ocular disturbances but light and smells can be unbearable) the triggers are varied. From weather to foods to a combination of factors. For me oranges (apparently as common as chocolate but less known) tho even avoiding oranges I can still get one after missing too much sleep + proper meals along with sudden weather change. I still have no idea what caused my worst ever migraine that sent me to hospital at 3am. My friends still joke that it was the 4x intravenous pain meds in 4 hours that made me think the Doctor was cute (when I was finally able to take the washer cloth off my eyes). I swear he was fiiiiine.
I think one factor for all our suggestions is that we’d love to help prevent someone suffering.
Shingle? Yes, young adults, and children, can get shingles. It isn’t common, but it happens, A couple of years ago a friend, who was about 60, had a terribke migraine. Nothing helped. Over the course of about a week, he went to the ER twice. The headache would not quit.. Then there were spots on his scalp. He had shingles of the face. The rash started on his scalp, and spread down one side of his face, the eye, etc.
No one thought about Shingles – after all, it was a severe migrine……
Kid 1 probably doesn’t have shingles, but since her migraine isn’t responding to anything, you never know.
Careful about meds used for nausea— one of the most commonly prescribed is Zofran (odanstran)— great anti nausea med except it can make an migraine WORSE!! I never prescribe it when I have a patient with a migraine. Further there is an old nausea med called Compazine that can actually cure the migraine itself especially if given IV. Consider artificial sweeteners, MSG or another recently developed food allergy as the culprit— keeping a headache diary and noticing what was eaten where the patient is at in the hormonal cycle, etc… can help to figure our causes to avoid.
+1 to MSG and artificial sweeteners. Knew a girl with escalating Neuro symptoms until she was finally in a wheelchair. She gave up her diet coke addiction and was normal again.
I hope they are able to find the trigger for Kid 1’s migraines. For me it’s things like cigarette smoke and incense, for my youngest sister it’s artificial sweeteners. Do you know they add that to almost EVERYTHING??!!
Good luck, get rest, hope all is well soon!
Mono sodium glutamate gives my sister horrible migraines, also strong artificially scented anything…
My co worker is flattened by MSM sensitivity. It gives him killer migraines. My sympathies.
Dear Ilona,
Sorry Kid 1’s Migraine is back. I remember my first migraine. I was 26 and working in an office. One of the men wore strong cologne and we all had chinese food for lunch. I thought I’d gotten food poisoning 🙁
Creating a migraine journal is one of the best things to do to figure out triggers. She’ll likely be surprised over her triggers. I was surprised to find weather is one of mine.
Due to high humidity holding pollutants in the air and the barometric pressure of late, I’ve been either migraine-ish or needing migraine meds since
last week.
Things that help me:
Gel packs on head and neck as mentioned in previous post’s comments.
Eating freshly grated ginger root has been extremely helpful for alleviating my nausea. I take quarter teaspoons plain or with honey in 15 minute intervals until nausea goes away. Usually I only have to do that three times to alleviate or at least reduce nausea for the next several hours.
Eating bland food helps too like the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and/or Toast). Consider avoiding MSG too.
Avoid scented or strong smelling products including air fresheners, candles, laundry products, scented /strong smelling cleaners, nail care, and scented body/hair products. Many of the ingredients in scented products make sinuses swell or have hormone disruptors which can help trigger migraines.
Take care,
Lisa W.
Oh yes, sunlight gives me a doozy of a headache. Always keep a good pair of sunglasses at hand!
I haven’t determined if regular sunglasses are just as good or ones marketed for migraines. Like these which I’ve been tempted to try: https://www.axonoptics.com/
I have worn pink glasses for over 20 years to reduce headaches from computer use and glare. I can always tell if they have the color off (I have prescription glasses).
+1 learn your headache triggers. Everyone has their own. Bright sunlight, extended loud sounds, forget to eat or sleep for a couple of days, muscle tension, alergies, processed food, on and on. Pain counselor and biofeedback help to learn those.
I worked with a young woman in her mid-twenties who suffered from devasting migraines. Medication was marginally helpful but what gave her the most relief was finding a doctor who was able to identify certain food related triggers and other lifestyle changes which made a migraine attack more likely. She had to be careful what she ate including caffeine and chocolate. We changed the lighting in her office from overhead fluorescent to desk lamps. This was several years ago and I can’t remember all the details now.
Yes I had to take caffeine out of my diet. At the time I was devastated to learn chocolate also contains caffeine. Over time I developed a moderate tolerance for the caffeine levels in chocolate but over time my liking for chocolate seems to have dropped away. When I was still stubbornly trying to include chocolate in my diet bright light became a trigger, so managing to drop chocolate has been a big help. However I still can’t tolerate those strobe light jewellery items my work colleagues find so much fun at Christmas. I was relieved when a couple of clients had trouble with them as well. Sleep deprivation remains a trigger. I have heard of people for whom cheese is a trigger. One last thing that made a HUGE difference in my ongoing pain levels – wearing a night time mouth guard – I don’t know what you call them in the Northern Hemisphere. Turns out I am a serious tooth grinder but no one thought to look at that until I was in my thirties, had developed asthma through long term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories trying to control the pain and finally broke a tooth in my sleep one night. I bit my first mouth guard in two however the second one is made of tougher stuff though still clearly has a limited life span. So, for me, I had two separate pain experiences which I thought were linked and which weren’t. The migraine spikes and the constant pain from severe tooth grinding. I am so sorry to hear of the hardships your family and your child are experiencing. I hope that something in this information is useful, and that your daughter’s journey into a pain free life is short and her time in a pain free life is long and full of joy. I can imagine how frightening this will be for you all.
Its amazing the good a properly fitted nightguard does. I would eventually grind mine down and have to go back to get it repaired. Amazing headache relief, and neck/back pain relief.
Unfortunately I did not find out that there were such things until I was in my 50s and had done major crack damage to my teeth -now have a collection of expensive crowns. I did get a referral from the specialist who did the night guard to the guy who did my crowns as having them shaped right is really important for those of us who are grinders. Still need the guard but with the crowns I don’t wear it down like I used to. (Tufts Dental school is the best place in the country for this work.)
I wish I could get them to change from the florescent lights at work (one of my triggers), but that’s not going to happen. I’m happiest there when our lights or power fail and they aren’t on. I did remove the bulbs over my desk though (we have a few that don’t work and mine “is” one of them ?). ?
I‘ve had migraines for a while and they kept getting worse and worse. There is no way to describe the pain. My thoughts are with kid1. Hope you find the trigger. My trigger was my birth control pill. No pill-no migraine. Hurray.
And thank you so much for writing such wonderful stories. They brighten my day whenever I read them.
I am looking forward to reading sotb and sapphire flames 🙂
Hey
So sorry to hear about your child’s migraines My daughters started as she hit puberty and she has had a migraine at all times for 2 years
But
Texas Childrens Headache center in the woodlands is THE best- and hopefully not too far from you
Can’t stress enough about keeping the migraine journal
Oral Birth control is a Major trigger
MigreRelief is a vitamin that has helped sooo much- you can find it on Amazon
Hope she gets better soon- also Don’t let her try to tough out the headaches as soon as they start take medicine or whatever helps right away Trying to ignore minor pain can inflame the nerves and lead to longer worse headaches
Good luck!
“Oral Birth control is a Major trigger”…
Unless it’s not. I take BC pills to alleviate that hormonal aspect of my migraine cycle. (I mean, I like to think pregnancy prevention will come in to it, but not so much!) Hormones in one form or another do have an affect on many migraine sufferers who menstruate – and BC pills can make that better or worse, depending on what’s going on, and what pills. Like so many things, it’s complicated. (The way caffeine helps some people and is a trigger for others. And does nothing either way for me, probably because my migraines don’t really have a vascular component.)
Anecdotal story here but I’m not sure if anyone else has brought it up.
Sometimes, tension headaches can mimic migraine symptoms.
For a few people that I know, they are caused by neck vertebrae that have become locked in place and are causing nerve pain.
A chiropractor usually works wonders for those people- relief in about 5 hours or so.
I’ve had migraines since I had my first child at 22. (I’m now 71.) After decades of trying everything under the sun, my neurologist and I finally hit on a combination of Gabapentin and Telmisartan daily to prevent; and Rizatriptan if I have one. I have gone
from 4-5 migraines a week, to 1 a month. What a difference in my life!
I hope they get a handle quickly on what is causing her pain.
Good luck with the migraine thing, its a battle. I’ve had them myself since high school, everyone is different, so no advice but to keep trying. Love kid two…. He and my hubby sound a lot alike. Also love the Samuel L Jackson meme. … I want him to narrate my life story! Lol
I’m so sorry to hear that she’s still suffering from migraines. It’s hard seeing your daughter go through that. My youngest is 9 and got diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome which is like abdominal migraines but with vomiting too. For a long time we didn’t know what was going on the doctor’s would say “She’s just got a sensitive stomach.” It didn’t seem to be connected to food because I had her allergy tested and we eat the same foods all the time if it was food she would have been sick a lot more and after a really rough couple of weeks her doctor order a abdominal CT Scan that come back normal. She’d just get sick out of the blue and it would be violent vomiting it is SO scary. We’ve come to figure out that anxiety can effect it for sure and anti nausea medicine usually helps. Having this she will most likely suffer from migraines when she gets older but I sure hope not. Your daughter will be in my thoughts and prayers. Hope she can get a diagnosis and some relief soon.
I know you might get non stop advice about headaches and migraines, that it will be over whelming. So many people who suffer or find a way to live with them is vast. I know when I was 18 and I woke up with this horrible pain in my head that I could barely move. Everything seemed to be stabbing me… light, sound and smell. I started throwing up and ended up in the ER. After a shot of Imitrex, a prescription of pills and an appointment with a Nero specialist. They sent me on my way. After my visit with the the N S a couple of weeks later, who scared the crap outta me. I guess the ER over prescribed the Imitrex and pills. I am to avoid ever taking it again… I spent years trying to figure out my triggers and how to cope. As it turns out I married a man who suffers migrains, and he didn’t even know what they were. 16 years later my teen daughter suffers the same. She has been on a prescription to help maintain. Along with diet, we as a family deal with it. The best aids when it hits, for me… Fountain Coke, french fries, and some kind of protein(meat that is easy to chew). For some reason though the Coke and fried potatoes are a must have to kick it. Cool rag on the back of the neck, and a kerchief/ bandanna or scarf wrapped tight around the head over the eyes, to block light and the pressure helps. We have seen many doctors and specialist who disagree with this. They want and expect people to drop caffeine completely. We tried it didn’t help. Keeping a well balanced diet and no processed foods is supposed to help as well, but different things work for different people. But the fountain Coke, Fried potatoes, and wrapping something around the head is the go too when we are hit with one.
When I started getting migraines, I managed to determine two major triggers for me. One of them is raw onions. Cooking them breaks down whatever chemical triggers the migraine, so I can still eat things like onion rings and grilled potatoes and onions, thank God. But, I used to eat raw onions on things all the time, and I have to be careful with garlic now as well. Food tastes weird when you suddenly cut out a major flavor element… it was a couple of years before burgers tasted okay again. But now it has been long enough that I don’t even miss the onion. And, I’m lucky because raw onion has a strong, distinctive odor and taste, so it’s easy to identify foods that contain it.
The good thing is that if you can identify and avoid your major triggers, you can reduce migraines by a lot. The bad news is that if you can’t identify the trigger, or if it’s something you can’t avoid (for instance, the weather is a minor trigger for me, but I have a coworker who is consistently weather-sensitive; so far I haven’t figured out how to control the barometric pressure in our region, but if I come up with something I’ll let you all know), you have to work around it. And triggers can be complex and work in conjunction with each other and with other factors, so it can be difficult to identify them… plus, things like caffeine which can help some people, can be triggers for other people.
Hope Kid1 finds a treatment that works well for her, and finds it quickly!
You are so lucky. I too am allergic to onions. For me it is hereditary from my paternal line. I have the full blown nausea, vomiting and blow out diarrhea but no migranes. However, I have migranes from MSG, Equal.. . Whatever I am reacting to is present in raw and cooked onions and onion powder. My allergist thinks might be sulfer in some form as I react negatively to sulfa medications.
The key to diagnosis was trigger diary then diligence. Allergy testing was interesting.
I agree that I’m lucky compared to many. My migraines are less intense, shorter-duration, and less frequent than an awful lot of people. They still suck monkey balls, but could always be worse.
But if you want true luck – my dad recently found out he has had ocular migraines for almost his entire life. In other words, his only symptoms are visual. No pain. No nausea. Just visual auras. He ignored them for decades until he finally thought to ask his eye doctor out of curiosity and the eye doctor diagnosed him.
Mom and I might have had some not-very-nice things to say about people who manage to get migraines that are so mild that they simply ignore it for roughly half a century, while the rest of us have to suffer.
I get migraines when it feels too hot, if I’m low on sleep, if the sun is shining too brightly, etc. I hope they find out what is causing it for your daughter or at least a way to treat it to make things manageable.
I’m sorry her headache returned. When you go back to the Dr. ask about trigeminal neuralgia. Sounds like some weird disease but it’s actually swelling/blockage/irritation of the trigeminal nerve. Causes migraine like pain usually in the side of the face, jaw area, but can be above the ear and in the forehead area.
My husband had this, and we were told it’s very rare to find someone who diagnoses this correctly the first time… unless they’ve seen it before. And it’s not common at all. We got lucky, teaching hospital here and the
ER doc had just covered this in his classes.
The problem shows up in a basic xray, they just have to look for it specifically. Hubby took the meds for about 6 – 8 months and it hasn’t returned.
Anyway, hopefully they figure out the cause and there is a reasonable solution.
Have you looked into pierced daiths for migraines? I had it done, and I can honestly say it is a game changer. From headaches and migraines almost constantly, to one every few months, it really made a difference for me.
Sorry to hear your child is still not feeling better. Nothing worse for a Mom to see their baby (no matter how old!) sick.
I am sure you have investigated this, but is it possible the migrain is a symptom of TMJ? I had a severe case of TMJ that gave me a migraine. (They had to give me valium) Also found that nitrates and chocolate exacerbated my migraines….
I did that too out of desperation. Looks nice and as part of my entire treatment package I believe it helped. Many rxs just had so many side effects I moved on without most of them. Smart healer friends said consider all The pieces in terms of percents. Decrease caffeine 15% improve careful nutrition 20% daith piercing 15%so on. Little more work but less toxic and expensive.
I’ve suffered from migraines most of my life. I still recall my ex witnessing one particular episode where he witness led me banging my head on the bathroom floor. Yep, it was that bad and I did not realize what I was doing. Mine was a combination of of things. They started treating me with Imitrex injections and pain killers, but could never give me an exact cause. I was able to get ahead of the migraine and treat with a combo of RX and get ahead of the issue when I felt it coming on and before it got out of hand. I also started trying to figure out if outside environmental triggers were a source. Some of it was drops in the BMP, allergies, but most probably my Lupus was the culprit. It sucked, because it is and was completely debilitating. Don’t rule out anything, I was in my 20’s and very early 30s when I went through this, I still get them here and there but not as frequently or at all as I did before. My heart goes out to your daughter and you guys. Don’t give up on trying to find the culprit, I also found on my journey I had to do much of my own research because doctors only really know so much.
My son has head migraines and what the pediatric neurologist called abdominal migraines which gave him severe nausea and abdominal cramps. His triggers are stress and chocolate for the head migraines and yellow dye # 5 which is found in candy, cake mixes, cereal, soda and commercial lemonade. Anything that is yellow or green. Whenever he eats something and gets the abdominal migraines we check the label and sure enough we missed the yellow dye #5. FYI, Canada has banned it in foods. And yes, these lasted 3-5 days and not much stops them once they start. He is on two maintenance medications that took a lot of trial and error to find the right combination. We were told he may outgrow the abdominal migraines but is 20 now and still gets them occasionally. It is going to take some time to find the triggers and the right medication.
Since others posted that they could preorder the paper copy, I went and looked too. Here’s a link to the paperback preorder. (I didn’t see one yet. Sorry if this has already been posted.) ?
Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles) https://www.amazon.com/dp/108014398X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_TMJkDbT0V9TPA
This is just a link like I would text to someone. Nothing in it for me, just thought I’d share it. It made me look a bit to get something other than Kindle (already preordered).
Thank you, thank you, Breanm! Ordered.
So, so sorry for the pain kid1 is suffering and the heartbreak the rest of you are feeling because you can’t FIX it! It is unbelievable the stress that causes. You are all in my prayers ??
You’re welcome. ?
I just realized that I couldn’t type my own name. ?♀️
Migraines are the worst. I have suffered from them since 3rd grade. My 2 biggest triggers are weather (barometric pressure and humidity) and lack of sleep. My next biggest are strong scents. If it is a left side one I can treat it with excedrin cold wet washcloth over forehead and eyes on a dark mostly quiet room sometimes and warm compress to back of neck. If it’s a right side it waxed and wanes and goes away on it’s own schedule and nothing I do has much impact on it. As for kid 1 for teaming nausea– have you tried acupressure to the skin between thumb and forefinger? Also strangely sometimes smelling rubbing alcohol can help with nausea as well.
Good Lord, no idea so many people suffer from migraines! My sympathy to all of you. The worst headaches I ever had were sinus caused by Candida overgrowth 10 years after massive radiation for thyroid cancer. It felt like somebody hit me in the head with a hammer. I replaced the good flora with daily Probiotics and no headaches for 14 years. Here’s hoping you all get back to normal soon.
My thoughts going out to you guys and Kid1. I have suffered from migraines since a teenager, and was in the hospital about every 6 months (went through the spinal tap too), so my parents know exactly how you are feeling right now. After so many doctors I have learned that each persons migraine triggers are very unique and different, the thing that saved me was a food diary that also included my activities for the day (it takes time, but finding a pattern helps identity what is not helping). I will say that if naproxen or a anti-inflammatory is still helping, try a deep massage on all the muscles in the neck, jaw, shoulders, back… cause ironically muscles that are very unhappy can trigger migraines.
+1 for massage…
Migraines are the pits. Keep a food diary. Hopefully you all will get a handle on the triggers soon.
Sorry to hear your daughter is still having problems. My mom had migraines for years and didn’t seem to have any of the regular triggers you hear about. A doctor finally sent her for allergy testing even though she didn’t have watery eyes/ congestion/sneezing. She has allergies but nothing unusual- dust , mold, pollen. When she started taking allergy meds, her migraines went away. Hope it’s something that simple for your girl!
Another migraine sufferer, and my deepest sympathies. Non migraineurs just don’t get why 3 Aleve is not sufficient, and why you would call in sick for a “just” a headache. After 30+ years, I still read everything I can and all of the previous comments to learn about triggers since mine have evolved over time. At this point, I control exposure to my triggers (which include too much/little caffeine, barometric pressure, lack of sleep, too many skipped meals, certain specific fluorescent lights, direct sunlight- I wear hats EVERY DAY, very strong perfumes, artificial sweeteners). By now, I have to experience what I call a stack of triggers, to roll over into an attack. Something to consider; both of my daughters are migraineurs as well…the younger one gets the abdominal attack as well and her trigger is primarily hormonally cyclical. The right birth control prescription has alleviated that a little. The older has similar triggers to me, and like me, has found that vomiting SOONER, instead of fighting it, caused a lower incidence of rebound migraine after taking the Imitrex/Relpax/Maxalt/Zomig etc. Also, you could consider how to take the onset preventive medication. I’ve used pill, auto injector, and nasal spray. For me, a pill has a higher incidence of failing to stop an onset, but adds less to already feeling horrible. The nasal spray tended to be able to stop an onset faster (If it worked at all) but they make me feel much worse for 45 to 90 minutes, before the headache lifts. All I can do is go somewhere quiet while things take their course. The auto injector falls between the other two but, using it makes me more anxious.
Peace,
Thank you, Ilona Andrews, for the update. Glad kid1 okay. Migranes are difficult to pin down as to trigger. But better than being 6 foot under although you feel that way.
Trigger and food diary are important. I am sure you will soon become experts in allergy testing. Skin prick and IgE. I have a sibling who has become an expert on weather thanks to migranes.
Good luck.
Funny thing there. *Mostly* IgE. Now, it’s unclear how or even if my migraines are tied to my allergy issues (there’s likely at least an indirect connection, but that’s out of scope.) But my migraines and my more severe allergies developed after the spine surgery, and the evidence we have so far suggests that those allergies (particularly the anaphylaxis) aren’t IgE mediated. The lovely MD/PhD allergist I was working with at the Cleveland Clinic threw up his hands over it – we could continue with tests, but the time vs. likelihood of getting data was dropping off – and the friend of mine who is a research immunologist and I… are still waving at each other from a couple of states away and saying we’ll meet up in person and see if we can come up with ideas, three years later. Human bodies are weird, and do a lot of things we don’t necessarily understand. (Non-IgE mediated anaphylaxis is documented, but not well characterized, as I understand it. At least, I didn’t find anything more on it that “look, here’s proof that it exists”.) Mind you, my anaphylactic allergies are easy to manage – it’s the mustards that are really annoying.
(I should block out some time early next year, if he has time, to go up and see him, and meet the kids, etc..)
I read that botox is supposed to help migraines.
As a long term migraine sufferer and coming from a family of several generations of us here’s some facts and thoughts.
Migraines are often hereditary within a family. There are many different types of migraines. Be aware of vestibular migraine symptoms, they can be even more different still. Migraines can have avoidable triggers but they can also just be an arsehole and happen. It is still unknown what exactly causes migraines, exactly how they work and what they are. They are no-one’s fault and they hurt like f*ck. Everyone is different and I know my UK treatment is probably different to US diagnoses and treatments. I’ve had migraines since childhood (some of my earliest memories alas), I’m now 38 and they’re fairly well controlled with daily topiramate preventative and sumatriptan relief when needed. I still get between 2-5 a month but compared to a few years back this is a vast improvement. If preventative meds are needed then don’t despair if the first ones don’t work and don’t be scared to change them or ask for different ones. Triptans are the best thing ever and I praise sumatriptan always except for when I’m too slow or they’re too close together or too strong (but I still appreciate the heck out of it). Also having hayfever, eczema or asthma can worsen migraines (this is unfortunately way too true, I get all three. Sinus headaches and migraine can sometimes get into a really nasty fight over my neural pathways. I always lose. Plus asthma coughing, bad breathing aggravates it as does an acute dermatitis bout. Why? Heck knows, but your skin is the largest organ of the body so. . . )
I can feel Kid1’s pain. Used to get migraines that were stress related. The muscles in my neck were so tight that they never relaxed. That combined with hypothyroidism would keep me flat on my back in the dark. My daughter was under age 7 and would come in my bedroom to see how I was feeling. She would unintentionally hit the edge of the bed and send shock waves through my head and body. Two things helped me: 1) getting diagnosed for hypothyroidism and getting put on medication and 2) massage therapy. Started out with 2-3 massages per week, then once a week, then every other week until my neck muscles relaxed and stayed relaxed.
Mom – you might want to treat yourself to a massage too.
Hoping soon find a cause and a cure.
Love Kid2
If you haven’t heard SLJ read “Go the F#*k to Sleep”, find it on YouTube. It is hysterical!
+1000 on “Go The F@*k to Sleep”, especially read by SLJ.
I do not suffer from Migraines, so no advice on treatment here. My son however does have stress headaches that put him out of commission for a couple days. Watching him suffer makes me feel great empathy for you and your daughter. Wishing you both better health and resolution on the problem. My son is in his 30’s, #3 of four boys, but I’ll always be his Mom……..
Hope they find out what’s happening with Kid 1. Migraines are one of those things that aren’t a one size fits all trigger and cure.
Don’t know how long ago the spinal tap was, but they’re notorious for causing migraine symptoms- caused by the lower pressure from less cerebrospinal fluid. A close friend had a tap a while back, and she was discharged with the warning that ‘you might have a bit of a headache’. Well the headache lasted 2 weeks (which is about how long it took for the CSF volume to get back up to normal) and she described it as the Worst Hangover Ever x 1000 – nausea, thumping head (+++ when she had the audacity to move), light and sound (especially herself talking) reactivity. After talking to other people who’ve had spinal taps, it turns out that this is a pretty ‘normal’ reaction.
Yeah, well Kate’s my Patronus and it’s all your fault! (Thanks btw.)
I am so sorry her migraine is back. I had them when I was younger. I used acupuncture, chiropractor and essential oils. I pray she finds lasting relief.
One of my biggest most immediate migraine triggers is artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame.
Other triggers: MSG, food dyes (I don’t consume food/liquids with them), alcohol (alas), rapid changes in barometric pressure, birth control pills (these also affected my blood pressure), too much bright sunlight, heat exposure.
Something to try: acupuncture and/or acupressure.
I hope your daughter gets some relied soon
Nausea is the worst. It still kind of amazes me how awful and distracting it is compared to even pretty severe pain. (Though apparently that’s pretty standard?)
When I was going through my initial stages of migraine hell, audiobooks were a lifesaver. I couldn’t always deal with them, and I didn’t always have enough brain to track them, but generally speaking I’ve found good fiction to be more effective than most analgesics on their own?
I know Neurondoc offered to help you connect with good local folks, and if you haven’t found the right people, and they have the contacts, I’d seriously look into it? My situation was made immeasurably better by the fact that I was already seeing folks at the Cleveland Clinic’s Neurological Institute for my spine surgery, and they have a Headache center with pretty excellent people.* With any luck, this will be a relatively straightforward process, but you want to have solid people who are keeping up with the science. Migraines are so flippin’ individual.
(My process was some kind of collision between the plate in my neck and what turned out to be a mitochrondrial disorder that finally fell off a precipice. There was a lot of awful, a few new med intolerances discovered… But I get maybe one or two a month now, and they’re pretty light, all considering.)
* Who, BTW, do video appointments, which I mention mostly for the benefit of anyone who is somewhere where they can’t find an appropriate specialist. A few friends around the US have ended up calling them to really good results, and I’m probably sticking with my migraine doc there. That being said, a good local center is the way to go if you have it.
Here is some unsolicited migraine advice from someone who spent the night in the hospital with a BFF who is a migraine sufferer. 1) COLD, dark room, 2) cold compresses, 3) (is she sensitive to barometric pressure changes?…I mean you do have a hurricane bearing down on Louisiana) If the answer is yes…Sudafed will help relieve the pressure. 4) lots of water…avoid caffeine(yeah that part sucks). There is also a couple of pressure points that can help relieve migraine pain…depends on whether its in the front or the back….google can help here. I know you are being inundated with advice…hopefully some will help. I get sinus migraines with big storms. Not so much since I moved out of Texas and into Colorado. I know you guys in TX are getting a crap-ton of rain and mold is high because of the heat. It may take a while to narrow down the trigger but I would be willing to bet its environmental. Don’t worry about the writing…family comes first and sometimes life just gets in the way. We can wait. Best wishes from CO!
Hi Guys, I live in the Austin area, and am an acupuncturist. When i have really difficult to solve cases, i often refer my patients to John Bandy 512-328-4041 at Austin Holistic Health off 360 and bee caves. Also, he has a great apprentice of 15 years that moved closer on bee caves and is a super sweet super smart lady named Rachel Bailey 512-585-4654. Either one of these two guys can track down and find solutions for some of the most complicated medical stuff. Worth trying it out for your daughter maybe?
I had a heart thing and went on Beta Blockers for a couple of years. That ended up having a great side effect for me: I stopped having migraines. When I went off that medication, the relief continued. Instead of at least one migraine per month, I dropped to maybe one every four years.
Maybe you can find out about that for Kid1. Good luck to her, because many of us know how bad those headaches are and none of us wish them even on our worst enemies!
Oh that poor child. I’m so sorry. I get nauseous with my migraines as well. It’s awful. I don’t have children, but it must be one of the worst feelings in the world to have a child in pain. I was devastated when I had to get the puppy neutered. He gave me sad eyes and I felt like a schmuck. I hope the doc has answers for you and she is better soonest.
I am sorry Kid 1 has had the headache/migraine return. The spinal tap may have exacerbated things, and doesn’t it just suck when the diagnostic test makes what is wrong worse?
You and Gordon need to take care of yourself as well through all this. Unfortunately the answer to migraine isn’t one size fits all, so this is liable to take a while.
As mentioned above, a daily journal that includes headache status, everything she eats and drinks, weather and stress level may help identify triggers, which can only help.
You guys are in my thoughts, and good luck with the follow up appointment.
Mention to the doctor a D.H.E. drip. They may have something better now but I’ve been hospitalized twice with migraines the wouldn’t stop and they used that and it was very effective. Also, look into rebound headaches if you haven’t already. You may know all of this but as a fellow migraineur my heart goes out.
I do not have any cures. I once had a weird illness with nauseous, vertigo and pain. Spent a week in hospital and continued tests for months. They never came up with a diagnosis, but I eventually got better. I still carry meds around in case I need them.
I’m sorry to hear that she hasn’t been able to shake it yet.
As opposed to any advice on migraines (I can’t even figure mine out), I’ll leave you something light hearted and random that my niece got stuck in my head the other day.
I might be a bunny: https://youtu.be/VcSwDjRu1ug
Oh, that is cute!?
Ikr? Super adorable and nice as a small mini distraction. 🙂
I hope you figure out her triggers for her migraines. I have lots of friends who get them for many different reasons, some listed above. I did have a coworker a long time ago who had them and were resolved when she got a diagnoses for depression and her meds rebalanced her head. I feel for all of you who get them. They don’t just go away.
you do not ghost nick fury!
I know everyone is throwing advice at y’all for the headaches. I haven’t gone through anything like that myself, but my best friend had migraines so bad that at one point they thought she might have a degenerative nerve condition. She’s still undiagnosed (ugh. We’ve come so far and yet know so little about the brain) but the things she noticed that were “triggers” included the weather (previously mentioned), certain foods, and stress.
My grandmother and Aunt also had severe headaches caused by Multiple Chemical Sensitivity – they have to watch what they eat, the chemicals (like perfumes) they’re around, and mold (spores are bad)
I hate to say it, but if the headaches continue, and they’re not able to diagnose it, you may have to go through the process of elimination to make sure the location, the nutrition, and the environment are/are not what’s affecting her.
It’s kinda odd, but I’m seeing a lot of people my age (early-mid 20s) being affected by something like this, when they’ve been healthy previously.
Prayers for you and your family!
Migraines nearly ruined my career and marriage. Stopped birth control pills, caffine, smoking, all that stuff and no food allergies. Come to find out, it was atmospheric pressure changes. My doctor gave me a wonderful prescription for Zomig. One little, bitty pill as needed at the onset. I was careful driving, but otherwise no side effects. I live on the Oregon coast now, but no migraines.
Maybe you did this already but just in case, check the side effect of the nausea pills. I had one prescribed to me, but had to stop taking them because one of the side effects listed was severe headaches! Usually my migraines are triggered by weather, going from cold to hot. I have to force myself to stay extra hydrated and drink lots of caffeine on those days. Then I just have to stay in bed in the dark, absolute dark. Ice pack on the back of the neck sometimes help. Hope Kid 1 feels better soon.
Hold on to your butts!
May I introduce you to https://slipsum.com/, the best mother-effin’ replacement text generator. Guaranteed to bring shock and awe to client meetings.
Warning: Only use with persons possessing intact senses of humor.
The nausea can seem worse than the pain for me sometimes.
If it’s still suspected tension she should definitely try deep soaking baths, heat packs, and massage. I would still suggest Physio or Chiro for posture corrections. This made a huge difference for me.
If your going to look at food triggers I encourage you to please make sure she’s working with a good nutritionist. There are a lot of people who think they know what’s what and the internet is full of conflicting or just bad advice regarding diet. Triggers can really vary from person to person.
Oh, poor, poor kid 1. I am so, so sorry. Every migraineur’s situation is individual. I hope that she gets the right medical help to resolve this quickly.
And the right medical help can be brilliantly effective….not everyone’s migraine stories are negative….
My husband had undiagnosed severe migraines (mostly nausea symptoms with light sensitivity) as a child. It was only when pain symptoms also developed as an adult that he got a correct diagnosis. His consultant helped in finding his triggers (for him, these include low blood sugar, stress and air travel: two triggers have to be present in his case for a migraine to develop). As a child he also often had sinus infections, and these have left damage that are also a contributing factor for him. Although there is not too much we can do about the damage that is already done, he now treats sinus infections aggressively so as to minimize further damage.
With some simple lifestyle changes (he now eats breakfast, manages his blood sugar and stress levels better) he has gone from having migraines every week to none at all. The consultant’s suggestion of taking strong Ibuprofen with caffeine before flying also works like a charm.
There is a lot of research in the UK on migraines. For those of you who are interested, there is a nice summary at https://www.migrainetrust.org/living-with-migraine/treatments/calcitonin-gene-related-peptide-pathway-monoclonal-antibodies/ of the first drug protocols in the UK that can prevent migraines for some. Lots of other migraine information on this site too (I have no affiliation or financial links with this charity, but have found it to be a good source of information).
Ilona, I just checked out Say No to the Duke and howled with laughter. One of my oldest friends is named Jeremy Roden (spelled the same way), and he’s English! He’s 57 years old now, but he did have a way with the ladies back in the day. I noticed that the story mostly takes place in 1779. I met Jeremy in 1979!
I have a rare condition that causes fluids and sodium to fast-track right out of me. When I don’t balance everything carefully I get terrible headaches. I am assuming the docs checked her sodium and vasopressin and found no issues. If the migraines persist, you might want to check.