Migraine

I didn't see a folder for today started, hope it isn't persumptious of forum number of 5 days.

I am sooooooooo thankful for all of you. Yesterday I had an appointment with the neurologist. I went into that meeting full of questions, expecting him to not answer and stonewall me.

I was so pleased with my appointment, we had along discussion about my condition. He answered every single question I asked and explained things so well. I understand things about myself I have wondered for the last 20 years.

I feel validated and I'm not a hypochondriac!!




Mary in NM

Happy Friday Everyone,

I hope this posting finds everyoone at least thrilled the weekend is starting soon. I know it can't start soon enough.

I posted an update on Nala. I'm probably working from home, I have a 7:30 meeting that I will take from home. I've been so disorganized and upset over the dog, nothing has gotten done at home. I finally put in some laundry last night so I"ll have some jeans to wear.

I've got to call the neurlogist and go in before 6/2. The depokote is working, but it needs to work better. I'm still getting mild migraines and prodromes. Much better than before. But she thought the dosage might need to be upped. Well she's right. Guess that's why she's the doctor (purple streak in her hair and all).

Mary how wonderful your appointment went so well for you. That is great news to hear first thing on a Friday. We like good news.

Take care everyone,

Cindy

Hi everyone,

Mary, I'm so happy you had a good visit! HOooray!

Cindy, I''m heading over to check th update on Nala. I'll be thinking of you! Great that the Depakote is working--It'll be terrific if a littlle increase helps even more!

I'm working w2ith my doc to go next week for either outpatientt IV (2-3 days) or inpattient. THey are contacting my insurance to seee what they wil approve for me. ALso, they will repeat my nerve block next week. I sure hope the combo of all of these things stops this awful migraine. It's been over 1 1/2 months of bein very very sick.

Happy friday,
jenny

Hi all -

Mary it's really just like a family - whoever gets up first warms up the room and puts the tea-kettle on! So glad you're neuro appointment went well - it's sounds like he was happy to have you be more of a partner in your healthcare! That's what we like to hear!

Cindy be very gentle on yourself, hon. Having Nala sick like this is a major stressor. Just take it slow and easy.

I stayed up too late last night - dumb - I get so carried away when I feel well after a bad patch. Did get up and go to my 7 am Biz meeting, but came back and went back to bed. Just got up again at 10:15 and trying to start a day! It's grey and I'm groggy - but no head pain!

Tonight our village is having "cruise night" - antique cars & trucks will be going up & down our itty-bitty main street, with blue-grass music and all the local restaurants selling on the sidewalk. Fun! I sure hope the rain holds off or at least clears up by then. There's a guy who has built a brick, wood-fired pizza oven into the back of a vintage REO Speedwagon, and he comes and does pizza for all the fairs & festivals. Cute, huh? Best thing is - I can walk there, and if the crowd or noise gets too much for me - 5 minutes walk back home.

Jenny good to see you sweetheart. I hope it all gets resolved soon and you get your ivs to break this awful migraine. Thanks for keeping us posted.

See you later - Megs

Good morning, gals!

Won't try to answer everybody. But Mary, I'm so thrilled that you had a good appt with your neurologist. This site has changed the way I think about my migraines. It was wonderful to find out that other people (unfortunately) go through what I go through.

I'm really feeling better. The verapamil has kicked in, and I'm not waking up with a dull headache every day. And I think the Lyrica and Cymbalta are dropping my pain. I'm having days where I waver from 0 to 1 to maybe 2. Incredible. I haven't had a good preventive since the turn of the millennium, so this is a miracle. Here's hoping it keeps up.

I bought more tomato plants and 3 new hostas, so I'd better get out there and get planting. They're predicting strong thunderstorms later in the day. Time for a Skelaxin.

Have a great TGIF!

Gretchen in Mississippi

Morning, all. I'm actually doing ok so far today. My head pain isn't too bad, and while I'm still having a lot of side effects from the Topa, they're calming down. I'm still having some killer nausea, but it's a little better from when I woke up this morning. I haven't had any more anxiety like I did on Monday night, so that's good. I'm still having a lot of trouble getting to sleep, so I think I'm going to start taking some melatonin supplements. My fired doctor gave me the ok to do it when I asked about it at my last appointment, but I hadn't started it since my sleep was decent.

Mary, I'm glad to hear your appointment with your neuro went well. Like you, this forum has made a big difference for me in how I think about migraine disease and how I advocate for myself in my health care.

Cindy, don't forget to take care of yourself, so you can take care of your dear Nala.

Jenny, thanks for checking in with us. I've been thinking of you. Lots of and coming your way.

Megs, hope that you enjoy your evening without the beastie coming for a visit.

Gretchen, so glad to hear the meds are doing their job. That's what we like to hear around here!

Hope all are doing well today. It's Friday, so that means I'm breaking out the weekend cake a little early!

Hi all!

Mary - great to hear you had a good appointment!!!!

MJ - girl I'm glad to hear you are feeling a bit better today!!!

Megs - you night sounds like fun!!! I wish I could go!

I'm going to DH's friends house which is cool. I think we are doing Quesadilla's and just hanging out. That's cool.

Jenny!! Hey girl! We have not chatted in a while!

Cindy - I used to have a dog named Nala too!!! Glad to hear the depokote is working for you, but yeah, good call on calling the doctor too!!!

Gretch - I think you and I are the Skelaxin diva's here!! LOL I've pretty much been living on that stuff this week with "perfume girl" and all!!! UGH! Today is good though because she has the day off!!!!

Got rid of the migraine she caused yesterday this morning - so I should be good for the weekend now - I hope!

Hope you all have a good one!!!

Good morning everyone. I'm moving real slow this morning. My head is a little better now that I'm sitting up and not lying down. I'm feeling really groggy though. I guess I'll move slowly until I feel like moving faster!!!!!!!!!

Nothing much to report today. I did get a call from a colleague from work yesterday. Him and I used to chat about new age/spiritual topics and books, which we both liked. It meant a lot to me to hear from him. My other co-workers act like I've fallen off the face of the earth. I used to do a lot socially with many of them but not one single person has called me since I've gone on disability. It is a bit hurtful but getting the call from the one teacher yesterday really made my day. My mom always said that you find out who your friends are in a time of need. She is sure right!

My husband is off to Korea again so getting up with the puppy will be my job for a few days. She is so active from about 7-10 in the morning. Then she settles down and is pretty normal for the rest of the day. Bob the cat is finally coming home more regularly and he even slept in the same room with us (that includes the puppy crate) all night the last two nights. I think we're over the hump with him.

Mary, I'm glad things are working with your doctor.

Cindy, keep us posted on Nala. Since many of us are animal lovers, we are concerned too.

Jenny, I hope your IV gets scheduled and the insurance company cooperates.

Megs, enjoy cruise night. It sounds like fun.

Gretchen, it's great that all your meds are helping so much. Get those plants planted so you can share tomatoes with us all soon.

MJ, I hope the melatonin helps. Not getting sleep is a huge trigger for me. I've used melatonin at times and it is better than sleeping pills on the body.

Eileen, glad your migraine is gone and enjoy the quesadillas.

Here's crosing my fingers that everyone has a painfree weekend.

Hoops

Hi all,

I know I've been MIA for a bit. For some reason, I'm having issues with relating the computer with pain. I guess I have been on the computer so much when I have been in bad pain (to distract myself) that I started associating being on the computer with being in lotsa horrible pain. So, I started been avoiding it all together. Lots of emails backing up. But, I'm working on making friends with it again, and realizing the computer has nothing to do with my pain. I know it sounds like a silly thing, but true.

I've been having pre-menstrual migraines all week, which is new for me. Maybe I won't get the ones during my period because I'm having these?!

My dog, who loves to chew on bones, broke off part of a tooth on Monday that exposed the pulp. He's a maniac chewer. He's pretty bone-specific with chewing...no soft toys or ropes will do. He had that tooth extracted today along with another one that was chipped. The vet also said he had a 3rd one chipped. Now I'm not sure if he can go back to the bone or not for fear of more chipped teeth.

Hi Mary, So happy to hear that your appt went so well. That is fabulous. It feels so good to have a dr. acknowledge our situation and give us the time we need to answer questions.

Cindy, Haven't checked on Nala update but will. That's great to hear about the depakote.

Jenny, Glad you are going to get some intervention. This has been going on too long! Here's to hoping that your migraine will be stopped!

Megs, Your cruise night sounds SO FUN! I wanna come!!

Gretchen, Yahoo for your miracle preventative!!! I'm so happy for you!

MJ, I'm sorry that you've been having trouble sleeping. I hope that the supplements do the trick.

Eileen, Quesadillas sound delicious! Here's to hoping perfume girl gets her act straight and grows some compassion.

Have a great rest of your Friday!

Kelly

quote:

Originally posted by Hoopsky:
Nothing much to report today. I did get a call from a colleague from work yesterday. Him and I used to chat about new age/spiritual topics and books, which we both liked. It meant a lot to me to hear from him. My other co-workers act like I've fallen off the face of the earth. I used to do a lot socially with many of them but not one single person has called me since I've gone on disability. It is a bit hurtful but getting the call from the one teacher yesterday really made my day. My mom always said that you find out who your friends are in a time of need. She is sure right!

Hoopsky,

I have had the exact same experience. Some friends show their true, loyal, sympathetic colors, while others run for the hills. I've come to believe that the ones that run are scared. Our illness is an imperfection that scares them because they can't control it. We make them aware that the same human frailty applies to them and that they could get sick too at a moment's notice, no matter what they do. That's way too scary for most people to deal with.

I don't like it, but I have come to understand it and have compassion for them in their fear. My illness has made me a more aware, sensitive, understanding person. Perhaps that's the lesson the universe intended for me, and to show others how it looks to be sick and how to cope with it with dignity and calmness. One of my spiritual teachers has told me that, and it really helps.

Of course I'm not always calm!!!! I had another round of willful, resistant rage yesterday when my mig came back. I was cussing out the universe something fierce. But it passed and today I'm calm again.

Good Afternoon--

Mary--I'm so thrilled your appointment went so well. You're surely on the road to success.

Megs--Sounds like a super fun night. Hope you have fun.

Eileen--How wonderful that perfume girl has a day off. Too bad that can't happen everyday. I love Quesadillas--make a mean one myself.

Cindy--You know Nala is in our thoughts and prayers. We have so many critters here, that we lose somebody (usually a chicken) much too frequently. Amazing how much you can mourn a chicken. We still put flowers of Chief's (our last beloved Sheltie) grave. He was the barn manager and is buried next to his beloved barn. He died last year about this time during the annual bluebonnet bloom. I wasn't sure DH would be able to get over it. But he enjoys Lance (another Sheltie but is very untypy and looks more like a miniature collie) who is as different from Chief as night and day, and who is my dog primarily. I think that Lance especially loves mom but still considers the horses to be his property helps DH in his grief a lot.

Hoopsky--A very wise person once told me we have friends and acquaintances. We will have very few true friends over our lifetimes but we'll know who they are, because they come thru when they're needed, whether or not they know how much you need them. There's nothing wrong with having acquaintances, they're nice too, you just have to understand that there's a difference. I've been fortunate to have maybe 5 true friends in my 59 years, and they are unbelievably special!

Laura Sue--I too rage at the monster!!! It isn't fair that some of us have to live this way. After I've screamed and yelled and poor DH has run, once I calm down I try to remember that there ARE worse things. Sometimes it's hard to remember what they are, but that's when I try to list them to myself. A medical background in the OR helps there.

M.J.--Reading your entries and threads has got me thinking and now I'm a bit worried that I may be having problems with my Topamax. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with gastroparesis (things don't move out of my stomach for hours and hours--often they come out the wrong direction). At the time they thought it was from Cymbalta, we d/ced that and I got better. Then they decided that I also had a bad case of gallstones and removed the gallbladder and I didn't have many more episodes for over a year. But now it's back and worse than ever. I have an appt with Dr. Krusz June 2, so will ask him about it then. I really don't want it to be the Topamax, because that's been the best drug for me in years!

I know this is getting long, but I had to share that my boss just called to say one of the migraineurs I worked with over the weekend came in and told her that I was the first person who had EVER listened to her and understood and given her some alternatives to try as well as helping her deal with her problematic Saturday headache when she didn't know about abortives and was out of rescue meds. Nice to be bragged on!

Tracie

Hoopsky,

I must've been writing when you posted yours and missed it. I've had similar experiences with friends/co-workers falling away. I've not been working for 2 1/2 years now and it still hurts.

I agree with what LauraSue said in that sometimes we reflect what they don't want to see in themselves. Also, I think people are just caught up in their lives that are so busy (I know mine was when I was working.) And here recently a friend of mine said she didn't call because she was worried she'd bother my head.

It is definitely hard nonetheless. I miss being around so many people and having them ask me "how was my day?" I guess that is one reason I am SO glad for this forum!

Kelly

quote:

Originally posted by Hoopsky:
Good morning everyone. I'm moving real slow this morning. My head is a little better now that I'm sitting up and not lying down. I'm feeling really groggy though. I guess I'll move slowly until I feel like moving faster!!!!!!!!!

Nothing much to report today. I did get a call from a colleague from work yesterday. Him and I used to chat about new age/spiritual topics and books, which we both liked. It meant a lot to me to hear from him. My other co-workers act like I've fallen off the face of the earth. I used to do a lot socially with many of them but not one single person has called me since I've gone on disability. It is a bit hurtful but getting the call from the one teacher yesterday really made my day. My mom always said that you find out who your friends are in a time of need. She is sure right!

My husband is off to Korea again so getting up with the puppy will be my job for a few days. She is so active from about 7-10 in the morning. Then she settles down and is pretty normal for the rest of the day. Bob the cat is finally coming home more regularly and he even slept in the same room with us (that includes the puppy crate) all night the last two nights. I think we're over the hump with him.

Mary, I'm glad things are working with your doctor.

Cindy, keep us posted on Nala. Since many of us are animal lovers, we are concerned too.

Jenny, I hope your IV gets scheduled and the insurance company cooperates.

Megs, enjoy cruise night. It sounds like fun.

Gretchen, it's great that all your meds are helping so much. Get those plants planted so you can share tomatoes with us all soon.

MJ, I hope the melatonin helps. Not getting sleep is a huge trigger for me. I've used melatonin at times and it is better than sleeping pills on the body.

Eileen, glad your migraine is gone and enjoy the quesadillas.

Here's crosing my fingers that everyone has a painfree weekend.

Hoops

Hi Everyone,

It has been a busy few days for me, sick kids, and loads of volunteering for the music man play Zach is in. It's late 6:30 here....So some of you eastcoasters might be snuggled up on the couch by now . Just wanted to check in and read what you all have been up to. I will catch you up with everything tomorrow. See you tomorrow and missed ya today!!

Dar

Hey Deb- Had your soup last night...Can you say YUM!! Amber (really sick girl) says thanks

I have my knitting, my dinner, Season 1; discs 1 and 2 of The Tudors, 3 cats, 1 dog and ice cream if I so choose and I am in for the night. It's been a long week and I am vegging tonight.

Have a lovely Friday night everyone,

Cindy

Elder Assistant Offspring's friend told her that The Tudors was something you MUST NOT watch with your parents! She loves it.

That's my chosen SCA period of history. I'm (sorta) writing a historical fiction novel set in 1526 about ancient forbears of mine. Haven't worked on it in a while but I've got more than 27,500 words already.