Migraines

[placeofinsanity]

Migraines let's talk about them.

I've had five this week alone, it sucks and I'm starting to think I have a tumor or some sort of damage.

But I lost my job and my health insurance so I have no way to get this shit looked at.

Guess I have to suffer through.

/whine & #medicalbullshit

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Comments

[sixthbrightest]

Could it be hormonal? I'm in the same boat; 1-2 migraines a WEEK, when I previously had 0, except I think they're related to going off hormonal BC.

[placeofinsanity]

Well, I haven't been on BC since... uh... 09, I think, early 09. And I get way more than 1-2 migraines a week... I get like 4-5. And I've pinpointed some of the things that cause them, and I try to avoid them at all costs.

Then there are the times that I've gotten enough sleep, I've had some caffeine, I haven't ingested Citrus or MSG or chocolate and I'm like "WHY".

(Also, I had them all the time when I was on the BC too... )

[geekechik]

I've been suffering from migraines since I was 15 and I'm 34 now. There's been years where I had maybe one or two headaches. Lately, they're almost a weekly occurrence. But because I'm taking narcotic pain medication for an injury I can't take migraine meds at the same time. I have to choose one pain over the other. It sucks

[placeofinsanity]

Well, when I had health insurance I went to my PHP and told her that I had brain-spliting migraines, and she said "keep a migraine journal" which is how we figured out that I had certain allergies to certain foods which gave me migraines. I've gone through a lot of medications for them, all the OTC stuff (excedrin helps the longest but I'm starting to get used to it). That's my problem, I take a medication long enough and its like I build up a tolerance and I need to take more or stop taking it entirely because it stops helping.

Sleeping the headache off works, but unfortunately I'm also an insomniac and if I nap for too long in the afternoon, I will not sleep at bedtime. (I worked over nights for this reason alone.) So like, my everything sucks right now.

As far as I know, its not cycle induced, although I am coming up on it right now, but its 4-5 migraines a week... EVERY week.

Thank you for the suggestions of the cold pack, I haven't tried that before.

*hugs*

[onehotmama199]

I feel your pain...literally. I was having them several times a week. Chocolate and stress set mine off. Seriously, how was I supposed to deal with the stress without the chocolate? Oh, and weather changes, and monthly cycles, and if the damned wind blew the wrong direction. Pretty much everything in life gave me a migraine and the older I got the worse they got.

My doc gave me a med (can't think of the name at the moment) to take if I feel one coming on and also a daily med. The daily Topamax has pretty much cured the migraines, but, lucky me, can cause kidney stones in some, which I was already prone to.

Other than prescription meds, the only things that worked for me were vast amounts of caffeine, cold packs, dark rooms, and sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.

What's the line in that old country song, "Sometimes it's hard to be a woman"?

Good luck.

[placeofinsanity]

Thanks. I love your icon, it kind of emulates how I feel haha.

When I finally convinced my doctor to give me meds, she first gave me Imitrex, which my body got used to, so then... she gave me Xanax which is a beta-blocker, and SO VERY addicting, so I don't take them.

It really is hard to be a woman! (Also I guess the one good thing here is I don't like chocolate so it doesn't bother me not to eat it.)

Silly silver linings in silly places.

[thinlizzy2]

Oh god - that's terrible!

I don't know anything about the American medical system, so please forgive me if this is an ignorant question, but are there any free clinics you can go to in an emergency like this? If you've been suffering all week and are frightened, I'd say that counts as an emergency!

[placeofinsanity]

No, there is definitely no "free" clinic to go to around here. There is A clinic to go to, but it would cost 95 dollars just to get looked at, and that's 95 dollars for them to tell me "it's just a headache take some aspirin and go home".

I could go to the hospital and get an MRI or a CT-Scan but that would cost a lot more. I just need to stick it out until I can get a new job and new health insurance.

[thinlizzy2]

God, that's horrible. I really hope you feel better soon and that it turns out not to be too serious.

[veronica_rich]

Empathy is all I have. I spent several years without insurance and have a couple of lasting health problems now as a result. All I can say is, if it gets THAT bad, use the credit card or borrow, and go.