Throughout my final years of high school, the amount of times I was asked if I was grumpy, upset, in pain, or going home early because of a ‘headache’ was very nearly unbearable.
Because, it was true. But not in a way that any of them could begin to imagine.
Most of my friends had an understanding between them that if I was spitting fire at them, or curled in a corner during free periods, I was probably just having another one of my ‘headaches.’
My teachers were told to give me special treatment somewhat, for my ‘headaches,’ and it wasn’t unusual for them to spot me crying somewhere around the school.
The office ladies knew me by name.
I can’t actually tell you what a migraine feels like, because I’m not sure that I actually know. I’m also not good enough a writer to translate that amount of physical pain into words.
I’m also not sure I’ve ever had a ‘normal’ headache so I couldn’t really tell you the difference.
Instead, I can only tell you what a migraine headache feels like for me, and hope to do the feeling justice.
Listen: Syl Freedman talks about what it’s like to live with chronic pain. Post continues…
First, there’s the cues.
I get sick to my stomach sometimes, but never vomit. The front of my forehead starts to throb, like I’ve been hit with something, hard.
It’s a really distinct feeling. Like nausea in your brain.
Then, a decision to make: To medicate, or not to medicate? You’d think it would be an easy decision, and really, it should be, but it just isn’t. The way the drugs can mess you up is beyond sh*t.
Specialists recommend only taking eight of the ‘big’ painkiller drugs per month, which seems fine, until you take into consideration that migraines are often, and for me particularly, stress-induced. During my final years of schooling then, burdened with work, decisions, friendships and family issues, I was getting a migraine most days.
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Migraines are shitty and utterly pointless............and yes, total pain.
The descriptions above are very close to what I experienced almost weekly from the age of 4yrs until about 10yrs ago.
Some of the pain was so intense it was almost a "mystical" experience.
I don't get them now.
I think that this is because of a "perfect storm" of things I do that help .
To start with they always could have been connected to hormone imbalance because I'd always get one just before a period.........but that doesn't explain the migraines I got at the age of 4yrs.
1. For aprox 20 yrs I'd been doing some neck exercises shown by a physio. I would hang off the bed or a table and do 360deg neck stretches using my head as a weight..........I still do them because if I forget for a few days I feel like I've got whiplash.
2. Next thing was to take a CARTIA tablet every night...........this is a low-dosage coated Asprin tablet (100mg) to help with strokes & heart attacks - but I reckon it helps with migraines too.
A neurologist once told me to take soluble Asprin whenever I'd get those "visual disturbance" warning signs - so Asprin might help.
3. Meditation is important............As a 4yr old I would "put myself in a place where the pain wasn't" - creative visualization helped me as a child and it led me to a life of meditation which helps with so much more.
4. Exchanging tips with fellow sufferers can be extremely helpful too.
5. I developed Crohn's Disease about 10yrs ago too - I'm suspicious that the extreme ulceration of the Colon prevented a "migrain trigger" from influencing a migraine - just my theory.
Those triggers can be stress, red wine, fasting, too much coffee, snack foods like hard cheese , pickles, smoked oysters and certain types of alcohol like wine on an empty stomach , the patterns in flooring and some overpowering perfumes.
My own recipe for help when the pain is lifting is to have a cup of tea with milk & sugar and a Vegemite sandwich.
Of course there are medications now that can make a big difference
to your life and help you to work & play without too much suffering.
Please check with doctors & specialists for those because some are better than others.