Thursday, June 13, 2013

National Migraine Awareness Month



I started getting headaches in the 3rd grade. My teacher sent a note home stating my eyes should be checked. I was excited because I kind of wanted glasses. After my eyes were checked, and everything came out fine, I continued to suffer with bouts of headaches along with an occasional nose bleed.

As time went on, my headaches became more severe. By 19-years old, I was getting headaches and migraines at least three times a week. I went for a CT Scan, but they didn’t find anything wrong. So again, I just dealt with my headaches and migraines by taking over the counter medication. When I entered my 30’s, I decided to look into them again. I was put on different prescribed migraine medications, but if I didn’t take the medication at a precise moment, it wouldn’t work. I turned to Excedrin Migraine, which seemed to be the only thing that worked for a while.

I still haven’t found a cure to relieve me of migraines. Migraines are debilitating. When I was working, most of my sick days were reserved for my migraines, and there were times I was stuck working at the start of one. They cause nausea and vomiting, dizziness and lack of focus. I’ve tried so many things to decrease them, and they have decreased from three times a week to about two a month, but last longer in days. A big factor in my decreased migraines was when I quit smoking. I use a Neti Pot to help the pressure and I take Magnesium and Fish Oil supplements, which I read help decrease migraines.

I know my migraine triggers, which is a long list of triggers. I find I get migraines when it’s about to rain (when the rain hangs in the air too long before release), weather changes (cold to hot and vice versa), PMS, smoke and strong perfumes, high winds and allergies.

The reason I told you about my migraines is because June is National Migraine Awareness Month. Each day, approximately 430,000 people call in sick to work due to migraines a day, which results in 157 million lost days and $31 billion industry losses a year. Over 37 million people suffer from migraines in America, yet most people don’t understand them, it’s misdiagnosed, and it’s under-treated. Knowing which type of migraine you have is very important along with knowing what triggers them. “Migraine is a genetic Neurological disease.

In reading through the different types of migraines, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have Migraine without aura: Headache lasts 4-72 hours, one-sided, pulsating quality, moderate to severe intensity, aggravated by routine physical activity, associated with nausea and/or sensitivity to light and sound.

If you suffer from migraines, or you know of anyone who does, please spread the word about this disease and educate yourself about the types, triggers and different treatments.


Migraines and Diseases,
Bea

13 comments:

  1. A great post for a great cause.

    I suffer from these. Not as often as some, but on the days I do get them, I also had to call in sick to work or get sent home. My day is just ruined. Any kind of light hurts, I often vomit, and even after it passes my body just feels completely wasted, like I'm a 90 year old man.

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    1. I feel the same way after it passes. I'm lethargic and my body aches all over.

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  2. I'm sorry to hear you have to deal with migraines. I have a friend who gets them quite often, and she misses time in the classroom because of it. Most of the headaches I get are related to tight neck muscles, and definitely mild compared to what a migraine sounds like. I've only had a few really bad headaches and can't imagine having to deal with them on a regular basis.

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    1. I couldn't imagine being a teacher and dealing with migraines. I'm glad to hear you don't suffer from migraines. I hope some day, they will dwindle to none.

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  3. I have suffered with migraines for years. I just made a discovery and I am thrilled. My migraines were so bad that I lost my vision before I completely couldn't function. I am now wearing magnetic jewelry. Since wearing this jewelry which is made up of magnets, I haven't had a migraine. I am thrilled because I am not taking any drugs.

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    1. Glad to hear your migraines are gone.

      I'll have to look into magnetic jewelry. Thanks for the information and stopping by.

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  4. I've had (I think) about 5 or 6 migraines in my life—starting in my early 30's. Each time the cause has been catching the light (sun or lightbulbs) in a weird way, and the problem escalates from a blind spot that won't go away to a full-out aura where my vision is wavy and zig-zaggy and I feel nauseous, on the verge of throwing up. I used to think auras were a bad thing, but I've since read that people who get auras are fortunate b/c it's like a warning that a migraine is starting. So as long as I've gotten myself into bed with all the curtains drawn, tylenol in my system, and a cold cloth over my eyes... AND I can sleep... it seems to ward off the worst of it. Even so, it's horrible to endure.

    I had no idea there was an awareness month. Thanks for calling attention to it!

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    1. It's great that you know when a migraine is coming on and how you can suppress it a bit. They are horrible, and I don't wish them on anyone.

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  5. migranes are horrible _ I only ever had one but my daughter suffers frequently. Sympathies...

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    1. Thanks, Pat. I appreciate you stopping by and commenting.

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  6. Denise, does not sound like fun! I hope you find something(s) that will alleviate the pain.

    I used to get headaches in 11th grade - they were definitely stress-related. In general, I stopped getting sick as often when I started eating lots of vegetables and stopped eating lots of dairy and less nutritious foods. I read a lot about nutrition, and alleviating stress is always a top priority for me. But what works for me isn't always good for the next person.

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    1. Thanks for the information, Leora. I have read that dairy products can contribute to headaches/migraines. I guess I keep trying to ignore that bit because I LOVE cheese. :( Nutrition is very important. I'm going to try a few things before giving up one of my foods. Thanks again.

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  7. Denise,
    Stopping in to check out your blog via LinkedIn. Though I've had migraines most of my life, I didn't know that June was Migraine awareness month.

    I'm enjoying your blog.
    Laura Hedgecock
    http://www.TreasureChestofMemories.com/blog/
    http://www.twitter.com/LauraLHedgecock

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