MetaChat - Migraine sufferers, represent.

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23 January 2006

Migraine sufferers, represent. →[More:]I've had one for about 36 hours now. I was up until 5 a.m. this morning, literally writhing with a pain that made it impossible to lie still.

Migraines are depressing. It's the kind of pain that makes you want to cry. Broken bones, gashes that require stitches? Meh. Tolerable.

Migraines, baby, are heartbreaking.

Anyone else suffer them? What do you do for relief? The closest thing I can find to transcending the pain is succumbing to it, accepting it, wrapping myself in it. If I can accept it as the primary sensation my body is currently experiencing -- and not give it any more acknowledgement than any other sensation I'm feeling -- I can sort of deal with it.

But that takes some metaphysical acrobatics, and I can't always manage it.

You?

post by: mudpuppie at: 02:17 | 5 comments

I've only recently experienced a couple of auras, which I've been able to knock down with aspirin and caffiene. No full-blown migraines yet, but my sister gets 'em something fierce.

When I used to deliver oxygen, several of my patients were using it to combat migarines and cluster headaches. Might be something to bring up with your doctor.

posted by bmarkey 23 January | 02:29

Oh, baby! I'm so, so sorry for you! If it helps at all, one of the benefits of growing older is that your migraines will often begin to disappear... I rarely have them any more.

Sometime when you are feeling up to it, have a look at my old MeFi post on pain, with some info specifically about migraine thrown in there.

posted by taz 23 January | 02:54

Or, if you are like me, you can chart the severity and frequency increasing as you get older. My Mother suffers from migraines that totally incapacitate her for around 24 hours at a time. I mean, to the extent that anything other than complete darkness and silence is agony to her, she is effectively blind and nothing on earth makes the pain go away except time.

I often get severe headaches (2-3 per week), but dread the thought of them developing into true migraines. The worst mine get is middling nausea and disorientation (apart from the thudding pain) but, as long as I get to them with Paracetomol when they first start and keep it up for the duration, they are manageable. If I miss that window when they start, I am in for 12-15 hours of misery that even sleep doesn't cure - if I go to sleep with one, I always wake up with one.

posted by dg 23 January | 07:28

That sucks, pup. I get them as well, but not as often as I once did. I take Excedrin Migraine (two or three pills depending on severity), two slices of toast with margarine and sleep. It's really frustrating when I can't sleep to escape it. When that happens I just lie in bed and breathe deeply. It may take some time, but I'll fall asleep or it goes away.

I hope it goes away soon, sweetie.

posted by deborah 23 January | 12:08

I get them once every couple of months, and they suck balls. Here's what I do: take both Imitrex and Excedrin Migraine, then shut myself in a dark room and sleep. Quiet and low light are essential, and sleep is the only thing that truly helps me. Of course I always feel hung over and disoriented the day after.

posted by smich 23 January | 13:07

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