My Chronic Migraines

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness, Headaches, Migraines
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photo of and by w. holcombe

I have Chronic Migraines.  I’ve been told this before, it was said once again yesterday.  I’ve met a number of Neurologist who thought they could make it better.  I still have Chronic Migraines.

I’ve been to 2 Neurologists who are Headache Specialist.  There aren’t many of these doctors out there, I’m lucky that I have been able to see 2 of them.

The first specialist I was seeing was a Duke, I moved to Charlotte and started seeing a specialist here.  I never thought we’d get to the point where we are now.

I’ve tried so many medications.  I’ve tried Botox, and well just so many things.  There are some medications I can’t try because of reactions I’ve had to other medications.  My doctor is at the end of things to try.

I was taken off Topamax when I had the seizures because they thought that it may have caused them, now that we know it wasn’t the medication I can go back on it.  My migraines did get worse when I was off of it, but my headaches were a long way from being optimal when I was taking it.

Over the last 3 months I’ve had a migraine ever day except 8.  This does not include the headache I constantly have.  When I first started seeing the specialist here she thought we could get the daily headaches under control and then the migraines would get better, well neither of those things happened.

Now I’m going back on Topamax to at least get me back to where I was.  Having migraines about 15 days a months instead of about 30.

I saw my specialist yesterday and she said she is looking out for studies for me to participate in.  There is nothing else she can think of.

I’ve decided to go to a Functional Medicine group to see if they can help me. Unfortunately, they are not covered under my insurance so this can get quite costly.  I’m not sure how much I will be able to afford.

(Functional medicine is personalized medicine that deals with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of symptoms for chronic illness and disease.)

This is Invisible Illness Week.  I’m not sure I’ll get it together enough to really post much about it, but Migraines are an invisible illness.  I look perfectly fine yet I’m struggling every day.  I have Persistent Daily Headaches and Migraine headaches.  Every day my head hurts.

Remember, just because someone looks perfectly fine doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering silently.  We may look great and still be sick.

#ThisIsChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness

 

14 thoughts on “My Chronic Migraines”

  1. I sure hope that it helps to reduce your intensity. Of course, I want them all to magically go away. I wonder (and I am sure you’ve already checked into this) if there are payment adjustments or such for the treatment. It’s a shame it has to cost out of pocket to help something that costs insurance in the long run. It’s a confusion that I am not sure how to sort. I believe you have covered the invisible aspect of illness. Done and done! Huge hugs to my friend xo

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  2. Ah, yes. The invisible illnesses. I sure hope they can help you. My sister had about 5-6 years of chronic headaches (migraines, too, I believe–we are not close) and she went to doctors and tried everything but nothing worked. They up and disappeared for no apparent reason–just as they had arrived. Never did find out why.

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  3. I continue to be amazed at how you keep on, given ALL that you must deal with – and so often. I hope you know my heart is with you – along with my admiration.
    xx,
    mgh
    (Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMore dot com)
    – ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder –
    “It takes a village to educate a world!”

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  4. I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I also have daily chronic headaches, with migraines on top of those. Most people don’t distinguish between the two. I’ve tried almost everything you’ve listed here and haven’t found much help either. It sucks and is frustrating how expensive everything is. Wishing you the best!!

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    1. Thank you. I wish you didn’t have to go through this too. You are right most people don’t distinguish between the two headaches. I have a headache all the time, but not all are migraines. However, I have more migraines than most people can comprehend. It sounds like you are the same. Again, I’m sorry you are in the same boat. Wishing you the best too.

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  5. www.Simply-Pure.org.uk

    I have read your article and it saddens me that you have to suffer with chronic migraines. The good news is you’ve stepped in the right direction with functional medicine. I am not sure if you’ve tried correcting your magnesium levels as in a lot of migraine cases the root cause is a magnesium deficiency and your regular doctor will not order such a test to determine this. I would suggest trying something called magnesium glycinate 200mg twice a day for two months. On the other hand you could first get your magnesium levels checked by a private lab.

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  6. Hi Wendy,

    So your story resonated with me sooooo much. I had been to see every neurologist and headache specialist going. I had botox, trigger point injections and nerve blocks! Nothing every worked no matter what medication they put me on. So in the end I started looking for answers myself as no-one in the medical profession could help me. I started looking at functional medicine just like you which is amazing as it looks at the root of the problem and not just the symptoms! Why are we getting a migraine? What is the cause? So keep going down that route as for me trying a combination of different things such as meditation and diet prevention I am now no longer classed as a “chronic” migraine sufferer. Just a migraine sufferer.

    So I just wanted to say keep going down the route you are going as I so believe this is the answer. Have you tried functional medicine yet? I’d love to hear more about what you have tired.

    Wishing you all the best for the future. x

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    1. Hi, I’m so excited to hear that functional medicine worked for you. I haven’t been yet. I know, I know, how do I expect it to work if I haven’t even been?
      My husband my be changing jobs in the very near future which would require us to move so I’d just be getting started with the functional medicine group here and I’d have to change, so I decided to wait until I find out if we are going to move.
      But your story inspires me so much. Thank you so much for sharing! xo

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      1. Ah thanks for your message. So I didn’t effectively go to a functional medicine group but at the moment I am study a course in integrative nutrition and it brought up the topic of functional medicine and I realised that I had already been doing it and it healed me. It looks at the cause rather than treating the symptoms. So thats amazing you can go to a course or classes. I would love to know how you get on with it. I’ll keep following your blog and I’m sure you will have some success with it 🙂 It’s lovely to connect with you. x

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