After a 76 day migraine it finally broke on July 6th, I then went 9 days with 2 migraines that were able to be treated with rescue medications. On Monday I posted about how I believed I was back to my baseline, but I mentioned that I had a migraine at the time and was excited I was able to take rescue meds and believed they would work, they didn’t.
On Monday I took Maxalt twice, and Toradol, it eased the pain some, but did not take it away.
On Tuesday I did not use my rescue meds, I used Ginger, my IceKap, and medical marijuana throughout the day, and this kept things to a tolerable level.
I woke Wednesday in excruciating pain, with severe light sensitivity and vertigo. I could not lift my head, or focus enough even read medicine bottles, but I could find the Maxalt in my night stand by feel, so I took that. I texted Stuart by talk to text and asked him to come home to help, because I couldn’t make it to the bathroom. He came home, got me more meds (Toradol, and another Maxalt) and worked from home for the rest of the day. I also used my alternative therapies throughout the day. Wednesday was a very challenging day, but by the end of the day my symptoms had improved dramatically and I was able to sleep.
Yesterday I woke feeling pretty good, the migraine was still there, but I thought it was on the way out. I decided to greet the day with joy and immerse myself in the pool. I had a nice swim, the water always makes me feel better, but I don’t get out there enough. When I came in, the pain started to increase. Then a little while later I stood up, walked across the room, and the pain hit like a hammer, I felt a whoosh, and the room went black. I slowly collapsed to the floor and spent the rest of the day in my chair fighting vertigo. I decided to break the rules and use a rescue medication a third day this week. My doctor had given me a sample of Migranal to try, it’s dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE) in a nasal spray. I haven’t tried it yet because my insurance doesn’t cover it, but thought I should try it since I’ll be seeing her on the 26th and today would be a good trial. I don’t know if it’s just the sample that’s like this, or if it’s always like this, but this stuff is a pain to get started. You have to break a metal seal on the bottle, pull the plastic stopper out, take the plastic cover off of the sprayer, insert the sprayer in the bottle, prime the sprayer 4 times, THEN you are finally ready to use it. Then you spray it once in each nostril, and do not sniff or tilt your head back (that is oh so difficult) and repeat in 15 minutes. That’s a lot when you are in severe pain with light sensitivity, nausea, and vertigo. It did reduce the pain significantly, however it did not completely break the migraine.
That brings us to today. It’s still there. I’m getting a massage tomorrow from an amazing woman, the last time I saw her I left in the least amount of pain I can remember. It didn’t last long, but wow, amazing. I look forward to feeling her magic.
On the 26th I’m getting a CTA or my head, that’s a CT scan where they use a contrast to look at your arteries. I also see my migraine doc on that day. I don’t think the scan will show anything, but just to be sure. I’m a little wary of it, I’ve had a lot of scans over the last 10 years, that’s a LOT of radiation. How much it too much? Since I can’t have MRIs they use CT scans for everything, that has really been a lot of CT scans.
I am so very grateful for the days I had without a migraine, it is encouraging to know it is possible. I’m also encouraged that the rescue medications are doing something, even if they aren’t taking it all away this week. Living with chronic migraine is a challenge every day, I never know what to expect. I found myself leaving the moment, fearing the future, longing for the past, I am being gentler with myself now, and being here in the now. Today is all I have, I will be here in this moment and accept it as it is. I know I can handle this moment, it is all it is, a moment, and I will deal with the next moment as it comes, not before. There is so much more to my life than my symptoms, it is time to remember that and take notice, each and every day.
Picnic with Ants 
Sorry to hear that. Sounds like the medications seem to be doing a little something at least. I hope your appointments go well and things improve more and more.
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I am sending you love and wishing you blessings, peace and smiles! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I’m having the same issues as you presently my medications aren’t touching the surface of my migraines at the moment, and the vertigo is out of control. Maxolon has become my best friend lately to keep the nausea down, doesn’t work all the time, but can sometimes give me 20mins free time. It’s definitely not a the life I was hoping for, but it’s the one I was given so I just take it as it comes now. I hope you feel better soon ❤️ hugs
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Oh my dear I’m sorry you are struggling too. I had not heard of Maxolon and had to look it up. I’m in a state that has medical marijuana so I can use it for nausea, it is my best friend often, but I have to be careful of the strain because it can increase my vertigo if I use too much. I don’t like to get “high”.
Taking life as it comes is all we can do. I find pleasure in the smallest things now, I think I missed those before, i think that’s one good thing that’s come of this, i really notice and appreciate the smallest pleasures of life.
I hope you find relief soon. Peace and hugs. 🤗💕
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I’m unfortunately not in a country that has legalised medical marijuana yet, so I have to look for other alternatives. My neurologist put me on Maxolon to help as she explained that the stomach doesn’t take in the medication correctly when we have nausea so I try to take it around my medication time so my nausea isn’t so bad so my medications can take there full effect. I do notice the difference when I’m really nauseous and when I’m not when I’m needing my medications. I to find pleasure in the smallest things now which I think has made me change the way I think. I do appreciate things lot more. Thank you for being so kind ❤️ I hope you too get some relief soon hugs 🤗
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It really does make sense that the present is what we need to focus on. While it is very important, of course, to keep diaries in order to know what works and coordinate etc., it’s important to also focus on the moment. It saddens me that the joys of the celebration have been rained on by the changes, but the good moments are worth it all. I hope and pray your good moments get better and that you have many reasons to celebrate joy. As one who thinks “oh gee, I haven’t felt super bad in a few days” only to wake up in pain this morning, I have to be mindful of the good in all the muck of it all. It is hard to see it and I will push through, but…yeah… Your mindfulness practice may rub off on me yet! Now, if only others who don’t experience pain (and hurrah for them) can try to understand that we have days when we are dazed, days when we are not so dazed, days when we need to be left alone…well, you get the picture. It’s all a part of being more interdependent in life and why we need to love one another, pains and all and find ways to reach out and help, if we can. I am grateful that you have Stuart and could not love him more than my own blood. Here’s some juju power to hope for more zen moments. Love You xoxoxo
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You really have had the most awful, miserable time of it. I’m glad you’ve had some times without migraines in this whole nightmare, as you say because it shows it’s possible to abate, even if briefly for some respite. Keeping my fingers crossed for your appointment and the CT on the 26th! ♥
Caz xx
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I was able to clean our bathroom today!
Not well, but it’s clean enough. 😉
Victory!
Much love dear Caz💕💕
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“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment” Buddha.
Pain makes us question past and future. That’s part of it’s attempts to control. I hope mindfulness, along with your rescue meds, and such, give you some relief. And, it is the small stones, those infinitesimal micro-seconds that can provide the burst of joy, some “sane” sense of self (when pain does it’s dance to make us insane), a quiet moment of self-love and reflection, the touch of a paw, the clasping of hands, the glass of water that can make a difference.
Wishing you all the best with this journey. Gentle hugs.
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You have learned much my friend. Hugs and love my sister, love be with you
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