My Migraine Battle: On The Forefront

A New Day

Woke up with a level 4 mig this morning and nausea that was, well, nauseating. I tell you, morning sickness has got nuttin' on the kind of nausea that comes with the migraines. It's horrible. Just these waves of sickness crashing up against you and rolling over you, well me. Guess I'm dissassociating a little.

I don't like to talk to Stu, my husband, about my symptoms anymore. It depresses him too much. He's been a rock for me these past couple years. I don't know how I found such a good man.

I just ate something yummy, and I feel sick to my tummy. I've taken phenergan already this morning. 25 mgs. I've asked my doc for Zofran. It's heavy duty for nausea. It's what they give chemotherapy patients. I had a shot last time I was in hospital (ER, Monday) and it was wonderful. Took care of it in less than 10 minutes.

I am trying to stay away from the fioricet today, because I took it yesterday, and it's making me have rebounds because I was taking it too often. It's hard, because I'm out of my Imitrex and I'm on medical, so that means that every time I need a new prescription they have to do something called a TAR and it can take up to 2 weeks or more to go through, sometimes. And then I only get enough for 2 shots. It's not enough to help me for a month. And then I go through the same thing all over again. *sigh*

I have maxalt, but it doesn't seem to work when I take it without the fioricet. Probably means it's not working for me. *shrug* I don't know if I'm going to make it without some prescription relief today, but I am going to try, like I do every day.

I am learning alot about medications that have worked for others from Ronda's Migraine Page. http://www.migrainepage.com/ It is a wonderful forum full of supportive fellow migraneurs. Fentanyl, Duragesic patch, Actiq lollipop, Cymbalta, Inderal, Stadol. I haven't tried these ones yet. It's nice to know there are meds that I haven't tried, yet, you know?

I have been thinking about asking my doc, who is wonderful!, for dilauded suppositories (or if it comes in pill that is better. I hate sticking stuff up my butt, lol). And for a prescription for Toradol injections. I am worried about having this stuff in the house though. No, not for my family, or my daughter. I am worried that I will use it often because I am in excruciating pain often and I don't like that idea. I am still debating whether it is better to drive the hour, go through the humiliation of being thought of as a drug seeker and criminal, to the ER to get this kind of treatment. I'll talk to my doc and let her decide what is best for me in this case, since I can't decide. But, I am feeling so desperate.

Only 3 more days until I can call UCSF and find out if Dr. Ahn or Dr. Raskin will accept my case. I want my trigger point shots so that I can have some quality of life. I'll still have migs even with the injections, but it's not as severe and the duration is cut down alot, and it's not every single day.

What are trigger point injections? Well, they take this big needle, full of steroid (cortisol, I think), lidocaine and something else. Then they stick that in my brain and inject. It's very painful, and the pain lasts for up to 3 days afterward. I will be flat on my back with an icepack on my head for those 3 days. Then presto! My h/a is gone for awhile, about 4-6 weeks for me. Most people it lasts anywhere from 1-3 months.

I'm hoping that Dr. Raskin or Dr. Ahn (whoever I see) will have some other options to offer me as well.

Guess that's enough for now. I am going to get dressed and try to act like a normal person for a little bit, until the pain worsens. Then, I'll be on my butt the rest of the day. Oy!

posted by Jessica @ 11:20 AM