Dealing With Headaches

It’s interesting what pops up when you enter “migraine” into the search bar at YouTube. Granted, there’s an awful lot of crap, but sometimes you come across a little gem that you would have discovered in no other fashion. I’ll admit up front, this clip doesn’t have anything to do with treating migraines…well, maybe it does. It does suggest that people who break your heart are the cause of migraines. Having them get run over by a bus is perhaps an alternative migraine treatment.

The song is called “Migraine” although I don’t think it actually pops up in the song lyrics. The band is Moonstar 88 from the Phillipines. The music is not traditional world music kind of stuff, but very hip and very smooth. It just happens to be sung in Phillipino by a woman with a lovely voice, Machelle Baay. (I hope I got that name right — the official website for the band is down, so don’t take my credit listing as Gospel, here).

The video uses a mixture of Phillipino and English, which is how some Phillipinos talk (from what I’ve been told. One day, I might actually get to travel to the Phillipines.) You really don’t need to translate the lyrics to understand what the video is about. Enjoy!

WARNING: There is a brief strobe effect in the beginning of the clip.

One of the things migraineurs live in constant fear of is having a migraine strike at the most awkward times in our lives. Like at our wedding.

This has just happened to Kim and James Fisher of Arizona. The day before the wedding (gee, no stress for Kim on that day, eh?) a migraine came calling. It was so severe that she had to go to the hospital.

Determined to get married “no matter what”, the couple changed the wedding plans at the last minute — to get married at the hospital. I wonder if the wedding guests were able to get opiod painkillers as a wedding present for the bride — and groom.

Yet Another Reason Not To Have A Big Wedding

The reports on this event are not clear on a few issues, such as whether this was Kim’s first migraine. If she was riushed to the hospital, then it does suggest that it probably was a first time occassion — which can be incredibly frightening. When I had my first “official” migraine, my doctor wondered if I had an aneurysm. Perhaps Kim’s doctor thought the same thing.

But this leads to a point — migraines are event crashers. You wind up becoming an unreliable friend because of the sudden cancellations you have to do if a migraine should unexpectedly strike.

All is not lost if you stubbornly insist on having a big wedding and know that migraines can come crashing. If you keep a headache journal, you get to learn what your body’s warning signs are that a migraine is on the way. This is usually slightly different for each person, but many warning signs include (but are not limited to):

• Shakiness or dizziness
• Sudden intense irritability for no reason
• Two or three days before your period
• Pressure behind or over your eyes (or eye)
• Auras

There have been cases where migraines have started and then were cured about an hour or so later with medication and a lie down in a dark room. This happened to Denver Bronco’s Terrel Davis in the Super Bowl (who went on to become MVP of the game), so it might happen for you on your wedding day. Arguably, there’s more pressure on you than Davis had for a mere Super Bowl, but the principle applies.

You could also have a Zombie Wedding, where wearing sunglasses, vomiting and covering the wedding venue in black curtains is normal. If you feel like the living dead, you might as well milk it for all it’s worth.

This month’s Blog Carnival is hosted by The Migraine Girl. It’s topic is “Vacations & Migraines”. Of course, with skyrocketing food and fuel prices, you’ll probably won’t have a vacation this year, but you can still use this advice for any other trips or for general day-to-day use. And, of course, there’s always good reading.

The Highlights

These highlights are picked by me in a manner based on my tastes. This doesn’t imply that my tastes are better than your writing. If I have not mentioned your Headache Blog Carnival post, no offence is intended.

• Let’s start off with the Migraine Girl herself and her post How to Survive a Vacation Tip #1: Don’t Trust the Website. My tip is this: how long do you plan on being in the hotel room? Plot accordingly.
• Down the Rabbit Hole gives a practical and encouraging list of things migraineurs and anyone else with chronic pain needs to be aware of before they head out for misadventure.
• I’ll admit it — I’ve chosen this one as a highlight just for the title: 90 Days of Narcotis: How To Best Use the New Drug Laws. This is a good overview of some changes made in AMerican law in February.
• I’m also picking Power of Pearl not because I beleive that a string of pearls is better for a headache than Excedrin and a lie-down, but because I really dig folklore and legends. Also, as a Pagan, I’m always on the lookout for tips on creystal healing. Yes, I know pearls are technically not crystals, but we needed a short label and “crystals” was chosen for some reason. I wasn’t invited to the convention, nor did I vote for the Superdelegates that went.

None from me this month, as I was in too much pain and missed the deadline.

Next Month

Good topic next month — “How Spirituality Helps Us Cope with Chronic Pain.” The due date for sumbissions is Friday, 11 July. The carnival is going back to regular host Diana Lee at Somebody Heal Me. Remember, your blog doesn’t have to be centered on migraines or headaches in order for your submission to be considered. You don’t get any money, but it’s great publicity and great reading.

There is a popular theory that one of the reasons we get migraine is due to a magnesium deficiency. There’s also some thought that the body also may be going through deficiencies in calicium and/or ribolfavin (one of the B vitamins). Apparently, most people don’t get the daily requirements of magnesium (let alone that of calicium or ribolflavin).

Part of this theory about migraines being due to magnesium deficiency is based on thinking that migraines are caused by constricting blood vessels. This theory is on the outs, being replaced by serotonin levels being the culprit. But the sad fact is that no one knows what is the actual physical action that produces migraine pain.

Any Proof?

Part of the basis for this lack of magnesium theory is that some migraineurs, given enough magnesium to choke a horse, would report that they got less migraines. There was a 1992 French study that showed some promise, but that was only on 55 controls and 79 miraineurs. Another 1996 study, this time from Germany, and the migraineurs were all women suffering from menstrual migraine (so at least you had a pretty good idea of when the migraines would hit). In 12 weeks, the migraine reduction was 41% for those recieving whopping amounts of magnesium.

What’s the Catch?

I haven’t found any long-term studies done about magnesuim therapy for migraines. I wonder if, a year or two later, those same women with menstrual migraines were getting their migraines with the sme intensity and frequency as before? Any kind of new therapy can trigger the placebo effect int he body. The placebo effect is an amazing thing — but the problem is that you have to keep switching your placebos once or twice a year.

Also, taking such large doses of magnesium can get you very sick, especially if you already have kidney troubles. You also will get diarrhea. You can usually get all of the magnesium you need just by certain foods you eat, such as bananas, whole grains, beans, soy products, seafood, dark leafy green vegetables and milk.

For Pete’s sake, don’t start experimenting with a bottle of magnesium tablets. Talk to your doctor first!

See what you can accomplish when you focus on a problem? This seems to be the result from an Italian study of office aches and pains — namely headaches, neck and shoulder pains. Results of this interesting study were published in this months’s issue of Cephlalagia. This was called an “employee initiative” program, but apparantly, none of the employees were given any incentive to participate, except for the slim chance that they wouldn’t have as much pain when at work.

That seemsed to be enough.

Roll Out The Numbers

In case you let your subscription to Cephalalgia lapse, here is a really quick round up of the main points:

• 384 office workers in Turin volunteered, with about half beign a control group. 80% were women. The average age of a volunteer was 46.
• The study lasted eight months
• The employees in the non-control group kept a daily headache journal and did relaxation exercises every two to three hours of their work day. They also had twice dailt 10-15 minutes rest breaks just “sitting in an armchair with warming pads placed on their cheeks and shoulders”.
• Incredible results: 51% reported that they took less painkillers at the end of the study than when they began
• Also, 41% less headaches at the end of the study than at the beginning

• “Our study clearly shows that workplace interventions can reduce headaches and neck and shoulder pain. The methods adopted were relatively simple and the positive response from the employees, including the low study drop-out rate, suggest that it would prove popular in other workplaces. We also believe that employers would support this low-cost initiative as it would improve productivity in the workplace.” — Professor Franco Mongini of the Headache and Facial Pain Unit at the University of Turin

The Practical Upshot

If you get headaches, neck aches and shoulder pains iat work, move to Italy.

No, seriously — this is a very promising study with results to make people’s lives just a wee bit less stressful. This study centered on office workers, but I imagine it could also be used for food service, retail and teaching jobs. It would take a big mind-shift in the attitudes of employers to let their employees get up and stretch — which looks like goofing off. But, quite frankly, the managers probably need to do the stretching exercises as much as much as their underlings.

Following the study’s journal, heating pad and stretching regimen would be much cheaper (and a lot more legal) than giving your employees meth, which is what some Asian employees reportedly do to get intense (but breif) workloads from their new employees (at least, that’s what National Geographic says).

Hope this helps.

This blog tends to go into medications and alternative therapies for migraines and chronic headaches, my personal misadventures like the pain and other details on trying to manage the pain and on the debilitating symptoms (with a whip and a chair, preferably). But perhaps you need a quick review of the basics.

First off, migraines are different from headaches. Yes, the pain is still located in your head, but also becomes the center of your world. There are a lot of other symptoms and debilitating problesm with migraines. To go over the basics, here’s a neat little video by Illumistream that I discovered today on YouTube. I’m especailly glad that they note that “there is no such thing as a typical migraine.”

Just a couple of personal critiques on the video. When I have a migraine, my dog knows. She also knows when I’m trying to fake it. (I wonder if migraines put off a particular smell?) So, the chances are very good that the Golden Retriever at the beginning of the video, knew the model was faking it.

One critique — they say a migraine can last “as long as a week.” My longest migraine lasted TWO weeks.

Also, be sure to check out the visuals around “Feeling Off Balance.” Just think of what Stephen King could do with that character!

And, as always, don’t use any YouTube video (or a blog post) in the place of a qualified doctor’s diagnosis.

You know how in the conclusions of these clinical trials or medical studies, there is a call for more studies? Well, this is one of the results of a follow up study about the relationship between a woman’s migraines and her heart. All the gory details are in this previous post. Which gives us all even more proof for what we gals already know — it sucks to be us.

What’s This Study Say, Then?

3568 women with migraines (I wouldn’t like to be in that room) took part in the twelve year study, a part of an overall massive Women’s Health Study (say it with trumpets). Although only 3568 women migraineuers took part, over 27,000 American women health professionals did as well. (That’s about nine thousand doctors looking anxiously at each patient…in a way). During the study, some cardiovascular whoopsies happened to some of the volunteers:

• 706 cerebrovascular events (a fancy way of saying “stroke”)
• 305 heart attacks
• 310 ischemic strokes(where specifically an artery to the brain gets blocked. Not nice.)

The women who seemed to be the most prone to these cardiovascular problesm were woemen who had at least one migraine per week. (Damn — I’m screwed). And, as usual, the study recommend sthat more studies need to be done.

Although migraines are bad for my heart, I’ll take them ove any of my ex-boyfriends any day. They REALLY destroyed my heart. At least with migraines, I have some chance of getting high quality drugs after the heart attack. Hmmm, at least that’s something to look forward to.

It’s no surprise that often migrainers become extremely sensitive to sounds, light and sometimes tastes during migraine attacks. I had suspected that migrainers could get super sensitive to touch as well, because of my Mom’s unusual comment when she has a migraine that “My hair hurts.”

Well, Mom, You’re Not Alone

A recent study published in the April 22, 2008 issue of Nuerology found that migraineurs have yet another item to add onto their misery list. 16,573 people participated in the massive study, of which over 11,000 were diagnosed migraineurs, and nearly 1500 were “probable migrainerus” (ie — they hadn’t gone to the doctor yet, but display all the symptoms of migraines) and 3345 people just had “headaches”. About 68% of the lot had some skins owies when having a migraine or headache.

The practical upshot of all of this is that migrainerurs often find normal tasks like wearing jewelry, brushing their hair or rubbing your head as “excruciating”. The technical name for this sudden extreme skin sensitivity is allodynia. This was seen to happen to those not only with chronic head pains but also to those who fell into these categories:

• Women diagnosed with migraines
• Obese people diagnosed with migraines
• People diagnosed with the double whammy of migraines and depression

So?

One of the good points of this study is that it vindicates my Mom’s statement that when she had a migraine “her hair hurts”. We teased her about that when I was a kid, and do I feel guilty about that now. Perhaps migraineurs with skin sensitivity will be taken seriously now by both doctors and family members. As to treatment for this symptom, no recommendations were made other than:

“More importantly, this condition may be a risk factor for migraine progression, where individuals have migraines on more days than not. Identifying risk factors for progression is a very important public health priority. For example, it may be that individuals with allodynia should be more aggressively treated in order to prevent migraine progression, as well as to decrease this sensitivity on the skin.”

Obviously, more studies need to be done, both to determine relief for the symtom and to see if skin sensitivity is a reliable factor in determining whether migraine disease is getting worse in an individual.

Off to take some Excedrin.

I’ve never been a big fan of botox (”Don’t Believe the Botox Hype”.) The “bo” part of the name stands for botulinium toxin A. That means it’s in the botulism family. I’m an even less of a fan of botulism. Why would you risk sticking botulism in your face? Hey, I’ve never understood why “American Idol” is so popular, and that’s popular, too. Besides smoothing out your face, botox was rumored in to help relieve chronic headaches (it doesn’t).

So, as a reminder — botox will not relieve your chronic headache or migraine. And, a recently released study shows that botox can sink into your brain.

As another reminder, your brain doesn’t need smoothing out. It really needs all of those wrinkles.

What About This New Study?

Sadly, the study was done on rats instead of people. I’ve never been bitten by a rat, but I have been bitten by people, so I am admittedly predjudiced about being pro-rat. They were botox injections into the whisker area (that’s gotta hurt!) Thtree days later, the rats were killed and their brains opened up, which showed traces of the botox in the brain tissue and brain stem (which makes you wonder what these scientists do for fun.)

This is a preliminary study, so nothing’s conclusive (except if you’re a rat in a medical lab, you’re screwed). There is a call for similar studies to be done on monkeys (oh, joy.)

Wouldn’t it be easier to not just the damn botox in the first place?

Substitutions for Experimental Animals

Personally, I think we should stop all animal experimnentation. It’s expensive, it’s cruel and often doesn’t relate to what human bodies go through. What about all these criminals sitting on death row? What about that guy sitting for life at our expense who claimed to have something to do with 9/11? I say botox HIS whisker area and then dissect his brain three days later. We have all these prisoners who hate themselves and are a drain on society. Bu giving them a chance at medical becoming human lab rats, then they can feel that they are doing something quasi-heroic.

Surprisingly, I get a lot of strange looks when I bring this subject up.

But seriously, we could also do computer models and in vitro (in test tube) experiments instead of ripping open animals by the millions.

Remember — botox = death.

On that happy note, have a great weekend.

If you are pregnant and get migraines, you know you are miserable for two. Although most medicines — even alternative medicines — are right out because of risk to your baby, there’s no need for you to suffer for nine or more months…even though you could reassure yourself that you could remind your kid every day of his or her life of what you suffered because of them, but there are conditions where pregnancy and migraine medicine needn’t be enemies.

Remember, I’m not a doctor or a licensed alternative health practitioner. I’m a writer who gets a heck of a lot of migraines and headaches. Please don’t use this article in the place of your doctor’s advice.

Drugs That Definately Aren’t Safe During Pregnancy

Let’s get this out of the way first, shall we? The definate no-no list includes:

• Amitriptyline, even low-dose versions (although in some severe instances, it can be allowed, but don’t count on it)
• Triptans (especially when breastfeeding, as you can give the medicine to your baby through the milk)
• Prophylactic drugs
• Opiates and narcotics (including all the fun variations you can find for sale at any random street corner)
• Booze
• Aspirin (!)
• Ibuprofen (after 30 weeks)

What Can Be Allowed?

Believe it or not, paracetomal can be used. That’s called acetominophen in America (Tylenol).
More powerful drugs that are currently deemed safe for pregnant women include cyclizine and prochlorperazine.

There is also a drug called metochlopramide which is considered a “maybe” drug. There’s not enough data on it to determine if it causes any effects.

You can also try some nutritional therapy for pregnant migraineurs, which has some positive results. And make friends with the old stand-bys of cold packs for your heads, massaging your temples with lavender essential oil and getting a freind to massage your shoulders.

Hope this helps.

This isn’t a reflection on the fine people at Prada — just a joke, folks (albeit a very small one).

But finding the right sunglasses is often no joke when you are migraine or headache prone. If you don’t have the right ones, then you will be more likely to trigger a migraine or headache than if you wore ones better suited for your eyes. Don’t just wear any old pair or sunglasses or any sunglasses that look cool. You need to be as selective about your sunglasses as you are about your shoes (if you care about your shoes fitting comfortably).

Who Turned Out The Lights?

Some sunglasses are just too dark for you to safely get around. This puts more strain on your eyes that is necessary. Squinting or trying to make out dim shapes can also make you tense for a long period of time, which leads to headaches.

However, really dark sunglasses are superb when you have a migraine and can lay down for a while. They should only be worn in those situations — not for driving, working, walking the dog or shopping for more sunglasses.

Distortion

All sunglasses or sport goggles are going to have some distortion in them. They make your eye focus differently than how they are used to focusing. This will give you a whopper of a headache. By trying several on, you can usually find a pair that makes your eyes focus more naturally. The sunglasses industry is aware of this problem and markets a lot of sunglasses now as “distortion-free”. You usually have to try them to see if they live up to their claims.

Glare

Since I wear glasses, I have to have large wrap-around sunglasses that fits over my regular eyeglasses completely. I suppose I could get prescription sunglasses, but I don’t make enough money for that. Also, they probably would not help me.

I have tried those clip-on things that hook over your regular glasses. My Dad loves them. But, for me, they’re crap. The reason is that sun glare pokes through the top of the sunglasses. This is enough to cause me a migraine.

Put your current sunglasses on and see if any light peeks over the top or around the sides. This can potentially trigger migraines or headaches. You either need to always wear a wide-brimmed hat with these sunglasses — or get a new pair.

Those prone to headaches or migraines need to get polarized sunglasses to cut down on glare.

You should also get sunglasses that are coated to block out the sun’s UVA and/or UVB rays. Normal dark sunglasses let these rays in, which means your pupils will eventually dilate as if they were under bright light and the pain will soon set in.

Although it’s great to get sunglasses as gifts, the odds are that you’ll have to wind up regifting them as they won’t be right for your eyes. It’s better to risk insulting the gift-giver rather than be stuck with a fashion accessory that can trigger migraines or severe headaches.

Hope this helps.

If you’re taking Topamax (topimarate) to prevent migraines and finding that you are having trouble concentrating, remembering stuff and having troubles comminucating with others, it’s not just you. Reuters is reporting about an Italian discovery that Topamax might give a user language problems.

Or, could it be that the patient is so shocked at not having a migraine that they are speechless?

That was just a joke (I know — don’t quit the day job). Now for some facts.

The Facts

These charges of languauge and concentration problems with Topamax are coming from the University of Perugia, Italy, lead by Dr. Francesca Coppola (probably no relation). The problems with language and concetration with Topamax users seems to mainly hit in the first month of taking the drug. Dosages did not need to be adjusted because after the first couple of months, it cleared up on its own.

However, there were only thirty migraineurs who participated in the study, which is not a huge slice of the migraineur world population.

Problems with Topamax included difficulty remembering words, problems naming objects and making up words when the patients couldn’t remember the correct word to use.

So, What’s The Point?

This is not a cause for great alarm among Topamax users and can most likely be safely annoyed by long-time users, but for someone just about to start Topamax for the first time, they need to know this.

It’s thought that problems with language and concentration can greatly aggravate depression, or make someone stop taking Topamax when staying on it could prove benficial. There does seem to indicate that there is a period where the body adjusts to Topamax that can at first make you appear anxious and depressed.

If you already have anxiety or depression problems, Topamax may aggravate them for the first month. It should pass. As always, please talk to your doctor if you are taking any new medication and your depression worsens or you get suicidal thoughts. To get through it, you may find reading Mental & Emotional Health blog useful.

Hope this helps.

One of the more interesting new health-related web sites that have popped up recently is NutrtionMD.org, which is part of the Physiciain’s Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM). What makes this of particular interest to Migraine sufferers is that they offer a comprehensive and understandable overview of migraine treatment, both conventional and alternative.

Alternative therapies for dealing with migraines during pregnancy is often a woman’s only option. Many man-made drugs (as well as natural herbs and aromatherapy oils like rosemary) have proven to give harmful effects to the fetus. The alternative is either be extrememly miserable for nine months and never let let the child forget it for the next 37 years, or look into gentle alternative therapies, such as nutritional therapy for migraines.

What Is It?

You control or lessen your symptoms through your diet when you are on nutritional therapy for migraines in pregnancy. Ideally, you would start this diet before you get pregnant, but very few of us are lucky enough to live in an ideal world. If you have been keeping a headache journal, then you might know already what foods to avoid that may trigger a migraine.

Other nutritional therapy hints include eating what’s called a “baseline diet”:

• Brown rice
• Dried or cooked fruits for any fruit that is NOT a citrus fruit
• Water (plain or carbonated)
• Gradually taper off caffeinated beveraged to avoid caffiene withdrawal migraines and to not expose the fetus to the harmful effects of caffeine.
• Plenty of cooked veggies
• Condiments only in moderate amounts
• Absolutely NO alcohol!

After a couple of weeks, the migraines should diminish. If they do, add one food to this baseline diet per week and see what happens. Nutritional supplements are still a throny issue as to whether they are necessary for pregnanct women or not.

As with everything else you read on the web, please don’t use it in the place of a qualified doctor or obstetrician’s advice.

For more tips on handling headaches while pregnant, check out this post.

From the “We Have Met The Enemy, And He Is Us” Department:

On January 7, in the city of Americus, Georgia, a migraineur disciplined one day without pay won a court case overturning this decision, 3-1. Kim Watts, a city accounting technician employee, had to go home from work with a migraine. Her supervisor, Suzanne Freeman, claimed that Watts was faking her migraine and thus diciplined her with a one day’s pay suspension.

The most intersting thing about the whole case is that Freeman herself is a migraineur. Her explanation of a total lack of sympathy for her fellow migraineur Watts is of the “I gotta work with a migraine — YOU gotta work with a migraine” philosophy. Methinks Freeman doth protest too much, eh?

What Are The Real Issues Here?

Personally, I think people who have migraines are often thought to be faking the pain. It’s not only employers who think this, but family members and even doctors, too. In the early 1990’s, I had a doctor tell me to my face that he thought I was faking it. Real nice bedside manner there, Doc.

In case you hadn’t realised it, people with migraines usually DON’T fake having one for reasons just like what happened to Kim Watts of Americus, Georgia. And since Freeman was completely unsympathetic to her fellow sufferer, it can be assumed that no one ever beleived that Freeman was having genuine pain she could not control and thus had to suffer. You don’t need Freud or even Fraiser in order to see that she was obviously taking out her frustrations on her underling.

We who suffer headaches need some kind of instant brain scan to show to people who don’t believe us that we are having a migraine. Maybe even a prortable lie detector. Perhaps that will stop all this silliness and resentment which can really prolong a migraine and make you miss even more work.

If you need some tips about handling migraines at work, here is a link to a previous post entitled — surprize, surprize — “Migraines At Work.”

Well, before Christmas, I posted about a product that might appeal to my Mom, who (like me and you) gets headsaches and migraines. A think I did a good promotion for the little bear, too. But now that the Christmas high has definately worn off, Mom and I have had a chance to try and actually use the Gelly Belly Grizzly Bear instead of just “ooooo” and “ahh” over it.

The Verdict

Either we did something very wrong or something wrong happened at Amazon.com. We could not fit the cold/hot pack into the back of the bear. That’s kind of the whole pint of the bear –to be a cute and tough applicator for cold packs or heating pads. The cold/hot pack that was included actually exploded while we were trying to insert it into the bear’s back pouch.

The insides of the pack looked like little tiny round ice balls, but weren’t cold. Ome to think of it, it kind of looked like 3-D confetti. Although it was definately entertaining to do a gross necropsy on the cold/heat pack, it still didn’t do much for my Mom’s actual pain, which needed a cold pack quickly.

So, I found one of those little blue cold packs that you put in picninc baskets or lunch boxes to help make a temporary mini-refrigerator. That fit easily inside the back of the bear.

However, after five minutes, Mom said, “I can’t feel the cold at all. This bear must be too thick.”

No, Mom, I think I was the one that was too thick when I bought the darn thing.

At least Mom likes Teddy bears, anyway. This one looks a lot differnt from the other Teddies she has. It now sits with the prize teddy bear from Build-A-Bear in a teddy capacity rather than in the medicine cabinet. In other words — I managed to buy a nice Teddy bear for my Mom’s Teddy bear when I was suppossed to get her something to ease her aches and pains. It sits there and stares at me, both haunting and taunting me.

Verdict : PPHHHTTTT!!!!! (Both for my Christmas shopping abilities and the Gelly Belly Grizzly Bear).