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Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
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410
Hi all! Especially welcome migraine sufferers, migraineurs, migraineuses, and family/friends who have migraine people in their circle!

I have suffered from migraine since before kindergarten. Strong family history (mother, brother, sister) and multiple concussions, including a severe head injury in a car accident at age three. Probably why I got an early start!

Long years of painkillers, diaries of possible triggers, avoiding strong sunlight (agony to some of us).

Neurologist has tried multiple therapies, and Vyepti, an infusion every three months, has given me much of my life back!

Welcome and share --- whatever you want to share.
 
Thank you for starting this thread. Interesting that this topic got brought up because I just reached out to my doctor yesterday about my migraines. I’ve been a migraine sufferer since I was 12 years old. I got them frequently as a teen but as an adult they tapered off to 1 or 2 a year. Recently I have been getting 1-3 migraines a week. My migraines come with aura. My oldest starts school this week and I am terrified that I am going to get a migraine while driving to pick up or that I am going to get a migraine and be unable to pick him up. The vision distortion comes on rapidly and is so bad that I am unable to see. The vision usually lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. There is no way that I would be able to drive with it and if I did develop it while driving, I would have to pull over as quickly as possible. I have been taking Imitrex but it doesn’t do anything for the vision and it makes me so nauseous and dizzy that I vomit when I stand up. I just reached out to my doctor to see if there’s any other medication that I can try. Has anyone found anything that helps with the vision distortion.
 
It’s the club nobody wants to hold a membership in, and yet here we are. In lieu of a secret handshake, you can recognize us because we’re all wearing sunglasses when no one else is.

I’ve had migraine (without aura) since roughly the age of 11. Strong family history here as well, and unfortunately my daughter has inherited them. I vividly remember coming home from middle school and collapsing into bed. Now, at 44, I have been in treatment with a neurologist since i was 12. My migraines are currently the best controlled they have been in my adult life, and I average six per month. If you want to get under my skin, just about the quickest way to do it is to ask me if I‘ve tried yoga, essential oils, Excedrin Migraine (ha omg I WISH), or a freaking MLM product. Because I have tried EVERYTHING.

Preventatives—-I’ve tried things from every class out there. Antidepressants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, anti-epileptics. Topamax made me skinny but unable to finish my own sentences. I swear I lost about 50 IQ points so that was a dud. We used Zonegran (it’s a close chemical cousin to topamax but without the stupids) as a preventative for a very long time, but I was recently able to come off of it with the addition of Ajovy. So for preventatives I’ve got Ajovy plus Botox, plus Nurtec, and the fact that insurance covers all of that means I went through hell to get here.

At one point I had daily migraine, and my neurologist had to do an hours-long IV infusion to break it. I’ve had multiple ER visits for migraine over the course of my life, as well as physical therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis….I’m probably forgetting something. Exercise! I’ve become an exercise fanatic. Yes, I did try yoga. Also martial arts, running, indoor rowing, and powerlifting. Exercise is super helpful as prevention, but if you actually have a migraine it tends to make it worse.
 
I went through several treatments but they always come with side effects. Next step would be this new therapy with infusions (possibly the one OP mentioned). But in order to get it, several cheaper methods need to be tried first because it’s so expensive.
 
Periodically I get the ocular migraine (vision distortion without the headache) -- it usually passes in 25-45 minutes -- it is best for me to lay down on my bed in semi-darkness and in quiet, closing my eyes -- fortunately I've never been driving when it came on. I first experienced it in 2012 and it happened about every 6 weeks for almost a year. Since then, it has been random, sometimes a few years go by with no incidents, then a year or two with it happening every few months. In my case, I do think it is related to stress.

My mom and one of my sisters also experience ocular migraines.
 
Mjay said:
Thank you for starting this thread. Interesting that this topic got brought up because I just reached out to my doctor yesterday about my migraines. I’ve been a migraine sufferer since I was 12 years old. I got them frequently as a teen but as an adult they tapered off to 1 or 2 a year. Recently I have been getting 1-3 migraines a week. My migraines come with aura. My oldest starts school this week and I am terrified that I am going to get a migraine while driving to pick up or that I am going to get a migraine and be unable to pick him up. The vision distortion comes on rapidly and is so bad that I am unable to see. The vision usually lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. There is no way that I would be able to drive with it and if I did develop it while driving, I would have to pull over as quickly as possible. I have been taking Imitrex but it doesn’t do anything for the vision and it makes me so nauseous and dizzy that I vomit when I stand up. I just reached out to my doctor to see if there’s any other medication that I can try. Has anyone found anything that helps with the vision distortion.
Click to expand...

I don’t have aura, so I’m not at all sure what would help with that. It sounds awful. My best guess is that you need a preventative as well as something from the triptan class as an abortive (to take once you have a headache). If you’re not seeing neurologist who specializes in migraines, my biggest recommend recommendation is to get a referral. While you’re waiting, track your headaches and be sure to note not only that you had one, but your symptoms, how long it lasted, what you took and if it helped. Depending on how detailed you want to get with tracking, you can also look at foods as there are a lot of food triggers, and the timing of your menstrual cycle.

Some common food triggers (not a comprehensive list, just the ones i can remember):
—artificial sweetners
—chocolate
—wine (red and white)
—cured meats like you’d find on a charcuterie board
—lunch meats

The good news about the Imitrex class of meds (triptans) is that there are a bunch (seven or so?). So if Imitrex made you feel awful, your doctor can try a different one. I use imitrex but my daughter felt horrible with it.
 
Mjay said:
Thank you for starting this thread. Interesting that this topic got brought up because I just reached out to my doctor yesterday about my migraines. I’ve been a migraine sufferer since I was 12 years old. I got them frequently as a teen but as an adult they tapered off to 1 or 2 a year. Recently I have been getting 1-3 migraines a week. My migraines come with aura. My oldest starts school this week and I am terrified that I am going to get a migraine while driving to pick up or that I am going to get a migraine and be unable to pick him up. The vision distortion comes on rapidly and is so bad that I am unable to see. The vision usually lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. There is no way that I would be able to drive with it and if I did develop it while driving, I would have to pull over as quickly as possible. I have been taking Imitrex but it doesn’t do anything for the vision and it makes me so nauseous and dizzy that I vomit when I stand up. I just reached out to my doctor to see if there’s any other medication that I can try. Has anyone found anything that helps with the vision distortion.
Click to expand...

Everything Tonks just said. I am not a doctor nor even close, but I've been to the doctor a lot, and they usually say at the end of the appointment to be sure to come back right away if it increases in frequency or severity. It sounds like you have both of those in spades. To go from 1 or 2 a year to 52-156 is an increase that should be concerning, not to mention your reasonable fear that it could put you and others in danger if it strikes while you're driving.

A lot of primary care doctors treat migraine (or try to), and when migraine responds to front-line therapies (e.g. Topamax), okay. I've known a lot of people, and met a few today online, for whom only a neurologist's care improved the situation. Please consider asking your doctor for a referral to one. Be specific about the increased frequency and severity, and they may be able to get you in faster.

And to emphasize Tonks's point: documentation will impress them. Also they'll ask a lot of questions, so it's helpful to have the information in writing. For instance, I couldn't remember exactly which year I was on Topamax, but was able to approximate within 3 years. Thank goodness they accepted that.
 
Also, as a long-haul migraineuse, (in French -eur is a masculine suffix, so I coined my own version), migraine has changed a lot. In the 1960s, you had to vomit and have aura to have migraine, by definition. No vomit? No weird colors? Sorry, it's just a headache. Have a Tylenol.

Then they began accepting that migraine wasn't one-size-fits-all. Only then, triggers were the in thing - and one size, again, fit all. No red wine, cheese, or chocolate for you! Except red wine doesn't trigger migraine in me. White wine is worse, especially sparkling. You can always pick me out on New Year's as I'm hiding from anyone getting near me with a champagne bottle. And don't get me started on the current love for prosecco...

Menstrual cycle. Moods. Food and drink. I've kept diaries of it all. For years at a time. There is no trigger. I just have bad brain, badly treated (concussions).

I'm not saying there are no triggers. There's just a variety, and they are so individual. Migraine is, damn it to hell, a many-splendored thing, and mine didn't fit the pattern for a long time. (Yes, I'm still salty about my pediatrician saying that she can't have migraine, she doesn't throw up.)

And Tonks, you'll know me when you see me! I'll be the one in a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses on a cloudy day.
 
I experienced migraines with auras during most of my reproductive years, starting at age 18. No correlation to menstrual cycles.
First the vision distortion, flashing lights, moving sparkles.
Then the crushing headache.
I my early 40s, I only got the aura, no pain.
After I went through menopause, all symptoms pretty much stopped. Occasionally I get a bit of aura, but it quickly goes away.
Several times a year I get a mild "regular" headache.
So for me it must've been hormone related.
 
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Roselina said:
I went through several treatments but they always come with side effects. Next step would be this new therapy with infusions (possibly the one OP mentioned). But in order to get it, several cheaper methods need to be tried first because it’s so expensive.
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I'm so sorry. This is the grim reality for so many of us - that what works is expensive, so you have to prove that cheaper methods won't work. I am in my sixties and have a lifetime of painkillers, acupuncture, Imitrex, Topamax, Emgality, Botox - it has taken decades. Also I feel for you as the side effects can be debilitating.
 
This is from Judith Warner's essay in the New York Times on the side effects of a migraine medication: - as a writer the brain/verbal effects were agonizing.

And then everything began to get a little funky. Everything tasted bad. Everything became too much of an effort: working, not working, talking, listening, being with people, being alone. I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t sit still. I couldn’t tie one thought, word or sentence to another.

“What is wrong with you?” my daughter Julia finally snapped on Monday when we went out to lunch and she beat me in three straight games of tick-tack-toe. Bored with winning, she attempted to ask me the questions on a parent questionnaire that had come home in anticipation of teacher conferences.

What are your goals for your child in math this year?

“I hope she will learn what she needs to learn,” I said.

What concerns do you have about your child’s progress in math?

“I hope that she will make progress.”

“MOM!” she shouted. “Those aren’t answers.”

“I’ll try harder,” I said.

What concerns do you have about your child’s work habits?

“I hope,” I said, thinking hard, “that if I need to be concerned about her work habits, someone will tell me to be and then I will have concerns.”

You can imagine how this story ends. After all, here I am, stringing one word after the other. I left a message for the new neurologist at 8:45 on Tuesday morning. I said that I was having serious cognitive and mood-altering side effects.

Unable to work, I sat at my desk, by the phone, and waited.

At 4:30, I emailed Max: “I am going over to the neurologist’s office to blow my brains out. Please be sure to collect the life insurance and file an adverse event report with the F.D.A.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he replied.
 
marymm said:
Periodically I get the ocular migraine (vision distortion without the headache) -- it usually passes in 25-45 minutes -- it is best for me to lay down on my bed in semi-darkness and in quiet, closing my eyes -- fortunately I've never been driving when it came on. I first experienced it in 2012 and it happened about every 6 weeks for almost a year. Since then, it has been random, sometimes a few years go by with no incidents, then a year or two with it happening every few months. In my case, I do think it is related to stress.

My mom and one of my sisters also experience ocular migraines.
Click to expand...

This is what I usually get, along with a dull headache. One came on when I was driving once, but I was a short distance from home and squeezed one eye shut and was able to drive home.

I've always smoked weed off and on since I was 17. Once it became legal in CO I started smoking more regularly (about 4 times a week). And where I was getting those migraines about 2-3 times a week, I now get one every 2-3 months, if that.
 
I’m surprised to see so many ocular migraine sufferers here! I always feel kind of alone in migraine discussion because everyone else seems to have the “normal” kind with a lot of pain and nausea.

TBI/concussion when I was 8 years old. At 14, experienced my first migraine with aura in first period French class. I suddenly just couldn’t see the blackboard; everything looked like TV static. Zigzag lines and a feeling of unease and something very close to nausea but not quite, more like queasiness. Thought I was having a stroke or something, managed to have my mother called to come and get me from school. I don’t remember what happened after that, I probably just went to bed for the rest of the day.

Didn’t get another until a couple years later, and every time since then, they have begun at around the same time in the morning. Aura lasts 10-15 minutes, then there is a dull headache and general malaise followed by several hours of extreme fatigue. The frequency with which they occur has nothing to do with stress, menstrual cycle, or typical triggers. They just happen, sometimes months or years go by in between occurrences. When I was pregnant I didn’t have one the entire 9 months.

Mine are only debilitating from the onset of not being able to see, until 6-7 hours later after bed rest. There have been times I was able to grab ibuprofen and get that down and sort of stave off most of the dull headache, but the extreme fatigue still puts me down for a few hours. Can’t predict them, I’ve tried logging them as much as possible and there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason beyond the time of day they happen. I’ve never sought advanced treatment because they haven’t consistently disrupted my life enough to seek preventative measures.
 
Tonks said:
It’s the club nobody wants to hold a membership in, and yet here we are. In lieu of a secret handshake, you can recognize us because we’re all wearing sunglasses when no one else is.

I’ve had migraine (without aura) since roughly the age of 11. Strong family history here as well, and unfortunately my daughter has inherited them. I vividly remember coming home from middle school and collapsing into bed. Now, at 44, I have been in treatment with a neurologist since i was 12. My migraines are currently the best controlled they have been in my adult life, and I average six per month. If you want to get under my skin, just about the quickest way to do it is to ask me if I‘ve tried yoga, essential oils, Excedrin Migraine (ha omg I WISH), or a freaking MLM product. Because I have tried EVERYTHING.

Preventatives—-I’ve tried things from every class out there. Antidepressants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, anti-epileptics. Topamax made me skinny but unable to finish my own sentences. I swear I lost about 50 IQ points so that was a dud. We used Zonegran (it’s a close chemical cousin to topamax but without the stupids) as a preventative for a very long time, but I was recently able to come off of it with the addition of Ajovy. So for preventatives I’ve got Ajovy plus Botox, plus Nurtec, and the fact that insurance covers all of that means I went through hell to get here.

At one point I had daily migraine, and my neurologist had to do an hours-long IV infusion to break it. I’ve had multiple ER visits for migraine over the course of my life, as well as physical therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis….I’m probably forgetting something. Exercise! I’ve become an exercise fanatic. Yes, I did try yoga. Also martial arts, running, indoor rowing, and powerlifting. Exercise is super helpful as prevention, but if you actually have a migraine it tends to make it worse.
Click to expand...

Have you tried drinking more water? :lol-2:
 
I typically get migraines 4-6 times a year but they were, all things considered, relatively mild and I could basically lay down in a dark room for 3-4 hours with my eyes closed and I could recover. Maybe a year ago I had a problem where there was a part of my field of vision that was weirdly distorted, no headache whatsoever. I had not heard of ocular migraines so was somewhat freaked out. I went to an eye doctor who diagnosed it as an ocular migraine. But I haven't had one of those since.

What has helped me get some relief with both migraines and regular headaches is the TheraIce headache relief gel cap. I bought it on Amazon for $30 and always keep it in the freezer so it is ready to go whenever I have a headache.

 
My favorite, try doing a headstand!

I understand and feel your pain those that have been having them since childhood.:cry2:
Mine Started out as headaches, pretty powerful during my teens. Usually painkillers took care of it. Once married and in my 20's DH encouraged me to go to doctors...not 1 doctor, gynecologist, dietitian, holistic, guided me on preventative medication. They all had the knowledge that my mother suffered from headaches, so genetic heredity was a given. BTW- my mother also went to many doctors, had a scan and nothing was given to her as preventative,no guidance or advice. They never mentioned the word Migraine. I was told to take copious notes of what I ate and drank and try to find the trigger! Nothing ever came from that and I continued with my own pain management trial and error. My pregnancies was 9 months of living in a dreamland- best pain free time.
I hit my mid 30's and pain went from being able to deal and bear through to unbearable. I finally found a Dr that recognized my problem, she started me on
Immetrix nasal sprays 20mg which worked for a while, till I had start 2 doses of it.
Then Immetrix pill form still low 50mg. Switched doctors, went to Immetrix and Relpax. Did not like Relpax, continued Immetrix till an amazing NP pointed out to me that if I take Immetrix in the morning and still feel numb pain later to follow up with ALEVE. That combo worked well for a while. I was averaging 4-5 a month, they were strong, mean and lingered longer. Meanwhile my Immetrix went to 100mg with another new Dr. Now in my 40's age at this point my migraines were adding an extra day as every month went by 10-12 a month. Dr wanted to try me on low blood pressure pills, Topomax - after extensive research I said no to both. As I had lower blood pressure than normal range-did not want to invite trouble. TOPOMAX- no way! I felt incoherent on Immetrix after 2-3 days of continuous migraines. Finally Aimovig hit the market and I started that in 2018, the honeymoon period was nice. But I eventually had to turn to trusted Immetrix to do the job. 2018 is also where I was starting to experience 4/5 continuous days of migraines and averaging 15-18 migraines a month.
Yet, my dr refused BOTOX. After months of research I found a caring neurologist who took the time to talk to me about my history, where my pain triggers are on my neck/shoulder. She introduced me to neck/head exercises, told me I should use one 1 pillow flat , she's continued me on Aimovig and Immetrix combo. And if this continues, next appointment we can discuss scans if needed or BOTOX.
IF this doesn't work, then off to neurologist specialist leaders in another state.
By this time- just from researching about migraines and following my body clues, I figured out that these were hormonal migraines. BUT- I have hit menopause and no signs of disappearing yet. I will keep hope that one day I will be free.
Pain- One thing I also noted- that my younger days, I used to get an aura- but migraine not necessarily followed. Maybe days later. Started behind the eye.
Then as I got older, it switched to neck/shoulder pain. No auras. Except for the one time my eyes went blurry vision and we thought I was having a stroke!
Then once the switch up with pillow and neck exercises, the pain moved to a pounding on top of my head. Which is where I am at as of now.
Treatment-
Immetrix for way too many years, starting at lowest nasal spray of 20mg to 100mg pill form.
Aimovig- subcutaneous 1x a month 70mg and this has been a good, but still have my Immetrix as backup.

I hope this helps anyone going through this horrible painful chronic disease and maybe you'll find your cocktail that works for you. Also- I was not pushy enough when I was younger, now I don't care. I push for answers and so should you. Also if you haven't started sharing with your children if they are old enough , do it.
My mother never shared anything with me- that generation --BUT I really was stuck in the dark with this whole ordeal.

ALSO- this quote ...just about says it all!

“That no one dies of migraine seems, to someone deep into an attack, an ambiguous blessing.”​

—Joan Didion
 
Tonks said:
I don’t have aura, so I’m not at all sure what would help with that. It sounds awful. My best guess is that you need a preventative as well as something from the triptan class as an abortive (to take once you have a headache). If you’re not seeing neurologist who specializes in migraines, my biggest recommend recommendation is to get a referral. While you’re waiting, track your headaches and be sure to note not only that you had one, but your symptoms, how long it lasted, what you took and if it helped. Depending on how detailed you want to get with tracking, you can also look at foods as there are a lot of food triggers, and the timing of your menstrual cycle.

Some common food triggers (not a comprehensive list, just the ones i can remember):
—artificial sweetners
—chocolate
—wine (red and white)
—cured meats like you’d find on a charcuterie board
—lunch meats

The good news about the Imitrex class of meds (triptans) is that there are a bunch (seven or so?). So if Imitrex made you feel awful, your doctor can try a different one. I use imitrex but my daughter felt horrible with it.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Oh my! the food triggers that you listed are basically my diet. The frequency of my migraines just recently amped up so I haven’t explored changing my diet yet but it’s time. The doctor totally blew me off about treatments and just sent zofran to the pharmacy. What a joke.
 
empliau said:
Everything Tonks just said. I am not a doctor nor even close, but I've been to the doctor a lot, and they usually say at the end of the appointment to be sure to come back right away if it increases in frequency or severity. It sounds like you have both of those in spades. To go from 1 or 2 a year to 52-156 is an increase that should be concerning, not to mention your reasonable fear that it could put you and others in danger if it strikes while you're driving.

A lot of primary care doctors treat migraine (or try to), and when migraine responds to front-line therapies (e.g. Topamax), okay. I've known a lot of people, and met a few today online, for whom only a neurologist's care improved the situation. Please consider asking your doctor for a referral to one. Be specific about the increased frequency and severity, and they may be able to get you in faster.

And to emphasize Tonks's point: documentation will impress them. Also they'll ask a lot of questions, so it's helpful to have the information in writing. For instance, I couldn't remember exactly which year I was on Topamax, but was able to approximate within 3 years. Thank goodness they accepted that.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I’m going to ask for a referral. My doctor was no help. She just prescribed zofran for the nausea and ignored all of my questions.
 
Mjay said:
Thank you. I’m going to ask for a referral. My doctor was no help. She just prescribed zofran for the nausea and ignored all of my questions.
Click to expand...

They will almost always blow you off. You have to persist and persevere, unfortunately. Good luck!
 
This is an interesting topic, as I’ve had very few migraines but one that was so debilitating I had to take medical leave from work for 2 weeks.

They run in my family (sister, mother, grandmother) and I never got one until my pharmacy filled the wrong birth control in my mid twenties. It triggered my first migraine. Since then I’ve only had them 1-2x a year. No auras or anything, gone in a few hours.

About six months ago I had a migraine that wouldn’t go away, and I suspect it was caused by intense stress. It lasted for over 2 weeks. Over the counter meds and even codeine did zilch. I finally went to the ER and they gave me an IV concoction and prescription Rizatriptan which cut the pain in half, and it tapered off over a few days. I also got blue light blocking computer glasses and a mount guard to see if that triggered it? I don’t know if either of those things did anything but I use them daily now

My PCP described it as a “cluster migraine”. Thoughts like “am I just going to permanently live like this???” just ate me alive! I’m terrified of getting one like that again.
 
I do have Vicodin for emergencies - when the migraine has been going on for days (after the infusion has worn off) and nothing else helps. My experience of Vicodin is that it doesn't take the pain away, just while the effects of the drug last it sends me to a place where the pain doesn't bother me. A doctor on a discussion board I read said codeine was described in her medical school as "a constipating agent with some analgesic properties," so beware!
 
My migraines started when I was 26, and I'm 55 now. It's genetic from both sides. For the first few years, I did have visual aura: blues and reds were very vivid and I perceived the visual world as if I was looking through 3-D glasses. It took a few years for the pain to ramp up to be excruciating. I went through the gamut of Triptan meds, and also Topamax. The side effects of those were too much. I also developed constant pressure in my head, it felt like it was concentrated in my brainstem. It took years to settle on what works for me now, plus new meds were developed and secondary uses for existing drugs were discovered: Cymbalta (anti-depressant), Propranolol (BP med - but it reduces pressure in the head) and Aimovig injection as my preventatives, Relpax as my primary abortive and Imitrex injection when the head pain is so severe that I'm vomiting.

I have food triggers: alcohol, processed meats, aged cheeses, and onions. I really can't have any alcohol, and can only enjoy meats and cheeses in moderation, and onions if fried (raw is the trigger). Sometimes I forget, or I ingest around the time of my cycle. My cycle is also a trigger. Not eating at regular intervals is a trigger. Perfume is a BIG trigger, the inside of my nose feels raw and that then extends to my brain, where pain is added. Interestingly, I crave chocolate and coffee (triggers for some) during the more severe ones. I've known about chasing my abortive meds with Aleve (Naproxen sodium) for about 15 years.

The brain fog/detachment during a migraine is a real issue for me. I had to secure a letter from my neurologist to give to my boss to explain the process going on in my head and also request accommodation for the inability to think deeply. My boss was unsympathetic/didn't understand what I was going through with each migraine. Silly me thought that coming to work and seeing patients while on autopilot was better than calling out. I almost always went to work when I had a migraine, I could function on autopilot.
 
I come from a long line of migraine with aura sufferers on my Mom's side. I used to get them once a week like clockwork. The usual triggers- soda, chocolate, etc would then become the things that would help them go away. Once I had my first daughter, they went away until about five years ago.

Both of my daughters have them. My oldest has tried almost everything with no luck. I have suggested botox, but she refuses to try it.

My mom used to be in bed for four days in the dark. We couldn't so much as whisper to her unless the house was on fire.
 
Thanks for starting the thread @empliau. There seems to be a lot of migraine sufferers here on PS so this could be a great resource.

I started getting migraines about 4 years ago. Lord knows why but I guess some higher power decided I didn't have enough crap going on in my life and decided to lay this one on me as well. :wall: My migraines started sporadically. I would get one every 6-8 months, but with time it has definitely gotten worse. I now have them for easily half of every month. I'm always joyfully surprised when I've managed to make it a whole week without an attack.

My migraines always used to start with an aura (ocular migraine). I would get those bright psychedelic jagged lines (why do they have to move?) or I would get holes in my vision. These were inevitably followed up by excruciating headaches. Thankfully, I've never actually thrown up from my migraines (though the nausea can sometimes be brutal). I haven't been to see a doctor yet (I know, for shame), but I know I need to. It's definitely time to get on some real medicine.

I've been taking some over the counter preventatives I found on Amazon.
- Migrelief preventative (here).
- Migrelief now (here).
- And I wear these FL-41 tinted glasses when I use the computer (here).

They haven't reduced the frequency of my migraine attacks, but they have reduced the symptoms associated with it. I almost never see auras anymore. Instead, I have moments where my vision seems to be blurry and I struggle to focus a bit. My head pain has gotten a little better too. I've found that excedrine migraine is a laughable drug, as it does absolutely nothing for me. However, I started keeping marijuana gummies in the fridge and they work wonders!
 
Speaking of migraine symptoms, does anyone else get tremors? Usually I get them in my hands, but during a recent attack, I felt them in my torso too. They make me crazy! Oh, and let's not even start on the brain fog!!
 
I tried gummies, but one gummy was not enough to make a dent. Two made me pleasantly woozy and the pain, though not banished, tolerable. However, with two in me I frequently forgot to lock my front door - I have a dog, so go for regular trips outside. No more gummies for me! I am such a lightweight.

Even on Vicodin I remember to lock my door.
 
Not relevant to the above, but I am frequently indignant at the word photophobia. I am not afraid of light - I am afraid of the extreme, to the point of incapacitating, pain that can come when I go out in strong sun with a migraine.

That's not fear. That's just common sense. And my sunglasses, which I love and need like I need air, let too much light in around the top. Big brimmed hats AND shades forever!
 
I haven't had a chance to read all these yet as my migraine isn't over. I have a hard time concentrating. Putting a bookmark and I'm so happy to have a thread like this!
 
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