So Happy I Could Hop!

Wow, what a great day!

I felt perfect until about 1 pm today, after I ate lunch (cottage cheese & peaches w/ baked apple).

Just some pressure in my right temple so I iced it for twenty min. then went for a walk. By the time I was done walking I was back to a 100%. The cold, crisp air felt so good. I've been using ice lately and it really seems to help. Headaches can go away in an hour or so and w/out medicine. This is such a welcome change from Hell Week (last week of October).

I needed the break and the encouragement.

Only 2 more day until Botox....

I'm so happy I could do the bunny HOP!

Ya, Sometimes Life is Like That....Sometimes...

So this weekend, 3 day Veteran's holiday, I braved it and took the kids to stay @ the Breakers Hotel in Long Beach, Washington. I say braved it, because since I was the sole parent and sole chauffer, I knew I would really need to depend on my health to go.

Fortunately, it worked out great. Not just because I was able to control my headaches ( I had a few but was able to manage them), but also because there were two big storms this weekend. The trip to the Coast on the Washington slide was blocked on SR4 just 20 min. from my house due to a slide that happened from a previous storm just a few days ago. Fortunately, the Oregon side via Astoria was not blocked and is a little easier to travel anyway. I was just crossing my fingers and hoping that this route wouldn't be blocked too. Then I'd have to drive way north to Raymond and then home. Do-able but an extra long trip.

Friday I felt pretty good even with all of the driving. I ended up with a slight headache in the evening but was able to control it with tiger balm and an ice pack. It only lasted for a few hours...when I put the kids to bed I realized that I had only come in the contacts that were in my eyes. I forgot to bring my glasses and extra contacts. I am totally blind w/out them and didn't want to risk getting stuck there and not able to drive, so I loaded the kids up and drove all the way home to get them. 2 1/2 + total driving hours on Friday. Yikes! Made it home after 11 pm and we slept in our own beds.

Saturday morning we were out the door by 7:30 a.m. Felt some pressure in my head and was pretty irritable. By the time we got to Astoria, Oregon I decided to take a frovatriptan. Of course, like usual, the head not only felt better but the irritability went away too. Strange.....

It was a beautiful sunny day, a complete surprise for such a stormy weekend. We walked on the beach for a few minutes, went downtown and gave the kids each $10 to spend @ the arcade or on whatever they wanted. Then we went back to the Hotel and the kids went swimming. They have a nice sized indoor pool there. Woosh it was noisey in there, but they swam for about an hour. We rented Cheaper by the Dozen 2 from the Hotel lobby and watched that in the evening along with the latest episode of Little People Big World. Also, I had bought the kids a 400 piece puzzle before we left town and I helped them work on that too.

This morning it was time to go. First I took the dog for a walk on the beach. It was so windy that I could barely even walk against the wind. It was crazy! But as soon as I crossed back over the dunes it wasn't so bad. A good time to get out of town before the 85 mile an hour winds were supposed to pick up.

We had a pretty good drive home, not to wet but it was windy. Much better driving conditions than on Friday. We stopped for lunch/dinner @ the Logger Burger in Knappa, OR and I did a good job finding a meal on the menu that is migraine friendly. I had a green salad with carrots and beats w/ croutons and Ranch dressing, along with grilled chicken breast and baked potato. I haven't been real sure if baked potatoes are o.k. or not, but I didn't add sour cream and I didn't eat the skin (i love it but I read that the skin is high in tyramine).

We got home around 1 pm, rented a few movies and just kicked back the rest of the evening watching Sand Lot 2, Heidi, E! True Hollywood Story on Pink, and Extreme Home Makeover. I started to get a headache around 6 pm that started by the side of my nose on the right side and spread to my right temple, but I put some tiger balm on and iced it for twenty minutes. I drank some mint tea and within about an hour I started to feel fine. It was also time for my next dose of MigraLief and propanolol. I find that often in the mornings right before I take it and in the evenings right before I take it, that I feel pressure in my head. Within 20-30 min. of my taking the doses I often feel better. I think this stuff might be helping! Also, I've been encouraged this week in how my headaches have responded to non-prescription treatment and have dissipated on their own. That is very encouraging.

Only 4 more days until Botox. I sure hope that this will be the last big piece of the puzzle I need to get my headaches under control!

Lots of Things to Think About

So far, so good today. I began reading "50 Ways to Control Migraines" by Ceabert J. Griffith, N.D., P.A.-C.

Packed w/ some very informative stuff. It gave me so much to think about and discover about my condition. In a super strange way it's kind of exciting. I'm totally willing to do and/or change things myself that will help and alleviate some of the frequency.

Interesting Info #1
I've put myself on an elimination diet before and discovered a couple of triggers and I already knew one. But there were numerous more that I had questions about. After reading part of this book, many, many foods I had questions about contain "amines, a group of vasoactive, nitrogen-based protein components. These substances cause the blood vessels to narrow and then expand, touching off a headache. The following amines have been implicated:
*Dopamine: in legumes, such as peanuts, peas, broad beans, and soy.

*Tyramine: in aged foods, such as cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, sourdough, and overripe bananas. Red wine, beer, dried or pickled meat, salami, nuts, figs, raisins, avacados, and fish also contain high amounts of tyramine (onions).

*Histamine: in cold water fish, such as salmon and tuna.

*Phenylethylamine in chocolate.

*Octopamine and synephrine in citrus fruits.

*Trytamine: in tomatoes and pineapples." (p.23)

(foods highlighted in green I had already suspected and foods highlighted in orange I had questioned but wasn't sure.)

The interesting thing I noticed in this list, is that last night about 1/2 hour after I ate dinner, my headache hit. I had mentioned before that my menstrual cycle was not over. That, I believe, was factor #1. The other interesting thing though that I noticed on this list, was 2 things I had for dinner. Factor #2 was buttermilk and pecans (nuts). I made buttermilk waffles for dinner and left the syrup off because refined sugar is another suspicious food for me. So to be safe, I left it off and used homemade strawberry freezer jam instead.

One of the things the book said is sometimes it is a combination of triggers. Like, maybe something won't bother you but put it in combination with a couple other factors, specifically menstruation, and it will. I believe that's why there were so many foods I wasn't sure about. It could be the reason why sometimes a food will bother me and other times it won't.

Very interesting...

One thing's for sure, with the way this month has been I am totally in that place again of being afraid to eat. Back are the times where I look in the fridge and close the door because I am scared that what I put in my mouth will hurt me. It's frustrating. Because I do not have an eating disorder. I have a headache disorder that is exascerbated by my eating.

It takes a lot of dilligence to go on an elimination diet, and I had already sort of started. But now, I'm willing to slice off all of these offenders even if they don't trigger me, all because I want to feel better so desparately bad. It's hard, but I'm willing to forego temporary pleasure in the palate for even a few extra days a month that are pain free.

Interesting Info. #2
A couple of other things I noted were that sometimes if you get a headache in an airplane you can take supplemental oxygen and that will help. I am definitely going to ask about that. Once, when I flew to New Zealand, I spent the whole first full day (not when I got there but the full day after I had slept) with a headache. I had to stay in bed w/ the lights off and my head hurting. Sure, maybe it sounds like jet lag but I think it was more than that.

I am going to go to Thailand in about 9 weeks. I've been really concerned about "losing" a day w/ headache due just to the travel itself. I am going to ask my P.A. about the oxygen specifically for this purpose. It is sooo worth a try.

Interesting Info. #3
Migraines w/ aura vs. Migraines w/out aura

I always thought that my migraines did not have an aura. This book explained four phases of a migraine: Prodrome, Aura, Headache and Postdrome.

Found on page 50, prodrome includes fatigue, irritability and food cravings. I have really been noticing that lately I've been craving salt. Other times I will crave chocolate and for decades, I used to crave bread products. Also, yawning is included. Sometimes I will not be tired, but just yawn and yawn, and not be able to stop. Like every couple of minutes. It's quite strange. I've always sort of wondered about this and thought it odd. People will say, "Are you tired?" and I would say, "No!"

Aura includes "vision disturbances; numbness or weakness on one side of the body; slurred speach; sensitivity to light and sound." (also on p. 50) What I need to ask my doctor about is this: sometimes when I'm looking at something, my eyes will shift back and forth very fast. Now, this is something that has happened to me off and on for so long that I can't remember when it started. It doesn't seem like a flashing light to me, but my eyes definitely dart and for a split second, I can't see. It's just a split second and doesn't endanger me in any way or impair me. It's about as fast as a blink of an eye. Also, and I told my doctor this, (actually many doctors!) that sometimes I will be irritable and sensitive to sound and later, maybe within a half hour or hour or so, a migraine will start. There have been a few times when I haven't been having lots of headaches that I take abortive medications for, that I will take a maxalt, imitrex or frovatriptan (abortive medicine) at this stage. Miracle of miracles, the irritability disappears as well as the noise sensitivity and the headache will never come.

I am wondering if I should pay attention to these symptoms better, especially during my cycle, and take my medications then instead of waiting for the pain. This wouldn't always work, sometimes the pain comes first. Or, maybe I'm so used to the "aura" that I miss it.

These are wonderful questions I have for my doctor now.

Last Night There Was a Freakin' Baby Kicking Around in my Leg....

Geesh! It was a great day yesterday, but in the evening, around 7:30, my left temple started to hurt. It wasn't but 30 min. and it was ramping up. Since it's still technically a menstrual migraine I decided to do the DHE injection and not let it get very far out of control...to the point where it wouldn't subside w/out a lot of drugs!

Like last time, first I took the compazine and waited 20 min. I got the syringe ready before my thinking diminished anymore and i wouldn't screw it up like last Thursday.

This time I put it in my right thigh and made sure I was extremely relaxed in that muscle, hoping that my leg wouldn't hurt so bad and for so long like it did on Monday.

It didn't hurt when the medicine was going in, but as soon as I pulled the syringe out my leg started to hurt. Man, that's the weirdest thing. Last night I could have used a pair of crutches, it would have been easier to get around.

I layed down and iced the site and pretty soon the muscle started twitching. Then, it started twitching all up and down the top part of my thigh. It felt like there was a baby inside kicking around in my leg.

I was a little nervous about it because I have started the beta blocker and all, and I can't see what's going on in there. I took 2 aleve to help with the migraine, the pain in my leg, and was hoping that it would help the jumpiness in my muscle. But, just to make sure, we called the Advice Nurse and she said it would be gone by the morning and that I had probably nicked or gotten closer to nicking a nerve. That made sense to me so I didn't worry about it. Within 2 -2 1/2 hours after the injection my migraine pain was gone, and within another hour my leg stopped hurting so I could walk on it. Also, this time I had no pain in my back and chest which had concerned me on Monday. So, all in all, pretty successful.

I did, however, wake up @ 2 a.m. and was still up @ 3. And, I felt wide awake, like it was morning or something. I decided that with just getting over the migraine that losing sleep would probably not help things any. I took 1 Ativan (anti-anxiety) to see if it would help me sleep and probably within a 1/2 hr. I was back in dreamy land.

My concern now, is that my menstrual cycle doesn't seem to be over yet. My DHE perscription says that the injections are for 2-3 x a month. I'm not counting the first one I did since I am positive I didn't have any medicine in it. So that makes 2x so far. But, since I just went off the Levlen (oral b.c. pill for menstrual migraine) it could take a while to get back on my regular cycle. All I'm supposed to be treating myself w/ is Aleve w/ either DHE or Frovatriptan, and those are to be used 2x week. I'm not worried about the 2x week so much right now because he said there'd be bad weeks and with the menstrual action going on, I'm definitely in that week. It's just that if the bleeding continues and I have to do one more injection in the next couple of days, I will pretty much be out of options of how I can help myself here and stay w/in my doctor's orders.

I would just e-mail him about this but he won't be back in the office for 5 more days. I will definitely need to contact him then. I could leave a message with one of his partners, but when I did that last week I never got a call back.

I don't want to annoy the people who are trying to help me (i.e. shoot my help in the foot) but at the same time I need to stay within the parameters that the PA gave me. I have a lot of questions because I have more than 2x a week, so what am I supposed to do on the other days I get one? If it's just pressure @ a 3-4 I can pretty much get by w/ staying home, using ice and heat, not doing any housework and using tiger balm and/or salonpas, peppermint oil. But, if it's the menstrual type, the ones that start up fast and feel more burning, then I can't not treat these. I know he knows that too and doesn't want to leave me hanging, I just didn't take the time to get clarification on how to attack these.

I think he was thinking that I would get IV magnesium sulfate in these in between circumstances. But, we didn't know that 1: I would have to go 40 min. to over an hour away 2. each time I get a treatment the doctor has to call it in and o.k. it first 3. the first time I tried it it didn't help.

I think I can make it until monday though. I really hope. Including today, it's just 5 days away. I cannot predict what will happen in 5 days but I'm sure even though it could be difficult that I can make it until then.

Thank God I'm feeling better today though. Shelley picked me up this morning in her new Honda Element and I went to Starbucks w/ my other friend Susan and their friend Cindy. It's a small thing, but was so nice to have a little girl time. When I got home I started a fire in my woodstove so it's nice and toasty down there. I got 2 new books yesterday that the PA wanted me to read, so think I will take my TAZO Green Tea down there, curl up and start reading "50 Ways to Control Migraines" by Ceabert J. Griffith, N.D., P.A.-C.

the calm before the storm...

Today started off as a great day. I went to a counseling appt. that was quite helpful, and then made dinner for my neighbors: baked chicken, spanish rice, homemade creamed corn and coffee cake. I felt great and was able to make time for a walk around the lake before going to the nurse treatment station to learn how to give myself a DHE injection.

While I was walking around the lake I was thinking about the fear I have about the frequency of my headaches and the pain level. I was thinking about the scripture in the Bible that says that the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. I thought it funny that some Christians, including myself sometimes, criticize ourselves and others for not having lots of faith, for not having the faith of a mountain.

But then some quiet voice inside me said that's the exact opposite of what we are supposed to have. The Bible says it takes the faith of a mustard seed, a tiny little seed. I thought to myself how I feel like my faith has been stripped to an absolute bare minimum, to where there's just a tiny bit left. Sort of like being stripped back to the basics. Yet I know that I have just a tiny bit of faith, a mustard seed. A feeling of satisfaction came over me as I realized that that's all I needed. I felt joy and hope and breathed in the fresh air and soaked up the beautiful colors as golden leaves were blowing out of the sky all around me like rain.

When I was about 3/4 of the way done I felt the first tiny bits of pressure in my right temple. I rubbed some tiger balm on it and continued on. I was a bit sad that another was returning so soon and interrupting my terrific afternoon. As I reached the last intersection before the end of my walk I thought of my Grandmother who passed away a year ago. I thought about how much she cared/cares for me and how sad she would be to see how much I am struggling and I could feel her love for me and compassion for my circumstance.

By the time I reached the doctor's office my pain was increasing steadily to about a 3-4. I was definitely uncomfortable and not able to ignore it. I learned how to give myself the shot and should have taken one right then, but I was hoping to get home and at least get my daughter off to her soccer game and had no idea how quickly the pain was going to progress.

I got home w/in an hour of my appointment and my pain had skyrocketed to an 8. I could only talk in a whisper and it was a burning pain, the kind associated with my menstrual cycle, so I knew that this was the time I needed a DHE shot.

I struggled to concentrate as I prepared the shot as my thinking was so slow. I thought I had done everything right and injected the shot after psyching myself up. Within a 1/2 hour my pain was not improving and I began getting extremely nauseous and vomiting. With this happening, my pain reached a 10 and I laid on the bathroom floor near the toilet wriggling on the floor trying to get some relief.

My husband left our daughter's soccer game and found me on the bathroom floor. He hurried to get our boys ready who were starting to get rambunctious (which makes me want to scream obscenities when I am just wanting to curl up and die!) and we took them to my parent's house. Then he took me to Urgent Care where they gave me an I.V. so I could get benadryl, reglan and another DHE shot. After this series my pain did not improve and I was feeling anxious and like I was going to crawl out of my skin. It was horrible. They gave me a shot of Torredol, put me in a wheelchair and sent me home. This is the quick version. The long version would include an incredibly compassionate nurse who has now I.V.'d me at least three times and is recognizing me as soon as she sees me. I like her but not enough to see her again under circumstances like that!

By the time I get home and settle in for an hour my pain diminishes to a 2 and I top myself off w/ 2 aleve to hopefully get the inflammation down in my brain. I would sleep very soundly....

A Tangled Web...

It's long overdue but here's the update on the climara and the levlen.

climara wasn't so hot. in fact i got a rash from it, which to put it delicately, was extremely unpleasant. i think this is the first medication i am officially allergic to.

when that was over i started the leven. everything went pretty well until around july 15, 2006 when i started spotting everyday. this continued until sept. 24-ish, 2006. definitely not in my top 5 of pleasurable experiences but all in all, could have been worse.

around the first of august i was on 2 weeks of estrogen to try to balance my cycle out and stop the spotting. the only purpose it served was to help me get totally psycho (this is quite an understatement...so let's leave it @ that!) on the day i stopped taking it.

fortunately i have a patient and forgiving husband who understood that the hormones were whacking out the underlying mood issue i deal with.

i am a lucky wife.

so the spotting stopped late september and that immediately ushered me into the october from hell. more often than not, the entire month, i had a headache/migraine. i tried to function as best i could and not take too many medications or take the same one consequtively for fear of rebound/lack of efficacy. unfortunately i am pretty well convinced i entered a rebound cycle.

so did the levlen help? evidentally, it appears not....so now i entered the tangled web of menstrual cycles and will hold on for dear life as we enter the twilight zone of pain that accompanies the dreaded period....