Kelli's Migraine Daily

A Really Good Day!

I have had one of the best day's I've had in a long time today.  For two reasons:

1. SMOKING BAN where I live.  As of yesterday, a smoking ban went into effect that will make it so pretty much everywhere I want to go, I can avoid smoke... a huge trigger for my migraines.  I know my friends who smoke and other smokers just don't understand how big a deal this is for me... but it's HUGE!  I bowl in a league with friends, and it's pretty much torture when we bowl a team with smokers... and the alley was even allowing cigars... YUCK!  Now my bowling alley is SMOKE-FREE and tonight was the best night of bowling I've had.  I bowled one of my highest series ever... and felt great the whole time.  I just got home and I don't smell of smoke and have to go up and shower right away... and that is just so great!  Now, if I've been invited to go somewhere, I'll likely be able to go even if I do have a hint of a headache coming on.  Before, if I had made plans with friends to go out and have dinner or shoot pool, etc... most of the places we went allowed smoking, or had smoking sections (which we all know does not contain the smoke in one area).  Now, none of the restaurants, bars, entertainment places I go to will have smoking... so even if I'm not feeling well... I can still go and take my medicine when I get there, and have a decent chance of having the medicine work and being able to enjoy myself.  With the smoke there, it was a definite that I would get worse, and would be so sick I could hardly make it home without throwing up... so I canceled on people all the time when I had a headache.  This is so HUGE, and I'm so happy about it.  I wanted to share because I know so many of you understand how important this is in my life... and hardly anybody I know really gets it.

2. I am just now watching the results of the Iowa caucuses.  I really don't talk a lot of politics... as I always hate to be too outspoken on things like that (or religion) as I know these are very personal things to people.  But, I have shared with many people the thought that if Barack Obama is elected President of the U.S., it will be one of the happiest days of my life.  There are many, many reasons I feel this way, that I won't go into here... but I am just beside myself that he is winning in Iowa. If you've read my previous blog posts, you know I have trouble with depression... and much of that is because I've felt hopeless about the state of our government.  With someone like Barack in the running, I feel like I have hope that things can be better... and for me, that is a really big deal too.

I hope you are all doing well.  I've been struggling with more migraines than usual this month.  Some of which is because of the holidays and my abandoning my normal sleep schedule (WHY, WHY do I do that to myself, knowing what's going to happen).  And the holiday smells, and overeating, etc... it all plays in.  But, I am feeling better today and hopefully that will continue for another 2-3 weeks when my inevitable hormonal migraines will kick in.  :)

Best, Kelli  :)

Migraines and Depression

As you guys have read, the last few months have been tough for me.  I've been seeing a therapist to help me learn how to cope with migraines properly (and some other stuff)... and to try to stop using food as my primary coping mechanism the way I've done for so many years.  I'm struggling though and have been spiraling for some time now.  We decided today that I need to go back on medication for the depression again... and I just can't help but be disappointed. 

I truly do know that it's a chemical imbalance as it was before because so many of the "symptoms" are the same.  Not sleeping well at night and then wanting to sleep during the day, crying a lot even when I'm having what I would normally consider a great day, letting the migraines and a recent knee injury really get me down when I know in time I'll be better, never waking up and being excited about my day.  I'm finding happiness in only a few things (my nieces and nephew and the time I get to spend with them mainly)... and it shouldn't have to be that way.  I have an incredible life... I am so blessed, and lucky.  It should not be such a struggle to try and be happy.  I have so much to be happy about, and I just can't let this continue any longer. 

I honestly can't say why I feel such disappointment.  It's not like I'm ashamed about it... or embarrassed that I struggle with depression.  I suppose I'm just disappointed that I've been through this before and really thought I would catch the signs quickly enough that I could do something about it and not have to take medication.  But, what did I think I was going to do?  Eat better... exercise more... force myself to be happy?  That's silly... by the time I have the symptoms, I'm not mentally capable of helping myself... so I just let it get worse and worse.   

I'm grateful that I now know enough to seek out professional help... then I know I have an objective eye that can tell me when things aren't normal.  The first time around, I put my parents through so much before I agreed to get help.  This time, I've decided to just work with my therapist and let my family know that I'm being taken care of and they do not need to worry.

I would venture a guess that many of you reading this have gone through the same struggles.  I've read many times that there is a clear link between migraine and depression. I was doing some reading today to try and help myself feel better and came across this information...

"Doctors from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York examined the health history of 768 people, half of whom suffered from migraines.

They found that 47% of those with migraine also experienced bouts of depression.

This compared to just 17% of those who do not suffer from severe headaches.

Their research, which looked at patients in both the US and UK, found that while migraine and depression are linked, they have independent causes.

Dr Richard Lipton, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said:

"It seems logical migraine patients would be depressed because of their pain.  But it goes the other way too - depressed patients are more likely to have migraine. We think the two disorders must have a common neurobiology."

- Read the full article

So, I've decided to do my best to go to bed each night believing that better days are coming. 

Thanks to all of you for listening (well, reading) and for your emails.  I am sometimes not able to reply to everyone... but I do read every email and appreciate you all so much.

Best, Kelli  :)

Bad Migraines This Month - Increasing my Imitrex Dosage

Hi everybody,

Well, since my last post, I have to say this has been one of my toughest months in quite a few years in terms of migraine pain and frequency.  I wouldn't say they've been daily, but right now, every day that I wake up with no pain is a day I am feeling really grateful.

I hardly ever get frustrated with the fact that I have migraines.  I feel like I've really learned how to cope and how to understand that almost everyone has a physical malady they deal with.  Migraines is just my personal malady. 

But, even when I can talk myself out of feeling sorry for myself intellectually, it doesn't remove the emotional pain that I feel after having headaches that last for days on end.  It just wears me down and I end up crying on the phone to anyone who might call me that day.  I cried when I was talking to a client the other day and just felt like an idiot.  Luckily, she's someone I know well and have a great relationship with... but it's still kind of embarrassing that I was so worn down by the pain that I couldn't control my emotions.

And I cried again that night when none of my medicines would work and I had to cancel plans on one of my friends... again.  Sometimes I can still go out... but recently, I've been having such bad motion sickness associated with the migraines that I don't feel like it's safe for me to drive. 

I think I posted before about the connection between kids that have motion sickness and their propensity to develop migraines later in life.  I was fascinated by that because I was always one of those kids that didn't do well on long distance drives.  I could never read or play those counting cars games... I would just have to listen to my music in headphones and try to sleep as much as possible.  I found that all pretty interesting when I first saw an article connecting motion sickness with migraines.  It makes sense from the whole vascular angle.

To the point of my subject line... I thought I would post that I tried taking a 100mg dose of my Imitrex the other day instead of my normal 50mg pill... and it seemed to work quite a bit better.  These past few months, I've had so many headaches that my Imitrex (the 50mg pills and also the shots) just can't seem to touch.  I had received a few samples from my doctor of the 100mg, but hadn't tried them.  It seems like it helped to up the dosage.

That's all for now.  I hope you all are doing well.  I'm anxiously waiting for the cooler weather.  We've had 2 cool days in a row... and no surprise to me, no headaches! YEA!

Kelli  :)

Summer Heat and Humidity - Horrible for My Migraines

The last month has been one of the worst I've had for migraines in years.  I live in Kansas and the heat and humidity has just been awful, and that is definitely a trigger for me.  I think it's possible that I may have some adult onset allergies as well, and those flare up in this weather too, triggering even more headaches. 

I cried on the phone to my Mom the other day for the first time in years.  Not so much from the pain, but from the frustration of feeling bad for so many days in a row.  I always keep in mind that there are many of you out there who are struggling with daily headaches all year long.  I am, in comparison, VERY lucky that for most of the year, I can control them fairly well with Imitrex and hydrocodone for the pain. 

My Dad suggested that I get some of the full strength Claritin and see if that might help.  I never think of the allergy thing because it just wasn't something I dealt with until recently... so I tend to forget (or be unaware) of when allergy season has kicked in.  So, I started taking some Claritin yesterday and am hoping maybe that will release the vice grip I feel on my head all the time. 

I saw a therapist the other day (I have trouble with depression when the migraine pain gets really bad) and she asked if I had tried Botox for migraines yet.  She said she has a colleague who is being treated with Botox and is having excellent luck so far.  I've been really resistant about it because I know it's tested on animals (as most stuff for humans is, of course), and since I think of it as a "cosmetic" drug, in that respect I would never use it if I know it's been tested on animals.  I have to change my tune a little bit though if it really might relieve pain for migraine as I'm certain that my Imitrex and hydrocodone were at some point tested on animals as well.. so I'm hypocritical to say Botox is off the list for my migraine treatment for that reason alone. (I struggle with the animals rights issues in all areas of my life, so this dilemma is always at the forefront for me.)

I'm feeling fairly clear headed this morning, except for whatever bug my niece has given me that's starting to fill up my sinuses and make me cough.  I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another with me these days. (whine, whine, ha ha!)

I hope you all are doing well, and managing your migraines as best you can.  Keep your spirits up.  New things are coming on the market so frequently now... so we just have to keep trying them and finding what works for us individually.

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Migraine Videos on Topomax Website

Hi everybody,

I do not endorse or promote any particular medication or migraine treatment via this blog... but I do try to share things that I think might be helpful or beneficial.

I just ran across this page on the Topomax website and really appreciated the time that was taken producing the videos they share on their "My Way With Migraines" page.  It's always helpful to hear other experiences/stories to remind us that we are not alone in our struggle with migraine pain.

http://www.topamax.com/topamax/mywaywithmigraines.html

Best, Kelli  :)

Cigarette Smoke Smell Triggers Migraines

I received this excellent question from a reader today... and wanted to post my response in the hope that my "survival tips" might be of help to you.

Hi Kelli,

My question for you is about cigarette smoke as a trigger for a headache.  When someone comes inside from smoking cigarette and I can smell it, it instantly gives me a headache that will last for hours, even after the person is gone.  I have always been avoiding smokers, but sometimes I can’t.  I go to college, and it happens on the bus, in classrooms, and in the tutoring center.  It happens countless other places, like in line at a store, movie theaters, etc.

What should I do?  Is there anything I can do to prevent the headache from the smell.  The same thing happens from perfume.

I see a neurologist who tells me I have migraines, but sometimes from the smell of a smoker I feel like it’s just in my sinuses.  I tried topamax and verapimil for a preventative medication, topamax made me sick and verapimil didn’t work.  Any pill for migraine relief makes me very nauseous.  I feel desperate, so I wrote you for advice.

Thank you,
Stefanie

Dear Stefanie,

First, let me tell you that you are not alone.  So many migraineurs cite cigarette smoke as a major trigger for their headaches. Unfortunately, as you stated in your email, there are many times where we just don't have control over whether we will be around the smell of it (it makes me so mad sometimes).  I don't have a definite answer to eliminate this in every situation, but I can at least tell you what I do personally.

I find peppermint to be a great smell for me when I'm confronted with a smell trigger... or even when I already have a migraine (most mint scents are great for me - and there's a cucumber/melon combo I love too)... and I carry a little vial of peppermint oil in my purse (mine came from a Bath & Body Works Headache Relief kit they came out with several years ago, but I can't find them anymore - http://www.migrainedaily.com/2004/10/peppermint_head.html - but they do still have some cool aromatherapy stuff).  I also found a similar vial to the one I carry, but with both peppermint and lavender oil, at this website:  http://www.lilslavender.com/product/1431

Sometimes, if I'm sitting next to someone who has been smoking... or I am in a smoky environment, I will take the peppermint oil and put it on my pulse points (wrists, neck, temples)... and then at least I can have the nice fresh scent of peppermint close to me.  I have some peppermint lip balm too that I keep handy and wear all the time... I just love the fresh, clean smell.  Sometimes it can help mask the smoke smell... or any unfamiliar smell that I know might be a trigger for me.  (Perfume can be a tough one though if the wearer has really overapplied it... but hopefully that isn't too often.)

There are scents other than peppermint that are known to help migraineurs including: lavender, bay, melissa, jasmine, eucalyptus, and rosemary.  I personally do well with some citrus smells too... but they have to be pretty subtle.  If you don't do well with any smells though, this isn't going to be a good solution for you.

If you are being forced to walk through clouds of smoke to enter "non-smoking" buildings (smokers always seem to stand right by the door), consider talking to the building administrator and asking them to post signage that requires smokers to move away from the entrances. It's the least they can do to help us non-smokers not have to smell like smoke for the rest of the day just for entering a building.

In terms of how you feel the pain/pressure in your sinuses... I am not sure as to how the smell would affect your sinuses... I haven't had that same experience.  I do know several people who have allergies and sinusitus who use a "neti pot"?  I wonder if you may be having some sinus congestion... and if so, a neti pot might help you clear your sinuses.  There are some good articles explaining it below: 

http://www.netipot.org/about_nasal.htm (video here: http://www.netipot.org/demo_video.htm - and make sure to read the reviews on Amazon.com as some people have found these types of neti pots to be too big for their nostrils)
http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/neti-pot.htm
http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/product/neti.html

You're on the right tracking by checking in with your doctor and continuing to look for solutions.  We are all different in the way we experience migraine and headache.  It can sometimes take quite a bit of trial and error to find the right personalized solution.  You will find yours... just keep your spirits up and don't give up.

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Wrap Ice Packs for Migraines

Hi everybody,

I just got a note from a migraineur today who was wondering about ice packs that would allow some mobility.  I personally use a wrap around version of the Hot&Cold Therapy ice pack that has been working great for years.  I thought I would share the info I emailed her as the last time I talked about ice packs was several years ago and that post is way down in the archives. 

Hi,

I use this product:

http://www.medi-temp.com/products/HEADNK.html

I love the wrap-around quality because I can actually get up and walk around, work at the computer, etc.  It does mess up my hair (darn it), but that's a small price to pay!!  I've been using mine for years and it still works great.  The don't have the "staying power" of a regular ice bag with cubes of ice in it (I still use my ice bag when I'm lying down because it lasts longer), but when I need to be up, the wrap is awesome.

The wrap below is also popular with migraineurs. I don't have this one but it seems to be very similar to the one I use.

http://www.painreliever.com/ha.html

Both of these are available at major drugstore chains like Walgreens, Eckerd, Osco/Savon, RiteAid, and others.  I think individual stores carry different brands... so I'm sure you could call and ask them which ones they have if you don't want to purchase online (save shipping costs). There may be price differences too.

Hope this helps.
Kelli  :)

Migraineurs - sign this petition

This is a petition created to encourage our government and employers to treat migraine as a debilitating disease.  Please sign to show your support.

http://www.petitiononline.com/Migraine/

Computer Monitor Flicker Found To Be One Migraineur's Trigger

I just received this email from a fellow migraineur and thought it would be helpful for many of you:

Hi,

Thanks for your interesting site.

My migraines almost always manifest as dizzy spells. I had them for
over 30 years before a very smart PT figured this out.

Reading your post on computers as trigger prompeted me to write. One
trigger for me is flickering light. Many older computer monitors, not
flat screens, flicker at low frequencies and have caused me a great
deal of misery. When I change to a flat screen, no more problem.

Many newer CRT (TV screen type) monitors permit adjustment of the scan
rate and higher frequencies don't seem to produce such an annoying
flicker.

Certain florescent lights, maybe old tubes that are going bad, also
have been triggers for me. The two combined, old monitor where I can't
adjust the scan rate plus lousy florescents can be a nightmare. I've
had some help wearing a cap with a brim to block out some of the
flicker from overhead.

Best regards,
Tom Noll

F-D-A calls for warning about mixing migraine and depression drugs

This worried me a little because I know many migraineurs (me included) have suffered from depression and taken an SSRI (Prozac) at the same time I was taking a triptan med (Imitrex).  Please check your meds and talk with your doctor to make sure your meds are okay and that he/she isn't concerned about this warning request.  I am doing more research on this right now and will post anything more that I learn.

One of my local news stations just aired a story about this, but their angle was that the combination of the two, in certain people who experience aura and visual disturbance during migraine, can increase incidence of heart disease.  Now, that wouldn't be good.  Something we need to make sure we know about in case our doctors don't. 

F-D-A calls for warning about mixing migraine and depression drugs

WASHINGTON Health officials say mixing a certain class of migraine drugs with some antidepressants can put patients at risk of a life-threatening condition.

What's called serotonin syndrome can produce a long list of symptoms including hallucinations, fast heart beat, blood pressure changes, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.Drug regulators say it can occur when migraine headache drugs called triptans are taken with antidepressants classified as S-S-R-I's and S-N-R-I's. The two together can dose the body with too much of the nervous system chemical serotonin.Some of the commonly prescribed antidepressants include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Effexor. The migraine meds include Imitrex and Zomig.The F-D-A wants the makers of all the drugs involved to issue warnings about the potential hazards.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Could you be getting more medicine than you thought?

Hi everybody,

I just had something great happen and had to share it with you.  I read an article last month that suggested it might be possible to get more of my Imitrex than I thought was available through my insurance plan.  I have used ALL types of Imitrex in the past... the injections, the nasal spray, and the pills.  I always had great luck with the shots, but when the pills came out I just automatically switched over to the pills as they are more "portable" and easily taken with my pain medication.  It hadn't even occured to me that I didn't have to choose which delivery method I wanted... but could continue getting both.  I never even thought about that until last week and had just assumed Imitrex would only be covered in ONE delivery method per month... I was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

After I read that article I found that I had needed to get a new prescription for my pills anyway so I asked my doctor to put through a script for both the pills (50 mg) and the shots just to see if my insurance would cover both.  I went to pick them up tonight and low and behold, they covered both prescriptions and all I had to pay was my $30 copay for each.  So for $60, I got 9 50 mg pills and 8 injections.  Now that is HUGE for me.  The shots knock out my migraines so much faster than the pills, so now I will have those as a backup for those migraines I can't get to go away.

So, if you currently have a migraine prescription (doesn't have to be Imitrex), I highly suggest you check to see if that medicine is able to be dosed in multiple ways as your insurance might cover multiple delivery methods as mine did. (I have an individual Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan).

It's funny, and I'm sure you can all understand this, but I was literally giddy with joy at the fact that I now have almost double the amount of medicine per month... that is a huge deal for me and will make a big difference in my life from now on.  Here is a picture of the medicine so you can see the different type of meds they are (kitty not included :)

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Do Computers Cause Migraine Headaches

I know I personally have to be careful about my computer time.  I've been working a ton lately and do find myself with tension in my neck and upper back if I'm not careful to relax myself and take breaks. 

In reading this article, I wonder if I do have my head forward (not directly over my shoulders) MOST of the day because of my computer time.  I work on a laptop too, which only makes it more likely for me to lean forward and look down. 

Maybe it's time to get a desktop machine and force myself to look at a larger monitor right in front of me so I can sit up perfectly straight.  It seems like the theme here is POSTURE, POSTURE, POSTURE, which I am horrible about and I'm sure was at least partially responsible for my back problems earlier this year.

Anyway, I thought this was a really good article, and the Soothe-a-Ciser neck support pillow looks super comfortable and quite reasonably priced (click on the link at the bottom of the article to learn about it if you like.)

Do Computers Cause Migraine Headaches?

by Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C.

Has it ever occurred to you that while you are happily typing away on your computer for hours on end you are actually creating a problem in your neck that can lead to chronic headaches? If you suffer from migraine headaches or tension headaches it may be something you should investigate.

When a person with migraine headaches or tension headaches visits a chiropractor for their pain what does the chiropractor typically do for that patient? The usual treatment for most headache patients is to manipulate, or adjust, the neck. Chiropractors teach us that most headaches come from neck problems, and that by adjusting or manipulating the neck tension and migraine headaches can be relieved or cured.

Over 80% of headache patients that receive chiropractic treatment show improvement that ranges from slight improvement up to complete elimination of their headache pain. If this is the case then it seems logical that the majority of migraine headaches or tension headaches originate from spinal (neck) problems. It also seems logical that if we knew what was causing these neck problems, and eliminated what was causing them, we could also eliminate the headaches, both migraine and tension.

As a chiropractor for 25 years I have treated many patients with migraine headaches and tension headaches. After examining thousands of patients I discovered that as many as 95% who were experiencing headaches had one thing in common, a reversed cervical (neck) curve. From the side view a normal neck should have a slight curve in it. But in my experience as a chiropractor I estimate that approximately 95% of my patients with headaches had either a lessening of that curve, no curve at all, or a curve that was completely reversed. When these “poor neck curvatures” were treated with chiropractic adjustments most showed great improvement.

Chiropractors know that headaches can be caused by “poor neck posture,” so the next question becomes “can sitting at a computer cause poor neck posture?” If the answer is yes, then it’s obvious that sitting at a computer can and does cause headaches.

People usually develop poor neck curvatures because of poor posture habits. Anything a person does that places their head in a position forward to their body will lessen or reverse their normal neck curve. And poor neck curvatures DO cause headaches. Chiropractors have been teaching this for decades.

The types of activities that can lead to poor neck posture include sitting at a computer for extended periods of time, reading with the head bent forward, sitting while slouching in a chair or on a couch, sleeping with the head or neck in odd positions, or any other activity that places the head in a position forward to the body. So, to answer our original question, yes, headaches can be caused by sitting at a computer. Sitting at a computer can cause an abnormal neck curvature to develop which can cause headaches.

Good posture can surely prevent the development of poor neck posture, which would seem to be the best remedy, but what can be done if the lessening or reversal of the neck curve has already been developed? Obviously, chiropractic treatment is an option that could be considered. But there are many other alternative treatments for tension or migraine headaches.

Most people just take a pain pill. But are pain pills the best approach? They surely are in some cases, but there are many other headache treatment options that don’t require the use of potentially harmful drugs. All drugs have side effects, some of which can end up being worse than the headaches themselves. Before treating your health problems with drugs it is wise to seek the advice of a health professional.

There are many natural remedies for migraine headaches or tension headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others. Some of these may help relieve headaches, both migraine and tension, and could be investigated further.

Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C. has patented a unique neck pillow that was designed to correct neck problems that cause headaches, both tension headaches and migraines. For information about his natural approach for relieving migraine headaches please visit www.soothe-a-ciser.com.

******************************

No more migraines,

Kelli  :)

Ever heard of

Hi everybody,

I received an email the other day from fellow migraineur Christi Flaherty of Illinois.  She was recently “turned on” to 5-HTP, a supplement recommended by her migraine doctor.  It’s a serotonin regulator, and her doctor has been recommending it as a preventative option for migraine. Christi said it does  seem to be helping with her migraines and she wanted to share this information with us all.

I had not heard of this supplement as of yet, but thought I'd look it up on a few sites for you.  It appears to be a supplement mostly recommended for alternative treatment of depression, as it helps increase levels of the brain chemical serotonin.  Increased serotonin has also been connected to weight loss, decrease of panic attacks, helping with headaches and migraines, decrease of insomnia episodes (it helps with melatonin levels too), and with pain from fibromyalgia.  It appears that it is still quite early and that there are not many definitive studies on the secondary effects of 5-HTP beyond its effects on the symptoms of depression.

If you're not great about taking daily medication (up to 3 times a day), this supplement is probably not for you.  This is the dosing information I commonly found for migraine relief:

"For migraine prevention: Work gradually up to a dosage that controls migraine pain, starting with 50 mg three times a day but ultimately exceeding no more than 100 mg three times a day. It may take several months to get the full benefit of 5-HTP's migraine-preventive effects."

I don't know about you all, but I have had my problems with depression.  From what I have learned, migraineurs very often suffer with depression... we may be more chemically prone to it and of course the stress from migraine pain doesn't help.  So if you have both issues going on right now and are not already on an SSRI (Prozac type drugs) or other drug that will act negatively with 5-HTP (check the interactions info), you may want to ask your doctor about this.

Please visit the following links to learn more. Please understand that I can't warrant any of these sites to be accurate.  Much of the information found on the web about supplements comes from manufacturers or others trying to sell the supplement... and therefore may be biased. 

VERY IMPORTANT!! Make sure you check with your doctor before taking ANY new substance (herbal OR pharmaceutical).

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/5HTP.htm?terms=5-HTP

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/headachemigraine/a/Migraine.htm

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/5htp_myth.htm

http://www.biosynergy.com/5htp.htm

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,747,00.html

http://www.lightparty.com/Health/5-HTP.html

I don't know about you all, but I am definitely going to be calling my doctor to see if it's okay for me to try this.  I am a horrible night owl and have a terrible time falling asleep, do have a history of depression, have horrible problem controlling my weight and eating habits, and have migraines.  Sound like a serotonin problem to anybody?   I will post here in a couple  months and let you know what happened with my trial of this supplement.

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Prepare and Stomp Out Holiday Migraines

I don't know about you all, but I ALWAYS get more migraines over the holidays and when I have "time off."  I've attributed it to my change in sleep schedule, change in eating habits, driving / motion sickness, and just the overall change in my mental and emotional state (less stress from work, etc). 

Everything just kind of "relaxes" and on comes the migraines.  I very fortunately don't see the holidays or visiting my family as stressful... I am blessed with a wonderful family that gets along great, so my family time is the time I'm most relaxed and happy. I LOVE Christmas and see it as the furthest thing from stressful.

But, it never fails that every time I go home to visit my parents, I get headaches.  I know it's not from more stress, but likely from less stress and some other triggers.  So how do we prevent the inevitable "downtime" headaches now that the holiday season is right around the corner.

I found these terrific articles that I think might be of help to us:

Tips for Preventing Holiday Migraines by Nicole Miller of BellaOnline.com

Handling Holidays and Head Pain by Deborah Wirtel of Headaches.About.com

Ho, ho, ho … Help! How to Avoid Holiday Headaches - Types, Symptoms, Treatments by Michele Meyer of Better Homes & Gardens

Take some of this advice to heed and I can almost guarantee you your headaches will be better over the holidays. 

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

New Migraine Book Now Available

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you know that Teri Robert's new book "Living Well with Migraine Disease & Headaches" is now available for purchase. 

Teri is someone who is working so hard to help her fellow migraineurs understand our disease through her website, articles and publications: http://www.helpforheadaches.com/

No more migraines, Kelli  :)

Comments - sign in required now... sorry!

Hi everybody,

So sorry to have to do this, but from now on, I'm going to have to require anyone desiring to leave a comment to sign in with a simple user account.  The reason for this is that this site has now been fairly well indexed in the search engines and I am getting what is called "comment spam" a lot now and it's a pain to have to go back in and delete it all every day. 

"Comment spam" are the comments you see from a random user that just have a URL in them.  Those are just "robots" posting those comments out to the world so those sites can either get advertising OR get incoming links to their site which can help with search engine placement.  It's unfortuntate that those lame people make it so I can't leave my blog fully open.  Anyone can still comment, but my blog software will now ask for some simple user data just to keep those robots from comment spamming me.  Rest assured that providing your user info is ONLY to be used for purposes of this blog, I will not share any information you give me with any third party.  Thanks!

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

New Daily Persistent Headache - What is it?

When I was completing my surverys for the book 500 Migraines, I was shocked to read about how many people suffer with daily, or near daily, headache pain.  In my research, that did not seem to be what migraines were "supposed" to be.  I felt horrible for them as just having them periodically can make you so depressed.  I can't imagine what it would be like to have pain every day (well, I have a better idea now since my back issues... not the same even still).

I just received a newletter from Teri Robert who wrote an article called "New Daily Persistent Headache - What is it?' and thought I HAD to pass that on.  This could be a breakthrough in treatment for those people suffering with daily pain.

To read Teri's article on "New Daily Persistent Headache" - CLICK HERE.

Hope this might help a few people.

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Topomax - a great success story!

Hi all,
I thought I would post this comment I received yesterday as a testament to persistence, patience and creativity in treatment.   He found that there were a multitude of things causing his migraines and through his own diligence and getting the help of the professionals at the Diamond Clinic, he found his "cure." It IS possible to find relief for your migraines.  This gentleman had to wait a long time and had some bad things happen from his migraines, but made it through and is now living a relatively pain free life.  A great, happy success story.

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Comment from David Wagner:

Hi Kelli,

I was on topomax for 5 months, i was having kidney stones, and having problems concentrating at work. I had migraines for 24+ yrs and I have not had one in 60+ days. I went off topomax 4 weeks ago and have not had a problem. I am able to work again. I haven't been able to work in 2 yrs. I was in the Diamond Clinic in Chicago for 4 days came out and have not had one since, it also coorelates to haveing a gold inlay removed the day before I went in, which was put in the same year my migraines started. I believe it had to do with the bacteria associated. Topomax actually is a soution to allow the inflamation to occur in the menigi (sp)and not treat the real culprit. I have also been doing ayurvedic treatments to heal the imbalance of the many drugs I was on. Hurray I have a life again after 24+ years 2 marriages ect. go figure. I just thank God every day I wake up and not have a pounder.

Good Luck you all!!!!!!!!!!

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No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

The cure for migraines... back pain!

This is seriously crazy... but ever since my back pain started, I've maybe had 2 migraines a month and those are absolutely due to changing hormones.  Now, I'm not saying I'm happy because the back pain totally sucks and at least with the migraines, I can suck it up and still take walks, go to the dog park, shop, etc.  The back pain hurts too much when I do those things so I can only do them periodically. 

I still find it so interesting that my migraines come so infrequently.  I'm wondering if it might be the anti-inflammatory medication (Mobic, Celebrex) I've been taking daily that is helping.  I've also been taking a couple hydrocodone pills (one A.M., one P.M.) so maybe those just mask over the head pain.  I don't know, but I'm still thankful that I'm only dealing with the one thing.

I had an epidural steroid injection on Tuesday of this week that is supposed to help my back by blocking the pain from that nerve that's being pinched by the degenerated disk.  It gets worse before it gets better and I'm still in the "worse" phase, but I feel hopeful that this thing is going to work and I'll be able to take walks and do fun stuff again.  I'll keep you all posted as to whether my migraines come back when the back pain is lessened.  I'm hoping it will ALL just go away.

The good news is that because of the back pain, I am definitely making efforts to get my eating in order and try to lose weight.  I started on the Jenny Craig plan several weeks ago and it's going great (6 lbs down so far).  I think that better eating will also help my migraines.  I've been careful to avoid anything that has known triggers in it.  The JC plan has a lot of dairy in it though.  I have been off milk for a long time and just used Soy milk for cereal, etc.  I have been trying to go back to regular milk for the last couple months and did notice after one day where I really drank all the milk required that I was pretty stuffed up the next day and had a mild headache.  I wonder if I may have a mild allergy to milk, or maybe a little lactose intolerance (I don't get an upset stomach or anything though).  I'm going to be monitoring my intake of regular skim milk and see how my sinuses and migraines do.  If it's obviously affecting me, I'll definitely need to find a much better solution to get that calcium and protein.

No more migraines,
Kelli  :)

Happy 4th of July - Love to the U.K.

I just returned from my annual visit to my parents for their 4th of July party.  We had tons of relatives in and it was an absolute blast (literally!!). 

The good news was that I had only 1 minor headache (which I attribute to allergies and the changes in climate - it happens the first morning after I arrive EVERY time!).  That headache was knocked out quickly with my Imitrex/Hydrocodone combo. 

The bad news was that my back pain is still not gone.  I've been doing physical therapy for quite a while now, and have had 4 acupuncture sessions, but no big change.  I did suck it up and went and did a bunch of stuff anyway while I was home, but I'm kind of paying for it now.  I'm real sore, but in different ways than before.  An achy pain that goes down into my leg.  It's not putting my leg to sleep or anything, but it's like it's almost going to fall asleep or get a cramp.  Very strange. 

I am finding some help by using cold now instead of hot.  I used a heat pad for a month or so which was helping.  In the last week or so the heating pad is making the pain worse.  I tried this stuff my acupuncturist gave me samples of and it worked great.  It's called BioFreeze and I tried it to help me through my drive home to my parents and it was wonderful.  It kind of froze the area that causes the most pain so other than the uncomfortableness in my right leg, I made it home with only a couple stops.  I took my black lab Roxie and she likes to stop too so that was perfect.  I'm going to keep using the BioFreeze as it gets REALLY cold.  If it weren't for the warnings not to get it anywhere near your face and eyes, I would use it for my migraines too because it gets REALLY cold.  Even my acupuncturist said to be sure not to touch my face or the pets faces even after washing my hands because the gel takes a while to fully get off your hands.  That's okay though... apparently they have a roll-on version which I will be purchasing right away!!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday week and appeciated as much as I did how lucky we are to be Americans.  The only down-side to my week was seeing the horrible atrocity perpetrated upon the city of London on Thursday.  I try not to watch too much because it really does upset me and I have trouble with depression already.  So I watched to be informed, said a little prayer sending my love to the people of the U.K., and have tried not to think too much about it.  Makes me too sad and scared for the future of international relations.

No more migraines,
Kelli   :)