Health and migraine thoughts
Aug. 15th, 2012 02:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moominmuppetSo it's Day 10 of this migraine, not aided by the two hours of sleep last night between mania and discovering another close friend of mine is gone. I'll post separately about that.
This neverending migraine has unfortunately given me a lot of time to note exactly what does and doesn't hit me really badly when I'm feeling this way, so I'm going to put some of that down for future reference, communication with docs, reasons like that.
First of all, general patterns:
Most often weather or sleep-dep triggered.
Made worse by stress, not eating well, or dehydration (line of storms plus mania means all of these are in full effect).
Usually wax and wane over several days (most often 3-4 days).
Range from .5 to 7 or so. Maybe 2-3 times in my life have gone as bad as an 8 or 9.
Often trigger tension headaches that climb up the back of my skull and meet the migraine in the middle, and then make things worse unless I also treat those (generally with muscle relaxants).
Take various combos of Excedrin, sumatriptan, tramadol, and skelaxin for the symptoms.
Concerned about going any more hardcore with the triptans or using daily prophylactic triptans due to my already ridiculously heavy med load and interaction balancing act.
Probably average 5-15 migrainey days per month, depending on assorted factors, usually more toward the low end these days. Many of these days are only a 2-3 intensity level, so that's not quite as hellacious as it sounds.
More prone to migraines when I'm fibro-flaring and my whole system is hyper-reactive and prickly.
Flares fast into coital migraines unless I'm extraordinarily cautious about sex even when the migraine is as low as a .5 -- often have to actively avoid orgasm to avoid brain explosion of unhappy sorts happening concurrently (closer I get, worse it gets painwise -- that's some fucked up BDSM play, yo!). -- I'll write some more detail about migraine and sex on the sex filter soon, hopefully.
Aside from pain, major problematic symptoms are nausea (but very rarely vomiting - it's less "stomach-nausea" and more "motion sickness/head nausea") and confusion/inability to focus.
Stuff what makes shit worse:
Bright light, especially if it's flashing or flickery or startles me -- headlights at night, fluorescent lighting, emergency lights, fast-cut flashing on TV, walking from dark space into light.
Overcast haze -- you'd think a cloudy day would be better, but it often isn't. I can look away from the sun, I can't look away from all-over grey-brightness.
High pitched noises, especially repetitive or constant -- monitor and fan whine, etc.
Discordant noises -- there's a lot of music I can't do when I'm at all migrainey, especially if it's experimental jazz or uses amp feedback at all.
Startlingly sudden visual or auditory input -- gunshots on TV, sudden hand movements in front of my face, dogs barking. In general, I deal really poorly with being startled when I'm migrainey.
Multiple sources of input -- I've been realizing how huge a factor this is for me, especially in regards to the confusion/inability to focus, but it'll also definitely make the pain and nausea worse, too. Multiple people talking, TV + people talking, etc. Multiple screens on my desktop create visual confusion and sense of being overwhelmed too.
Multiple directions of input -- being surrounded by noise can trigger close to a panic reaction in me, and a desperate need to escape. Clubs, buses, office life, big events (especially indoors) -- all hit me this way, and can trigger migraines on their own at times, I think. I do much better with outdoor events where I can get to an "edge" of things and really titrate my interactions with intensity/crowd/noises.
Anything that might cause motion-sickness -- I normally don't get carsick at all, never really have, spent my childhood happily reading away in the back seat. When I have even a wee little migraine I'm suddenly quite sensitive to it, though. Makes bus rides and even car rides really miserable. Makes any kind of spinny whirly visuals a problem for the same reason. If it's something that might make anyone at all motion sick, it'll probably make me motion sick if I'm migrainey.
Powerful scents, especially artificial or "chemically" scents -- not necessarily true of pure oils; orange oil and peppermint and clove oil, for example, I know can be a positive experience when I've got a migraine.
Being overheated -- an uncomfortably hot environment, especially if also muggy and indoors, makes everything worse. Work's been a prime example of this recently, since our A/C is broken and it's running 78-84 in the office on a regular basis.
Strong food smells: If it sometimes hits folks wrong (fish, cabbage, etc), it's very likely to hit me wrong once I'm already migrainey. If I'm really, really bad, almost any food scent bothers me.
Crying -- the harder I cry, the more certain a migraine will come out of it. Not sure whether that's just about the emotional stress, or something more directly physiological going on.
Anything that makes the tension headache part worse -- poor body position is the most common problem here. Sitting or lying comfortably so everything can relax is good.
Anything that raises my blood pressure -- sex is the big culprit here, and why I have to be so careful about how I navigate that.
Anything that causes me to hold my breath, especially under abdominal pressure (valsalva maneuver) -- probably because it causes a rise in blood pressure, but this is one of the things I have to be extraordinarily careful about and aware of if I'm trying to sneak sexytimes into a migraine period.
Changes in head orientation -- tipping my head, bending over, etc. All bad.
Not lying completely flat on my back -- I do much better lying completely flat without a pillow than in any of my normal sleep positions. I especially can't handle anything that involves my neck being in a non-neutral position or unsupported.
Caffeine withdrawal -- Less of an issue these days since I don't have the kind of habit I did when I was younger. Almost no coffee, rarely tea, about 20oz of Dr. Pepper per day.
Sleep -- if I try to sleep before I actually get the migraine mostly under control, I'll usually be woken up by it having gotten substantially worse. I don't know exactly why, and it sucks.
Squinting -- this is the balancing act with the sunglasses -- they can be really helpful, but also sometimes make it so dark that I end up squinting to compensate, which undoes the benefit.
Coughing -- Ow. Certain smokables often help me, but not if they trigger a coughing fit. Brain explosion. Owowow.
Chain-smoking -- dehydrates me, adds nasty chemicals to my system. Exactly what I don't need when I'm migrainey. Exactly what it's hardest for me not to do when I'm insomniac and in pain. *sigh* So need to make another quitting attempt.
Stuff what makes shit better:
TLDR: the opposite of all those items above.
Eating good food regularly -- especially fruit, veggies, hummus, other cold foods without a lot of crap in them. Although I normally love heavy sauces and creams and such, I really have a harder time with those when I'm head-icky.
Earplugs -- wearing my earbuds with quiet music or even totally off helps a lot, especially with the multisource dull roar of bus and train travel.
Sleeping in normal regular amounts on a reasonable schedule -- easier said than done.
Sunglasses -- hardcore, darkest I could order, wrap-around so no sun gets in the edges, polarized and all that crap. These are a godsend. I wear them almost constantly when I have a migraine (except when the pressure from the earpieces on my head actually makes me feel even worse). Even at night, even in the dark, even inside, sometimes in the shower. Seriously, makes a huge difference in my overall functionality. Also, a good sign to coworkers and housemates that I should be approached quietly. Also, I kind of like that I think they make me look like some kind of badass biker chick.
Turning down monitor, TV, phone brightnesses
Switching away from white background whenever possible on electronics
Keeping my cubicle pretty dark, disabling fluorescents above it (thank you office!)
Massage, if done carefully
Head and neck support -- reclining with my head supported on pillows, for example (how I'm typing now)
Avoiding eye strain
water squirt bottles to convince the dogs to shut the fuck up and stop barking
Hot showers -- if it's really bad, sometimes cool or just gently warm showers
G-spot -- if I can manage it without coital migraine problems, the g-spot does seem to have it's lauded pain-relieving properties for me
Good smells -- peppermint, clove, orange oil, ginger, cinnamon -- only the natural forms.
V-8 spicy -- I can't do capsaicin in large quantities, but there's a touch in this, and the combo of veggies and spice seems to help me more than regular V-8.
Smoothies -- fruit, veggie, yogurt, v-8, even regular fruit juices; rehydrating and moderately nourishing; it's a helpful combo.
Towel around head -- I can't really explain it, but when it's really, really bad I'll wrap a towel really tightly around my head and eyes, and it feels a little better.
Pbs-style narrators -- boredom is frustrating, especially if I'm having trouble reading. I can't deal with most TV because of the flashing and noise variation, but a nice quiet documentary is lovely. (the TV in my bedroom has been on the Smithsonian Channel at least since I got home last night)
Dark rooms -- Or very dim, more accurately. It means what few lights (phone screens, need for nagivation, etc) I might have won't totally shock and blind me.
Air conditioning -- helps some folks, hurts others. Switching between A/C and non-A/C seems to make us all unhappy, though. For me, the benefits of the cooler drier environment definitely help.
Caffeine -- Balancing act, but extra caffeine in a good strong dose when I start getting bad can help, in combo with my other meds.
Fluids -- like mentioned above about smoothies and such, but even ice water helps some.
Eye/neck icemask or pack (frozen veggies) -- I have a frozen migraine mask, I just wish it stayed frozen longer. If you don't, a bag of frozen peas is nice.
___________________________________________
Other folks: feedback on what's true for you or not, what else you've noticed in your life?
This neverending migraine has unfortunately given me a lot of time to note exactly what does and doesn't hit me really badly when I'm feeling this way, so I'm going to put some of that down for future reference, communication with docs, reasons like that.
First of all, general patterns:
Most often weather or sleep-dep triggered.
Made worse by stress, not eating well, or dehydration (line of storms plus mania means all of these are in full effect).
Usually wax and wane over several days (most often 3-4 days).
Range from .5 to 7 or so. Maybe 2-3 times in my life have gone as bad as an 8 or 9.
Often trigger tension headaches that climb up the back of my skull and meet the migraine in the middle, and then make things worse unless I also treat those (generally with muscle relaxants).
Take various combos of Excedrin, sumatriptan, tramadol, and skelaxin for the symptoms.
Concerned about going any more hardcore with the triptans or using daily prophylactic triptans due to my already ridiculously heavy med load and interaction balancing act.
Probably average 5-15 migrainey days per month, depending on assorted factors, usually more toward the low end these days. Many of these days are only a 2-3 intensity level, so that's not quite as hellacious as it sounds.
More prone to migraines when I'm fibro-flaring and my whole system is hyper-reactive and prickly.
Flares fast into coital migraines unless I'm extraordinarily cautious about sex even when the migraine is as low as a .5 -- often have to actively avoid orgasm to avoid brain explosion of unhappy sorts happening concurrently (closer I get, worse it gets painwise -- that's some fucked up BDSM play, yo!). -- I'll write some more detail about migraine and sex on the sex filter soon, hopefully.
Aside from pain, major problematic symptoms are nausea (but very rarely vomiting - it's less "stomach-nausea" and more "motion sickness/head nausea") and confusion/inability to focus.
Stuff what makes shit worse:
Bright light, especially if it's flashing or flickery or startles me -- headlights at night, fluorescent lighting, emergency lights, fast-cut flashing on TV, walking from dark space into light.
Overcast haze -- you'd think a cloudy day would be better, but it often isn't. I can look away from the sun, I can't look away from all-over grey-brightness.
High pitched noises, especially repetitive or constant -- monitor and fan whine, etc.
Discordant noises -- there's a lot of music I can't do when I'm at all migrainey, especially if it's experimental jazz or uses amp feedback at all.
Startlingly sudden visual or auditory input -- gunshots on TV, sudden hand movements in front of my face, dogs barking. In general, I deal really poorly with being startled when I'm migrainey.
Multiple sources of input -- I've been realizing how huge a factor this is for me, especially in regards to the confusion/inability to focus, but it'll also definitely make the pain and nausea worse, too. Multiple people talking, TV + people talking, etc. Multiple screens on my desktop create visual confusion and sense of being overwhelmed too.
Multiple directions of input -- being surrounded by noise can trigger close to a panic reaction in me, and a desperate need to escape. Clubs, buses, office life, big events (especially indoors) -- all hit me this way, and can trigger migraines on their own at times, I think. I do much better with outdoor events where I can get to an "edge" of things and really titrate my interactions with intensity/crowd/noises.
Anything that might cause motion-sickness -- I normally don't get carsick at all, never really have, spent my childhood happily reading away in the back seat. When I have even a wee little migraine I'm suddenly quite sensitive to it, though. Makes bus rides and even car rides really miserable. Makes any kind of spinny whirly visuals a problem for the same reason. If it's something that might make anyone at all motion sick, it'll probably make me motion sick if I'm migrainey.
Powerful scents, especially artificial or "chemically" scents -- not necessarily true of pure oils; orange oil and peppermint and clove oil, for example, I know can be a positive experience when I've got a migraine.
Being overheated -- an uncomfortably hot environment, especially if also muggy and indoors, makes everything worse. Work's been a prime example of this recently, since our A/C is broken and it's running 78-84 in the office on a regular basis.
Strong food smells: If it sometimes hits folks wrong (fish, cabbage, etc), it's very likely to hit me wrong once I'm already migrainey. If I'm really, really bad, almost any food scent bothers me.
Crying -- the harder I cry, the more certain a migraine will come out of it. Not sure whether that's just about the emotional stress, or something more directly physiological going on.
Anything that makes the tension headache part worse -- poor body position is the most common problem here. Sitting or lying comfortably so everything can relax is good.
Anything that raises my blood pressure -- sex is the big culprit here, and why I have to be so careful about how I navigate that.
Anything that causes me to hold my breath, especially under abdominal pressure (valsalva maneuver) -- probably because it causes a rise in blood pressure, but this is one of the things I have to be extraordinarily careful about and aware of if I'm trying to sneak sexytimes into a migraine period.
Changes in head orientation -- tipping my head, bending over, etc. All bad.
Not lying completely flat on my back -- I do much better lying completely flat without a pillow than in any of my normal sleep positions. I especially can't handle anything that involves my neck being in a non-neutral position or unsupported.
Caffeine withdrawal -- Less of an issue these days since I don't have the kind of habit I did when I was younger. Almost no coffee, rarely tea, about 20oz of Dr. Pepper per day.
Sleep -- if I try to sleep before I actually get the migraine mostly under control, I'll usually be woken up by it having gotten substantially worse. I don't know exactly why, and it sucks.
Squinting -- this is the balancing act with the sunglasses -- they can be really helpful, but also sometimes make it so dark that I end up squinting to compensate, which undoes the benefit.
Coughing -- Ow. Certain smokables often help me, but not if they trigger a coughing fit. Brain explosion. Owowow.
Chain-smoking -- dehydrates me, adds nasty chemicals to my system. Exactly what I don't need when I'm migrainey. Exactly what it's hardest for me not to do when I'm insomniac and in pain. *sigh* So need to make another quitting attempt.
Stuff what makes shit better:
TLDR: the opposite of all those items above.
Eating good food regularly -- especially fruit, veggies, hummus, other cold foods without a lot of crap in them. Although I normally love heavy sauces and creams and such, I really have a harder time with those when I'm head-icky.
Earplugs -- wearing my earbuds with quiet music or even totally off helps a lot, especially with the multisource dull roar of bus and train travel.
Sleeping in normal regular amounts on a reasonable schedule -- easier said than done.
Sunglasses -- hardcore, darkest I could order, wrap-around so no sun gets in the edges, polarized and all that crap. These are a godsend. I wear them almost constantly when I have a migraine (except when the pressure from the earpieces on my head actually makes me feel even worse). Even at night, even in the dark, even inside, sometimes in the shower. Seriously, makes a huge difference in my overall functionality. Also, a good sign to coworkers and housemates that I should be approached quietly. Also, I kind of like that I think they make me look like some kind of badass biker chick.
Turning down monitor, TV, phone brightnesses
Switching away from white background whenever possible on electronics
Keeping my cubicle pretty dark, disabling fluorescents above it (thank you office!)
Massage, if done carefully
Head and neck support -- reclining with my head supported on pillows, for example (how I'm typing now)
Avoiding eye strain
water squirt bottles to convince the dogs to shut the fuck up and stop barking
Hot showers -- if it's really bad, sometimes cool or just gently warm showers
G-spot -- if I can manage it without coital migraine problems, the g-spot does seem to have it's lauded pain-relieving properties for me
Good smells -- peppermint, clove, orange oil, ginger, cinnamon -- only the natural forms.
V-8 spicy -- I can't do capsaicin in large quantities, but there's a touch in this, and the combo of veggies and spice seems to help me more than regular V-8.
Smoothies -- fruit, veggie, yogurt, v-8, even regular fruit juices; rehydrating and moderately nourishing; it's a helpful combo.
Towel around head -- I can't really explain it, but when it's really, really bad I'll wrap a towel really tightly around my head and eyes, and it feels a little better.
Pbs-style narrators -- boredom is frustrating, especially if I'm having trouble reading. I can't deal with most TV because of the flashing and noise variation, but a nice quiet documentary is lovely. (the TV in my bedroom has been on the Smithsonian Channel at least since I got home last night)
Dark rooms -- Or very dim, more accurately. It means what few lights (phone screens, need for nagivation, etc) I might have won't totally shock and blind me.
Air conditioning -- helps some folks, hurts others. Switching between A/C and non-A/C seems to make us all unhappy, though. For me, the benefits of the cooler drier environment definitely help.
Caffeine -- Balancing act, but extra caffeine in a good strong dose when I start getting bad can help, in combo with my other meds.
Fluids -- like mentioned above about smoothies and such, but even ice water helps some.
Eye/neck icemask or pack (frozen veggies) -- I have a frozen migraine mask, I just wish it stayed frozen longer. If you don't, a bag of frozen peas is nice.
___________________________________________
Other folks: feedback on what's true for you or not, what else you've noticed in your life?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-08-15 08:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-15 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 01:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 03:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 07:31 pm (UTC)Hoping yours ends soon.
Also re: BP. Odd Q, but does pooping help? I vaguely remember some side story in cardiology class about if you think you're having a heart attack, go and try your damndest to poop, as something about that process has the physiologic effect of at least temporarily lowering BP. (Just read wikipedia - this may not help you as the lower BP is a temporary response to the higher BP of the valsalva manuver, but there's apparently some truth to the story - but not helpful.)
no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 01:37 am (UTC)I'm kind of surprised by the scent thing myself. It feels much like the sound thing for me; I can handle a single, well-tuned sound, but not discordancies or grating noises or combinations. I can handle a single scent, but not multiple scents interacting with each other, or many that are "grating" in various ways to begin with.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 03:45 am (UTC)Typically I'm light and sound sensitive, but I don't get much haloing until I'm at about a 7 on my mental scale (a 10 requiring an immediate trip to a doctor, and I function up to a 4 or a low 5). I prefer a dim room with a pillow. Posture can make a migraine worse, as can any violent jolts (like riding the bus).
Sleep is my cure all, though I found that a mix of aspirin and acetaminophen works well for me. Ibuprofen works better for the tension headaches. Spice is a craving, though I tend towards things like cinnamon imperials. I've wondered if I couldn't create a version of them with a slight capsicum content for my headaches. This is a bit of a catch with a migraine because I can't chew, so I tend to suck on them more. Cinnamon seems to help a little, even the fake stuff.
Other things that work, about 50% of the time, are cold showers and washcloths. Hot makes it worse. Lots of fluids, usually water or Gatorade. Some V-8, but I don't like the spicy version. Soda is not a good choice, particularly not acidic sodas like sprite. Popsicles are a nice inclusion of cold and fluid. I just have to avoid biting them. Ice cream is bad though, as are other very cold drinks.
Things that I know make it worse? Thumpers... assholes who think base = virility. Fuck them with a splintered broomstick. Strong scents, just about anything but particularly perfumes and chemical smells. Chewy foods / candy don't help either. Good & Plenty's as much as I love them are a major problem because the combo of the increased heart rate from black licorice and the pain from jawing on them? Yeah not good. Love them, but not when hurting. I think Olives and Pepperoni, i.e. oily foods, also seem to be prone to making it worse but I'm less certain. As sensitive as I am to alcohol, I definitely have to avoid wines while I have a migraine. Also a problem? Cats... pressure points, sound, and head-butting do not make me happy.
Basically my solution is: stretched out posture sleep in a dim quiet scent-free room with, little or no food, cool fluids on hand, a cool compress, and a couple aspirin or acetaminophen. Takes about 4 to 6 hours to recover on average.