Monday, December 12, 2005

remedies

As I left work on Friday evening, I was struck with a rather vicious headache that persisted through dinner, post-dinner television shows, some relaxing time in front of the fireplace, and after I crawled into bed.

Saturday morning, I woke up with a headache so strong, I could barely lift my head off of the pillow. I had been looking forward to our busy Saturday for the whole week, though. I was hoping to meet Phantom for coffee at some point during the day, Josh and I were meeting our friends for brunch and to help them decorate their Christmas tree, attend an arts and crafts fair, and a holiday party at night. I made it out of bed and slowly got ready, but in the car on the way to our favorite restaurant, I realized I'd made a mistake. I tried to eat through the headache, hoping that eggs and coffee would take it away. Our friend is a pediatrician, and she peppered me with questions trying to determine the source of the pain. Eventually, we settled on a migraine given my nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

Nothing seemed to help. I tried Advil (3), Sudafed, coffee, and rest. I eventually gave up on all my plans and gave into laying on the couch and willing the migraine away. Saturday night wasted, I told myself that Sunday would bring relief. But Sunday morning, I woke up with a renewed migraine that persisted throughout the day. It isn't enough to make me vomit, or to make me completely immobile, just enough to make it difficult to do anything. On Sunday afternoon, I even tried a basic exercise video to see if moving around and getting my blood flowing would help. Umm, that would be NO.

Now it is Monday morning, and it seems impossible that my head still hurts. I tried to work on the subway during my morning commute, but all I could accomplish was laying my head against the glass and hope for the day to end quickly.

I have migraines once or twice a year, but never for such an extended period. I am halfway through my third day with this headache and in brief moments during the day it seems a little better, but then comes back with a vengeance.

I know that some of you also deal with migraines. My solution has always been to sleep through them, but has this ever happened to you? What do you do when the migraine won't go away?

16 comments:

ccw said...

Imitrex with food and sleep. My migraines always last for days so sleeping is the only way to survive.

If all else fails, go to the hospital for a shot. I have only done this once, on day 6 of a massice migraine, but the shot (it did hurt -not the actual shot but the medicine)made my migraine go away within 30 minutes.

Hope you feel better soon!

Minoa said...

The best thing I have ever taken is excedrin migraine. Sleeping and eating do help too like ccw says. I've never had a shot but I know people that have them and heard that it works wonders.

I've had migraines since I was little and didn't realize they were migraines until I was in my 20's. For a few months I saw a chiropractor, and suddenly my migraines all but disappeared! When I feel one coming on, I immediately crack my neck and take the excedrin. But it only works if I take it in the beginning.

Anonymous said...

Yikes! I hope you feel better. I don't think I've ever had a migraine. They say if you have them YOU KNOW you have them. I do hear caffeine helps. And I've seen commercials for Excedrin Migraine but I don't know if those work. Other than that, I'm useless. Take care querida!

Running2Ks said...

I haven't had these--I know that there are food triggers like cheese, chocolate, etc. But I don't know...I defer to ccw and others who have dealt with it.

I am sorry you are hurting. I am sending you healing vibes.

Anonymous said...

I have never had a migraine, so I don't have any advice, but I'm very sorry that you're suffering. I'm saying a little prayer that you will feel much better soon.

Anonymous said...

Oh, honey, that sucks. I'm so sorry. I never suffered from migraines, but a surprisingly large number of my law school and lawyer friends did/do.

I hope you find a solution quickly and can start to feel better soon!

halloweenlover said...

The doctor said "maybe you are working too hard. It could be stress." Ummm, thanks?

No appointments available, so I'm trying some excedrin for migraines that I picked up, coffee, water, and eating something. Sigh.

Thanks for the advice. Keep it coming!

Phantom Scribbler said...

Aw, I'm so sorry it's still going on. I hope it improves soon! And I hope your doctor gets a clue....

ccw said...

Hope some of those remedies are helpful. I would seriously consider going to the hospital if you don't start feeling better.

As for your doctor suggesting it is stress, that could be true since stress can trigger migraines, but it certainly does sound like a migraine and not a stress headache.

blackbird said...

Feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

My family (mother, sisters) suffer from these to various degrees. My mother has gone to the ER (and has doem Immetrex (sp?), one sister has pain meds for a "In Case of Emergency Break Glass" situation (the med: Fuerinol* w/ codeine) and the other ssiter does the dark room and sucks it up.
* I know for a fact that spelling is REALLY off but that's how it's pronounced.
Does anyone else in your family get these? I'm told they're also genetic.

My 2 cents, if you're *that* bad for that long, based on my family's experience I'd say go to the ER. Maybe there's something else there or maybe you'll just get a shot and that's all you'll need.

Hope you feel better.

Suzanne said...

I don't have any suggestions, but I am hoping that you're feeling better soon. Three days is an awfully long time to have a headache like that.

Piece of Work said...

Oh that sounds horrible. I've only had a migraine twice in my life and--ouch. I can't imagine dealing with that for 3 days. Are you feeling any better now?

Maribeth said...

Is it something cosmic? I have had a migraine for two days! Today even my hair hurts. If you figure out what stops yours let me know.
Feel better!!!

Anonymous said...

If it's not too bad, I go for the sleeping pill (dramanine if I don't have any) and try to sleep it off.
If it's god awful, it hurts to be alive--Emergency Room.
3 days is way too long to suffer.

Honey Bunny said...

this is EXACTLY what i had thursday through saturday last week. like, EXACTLY. i'm doing better today, but i still have a dull ache in my head/sinuses. my boss had the same thing too, only his was more severe (if that's possible!). nothing helped for me at all except for a lot of sleep. so i, too, feel like i wasted those days.
i'm hoping you're feeling better (i'm trying to catch up on people's blogs).