a candid look at managing and living with headaches & migraines

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Archive for August, 2007

Hiding Out With Bad Migraines

The last couple weeks have been so bad that I haven’t even updated my Twitter with my headache/migraine status. I’ve had some great swings — particularly after a massage — but they’ve only lasted a short time.
An irritating symptom right now is that I don’t get tired, but completely worn out, which then triggers the [...]

The Curse of a Nose Made Sensitive By Migraine

A sensitive sniffer comes in handy to search the basement for presents left behind by the neighborhood cat, who must have slipped in while Hart was taking out the trash. Since one of my migraine symptoms is sensitivity to smell, I’m a natural for the task. Ew.
The cat had to leave more than one gift [...]

What Do You Do With Compliments?

Last week, my friend and yoga teacher used some wonderful adjectives to describe me. We were in class, so all I could do was thank her. There was no chance for me to shrug her off, which I probably would have otherwise. In the meditation at the end of class, her kindness sunk in without [...]

Love to ChronicBabe Editrix Jenni

ChronicBabe Editrix Jenni and her husband Steve’s condo was destroyed in Chicago’s storms. The are displaced from their home for at least six months. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they rebuild their home and lives.
To send your love, please leave a comment on this post and I’ll make sure she sees [...]

Preventive Drugs Improve Quality of Life for People With Migraine

Preventive medications can significantly improve the quality of life for people with migraine, but their quality of life is still below that of people without migraine. The study tested quality of life for patients taking nadolol (Corgard) and topiramate (Topamax). The article, Impact of Preventive Therapy with Nadolol and Topiramate on the Quality of Life [...]

Insurance Coverage of Triptans

Insurance is an ongoing nightmare for practically everyone. If you need more triptans (a common type of migraine abortive) a month than your plan allows, you’re in for a real hassle. Without insurance they are, of course, mighty pricey.
Kathy, a reader, is faced with a new bureaucratic hurdle that I’ve never seen before. Her [...]

Myofascial Release: A Massage Technique for Tissue Relaxation

Myofascial release is one of the new therapies I’m trying now. The three sessions I’ve had have been mentally and physically relaxing. A severe migraine dropped to a mild headache after Saturday’s session. The relief only lasted an hour, but what a wonderful hour it was. I went into today’s session with a severe migraine [...]

Why Women Have More Migraines Than Men

Three times as many women have migraine as do men. That translates to 18% to 25% of women worldwide. A new study shows that this discrepancy might be because women’s brains are faster to activate the cascading waves of activity thought to cause migraine pain and other migraine symptoms.
The strength of the stimulus required to [...]

Cluster Headache Drug Verapamil May Cause Heart Problems

People who take verapamil for cluster headaches may be at greater risk of irregular heartbeats than those who don’t, according to a study published in the August issue of the journal Neurology. Researchers recommend that those who take the drug should have frequent EKGs to watch for possible heart problems.
The study of 108 people with [...]

Caffeine Withdrawal Headaches

Caffeine can be a wonderful headache and migraine abortive. Use it too much and the withdrawal headache can be an unspeakable hell. Good thing I was in need of a post topic for today when the caffeine headache fairy visited me last night.
As with all of my abortives, I use caffeine no more than twice [...]