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Type of Magnesium Affects Absorbtion Rate, Reaction

After I stopped taking magnesium, the severe nausea diminished over several days. And the after-eating headaches that had ceased, slowly increased over those few days. Then I learned from a reader that the dose may not have caused nausea, but the type of magnesium. There are many different kinds; turns out I was taking one [...]

Botox Doesn’t Relieve Migraines & Tension-Type Headaches?

A review of all available data on treating migraines and tension-type headaches with Botox indicates it is no better than a placebo, according to a US News & World Report article. The findings are included in guidelines for using Botox published in today’s issue of the journal Neurology.
Botox Works on Muscle Disorders But Not Migraines
[B]otulinum [...]

LSD’s Therapeutic Uses to be Studied in Medical Trials

Albert Hofmann, the chemist who discovered LSD, died last week, but not before seeing his “problem child” return to it’s use as a medical treatment. Originally celebrated as a potential treatment for psychosis, mania and depression, the drug’s therapeutic uses were studied widely in the 40s and 50s. Then came the 1960s. Not long after [...]

Mindfulness & Meditation: An Introduction

Finally! Here’s an explanation of mindfulness meditation and the practice of mindfulness in general. The post is long but worth sticking with. (I think so at least!)
Mindfulness = Paying Attention
Mindfulness is captured by simple terms:

Paying attention
Being, not doing
Present moment awareness
Being “here”

Easy ideas, complicated concepts. The ubiquity of multitasking is an excellent example of the challenges. [...]

Migraine & Headache News From the American Academy of Neurology’s Annual Meeting

Migraine-related study findings presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting, April 12-19.
Migraine Increases Risk of Severe Skin Sensitivity and Pain
The study found that 68 percent of those who reported almost daily headaches (chronic migraine) and 63 percent of those with episodic migraines reported allodynia, the name of this intensified and unpleasant, painful skin [...]

April Headache Blog Carnival Posted

The April Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival is now up! This month’s carnival focuses on basic coping strategies for living with headache and migraine. I enjoyed reading the great posts and learning about some blogs I’d never heard of:

Fighting the Good Fight at My Life with Migraine
Coping with Migraine and Chronic Pain at Down the [...]

Debilitating Nausea Caused By High(ish) Magnesium Dose

Woo hoo! I feel human again and it’s all because I stopped taking magnesium. Yep, magnesium, the wonder supplement that helps so many people with migraine and chronic daily headache. I don’t think magnesium itself is to blame, but that the dose was too high. Since I can’t even take a multivitamin without nausea, I [...]

Vipassana Meditation for Chronic Daily Headache (Migraine): Clinical Trial Recruiting Participants

Meditation is highly regarded yet little-studied for managing chronic daily headache and migraine. Intensive Meditation and Migraines: Effects on Health and Well Being is a clinical trial of Vipassana meditation and chronic daily headache (the migraine sort). The year-long study includes a 12-day retreat to learn the technique. Researchers describe the study as:
Participants completing training [...]

Treating Migraines with Codeine, Oxycodone or Barbiturates Increases Risk of Chronic Migraine

Treating migraine episodes with opioids or barbituates as few as eight times a month doubles the risk of developing chronic migraine. I’m in a Phenergan fog, so I’ll let the American Academy of Neurology’s press release tell the story:
Overuse of Codeine, Oxycodone and Barbiturates Increases Risk of Chronic Migraine
People who overuse barbiturates and opioids, such [...]

An Update on My Dad & How I’m Doing

My dad came home from the hospital Friday and is doing well. He’s having trouble with atrial fibrillation, which shortens his breath and tires him out. This morning my mom went with him to see his cardiologist and came home with new medications. He’ll take them for a couple weeks then have a follow-up appointment.
My sister arrived Saturday and [...]