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dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers - 31 Aug 2004 20:14 GMT
Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It was
h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*. Absolutely nothing in my
legs at all. I cycled up to Fakenham, feeling like giving up several times en
route. Got to Fakenham & I was hit with an awful migraine, complete with nausea
and visual disturbances as well as the killer headache :-( At one point, my
vision went completely. Had to telephone Vernon to rescue me. Thank heavens for
mobile phones.

The HA is now almost gone (after some 8 hours), but I've still got the nausea
and a bit of the visual stuff.

YUK.

Still, at least Waffles has snuggled with me for a while this afternoon. Marble
too for a short period. For Marble to want to snuggle, I must have been close
to death ;-)

Cheers, helen s

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Kreisleriana - 31 Aug 2004 21:45 GMT
>Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It was
>h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*. Absolutely nothing in my
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>YUK.

Migraines suck.  Used to get them quite often when younger-- one time
the visual "aura" made me lose my balance and fall down the stairs.
They seem to have faded with age, fortunately.

Theresa
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Sherry - 31 Aug 2004 23:05 GMT
>Migraines suck.  Used to get them quite often when younger-- one time
>the visual "aura" made me lose my balance and fall down the stairs.
>They seem to have faded with age, fortunately.
>
>Theresa

Me too, and I've also outgrown them. I used to have the aura sometimes, but not
always. but I always smelled oranges at least 24 hours before the headache hit.

Sherry
polonca12000 - 31 Aug 2004 22:29 GMT
I hate migraines!  :(
Lots of purrs and best wishes for you to feel as good as new,
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Polonca & Soncek

> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It was
> h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*. Absolutely nothing in my
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--
Yoj - 31 Aug 2004 22:38 GMT
> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It was
> h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*. Absolutely nothing in my
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Cheers, helen s

That must have been absolutely awful!  I'm glad you had a little bit of
compensation, in the form of snuggling cats, anyway.

Joy
CatNipped - 31 Aug 2004 23:12 GMT
Purrs that your migraine goes away completely and never, ever comes back
again!

Hugs,

CatNipped

> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It
> was
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched
> off--
Marina - 01 Sep 2004 05:34 GMT
> The HA is now almost gone (after some 8 hours), but I've still got the nausea
> and a bit of the visual stuff.

Purrs from us that it is gone by now. So sorry about your first cycling trip
going bad.

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Marina, Frank and Nikki
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SUQKRT - 01 Sep 2004 18:46 GMT
>YUK.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Cheers, helen s

Poor Helen, I hope you feel better by the time you read this. Its a good thing
your kittynurses were on duty.
Suz
Macmoosette
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Waiting for inspiration. Please hold while I contemplate my navel.

|\__/|
(=':'=)
(")_(")
Bob M - 01 Sep 2004 19:03 GMT
> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It was
> h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*. Absolutely nothing in my
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

I sympathize with you about the headaches. I am one of the males that
suffer from migraines. And you are right about the muscle weakness
first. When I experience muscle weakness I know I have a bad migraine
coming on. My doctor gives me Fiorinol with Codeine and it works well
for me. I also take Inderal to help prevent them. I've gone from 2
migraines per week to about 2 per month. Of course I can't take the
Fiorinol/Codeine while I'm working so I have to take a sick day. I hope
you feel better soon.

Bob
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Takeoff is an option.
Landing is a must!

And in the end on wheels we will depend.

Howard Berkowitz - 01 Sep 2004 21:42 GMT
>  I sympathize with you about the headaches. I am one of the males that
> suffer from migraines. And you are right about the muscle weakness
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Fiorinol/Codeine while I'm working so I have to take a sick day. I hope
> you feel better soon.

Inderal is a reasonable preventative, but it's certainly not the only
one.  A headache specialist, who usually is a neurologist but might be a
pain management subspecialist, typically will have a goal of getting you
to a point where you don't routinely have them. It would be entirely
reasonable to add some other preventive drugs, many of which are
inexpensive.

Fiorinal with codeine is a fairly old treatment, and, as you say, it is
sedating. Have you taken any of the triptan class (e.g., Imitrex and
newer, more effective/expensive drugs), which are probably more
effective and definitely nonsedating, or an ergotamine preparation,
which was the standard nonsedating treatment before the triptans.

There are also some alterative sedating "rescue" drugs that will work
much faster, several in nasal sprays that are absorbed as fast as an
injection.  I don't know if you can tolerate any downtime at work, but
some of these might break it up much more quickly. Still, the triptans
are probably the best bet unless contraindicated.

Have you been seen by a neurologist? While your mentioning an aura does
suggest classic migraine, there are some other severe headache types
that are more common in men than women.
Sherry - 02 Sep 2004 03:22 GMT
>Inderal is a reasonable preventative, but it's certainly not the only
>one.

Isn't that a beta blocker? IIRC, they used to give me Corgard.

A headache specialist, who usually is a neurologist but might be a
>pain management subspecialist, typically will have a goal of getting you
>to a point where you don't routinely have them. It would be entirely
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>sedating. Have you taken any of the triptan class (e.g., Imitrex and
>newer, more effective/expensive drugs),

I remember when Imitrex first came out, the injections. I thought it was a
wonder drug. Back then, it was $70 per syringe if you didn't have insurance.
Then my blood pressure wacked out and I had to stop using it.
I eventually went from Fiorinol to Zydone to Lortab which didn't help much but
took the edge off. I also tried the Stadol spray which didn't work that well,
and I had a real hang-up about sticking narcotics up my nose.
Most effective in prevention for me was staying away from chocolate, cheese and
pork.
I am so grateful to have outgrown them.

Sherry
Howard Berkowitz - 02 Sep 2004 03:52 GMT
> >Inderal is a reasonable preventative, but it's certainly not the only
> >one.
>
> Isn't that a beta blocker? IIRC, they used to give me Corgard.

Yes. IIRC, it was the first one marketed. Calcium channel blockers like
verapamil also are fairly widely used.

Another preventive can be extremely low doses of certain tricyclic
antidepressants, a dose lower than the minimum for depression. We aren't
exactly sure why this works, although we know these drugs affect levels
of the neurotransmitter serotonin.  The triptans specifically affect
serotonin receptors.

>  A headache specialist, who usually is a neurologist but might be a
> >pain management subspecialist, typically will have a goal of getting you
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> insurance.
> Then my blood pressure wacked out and I had to stop using it.

That is the major limitation, which would also tend to rule out
ergotamine.  Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers lower blood
pressure, so they may be a good alternative.

> I eventually went from Fiorinol to Zydone to Lortab which didn't help
> much but
> took the edge off. I also tried the Stadol spray which didn't work that
> well,
> and I had a real hang-up about sticking narcotics up my nose.

While nasal sprays are actually becoming decent alternatives to
injections for quite a few drugs, I must admit the idea is a bit
strange.  

> Most effective in prevention for me was staying away from chocolate,
> cheese and
> pork.

You are giving me an idea on this. Do you remember if the problem was
worse with aged cheeses?  Did red wine, especially Chianti, cause
headaches? Smoked fish?  These have a component that can interact with a
certain enzyme that can drive blood pressure sky-high. Not sure about
chocolate and pork, though.

> I am so grateful to have outgrown them.
>
> Sherry
Sherry - 02 Sep 2004 05:57 GMT
>You are giving me an idea on this. Do you remember if the problem was
>worse with aged cheeses?  Did red wine, especially Chianti, cause
>headaches? Smoked fish?  

Oh,no, sorry, I don't remember about the cheese. I do remember canadian bacon
pizza was a killer. Can't really comment on the red wine or smoked fish, since
I never drank wine or ate smoked fish. It's great to hear that more
alternatives are available to people now.

Sherry
jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 02 Sep 2004 06:38 GMT
> You are giving me an idea on this. Do you remember if the problem was
> worse with aged cheeses?  Did red wine, especially Chianti, cause
> headaches? Smoked fish?  These have a component that can interact with a
> certain enzyme that can drive blood pressure sky-high. Not sure about
> chocolate and pork, though.

If this is the same component that cannot be broken down if you're
taking MAO inhibitors (a class of anti-depressant), then yes, chocolate
is definitely on that list. So is coffee. The danger with eating that
stuff while on MAOI's is that you could have an extreme hypertensive
episode and possibly a stroke.

I remember considering taking AD's - this was back before Prozac, et al -
and my doctor suggested an MAOI. He said that the only problem is that
you have to avoid cheese, red wine, coffee, chocolate, and some other
absolutely necessary foods. I said forget it - I'd probably be driven to
suicide faster by not being allowed to consume those items!!

(But what a way to commit suicide: a dinner with lots of aged cheese
and red wine, completed with chocolate cake and espresso... :))

Joyce
Denise VanDyke - 02 Sep 2004 16:22 GMT
BTW, Howard - Mom liked your analogy re: the blood pressure medications.
 She's "on the one that makes the gas pedal harder to push" now.  ;-)
So far, so good.  (fingers crossed)

- Denise
Howard Berkowitz - 02 Sep 2004 19:52 GMT
> BTW, Howard - Mom liked your analogy re: the blood pressure medications.
>   She's "on the one that makes the gas pedal harder to push" now.  ;-)
> So far, so good.  (fingers crossed)
>
> - Denise

Great news!
CatNipped - 02 Sep 2004 15:22 GMT
> Most effective in prevention for me was staying away from chocolate, cheese and
> pork.
> I am so grateful to have outgrown them.
>
> Sherry

Yeah, me too.  I went from having them about once every two weeks to about
once every two years.  And yes, chocolate was a no-no for me too also
anything with preservatives.

Strangely, this sort of ties in with my and my children's ADHD.  Dr.
Feingold (wrote two books on the subject, on a cookbook - I highly recommend
these for anyone dealing with ADHD) theorized that ADHD was actually an
allergy that warped brain chemicals and found a diet that worked better than
Ritalin.  The biggies were staying away from food dyes and food
preservatives (even the naturally occurring ones).  The kids couldn't have
luncheon meats, red gravy, any candy (they all have dyes AND preservatives),
etc.  It really did work, in just a week or two they were like different
children and I was feeling much more focused too.

Hugs,

CatNipped
jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 02 Sep 2004 23:33 GMT
> ...The biggies were staying away from food dyes and food preservatives
> (even the naturally occurring ones).  The kids couldn't have luncheon
> meats, red gravy, any candy (they all have dyes AND preservatives),
> etc.  It really did work, in just a week or two they were like different
> children and I was feeling much more focused too.

Just goes to show that the human body didn't evolve to deal with the
kind of stuff that gets put into food by the modern food industry. Most
of us either aren't affected by those chemicals, or else we don't realize
we are, but there are always a few canaries in the mine, and ADHD kids
(and adults!) are among them.

A lot of people seem to think that you need to have a worldwide
catastrophe in order to recognize its cause as dangerous. But that's
not how widespread calamities usually happen. Usually only some people
get affected, while others go on as though nothing has changed. And
then, unfortunately, it's not clear how the the people who are the worst
affected got that way. Even the Great Depression of the 1930s didn't
affect *everyone*.

Joyce
Bob M - 02 Sep 2004 20:07 GMT
> >  I sympathize with you about the headaches. I am one of the males that
> > suffer from migraines. And you are right about the muscle weakness
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> suggest classic migraine, there are some other severe headache types
> that are more common in men than women.

I've been given Imitrex but it didn't work too well for me. In fact all
it did was make me very sleepy for about 3 days. I haven't seen a
neurologist since things are pretty much under control for now. But I'll
keep it in mind if things get worse.

Bob
Signature

Takeoff is an option.
Landing is a must!

And in the end on wheels we will depend.

Howard Berkowitz - 02 Sep 2004 22:07 GMT
> > Have you been seen by a neurologist? While your mentioning an aura does
> > suggest classic migraine, there are some other severe headache types
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> neurologist since things are pretty much under control for now. But I'll
> keep it in mind if things get worse.

Imitrex was the first drug of the triptan class. There are several
second-generation versions that are even more selective, in both
efficiency and lower side effects. Unfortunately, not cheap either.
Christina Websell - 01 Sep 2004 22:08 GMT
> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last Friday. It
> was
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Cheers, helen s

I very occasionally get migraines myself.  Mine start with the visual stuff.
I suddenly realise I can't see anything if I "look" at it directly.  Then
the zig-zags, then the headache.  I'm fortunate, I don't get the nausea so
I've never sought help for them.  I knew what they were, because my mother
used to get them, there seems to be evidence they can be hereditary.
My mother's tip was go immediately to bed as soon as you get the first
signs.  Sometimes, lying in a darkened room can prevent it developing all
the bells and whistles.

Tweed
Adrian - 02 Sep 2004 15:13 GMT
> Got on my bike for the first time since return from France last
> Friday. It was h*ll from the second I got on it. I felt *dreadful*.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> afternoon. Marble too for a short period. For Marble to want to
> snuggle, I must have been close to death ;-)

Purrs that you never have another migraine.
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Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.

 
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