Comments on: What is Migraine? (the Story of Symptoms)

By: anne

anne — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:21:28 +0000

Hi, at the moment i am on holiday and feeling very down, have just had my 3rd migraine in 3 weeks and i get most of the effects with it but the hangover after is really awful lasts for nearly a week and have tried every thing. Can you advise anything?

Anne

By: Melanie

Melanie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:43:12 +0000

Hi…well I am in Atlantic Canada. I only started getting migraines this summer. They have sent me to the ER at least 6 times in the past 3 months. I am just learning on how to deal with them. Today we are expecting heavy rain, rain warning. I woke up with migraine and started on my meds right away. Right now I know I am on my way. Scared because I am hoping it isn’t going to go full blown. But I am so sure it will. I am trying to soak in all the information I can. I am on my last two pills of presecription. I know I am going to have to go to the after hours clinic tonight. I have missed so much work over the last few months that I am scared. I am trying to get them under control. Any help would be greatly appreciated, with a young family and trying to make ends meet…this is getting really hard to deal with! Thanks.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:38:19 +0000

I was just re-reading this and I have to say that as many people that read these articles and get SO much help from them, I guarantee that you only hear from a small fraction of them.

I haven’t told you lately how much I appreciate everything that you do – all the research and work you put into this website for all of us!!

Thank you, James! God bless you and your family!

By: Aurora

Aurora — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:40:51 +0000

I finally found my migraine soulmate in you, James.

By: James

James — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:27:52 +0000

Thanks, Catherine. There’s no doubt it takes time to connect the symptoms with migraine. I get pain in one eye quite often, and it took me months, maybe years, to notice that it was connected to my migraine attacks.

One reason it’s tricky is because the symptoms don’t necessarily come right at the height of the attack – they may come hours before, or even days after!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:09:52 +0000

Thank you for confirming the whole body symptoms. Nice to know it is not just me and that it is just part of the migraine. Until triptans were invented, I did not realize that the back pain I had before and during the head pain was also migraine. Had assumed they were caused by muscle tension. When the triptans removed the back pain at the same time as the head pain, I had an eureka moment.

By: James

James — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:46:36 +0000

Thanks Carol and Kelly! Yes, sometimes I explain migraine pain and then end up by saying “Sometimes there’s head pain too”. No doubt, often the headache is the worst symptom – but even without a headache, a migraine can be nasty. Take it from one who knows…

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:25:26 +0000

Thank you!
I try to explain Migraine as not just a ‘head’ problem, but a ‘whole body’ problem. It seems the only way non-migraineurs can understand it is for them to get a migraine.

By: Kelly, Flywithhope

Kelly, Flywithhope — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:23:35 +0000

James,

Well done again.

I think any time we try to summarize this disease, it is going to be a difficult undertaking. Migraine is so different in each person, which is why treatment is not clear cut. I truly appreciate your successful attempt at summarizing Migraine. It is a hard task to do and you did a great job.

By: James

James — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:06:08 +0000

Hi Lisa,

You’re right – of course. As you noted, I did say “usually”. The problem is, we’re always talking in terms of generalities when we’re talking about migraine.

If we were talking about a deep cut in your foot, we would have to say “it (almost) always bleeds”. With a neurological disease, things are a lot more complex.

We can certainly go through ALL the symptoms and emphasize – everyone is different, and this could very well be different with you! That’s why a specialist needs to understand your medical history and look at all your symptoms, ruling out other causes, before she can give you a correct diagnosis.

Thanks for the reminder, Lisa! I hope you’re getting good treatment now that you have a diagnosis.