Forever In Search Of my Muse

~~~~ I HATE MIGRAINES!!!!!!!!! i have been getting them since i was in high school for sure and maybe even before that. After some research on the Internet and talking to several doctors about it i found out that young children often feel migraines as abdominal pains that seem to come on for no reason and last between 24 to 72 hours just like a migraine.

~~~~ When i would get migraines in high school my family did not believe that my "headaches" were as bad as i was saying they were so i often had to go to school with a migraine. Thankfully my band director was able to help reduce or elevate the pain by pushing on some pressure points in my hands and feet. (That was the only time i could stand to have my feet touched but that is a whole other thing.)

~~~~ i was finally diagnosed with Chronic Migraine Syndrome about 5 years ago after working an *Nsync concert and having a migraine that almost took my vision completely away and left me vomiting from the pain. After working the first night of the concert i came down with the migraine but still went work the second day and ended up being carried to the First Aid Room by a very good friend of mine who was also working the concert. my oldest step-daughter was there with some friends of the family so when the concert was over they took both my step-daughter and i home. Once i got home three of my other friends where there and they took care of me until my then husband got home and called the doctor. A prescription for Vicodin was called into a 24hr pharmacy for me so that i could deal with the pain that night.

~~~~ i have tried many prescriptions to treat my migraines. First they had me try Imitrex in the pill form and that did nothing for me. So then i tried Imitrex in the nasal spray form and had a complete blackout. i did not remember getting dressed after taking my shower or feeding my kids or anything. i had to ask the kids the next day if i gave them dinner. i was told we went to Old Country Buffet and i asked where the food was but i did not remember any of it. Needless to say i will never take that again it scared the crap out of me to know that i did not remember anything from an entire night of my life. Then they had me try taking Inderal to try and lower my blood pressure but it lowered it to much and i was having very bad dizzy spells so they took me off of that and i went on Epidrin (generic for Midrin). This i have been taking for about 4.5 years and i relieves the pain enough that i can usually sleep off the migraine because it also makes me tired. i was on birth control for about 2 years and they helped with my migraines as well as my horrible cramping that i get.

~~~~ i also have to watch what i eat because food can trigger migraines as well as a myriad of other things, many of which doctors have not figured out yet.

Foods that can be Migraine triggers include:

• * Vegetables
• beans
• pickles
• chili peppers
• olives (i love these)
  
• * Fruits
• dried fruits
• avocados
• red plums
• bananas
• * Breads
• any fresh yeast product straight from the oven
• yeast breads
• pizza
• soft pretzels
• * Meats and seafood
• any preserved or processed meat
• bacon (i love this)
• hot dogs
• sausage
• nuts/peanut butter (i love these)
  
• * Dairy products
• aged cheeses
• sour cream
• whole milk (this is the only kind of milk i drink)
• yogurt (love this too)
• * Beverages
• alcoholic beverages, especially red wine
• chocolate beverages
• caffeinated beverages
• * Miscellaneous
• anything with MSG
• artificial sweeteners
• vinegar
• chocolate (love this too)