Mimmsical Creations

I have not disappeared into thin air, although my theoretical posts have! My energy and brain level this week has been appalingly low - therefore, no posts! No art, no creativity, etc...

I have been fighting headaches, but more specifically migraines, for about 10 years now. I go for periods of time where they aren't too bad, and then I get stuck in a period where they ARE too bad! These past 2-3 weeks have been bad. Very bad. I have a hard time functioning when I have a migraine. (as you can imagine) I've tried every medication around to prevent them from happening. I have medications that do help stop them, but I try to use it sparingly as it is EXPENSIVE!

I wake up with them, but the only thing that takes them away for good is sleep... how much sense does that make? I have a few food-triggers that I know of: peanuts, aged cheese, red wine, citrus. I avoid these things almost completely. (Peanut butter is the hardest to avoid!) Weather changes get me too. I can't control the weather! And I live in Colorado, where the weather changes at the drop of a hat - several times a day sometimes! Yikes!

My neck bothers me from an old, scary injury. (I fell down my parents' stairs when I was a jr in high school - landed square on my neck. It's a wonder I didn't break it! I've had a lot of trouble since and go to the chiropractor regularly.) And my hormones are always all out of whack - so fluctuations there cause headaches too!

My current doctor (nurse practitioner actually) has been wonderful. She has migraines herself, so she is empathetic and more than willing to try things. She gives me samples before prescribing these expensive meds. Yesterday, she had some new ideas for me. I'm already taking a blood pressure med indicated for migraines, and a birth control also indicated to help with hormonal migraines. She suggested that I add a calcium/magnesium regimen and also to take ginger pills. Apparently ginger is an anti-inflammatory. I knew it was good stuff, but didn't know that!

So, I've added these things. She also gave me samples of an epilepsy med called Topamax. I've taken it before, but this was before it was indicated for migraines. It had some positive affect, but then my insurance quit covering it. I just couldn't afford the $300+ a month for it. So... we'll see if the cal and ginger works before starting that!

I've tried massage, acupuncture, reiki (which Mike does for me - it relaxes me at the very least!) and other natural remedies... Anyone have any new ideas for me?! I'm very frustrated to say the least. But, I'm trying to get to the root of the problem. That's all I can do. And just hang on hoping for headache free days!!