more about me

Well some info about me. My journey with Migraines is not as important to me as my quest for finding a treatment/remedy/cure for my wife and the Migraines she deals with.

But as she often tells me, my pains are important to her as hers are to me.

So here is some back story of my journeys with Migraines.

The first thing I can recall is its 2000 and my wife waking me up in the middle of the night in our old apartment. She says I stopped breathing. I don't believe her. But I do know I had a headache and I felt awful. During the day I always felt sleepy. As if I never get enough sleep. But I don't get it I sometimes sleep 10-12 hrs a day Naps included. This routine of snoring and sometimes my wife waking me up or myself waking up to find out she is not in bed next to me but she's sleeping on the couch because I was snoring too loud again. Since long as I can remember prior I would often migraines. They never seemed to be overtly terrible but at evening and night they would bother me so bad I could barely function. Things I would notice: Odd & annoying sounds. Music that would normally calm me would sound irritating and sometimes even make me wince. I'd hear weird sounds too. Stuff I might not normally notice, would become extremely annoying. Taste would be off, foods would lose taste or get too salty or I'd crave really salty foods. And lights. Lights of different kinds would seem to drive me bonkers... especially Flickering lights... the worst kind would be either Strobing light or If a Light was above a ceiling Fan and then I'd see the shadow of every fan blade repeating over over over again. That would really piss me off. I'd feel like GOD TURN IT OFF! And I get the shakes and I'd feel panic and I'd notice every itch and feel like every Nerve was on overdrive.

The worst ones were the migraines that made me feel like I was sick all over. Its like all I could do was lay in bed with a blindfold on my eyes, earplugs in my ears, a cold rag on my forehead and sleep was all I hoped for. I could sleep for 4 or 5 hours. Wake up feel decent and then be ok. My doctor started me on some different medicines and had me keep a headache journal. I'd often forget to write in it. The 1st big medicine I remember being prescribed was Imitrex. I knew some about Imitrex because my wife had been prescribed it but she couldn't take it as She said it made her feel like she was dying. I never knew what she really meant till I had to take it. I felt like my blood pressure dropped or rose, I don't remember which. It made my neck stiff and my joints felt like I was becoming rigid. Long and short is I stopped taking Imitrex very soon.
Another trip to doctor and they prescribed me something called Midrin. Well let me tell you Midrin was almost a miracle drug. I could take 1 capsule if I knew a Migraine was coming and it would knock it out. If my pain was really bad, I'd take two and then goto sleep, Which was the best solution cause Midrin is a strong narcotic and almost every medicine I seem to take thats stronger than Tylenol seems to make me sleepy.

Sleep was the main thing I never seemed to get enough of. Backtrack to the beginning on my Adult Migraine experience and I can remember the Same Common Theme... My wife waking me up in the middle of the night saying I stopped Breathing. And I always was too stubborn or I balked at the idea. Sure I snored, I had woke myself up many times even cause I heard myself snore. But I never thought for one minute that I stopped breathing. The Migraines would come now 2-3 a month... I know not as bad a some people but for me It was bad. I was used to only getting One every few months. It was now 2001 and at work I'd fall asleep at a moments notice. It was embarrassing to have a coworker and one time even my boss walk over to my cubicle and wake me up. I did not know I was asleep. I was very embarrassed and felt terrible. Whatever this was was affecting my Job too.... Ok Time for a serious visit to a doctor.

My regular doctor wasn't available. So I went to see someone else in the family practice. A guy, his name is Dr. Albert. I remember him cause I remember asking him what a D.O. was and why wasn't he a M.D. He told me he was an Osteopathic Doctor. And he told me as an Osteopathic Doctor he believed in more than just doling out drugs like most M.D.'s
Shoot, All I know is this, Dr. Albert seemed like he knew something different. I was willing to try anything. I knew most of the medicines I was taking weren't doing much for me, and I had the inkling that the Sleep problem I had been having were linked to my Migraines. He felt that my Sleeping problems were more than just a side illness, he felt my Migraines were directly caused by whatever sleep problem I had. Onward to the Sleep clinic.

I had a brief idea about Sleep Apnea. My mother in law had been diagnosed with it and had been using a CPAP for several years. Never in my life did I think I had Sleep Apnea. That First Sleep Study was very weird. I had ideas what to expect. I did not sleep very well at all. I guess that was a good thing cause it meant those Clinicians could better diagnose me. A second Sleep study was ordered for a few weeks later. I remember the 2nd one vividly because just 4 hours into I was awoken by the Clinic person and they fitted me with one of their CPAP's. I slept for another 2 hrs or so and that machine was weird but, I swear to God it was like the Best 2 hr Nap I ever had. A few more visits to that Sleep Clinic, and they told me that 1st night I have over 450 Sleep Apnea Events. With some events lasting up to 40 seconds. There were times I stopped breathing for 40 Seconds!!! No WONDER I was having Migraines and Falling Asleep at various times... I WAS SLEEP STARVED! Within the week I was fitted with my own CPAP machine. It was bulky, but it became my new best pal.

My Migraines seemed to clear up pretty much after that. I've been dealing with Sleep Apnea now for maybe a dozen years that I knew about, and for about 8 years I've used my CPAP. I cannot sleep at night or take a nap without my CPAP. If I do sleep without my CPAP then I start to get Migraines bad again. Now I rarely get Migraines as bad as I did. I seem to know when they are coming... I take an Esgic Plus or a Midrin and attempt to get more rest and avoid the triggers like Flickering Lights, Stress, Not eating, and Caffeine.

Well thats basically me thus far. My main focus for this blog however is trying to help my wife and trying to find a cure or something for her Migraines.

Peace,

Luke R.