I Am Still Alive

4/23/2018

Sorry to drop off the planet like that, but I did warn you it might happen. Many thanks to those friends who checked in with me last week. I really appreciated it.

I have tons of stuff to share - the show, some super cool hot weather finds, and a photo of Izzy's sire. That will all have to wait a day or so. I may be alive, but I am still NQR (not quite right for all you non-horsey folks).

My MRI came back clear, so that was sort of a relief. I say sort of a relief because no brain tumor means we still don't know why the frequency of migraines has increased so suddenly.

Yes to all of them.

I also had a thorough eye exam by my ophthalmologist which also revealed no issues. And she checked. She ran every eyeball to brain test that she could think of. Again, I was mostly happy to get a clean bill of health. It's not like I want a tumor or blood clot or something equally terrible, but it would sure be nice to land on some kind of a cause, preferably one that doesn't require surgery or me losing any part of my body.

As of today, I am mostly migraine free, but I still pack around a daily headache that ranges from a 1 - 3 on the pain scale. I am on a couple of medications that seem to be fixing things, most notably the weird sleep pattern and bizarre dreams. Yeah. Sleeping for an hour and a half at a time while the Cartoon Network loops over and over in your dreams is not okay. Just saying.

I see the neurologist again today. I have a long list of questions for him, some that are nuts and bolts type things while others are suggestions friends have made. I really hope that ear piercing thing gets a thumbs down because I really don't want yet another thing that I need to medicate and look after. The ER doctor gave a whatever eye roll to acupuncture (although he did say it wouldn't hurt me), so I am curious to hear what the neurologist thinks.

I'll be back. :0)

Jan link

4/23/2018 05:41:58 am

Ugh, when I didn't see a show recap I was worried your headaches were getting bad again or something happened. Mine are worse this spring, lasting several days and coming much more often, but not on the scale of yours. I hope you find an answer soon, or at least a way to make it bearable. Feel better!

Bakersfield Dressage link

4/23/2018 07:33:34 am

Thanks, Jan. We just can't figure out what is causing them all of a sudden. The bummer is we might not ever know. If I can just get it under control, I'll be happy with the not knowing. :0)

emma link

4/23/2018 07:19:06 am

ugh that's terrible about the headaches, good luck with the diagnostics. my coworker had a similar experience with increasing headaches that led her to pursue medical interventions. in her case, it turned out that she has a coconut allergy and coconut oil is apparently *everywhere*, including in the k-cup coffees we have in our office. getting coconut oil out of her diet resolved her issues almost completely. not suggesting that's the same thing going on with you, but my fingers are crossed that you can likewise find some similar solution that brings relief!

4/23/2018 07:37:26 am

An allergy is something I am definitely looking into, but we can't think of anything that is new or different. My husband developed a weird skin rash a few months back. We're pretty sure it was from the laundry detergent I bought - same brand, different scent. We've switched to a "free and gentle" laundry soap which seemed to help him. Even the doctor couldn't say for sure what my husband reacted to. When I see the doctor today, I am hoping he can offer some insight. Thank you for your concern. :0)

JenJ

4/23/2018 07:22:45 am

Glad to hear you're healthy, minus the craptastic headaches. I sincerely hope the neurologist is able to help, and that the headaches go away completely!

4/23/2018 07:38:05 am

I love it, "craptastic headaches." LOL!!!!

Addie Kingsland link

4/23/2018 08:16:14 am

I've been there! At least in the no-diagnosis-for-chronic-pain-land. There's a point where you'd rather have a blood clot than no answer. It's like... disappointing to get a clean bill of health. I know. Hang in there! You -will- figure it out.

As for acupuncture, a lot of medical professionals are really dismissive of it, but there are some corner cases where it can be useful. Generally speaking, the act of having needles placed in you will cause an endorphin release, specifically serotonin and dopamine (and possibly some oxytocin depending on the tech performing the acupuncture). -IF- your headaches are being caused by a neurotransmitter imbalance, this -COULD- help.

Obviously you should listen to what your neurologist says over taking the advice of random internet strangers, but I expect the consensus will be something along the lines of, "it can't hurt to try."

I'll reiterate a past comment about chronic pain: it's a special level of suckitude that healthy people just can't comprehend. You are not alone in this. The questions of "will I ever get better?" are totally normal, as are the hoping-for-blood-clots thoughts (not saying that you are having those thoughts now, but if they do show up, know they're part of the process).

It may take a really long time, but you and your medical team will eventually figure out what's causing these headaches/migraines. Hang in there! You can do it!

4/23/2018 04:56:34 pm

Thanks for taking the time to share. I love the word "suckitude" - it describes things perfectly! I tend to be a glass half full kind of person, but this has definitely challenged my level of Pollyannaness. :0)

I did ask the nurse practitioner (I saw her instead of the doctor, but I really liked her) about acupuncture. In her experience it works for about 50% of migraine sufferers. She was totally open to the idea. We agreed to wait a bit to see if the meds are working. Sometimes when we throw too many solutions at a problem, we're not sure which one did the trick!

As for a "cause," the good news is that we may have found one. I am in my late 40s - just the right age to be premenopausal. So yah?!?!?! The bad news is that the premenopausal things can last for YEARS!!!! Or, months. :0)

4/24/2018 07:50:15 am

Good luck finding your cause! A diagnosis is, honestly, the majority of the battle. I hope it is pre-menopause, because then you can start looking for solutions and that always feels much better. :)

Patti Strauch, DVM

4/23/2018 08:17:56 am

Gosh, hope you get some relief soon! Almost everyone in my family has migraines.

I used to get them frequently until getting 33 silver(mercury) fillings removed from the mouth. Go figure.

4/23/2018 04:58:07 pm

Thanks, Patti. :0) I had a huge list of things that I ran by the doctor, and your dental one made the list. As of right now, we're thinking I may be premenopausal (I am 47 - just the right age. :0)

Darcy

4/23/2018 11:11:39 am

Unfortunately, I am the queen of migraines. Most of mine are hormone based. But many of them “can” be stress, allergy (pollen season and hay- which I can’t escape) kill me, and it turns out I have some fairly serious food sensitivities, even though my dr swore up and down that was ridiculous. Coming off all gluten and going nearly keto- high protein/fat is good really makes a big difference for me. There are many herbs/spices and some food triggers like many tomato sauces, strong cheese... yards yadda. I had to do a very strict food restriction diet to be sure, though some I suspected for a while.

4/23/2018 04:59:40 pm

I hope it's not food ... :0( As of right now, we're going with the premenopausal thing. I am the right age, 47. Next up, an appointment with the OBGYN. Oh, goodie!

Stephanie

4/23/2018 11:35:11 am

I get migraines and have several perscriptions to help when they hit. However, Chiropractic care is DEFINITELY helping my headaches in general and migraines in specific. I don't know if you're seeing a chiropractor, but if not I highly recommend it.

4/23/2018 05:01:27 pm

I do have a chiropractor actually, and I even had a deep tissue massage a few weeks ago. So far we're thinking hormonal. Speaking of the chiropractor, I just called Izzy's guy who should be showing up some time this week. Priorities, right?! :0)

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