Migraines and Going Blind

The first time I had a migraine was also the first sign that something was wrong with my eyes. It was back in the mid-90s and my head was hurting like someone was banging it with a hammer. The slightest movement would send throbbing pain through my head. These headaches would come and go with no warning. When they did, I would go and lay in the bed being perfectly still, turn off all the lights and place a cold washcloth over my face and just ride it out. Regular over the counter meds didn’t help much. Before that time, I rarely dealt with headaches except if dealing with typical stress, tiredness or hunger. I would hear people talk about migraines but I barely understood what they were dealing with. I was clueless about their pain. It wasn’t until I started to go blind that I fully got it. That I understood the ramifications of a migraine. Once I got into a doctor to see what was happening with my eyes the migraines decreased and then totally disappeared.

Migraines and Sleeping Disorder

Fast ford several years later and I was diagnosed with non-24 sleep wake disorder also connected to my blindness. This disorder causes my sleep clock to be off track. I take meds to help but it is not a cure and you can read the details in a previous post. As the years progressed, I would wake up around 3 a.m. with a mind-blowing headache that was out of this world. I began to flashback to when I first went blind and thinking how similar the headaches    were except, they only came in the early morning. It was happening often and I started taking OTC meds frequently. After taking the meds my head no longer hurt but I would be physically exhausted like I had been in the boxing ring with a heavy weight champion and got the living crap beaten out of me! Sometimes I would be too tired to get up for work; calling out for a sick day. I was grateful that I had an understanding employer and not a too hectic work schedule. Since this was in the early hours of the morning the migraines disrupted my sleep making it hard to go back to sleep or if I did the alarm was ringing as soon as I got a good rhythm going. Needless to say, I was miserable but putting up with it. It wasn’t until a guy I was dating at the time pushed me to seek medical attention. So, I finally went in to see a neurologist and was diagnosed with migraines. The doctor took my blindness and sleeping disorder into consideration but was not able to give a clear reason for the migraines. I was put on a prescription and noticed a decrease in the number of times I had a full-blown migraine in the morning. Things changed for the better and what I realized is that I needed to do more self-care.

National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

This month is National Migraine & Headache Awareness Month. The theme is “A New Era of Care,” reflecting the wave of innovation in treatments and approaches to managing headache and migraine disease. CHAMP, the Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients created this awareness month and is comprised of organizations sending a unified message about headache and migraine diseases. Every June they dedicate the month to spreading awareness and education through various campaigns and initiatives.

World Migraine Summit

I got into a steady routine with my migraine meds and doctor appointments. Things moved along okay until this year. In March I attended the World Migraine Summit remotely and learned so much. It was a free 9-day event and addressed various aspects of how migraines impact your life. I learned about migraines and race. Migraines and gender. Migraines and food/nutrition. Migraines and exercise. Migraines and medical treatment. Migraines and sleep. The list goes on and on. I walked away understanding that I needed to take it up a notch with my self-care. I had gotten lax because I had stop writing in my headache journal and was taking OTC meds with my prescription. I realized that I needed to take the bull by the horns and get more assertive with the care of my migraines. So, I made four major changes.

Four Life Changes

1.  I purchased an Ice Beanie and Migraine Cold Pack, which I learned about from my favorite Friday night show-The Shar Tank. This little soft cap has slots for ice packs and you wear it on your head to help with migraines. I know it might sound strange or a bit silly. But it actually works! Cross my heart, it really does.

2.  Since my migraines come during my sleep, I made changes in my sleep routine. I have always known that a cooler room temperature helps in sleeping. My thermostat was already turned down low, but I purchase two cooling pillows. I also changed my sleeping attire to cotton tank tops and pajama shorts. I get hot at night and I knew if I could stay cool while sleeping that would not only help me sleep better but help reduce my migraines.

3.  I changed my diet. I have been slowly moving to a plant-based approach. So, eating more veggies, fruits, and even tofu is a part of my meals now. Drinking more homemade protein shakes for needed protein. I have also switched to taking liquid multi vitamins for better absorption and digestion.

4.  The last new change I am making is to see a new neurologist. Not that my current doctor is bad, but I need to shake things up a bit and get some new eyes on my chart. Sometimes it is good to get a new prospective when you have been dealing with something for a long time. Things change and there are new developments. So, I want to see what is out there and explore my options.

Implementing these changes have already produced positive results. I barely take OTC drugs anymore yet still take my prescription med regularly. Although I still wake up at 3 a.m.  I seldom have a headache. I am cautiously optimistic because I don’t know if my blindness or sleeping disorder is the cause of my migraines. I don’t know how long these positive changes will last. I don’t know if making more changes or seeing a new doctor will give me the answer. But one thing I do know is that taking better care of myself will help me to be healthier and happier.