my-graines

it took years before i realized that not everyone had a headache every day. suffering through one was so commonplace for me, that i assumed everyone was the same.

in fact, i cannot remember a time when i didn't suffer with a headache. it wasn't every single day, but it was easily 6 days a week. there would be months where i had a headache every day.

as a small child, they were so bad they would cause me to vomit. turns out now i was suffering from migraines (which often cause kids to vomit), but at the time it was assumed my severe allergies were causing me to swallow copious amounts of mucus, which created the vomiting. that might've had a play in it, but migraines were certainly at play as well.

i don't have headaches every day, now. thankfully. i've gotten my allergies mostly under control through a combination of immunotherapy (shots) and pharmaceuticals (Zyrtec is a godsend). this has curtailed the daily sinus headahce (or mostly). but, the migraines still persist.

it wasn't until recently, though, that i was diagnosed with migraines. i was always told my headaches were due to sinusitis, allergies, etc.
but, about a year ago i began to see these really weird flashing, colored lights in my field of vision, in only my right eye. i thought i was having a stroke. the lights grew until my nearly my entire field of vision was covered with scintillating color. like blinking rainbows. very strange.

i went to our doctor, and she told me that these are called >migraine auras (mine look almost exactly like this), they are fairly rare, and that migraines typically evolve over time which accounts for the new symptoms. she also suffers from migraines, so she has some experience.

anyway, i got them about once a week. no headaches followed (which turns out to be a real phenomenon, though rare). they have since gone away, but the headaches have returned. the typically light sensitivity, throbbing pain (like your brain playing drums with itself against the inside of your skull), etc. i get them about once a month, or so.

had a few this christmas break. not sure why.

unfortunately, the only cure is sleep.

i haven't had an aura in 6 months or so. i kinda miss them. they were pretty. a little disconcerting, but pretty.

if any of you suffer from migraines, tell me your symptoms. there are so many, and everyone's are different. auditory sensitivity? tunnel vision? field of vision disturbances?

if not, count yourselves lucky. they suck.

have a happy and safe new year's eve and day, folks!