museumworker's quest to consign mortgage to history!

museumworker

As you might have seen from my last post, am getting troubled with migraines again. I had a bad one just a week before, so think I am averaging 3-4 a month. I feel sick, get double vision or cloudy vision, pain in my back and neck, and just want to hide away - on top of the pounding pain in my head and sinuses. I did get seen for them many years ago, and was on medication daily to prevent them. However, I really don't want to have to go back on it, as it is nasty stuff. I'm going to start recording them, probably on here as I am here everyday anyway, and if I am getting too many will ask the doctor to refer me back to the hospital. Head better today, although a bit twinge-y and so I'm a bit scared I'll get another one. Any tips from other migraine sufferers gladly appreciated!

Woke up 330 this morning, and lay there for some time. Tube strike today, so quite a battle but got in, have to leave early to pick up DD as will be an epic 1hour 40 min journey - if all goes according to plan!! Going to check whether can claim back from mytubewaslate . com.

Not much more money stuff to report - architect has been booked for the loft, and the council informed of the work :j. Start date provisionally 18 Oct, a bit later than we hoped, but still will be over by Xmas and mean that we have an extra pay packet to help pay for the thing! Got a free voucher for biscuits from waitrose, hoping to pick up today/tomorrow and keep to get out when people come over. At work, I am working on a talk I am giving on Thursday that I'm very nervous about, although enjoying the research part of it. The invoices have gone out bar about 5 which I need to sort out today.

And Friday is on for picking my clothes from my recent win :j!!!

museumworker

Yikes, just sponsored a friend running the Berlin marathon for charity - £15 off the personal budget, means have £85 left til end of month :eek:!

CathT

I sympathise with the migraines, I get them too. I think my trigger is dehydration and skipping meals, mainly get them at work. I used to be left with a huge headache but find the nausea is the worst part when I get them now (although not had one for a few months *touch wood*)
Have you managed to work out what triggers yours?

museumworker

I think my triggers are too much time on the computer - at work though, I don't really get them at home from that, strangely. Also, I am having breakfast later now at work, if my blood sugar dips I normally get a migraine so I bought some bananas yesterday so that I can have one when I leave the house to keep me going until proper breakfast at work (I've usually been on my feet for an hour and a half at least before I get to eat!). Another thing is stress - the one last week was on the way back from the talk that I gave - I was really nervous about it, drank quite a bit of coffee, and then felt dreadful a few hours later.

Will keep on monitoring, and hope by better controlling stress, eating patterns, and drinking enough water I can keep the number down .... not too much to ask, although it feels like it at the moment :rotfl:!!

In attempt to combat stress, the comps and surveys are out the window this week. I am giving a public talk tomorrow that I'm nervous about, and have been trying to focus on that and not do too much more. I also think i have caught man flu off a friend I saw on Saturday :rotfl: as feeling under the weather. Am taking high dose vitamin c and some echinacea to try and ward it off. Had important assessment visit for the museum today too, which went well, so all in all a bit of a busy week at work, and mfw stuff has to take a bit of a back seat.

[Deleted User]

mw sorry to hear about the migranes...
I dont suffer from them but have a couple of other health problems that can be triggered by stress, food, caffeine and it can be incredibly frustrating indeed and really intefere with life and work! good luck with managing them and I really hope you feel better soon! wouldnt worry too much about mfw , life has to take priority too !

museumworker

thanks tyo - to be honest I think it will be a life affliction on and off, as I had my first one at 18, although at least the severity and frequency has decreased, and I did have a good period without any at all.

To combat stress: bought ready made mash, ready to roast veg and salmon for dinner tonight. Was still in MFW mode though, as the mash was 40p, the veg 70p, and the salmon £2.50. Not the cheapest meal I've ever made, but for stress free and healthy dinner for two, was very happy. Long life asda whoopsies!

Back to the talk...

saver-j

Hi mw, another lurker here :hello:
Just wanted to say hope you find some respite from migraines and they don't keep increasing in frequency. I get them sometimes with no clear reason but often with stress, normally just after the stress has finished, so you have my sympathy. I used to get them much more frequently though and was on daily meds about 10 - 12 years ago, but I had a course of acupuncture which, though I was sceptical before, really seemed to help as I didn't have one for several years after, to the extent that when I next did get one I didn't realise the signs and collapsed now I get them a few times a year, which is still loads better than I was. May be worth a try?

j

museumworker

:hello: back to you saver-j, I like to hear from my lurkers!
:eek: to the collapsing, I have only ever passed out once, although get double vision all the time, shaking fits and FEEL like I'm going to collapse - normally I lie down by then!

Yes, I am thinking about alternative treatments if need be - hoping monitoring will give me a better idea of how bad they are. Glad to hear that acupuncture worked, although I have a phobia of needles, the mere thought makes me _pale_ but not ruling it out! How long a course did you need in the end, and roughly how much should I budget?

Am also considering cranial osteopathy as had old boss who used to swear by it.

I must sound like a right hippy type - normally I am more than happy to go with mainstream doctors, however as mentioned the medication they put me on is really bad for your kidneys - and if you get pregnant. Which I did. By mistake. Spent 20 weeks not knowing if DD would be born without a skull, or another serious defect. As mentioned before, are considering another mini-museumworker in the future, so don't want to experience that fear again!

[Deleted User]

hey mw
well done on cheap (and yummy sounding !) dinner!
I have tried accupuncture in the past and found it really helps, it can be expensive tho £40 + a session and they usually suggest you go for 6 or so - depending on the issue I guess. If you are in london I know there are some training schools around there, that might be a way of getting it cheaper! the needles are tiny , you cant feel them , but that might not help!

I think a lot of the alternative/holistic therapies can be really useful for chronic conditions especially if there is a stress/mind-body link...expensive, but then Id priorities health over MF!

hope your feelin better today

CathT

Glad your assessment at work went well. There seem to be a few bugs around at the moment. Time of year perhaps?
Low blood sugar is one of my triggers too, do you get an intense craving for sugar. I find i end up taking codeine and eating something sugary to help, seems to work for me. Definitely why i think i get them more at work - lack of breaks, long periods without a drink etc.

Hope everything at work settles down so so you can get back to being MF! Isn't life just too busy at times?