Take Control, and Don't Give Up!!

I ran into a really interesting article on another forum, and wanted to share it here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/09/AR2007110902105.html

I think one of the most important messages for anyone ill or under a doctor's care is to remember you know your body best. This article illustrates that point so well. Nelson (patient in the article) keeps saying he feels like it is an ENT problem, and none of the ENT doctors look more closely because they state they don't have proof of his assertions. Migraines can be just as difficult to get help for, with patients often going to several doctors before finding one who will listen and is able to help. It is important to remember you don't have to bow to everything a doctor says out of the respect for authority you had driven into you when you were a child, or the feelings that because they are a doctor they automatically know more than you. It is your right to question, and make sure you fully understand why a specific treatment is being prescribed the way it is. If you are uncomfortable, or feel there is more going on then is being addressed you also have the right to express that. Word to the wise would be to question and express respectfully, and politely...you're wanting to build a team with your doctor to combat your illness not continually burn angry bridges. And one of the greatest messages from this article...DON'T GIVE UP! This man went through 60 doctors before finding a specialist who listened to him, understood, had the training and specialized in the field he needed, and cared enough to help. Those people are out there, sometimes it just takes a LOT of searching. But don't give up. He lived with constant headache pain for 6 years, and had he given up would have continued to live with that pain. Instead, he woke up one morning completely headache free. If you've lived in constant pain, you know both the desire to give up and the ultimate motivation of a pain free life. You deserve the pain free life. Wishing everyone reading this a peaceful day!

A little bit about me...

I have had migraines since I was a teenager, but wasn't diagnosed with them until I was in college. The first time I ever had a migraine I thought I had the stomach flu. Up until then the stomach flu was the one of the worst pains I had felt, had sudden onset, and was the only thing I threw up from on a continuous basis from. When I had more than one "stomach flu" in one month I went to my family doctor, only to find out the blinding head pain and vomiting were migraines not a flu.

From there until where I am today has been one hell of a journey *grin*. My migraines grew progressively worse until for a year and a half I was bedridden, completely debilitated by what felt like one long, never ending migraine (turns out it was actually thousands of individual migraines constantly overlapping each other). I'll spare you guys the long story, and just say I tried everything from eastern to western medicine, and lots of things in between looking for pain relief and help. Literally tens of thousands of dollars went to practioners who promised they could help, only to realize months later that I was out of their league. It wasn't until I was referred to a neurologist who specializes in migraines I finally found the help I had been seeking. It was so nice to not only have someone really listen to me, but to have someone actually have answers to my questions!

With the help of the neurologist, and research I did on my own I've come almost full circle. I still get migraines occasionally, but nothing compared to the debilitating, constant pain I was once in. Since realizing my own goal of regaining health, it has been my goal to reach out to others living with migraines. Migraines was described by one person as a "medical mystery" disease which I thought very appropriate. There really aren't any outward signs of distress or injury, so many assume migraines can't really be as bad as they're made out to be. Migraine can be a very isolating disease (yep, it is a disease). I honestly thought I was the only person who had migraines as bad as I did...it wasn't until I got control of my health that I found there are so many others out there in similar positions! I never want anyone to feel lonely, isolated, depressed, or the physical pain of migraines. I know I can't eradicate migraines from the world, but my goal is to share with others through personal experience (and from the mass amount of reaseach I've done and continue to do) that no one with migraines is in a hopeless situation. Finding the path to your specific treatment plan that works on your migraines takes time and patience, but know and be empowered knowing there are things even right now you can start doing to begin to take back your life and start to live pain free! Hopefully, this will be a good resource for care givers as well. I always welcome questions and comments! I would love for this to become a safe, secure place for those suffering (or surviving *smile*) a not often openly discussed disease to relax and be able to relate with each other.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, healthy day!