Ange - New to migraine disease.
Hi I'm Ange.
Christchurch
47
Business owner/part time Administrative assistant
Not genetic nor in my family
Mother to 3 kids (This is Chloe, my youngest)
Migraine is a new thing for me, only 2 years into it with only 6 attacks under my belt.
My first ever migraine attack I thought I was dying from a stroke.
I woke one morning around 2am 2 years ago with a headache. Usually bought on by clenching my jaw and grinding my teeth. I got up for a drink of water as I usually did. Did all of this in the dark. Felt a little woozy but thought all was normal. Flicked the kitchen light on, next thing I woke on the kitchen floor, a bang to the head, thanks to the fridge being in the way. I got up, moved, vomited. My head was pounding.
I made my way to to bathroom where I got in the shower, turned it on hot. Sat in the dark with the shower running on the back of my neck. My partner arrived in around 5am to see what was happening. Crying and vomiting, was all I could do. I got back into bed with assistance and waited until the GP clinic opened at 8am.
When I presented at the GP, in pajamas, slippers a bowl to vomit in she took me to a dark room, talked to me but I don't recall much. I was given morphine, anti nausea and something I can't recall via injection. I slept at the doctors in a dark room for an hour and a half. Once home I slept until 9am the following morning.
It took 3 days to get over this first one, I was sick. There was no follow up, no bloods just sent home.
Since then I have had around 6 attacks.
I kept a diary of food, alcohol, perfume anything I can think of that would cause it. No common theme with a cause. Same starts and finishes, starts in the night, no symptoms before bed, relief with hot shower in dark room.
I have created a migraine kit,
In it I have:
Anti nausea
Tramadol
Panadol
This works most of the time if I get it in quick! If it doesn't I head to the GP where I'm jabbed, and sent home.
My GP has now prescribed me high blood pressure pills and melts. We are trying the blood pressure medication as it's high when I present with an attack. I'm on a monthly trial to see if I get any attacks, sometimes I can get 2 a month. Then none for 6 months.
Currently I see a GP, no referral to a specialist at this stage. I feel supported by my GP, he always fixes me but I am left with a 3 day hangover but I can function with that, I can't function with the pain.
My partner takes over, cares and looks after kids, knows not to wake me. He's very good.
In the early days having a kit set up, knowing what I can take helped me. I take anti nausea and tramadol, the attack is normally still there its just more live able with this combo.
My work is great, they understand and know I put I the work of 10 people when I'm there. I've been taken from work in an ambulance so they are aware it's real.
Advice I would give to someone going through the early stages of diagnosis and treatment is:
Find that combo that works for you.
Find the right combo of meds to take to relieve it so you can make choices about what to do next.
Medication is not always everyone's route, but until I know what causes my attacks, how to stop them from happening, then my 1st aid kit is medication, sleep, showers, water, and doctors.