Finding a Job That Works with My Migraines

Working while suffering from chronic migraines can be very difficult.  There are times when I am unable to go in because I am completely laid up with a migraine, I am so exhausted from having a migraine or I am so medicated that I can't concentrate and I am dragged out.

It can be very difficult if not impossible to hold a regular 8-5 job.  People don't always understand that one migraine can last for days or even weeks.  It's not just a matter of taking a pill and its over.  And besides the pain there is the nausea, sensitivity to light and sound.  For some, including me, they have trouble with their eyes.  I can't hardly read anything because my eyes won't focus.  If you have never had a migraine you don't know the pain and everything that comes with it.  

But what do you do when you need to work, you need to earn an income for you and your family?  I have begun to look for alternative work.  Something I can do from home or set my own hours.  But what?  That is the question and the challenge.  

Using an Electronic Massager to Treat Migraines

Oddly enough, while attending a travel show there was a booth that was promoting an electronic device that is used to relax muscles and stimulate nerves.  When I went to the 

chiropractor they used a similar device.  The device has four pads that you place on the areas of tension for you.  For migraines it is suggested that you place them on your shoulders, upper back and neck.

The pads are connected to wires and when it is turned on it will send a small electronic pulse causing the muscles to contract and then release.  You can control the intensity as well as various pulse patterns.  For example one feels like vibrating while another feels like pounding. 

It’s a little weird at first because your muscles are contracting without you controlling it but I find it to be very relaxing.  With some of my migraines I can feel it in my left shoulder beforehand.  The muscles in my shoulder will start tightening up to the point it’s painful.  When this starts to happen I will put this device on in order to loosen that muscle up.

You can find these devices on Amazon from $20 to $199.  They go by different names, if you search for electronic muscle stimulator or electronic pulse massager, you will find a wide variety of these devices.  

Finding the Right Doctor

When I first started getting migraines my general physician was pumping me full of heavy duty pain killers that were making me sick.  He was treating the pain but not the migraines.  So I decided to seek out the help of a neurologist.  This neurologist tried several different medications but with minimal success.  When I told him I was only getting a few days a month off from the migraines and wanted to try something else he told me that was as good as I was going to get and I had to just deal with it.

 

After this I found a new neurologist who put me on Pamelor  and Calan.  I got a little better results but the Calan was a concern because it could cause an irregular heartbeat so I had to have regular checkups for my heart and that risk along with the elevated risk factor of heart problems from the pain killers was a huge concern.  The Pamelor also cause a lot of weight gain.  It makes you feel like you are starving all the time no matter how much you eat so I was constantly eating.  Even though in my head I knew I couldn’t be hungry I still had that sick feeling from being really, really hungry.

This is when I found a migraine website that helps people find migraine specialist in your area.  After doing a search I found a doctor and made an appointment.  He was the first doctor that brought up Botox to me.  He took me off the Pamelor and Calan, put me on Topamax and started Botox injections.  The Topamax helped but it took away my sense of taste.  Food either tasted like cardboard or so disgusting I couldn’t eat it.  So unfortunately I had to reduce the amount of Topamax I was taking which affected how well it worked.  It also caused bone loss so I was heading for osteoporosis.

Sadly this doctor moved away which left me without a neurologist.  The medical center sent me to a pain specialist for my Botox injections and pain meds but my migraines are so bad that I feel I need to see a neurologist to see if there are any other options for me.  The hard part is finding the right neurologist. 

Not all doctors are equal and have equal knowledge about migraine treatments.  It’s important to find a doctor that listens to you and will work with you to find the best treatment for you.  My first two doctors did not do this, they just handed me some pills and said this is as good as it will ever get for you. 

I am not willing to accept this, this can’t be as good as it gets for me.  I am not willing to give up and I want a doctor that won’t either.  So if you’re not getting what you need from your doctor you shouldn’t hesitate to seek out another one. 

Find a migraine specialist:   www.mychronicmigraine.com/

Faking Being Well

It is hard enough trying to deal with debilitating migraines but its even harder when you have to fake being well so nobody will know that you are sick.

Because I am not getting the support and understanding I need from certain people, I find myself pretending I am well and feeling good so nobody will know I am sick... again.

When someone is having a level 10 migraine the pain shows on their face but for me I have to put on a smile and try to hide that pain.  I have to go about my day as though I am feeling fine when in reality I am screaming inside from the pain and all I want to do is lay down and pull a blanket over my head.

I know it's hard when your sick all the time but people need to understand you can't control it.  You don't want to be sick anymore then they want you to be and there pressure is just adding to your illness.

This is why it's so important to find a good support system and connect with people who truly understand what you are going through.

Using Medical Marijuana to Treat Migraines

Medical Marijuana

There is still a fear in people in taking medical marijuana.  There is a fear that people will think you are a drug addict or your just saying you need it for medical purposes as an excuse to smoke pot.   

But the reality is that many people swear by marijuana as a way to relieve their migraine pain.  They like of the idea of using something more natural than the harsh prescription pain killers. 

Medical marijuana is becoming more accepted by people for treating many different illnesses.  And contrary to what people believe you don’t have to be getting high to find relief.  CBD form of Marijuana that’s out the ingredient THC which is what makes you high.

For migraines a product called a Trokie is recommended.  It is a small tab that dissolves in your mouth.  You place it in your cheek and it slowly dissolves over 30 to 45 minutes and it delivers a consist dose of medical cannabis. 

It comes in different strengths and flavors.  You will need a medical marijuana card or certificate, which is fairly easy to get and can actually be obtained online for a small fee.  The product itself can also be ordered online so you don’t have to go into a dispensary or deal with anyone face to face.

I see medical marijuana following the path of medical Botox.  At first it was not accepted by people as a legitimate from of medical treatment but then over time as people saw the benefits of the product and how much it helped people, they will began to accept it.  I think it will be the same for medical marijuana. 

And until people know what it’s like to be in constant, excruciating pain who are they to judge how you treat your condition.  Medical Marijuana does not have the side effects a lot of prescription medications have.  Side effects that are sometimes just as bad if not worse than the condition you are treating.

If you decide to try Trokies or another form of medical marijuana buy only a small amount to try at first.  Like I said some people swear by it and get amazing results while others get no results at all.  And as always with any medication be responsible with taking it.