"I lay face down on the pillow and scream": How do I live with a migraine?
Despite the fact that many migraines sufferIt is often not diagnosed on time. It does not help the situation that we are accustomed to using "migraine" and "headache" as synonyms, although the first is a serious neurological disease that requires special treatment. We have already told how it arises and which drugs are most effective, but today we turn to personal experience: Margarita Vorobyova, having spent several months on diagnosis and a considerable amount of money, explains what it is like to live with a migraine.
My name is Rita, I am twenty-four years old, I work as a senior social networking specialist on Elena Krygina’s team, and part-time as her photographer and videographer. I live with my beloved partner Sergey and the cat Eraser; we had a second cat Pencil, but he tragically died two months ago. During the period of acute illness, I worked as a veterinary medical assistant in the clinic, but because of the strong migraine attacks, I had to leave the profession; I don’t think back, I’m afraid of hurting someone.
Exactly a year ago, I had the first attack, but then I still had no idea that it was a migraine — I thought that it was just a very strong and strange headache. Strange, because no anesthetic in any quantities did not work. True, it was not even the pain that scared me the most, but the fact that the pupils had changed: one became more than the other, as the others noticed. The first thing I went to an ophthalmologist was how my hell began.
The ophthalmologist did not reveal any abnormalities associated with the eyes, and sent me to a neurologist. I told the neurologist about the pains that at that time had become more and more severe: sometimes my head smashed so hard that it vomited me. I was given a referral for a CT scan. When I got the result, I sat down in the corridor of the city polyclinic and burst into tears: in conclusion, it was said that I had a brain tumor.
I do not know how this circle of hell was, but he was definitely the most fierce. I had no idea how to tell such a mother: "Hi, mom, I have a brain tumor." But, of course, I had to do it. While I was traveling from one office to another, I was getting worse every day. The pain turned into a daily, every second, became so strong that I ceased to exist at all. I woke up with pain and fell asleep with her, she overshadowed even thoughts. I had to leave the veterinary clinic, because I began to lose consciousness during the operations I had assisted. Work day has become impossible - how can you help someone if you can not help yourself?
Doctors invented the most amazing diagnoses and suggested terrible methods. One said that trepanation of the skull is necessary. Another, who believed that I had epilepsy, gave powerful pills from her attacks
Endless examinations, hospitals, trips to doctors began. I had to borrow a decent amount of money, because only one MRI of the brain with contrast costs about 10 thousand rubles, and I made several of them. Or, for example, it was necessary to lie for days with wires all over the head - this is called daily video EEG monitoring and costs 30 thousand. After each study, the doctors looked at the results and said: "Hmm, something is not clear, but do another examination." It lasted for several months, and everything would be fine if there was at least some meaning - after all, I really had no tumor.
Doctors invented the most amazing diagnoses and suggested terrible methods. One said that trepanation of the skull is necessary. Another, who believed that I had epilepsy, gave powerful pills from her attacks. I did not drink them then, it seemed to me like some kind of nonsense. When after a while I showed these pills to a neurologist, she said that they could do a lot of harm. And, of course, where without the classic "you invent everything, nothing hurts you." The funny thing is that so said high-ranking doctors - heads of neurological departments of large hospitals.
I would have been like a doctor to doctor football if my boyfriend hadn’t sent me to a neurologist at the Institute. Burdenko, who was treated by his friend. The reception at this doctor changed everything: from him I heard the word "migraine" for the first time in six months of torment. Everything started to fall into place - I was googling information about attacks and thought: "Yes, it's about me!" Then a specialist at the Research Institute of Neurology explained that a shadow had been taken as a tumor, and I have a really severe form of migraine. I was introduced to the most beautiful substance in the world - sumatriptan, which is able to stop an attack. I remember how I took the pill for the first time and could not believe: the pain had passed.
In addition to emergency drugs, I was prescribed beta-blockers that need to be taken every day. At first it was hard: they kind of slow down the heartbeat and it becomes hard even to reach the kitchen; you just woke up, and already tired so that you can not get up. The body, however, eventually gets used, and everything comes back to normal. Beta blockers reduced the number of attacks and quickly brought me back to life. Unfortunately, the attacks did not stop completely and occur a couple of times a month, but this is not at all like the zombie state in which I lived for six months.
Having taken the medicine, I lay down on the bed and wait for the start of the war. First, blood pressure rises very strongly, then tachycardia begins and the throat swells. But an hour later I get out of bed by another person.
I guess the onset of the attack is unmistakable. I have a migraine with aura and without it: if a seizure occurs with an aura, then a photopsia begins - it’s such a flash before my eyes that looks like a bright dazzling letter C. It gradually grows in size and becomes huge for thirty minutes: it covers everything so that you see nothing at all, as if looking at the sun without glasses for a very long time. As soon as the photopsia ends, the pain begins. If an attack without an aura, then it begins immediately with pain, which gradually increases and after a few hours becomes unbearable - sometimes I lie down on the bed, face down on a pillow and just scream.
In my case, the pain of a migraine is always one-sided and puts a lot of pressure on the face: it feels as if blood will rush from the nose and the eye will burst. There is no photophobia or fear of noise, but nausea is always present; breaks only if the attack is very strong. Sometimes disorientation happens, several times it was in supermarkets - I was suddenly lost in what was happening, and after a while it came to life between laundry detergent and pampers.
On yutyube beauty bloggers tell, without which they do not leave the house - lipstick, perfume, comb, wallet - I don’t go outside without pills. It is best, of course, to take them at home; Having eaten the medicine, I lay down on the bed and wait for the start of the war. At first, blood pressure rises dramatically, it seems that the head will burst; then begins tachycardia - a painful rapid heartbeat. The joke of the last episodes - throat swelling: once it was so strong that I began to choke. This usually lasts an hour, after which I get out of bed by another person. A migraine attack can last up to three days - the worst day in your life.
Because of ignorance, many people call the usual headache a migraine: even my grandmother, when she just has a headache, says that she has a migraine. An excellent test, by the way: if ibuprofen helps you, then you most likely do not have a migraine. Fortunately, I didn’t come across unpleasant comments in my address, but, probably, because I didn’t tell anyone about my diagnosis. If during the working day I feel that I have an attack, then I just say that I will finish working from home and leave. I have a good relationship in the team, and no problems have ever arisen. The real hero of my attacks is Seryozha: he always has a Sumatriptan tablet in his car, he is ready at any time of the day and night to take me and take me home, make strong black tea or just stay close and pat my head - this is no less important than .