14 October 2011

Migraine - It's like a war

Not sure if you guys already know, i get REALLY bad migraines. Like REALLY REALLY REALLY bad migraines.

The kind with aura.

If you get weird headaches and it's something like i'm describing below.. You might have migraine, AND the aura.

Migraine is like headache but more painful than that. It's usually biased to one side of the head. Left or right.

The pain sometimes gets to your eye area.

For those who gets aura.. Some of the effects are..

- Nauseousness
- Numbness of limbs
- Numbness on the tongue
- Numbness on the back
- VERY stiff, achey neck suddenly and it persist
- WORST OF ALL, BLIND SPOTS

This is something like blind spots. Don't look at it for too long.

Except that everyone gets different kind of blind spots. There was once i kept doing sudoku and i get 9 boxes blind spots. No joke.

If you have migraine and blind spots, don't join in when people ask you to look at those stupid illusion graph. Don't read blogs with black background and white fonts. Hahaha. No really, i kena migraine before for looking at those.

Also if some places is wayyyy too noisy and loud, like the squeaky kinda loud, stay away from those places or cover your ears. When i was 16, a netball burst and i get blind spot afterwards. Follow by a migraine.

Not sure how it all links up. But just be really kiasi. Everything can avoid also avoid.

Okay say real one, this is how to PREVENT and build a good defense against migraine.. We try. Not fool-proof.. But we can only try. And our bodies are all different, so what might trigger my migraine might not trigger yours. But i'm telling you all the triggers so you can watch out for all.
1) Sleep regularly

The main idea is.. Try not to sleep irregular hours. And take good long rest. Like 6 - 8 hours. And then avoid little naps. I ever tried waking up after a nap, and then catch a migraine about 30 minutes later. It's bad. If you wake up after the nap with a very stiff neck.. It's probably coming.

2) DIET

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. VERY VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT. VERY, okay?!

There are many food items that are superpower migraine triggers. Some and likes of, that you have to avoid or only take minimal of are:

- cured food like ham, bacon, cheese
- pickled everything
- salty chinese food like salted egg, preserved vegetables, salted fish
- M.S.G (seasoning powder included)
- Salt
- Coffee (caffeine)
- Tea (caffeine)
- Low grade cocoa (chocolate)

3) Things to AVOID

Sight: Looking at bright lights especially HATE cars with LED head lights nowadays. WHAT THE FUCK FOR. Avoid looking at red stuff for too long. Avoid looking at stripes and patterns and those stuff that ask you to stare for 15 seconds and then look up the ceiling. Lol. Really one, those might trigger blind spots.

Sound: Avoid loud, high pitch sounds.

Smell: Avoid smelling over toxic, chemically stuff.. Hmm.. How do i explain this. Like.. The smell of new leather. Like.. Paint. Like thinner.. Like smelly rubber shoes section. I CANNOT stand the leather/ rubber shoes at Mustafa. Have to literately hold my breathe. And i'd ask for the driver to open all the windows if the car smells of toxic leather.

Taste: Try to avoid.. Overly sour or overly bitter food. I can't take super bitter ginseng. Or 70 over percent cocoa.

Okay so by now.. You probably think i'm some kind of fussy freak who cannot this, cannot that. Not really lah.. These are just some tips to watch out for. I can't fight bacon, ham and cheese. But i've stayed off coffee and tea for yearsss thou.

I've gotten my first migraine at the age of 13. So with 11 years of expertise and horrible experiences with migraine.. You gotta trust me to somewhat extend. Lolol.

Oh and, for some girls, you might get migraine before your menses.. So.. Just watch out for it.. And try to get sufficient sleep + eat well. Nobody can help on that lol.

So now on HOW TO COMBAT MIGRAINE when it happens!!!

First, if your migraine has aura, you need proper medication. Having tried many medications, from preventive kind to the kind that helps soothe the pain, and having many drug allergies.. That turns me into THIS and THIS, i personally think that nothing, NOTHING, can fight Caffox.

Caffox is like the grass for cows, milk for baby, red hair bow for Minnie. Caffox is the best painkilling + medication for migraine.

The doctor who prescribed my first ever Caffox to me explained that during a migraine attack, if i get aura like blind spots, it's like the capillaries around my eyes collapse. So Caffox will somehow.. Do something to our blood and relax the nerves and inflate the capillaries to normal. I DON'T KNOW. Lol. I just vaguely remember he said these.

From what i go through, i used to spend hours and hours, sometimes one whole day, with blind spots. And the nauseousness will last for as long the blind spot is around. It's bad. Imagine these happening, WITH the severe headache. And stiff neck.

I tried taking up to 8 panadol extra in a day. Didn't help on bad days.

With Caffox, the blind spot and numbness will be gone within two hours. The rest depends. But nothing goes over half a day. Super thankful.

Next, whether or not you have aura, if you have a migraine, the best thing to do is to be in a dark place (or close your eyes), with no noise, or with very soothing, soft music.

When you're there (after taking your medication i.e painkiller or Caffox), this is what you can do. To help ease the pain and headache even faster.

Since migraine is usually on the left or right side.. Whichever side is the painful side, you massage the other hand.

If i massage my left hand, it is for the right side of my head that is painful.

If i massage my right hand, it's for the left side of my head with migraine.

 The pink part is where i mean.

What you do is VERY GENTLY, massage the meaty part in between your thumb and index finger. In small, soft, circular motion. This will really help. But the downside is.. After you recover, you'd be quite sensitive to this part of your hand. I don't like people touching or poking this part of my hand. I'm afraid they'd mess with my nerves O.O Lol.

Another way to directly, temporarily sooth the pain..
Use your knuckles to gently massage your head. Where it hurts. I like to start from the top, with two knuckles doing circular clockwise and anti-clockwise, then comb the knuckles down to the side, til it reach my temples.

And then when you recover, don't do vigorous actions too soon.

That's all. I REALLY hope i helped. And for your info.. Only 10% of the people who get migraine will get aura.

Please tell me if you're one of the lucky ones also. So i don't feel so lonely. So far in my life, i met two person who has aura.

I thought of sharing this cox the second person i met who has migraine aura is a 51 year old taxi uncle. He had migraine since 13 or 14 yro. And he is on Caffox as well. But he has migraine attack around 6 times a month.
That's WAYYYYYY too frequent!!! And his doctor never instruct him not to take tea, coffee, and watch his diet etc. His favourite food is salted veg, salted egg and salted fish with porridge.

Before i read up more to learn how to watch out for migraine triggers, i had migraine about once or twice a month. Then later when i learnt about Caffox, i get migraine about once every two to three months. That's more than what i can ever bargain for. So much thankfulness in me it's no longer once a month.

So when we share about our experiences.. We both felt so happy. He feel happy cox he learnt about how watching his diet can lower the frequency he gets his migraine attack. And i'm happy cox i find someone who understands the horror i go through sometimes.

And i'm also happy becox he gave me a 60 cents discount..... O.O Lol.

Now something light-hearted.

I did pretty GELISH again =D Nice ma?! This one is Little Twin Star inspired lol.

Super sparkly in real life!!! This design good! Cox my nails grow out already still can't see one, cox it's clear base at the bottom =D


PS: I just remember from reading the comments, HUNGER might trigger migraine too. Don't go too hungry okay. And also, if it's wayyyy too cold or too warm for some people, they might get migraine too. Just.. Be comfortable lol.

35 comments:

Xynn-eigh said...

I always get blind spots when I fall! I don't know how to describe it but when I fall or twist something and it hurts quite badly (not the fractured/sprain your leg kinda bad) I start panting really hard for no reason my vision blurs and i see black and white spots and I can't hear properly for about 5 minutes. Is it the same thing?! I'm rather worried now. At first I thought I was just weak or have low blood pressure but after reading this post about blind spots I'm really scared...

Anonymous said...

How does a netball burst? Were u pumping it?

Anonymous said...

After reading your post, I realised that I get migraines too! :<

Every now & then, I have those one-sided headaches that makes me nauseous & gets me a really aching stiff neck. & I get headaches before my period, only have to depends on my luck how bad it will be.

On those worse days, I have no appetite & is really bed-ridden because just getting up makes me feel worse..

Anonymous said...

i sometimes do get a headache frm eating chocolates. but i love chocolates ): luckily my migraines doesnt come with the aura! poor u!

Anonymous said...

OMG, I get really bad migraines that sometimes caused me to feel really nauseous with very stiff neck. And I get blind spots at times during my migraines, so I think your post will really help me! I never knew Coffee (caffeine) will trigger migraines(poor general knowledge), and I really love drinking it. Guess I'll have to stay off it for now, because I've already gotten migraine twice this month.

Anonymous said...

hey! My mom used to have very bad migraine and blind spots due to the meds she had to take for her depression. Its like she'll suddenly only see very bright light which is very dangerous esp when she's on the road. Regular foot reflexology actually do help. If it is very bad 2-3times/week and gradually lessen it. She barely have it now, don't even need to take any sort of medications. Hope this somewhat helps :B (anyway foot reflexology is good to help tiao your body if you have a irregular life style)

Anonymous said...

I feel u..i have e same problem as u and migraine really spoils my day as I get so sick..i hate e aura it makes me nauseous :(

QiuQiu said...

Xynn, i don't think yours is migraine, you better see a doctor!!!

Anon, no man, a dude was bouncing it.. Like a basketball =.= He shouldnt. I just pumped it full a day before at a bicycle shop.

Normal chocolates are fine but really not the cheapo childhood ones.. Like those selling for 10 cents, 15 cents in mama shop..

Anonymous said...

How often u get it ? My doc told me my blocked nose triggers it as it deprive the brain of oxygen that's how e migraine start..I just gt an attack on Thursday and it lasts a few hrs aft that I feel so shagged .do u feel that way ? I gt an attack ard 5 times a yr e interval is a few mths.. I hav aura too and it really sucks until now when I c lights flashing , I start to panic.ur nt alone :)I always ask myself y I m so unlucky ? Ppl who dunno thinks I m faking headache :(

Migraine sufferer

no one said...

Thanks for sharing this - my husband often get migraines and I have spent countless hours listening to him complain abt the pain, sensitivity to light, stiff neck etc.... Now I can finally do something for him :)))

Rena said...

What happened to your blog?! why suddenly become so plain! :0

Kase said...

For the first 2 points in the things to avoid list... Does it mean you can't go clubbing? Like it will trigger a migraine?

Anonymous said...

Hi QiuQiu!

I think you will look better with center/side hair parking that has long bangs fluttering down from there a little below ear length! Yeah and for bangs that are not too thick or pompom. While the rest of your hair can be curled slightly at the bottom and also slightly volumized at the crown of ur head. Lol when you are youthful must take ur chance to be pretty haha!! =D
Cos you don't really look good with straight hair although you are really pretty. You will look VERY pretty with soft wavy curls! :D

Yu Ying said...

I GET MIGRAINES TOO. WITH AURA!

When I first got it I was 15? And I thought it was Oreo bubble tea from sweet talk that triggered it. I immediately went home to puke and from then on I never liked bubble tea. The thought of it's taste just reminds me of my first puking experience with migraine :( but my migraine isn't triggered by Oreo or the pearls, so I don't really know what. Coffee and chocolates also don't affect me, but at random times I just get. I can't seem to find a reason for it yet. I used to think it was lack of sleep, but there was a period where I kept sleeping yet I still get migraine.

I actually thought aura is good, cause it serves as a sign to tell you to faster get medication or find toilet before puking and headache comes lol.

Come to think of it, I always had some form of headache behind my eyes when I was little, though no aura. But maybe I just had migraine since long time ago and I didn't develop aura till I was 15?

raen said...

I've had it for 13 yrs plus already, and I only took steps to control it this yr! I get very severe migraines with nausea but no blind spots, just a lot of puking and painful stiff neck.
Mine is triggered by lack of sleep, dehydration or too much bright sunlight... caffeine actually helps my migraine tho! different people different i guess! I tried taking caffox but it didn't help, so i'm taking sth called Synflex and it's super effective :D It's been almost 4 months since my last migraine~

Duffy said...

I don't get migraine but I experience blind spots very often!
There was once that I experienced total blind spots which means I couldnt see anything other than the stupid shiny and bright light! Then I just collapse without myself knowing. I lost all my senses for a short while as well. Luckily, my friends were with me then. :)

Anonymous said...

I suffer from migraines (with aura) since I was in elementary school, now i'm 24yro. Once I also had to go to the hospital because I couldn't help to sleep all day, but they didn't find what was wrong with me.
I didn't know my migraine was the type with aura till I found Carroll (Alice in wonderland's author) had the same migraines too! Now I know I'm not the only one hehe
Anyways, fortunately my migraines are decreasing their frequency and also painfulness, so I'm happy now! But a while ago, it was really really painful... and this tips are very useful, thanks!

QiuQiu said...

Anon, blocked nose gets me to headache also.. But that's more like sinus for me.. The only thing i find useful for block nose that leads to 'headache' is Panadol Sinus Max. Clears the blocked nose plus headache that is caused by it.

Or, sometimes if there's blocked nose, i try to blow my nose too hard, too much, i might get migraine too =(

Rena, the designer helping me do something i think! =D

Kase, i generally try to avoid smelly, noisy places..

Yu Ying, sometimes the trigger effect builds up i guess. Just eat well and rest well IF you can ba =)) Over sleeping might also cause migraine, not just lack of sleep. Important is regular sleeping pattern.

Duffy, i think yours is something else. See doctor?

Maffin87, i feel you.. =(( But i just endure, pop panadol last time. Now with caffox the pain really doesnt last THAT long.

Anonymous said...

I have the same condition too! But it always happens when I don't have enough sleep. I always know when I'm going to get a migraine when I start to feel that I can no longer comprehend the words in front of me though I still can see them. Then the aura comes :( At first I thought I was having mini-strokes till I went online to research about my migraines

Shyuan said...

I dont really understand what is migraine with aura, do u mind to explain? I have migraine since i was 7 or8 yrs old, stiff neck n shoulder are the most killing symptom for me.. I have to press my neck, shoulder n my head which that pain side.. >< cant see bright stuff n always apply yokoyoko on my shoulder, neck and even on the migraine spot.. >< ate panadol extra too.. Soon gotta take stronger medicine.. Always migraine if i do take naps.. I also headache if i smell the diesel smell expelled frm the lorries and buses, i thought i am weird, but now i saw one of the causation, i felt better! I migraine too if i get too hungry! But i like salty stuff =/ I understand how u feel!

_ink out of the quill at` said...

I totally feel you. I've been getting weekly migraines with auras since I was 12 (I'm 25 now). Went to many doctors but all they did was to prescribe me with paracetemol which I really hate, but cannot live without. At first I thought I was going to be blind.

This year, I finally got the courage to go to NNI for a check-up (also because it's paid for by my company haha). I did a CT-scan and thankfully they found nothing. They put me on daily medication on Amitripylene and Proponalol. I can now safely say that I did not have migraines with auras for months and the only times I had, were the times when I experimented by stopping medication for 3 months consecutively. My doctor said that the medication is some form of muscle relaxant and the dosage is really small. But of course, regular sleep and healthy diets really help. Now, I take them on alternate days and my quality of life is awesome.

Thanks for sharing. At least I know that I'm not alone. Migraines are common, but not those with auras. I HARDLY MEET anyone with that and I always have such difficulty explaining it to my family and friends. They almost find it hard to believe me, sigh.

I am happy to say that I can now stare at Excel sheets for a longer period of time and yes, I still avoid bright lights and websites with black backgrounds and white fonts! Totally hate it. Why can't they just use grey right? So much more soothing on the eyes.

It's not so much the pain that annoys me (I just need to sleep it off), but the partial blindness that I get, it just really handicaps whatever I was doing at that moment.

Jia you and we're not weird! =D

Anonymous said...

yeah i get migraines with aura too. usually numbness in my arms and blind spots. the nausea comes and lasts a few hours after the migrane headache pain subsides.
but i guess i am very lucky because now they are very infrequent, the last one i had was over 2 years ago, so i guess i grew out of them? haha. good luck though i know how it feels!

Yu Ying said...

I'm not too sure but duffy's case may be migraine. There's something called silent migraine, where one gets aura without the headache. I am not sure of details though.

Bargainqueen said...

I used to get migraines since 12 years old. Can strike me once a week at its peak .cafegrot can cure migraine with aura but only at the onset.drinking a lot of water do help in reducing .sometimes one get migraine cos he/she is dehydrated .

Thankfully after the birth of my kid, my migraine had reduced it's severity and frequency .

Unknown said...

When I'm dehydrated I have similar symptoms to migraines. Are you sure you have had enough liquids/electrolytes? If I drink less than 1 - 2 litres of water a day, I get migraine headaches... I'm interested to hear if you have looked into your water intake.

Peace

Anonymous said...

I do get blind spots for around 10mins. after they clear a migraine accompanied by serious vomiting would occur, and its always a 6 hours battle. No panadols will help. But those soluble version do work. cause your body will absorb it immediately. Anyway thanks for your entry, I used to be scared when I get blind spots.

Anonymous said...

I got migraines since the age of 8 and i'm still having it now. Almost everyday... :(

Anonymous said...

kinda didnt expect u to write this kind of 'health' posts lol. I have migraine with aura too..no wonder i can't read white text on black background I never thought it's linked. I realised that eating heaty food makes me get migraine more easily. You can try pressing on the fullest part of your palm (the part between your thumb and wrist..sorry for the terrible description). I learnt it from a youtube video. There are lots of youtube videos with different methods on relieving migraine. Stay healthy! :)

QiuQiu said...

Steven, yes!!!! If i dont drink enough under hot sun and i feel "heaty" i might get migraine too.

Shuyuan, migraines are usually headaches on only one side of the head. And people who gets it are sensitive to loud and high ptich sounds, bright lights etc.

ink out of the quill =((( I feel you.. Initially my family doesn't believe me.. They think i'm some kinda teenage girl trying to get attention =(

Fel said...

Qiu Qiu,
I have been struggling with migraines since my poly days. The pain is ALWAYS at the left side of my head. I noticed that weather causes migraines too. My medications almost doesn't work anymore.. from panadols to synflex... Damm jialut one.. can pain until my eye oso gena and vomit.. Recently my friend just told me if u have migraines, drink hot green tea. So far, i think it helps abit for me. U can try too and see if it helps.

Eileen said...

Thanks for sharing. I m a sufferer of migraine like yours. Thankfully minus the blind spots. Caffox works for me but m afraid of the side effect. But is easier to live with the side effects than to b killed by the incapaciting migraine.
I

Heng Wah said...

Thank you for sharing. I am guy and suffer from occasional migraines. When an episode happens nothing works Paracetamol, muscle relaxant, etc. And it would last for at least 48 hours. The only that worked for me was Caffox. Taking one tablet brings relief from the pain within 2-3 hours.

Your sharing affirms my suspicion that bright glare, loud noise and certain types of food (oily or too spicy) can cause migraines (at least for me). FYI: I don't drink and I don't smoke.

Your migraine episodes are way more terrible than mine. At least when I have them, I basically cannot do any work - zero. Just a striking pain and splitting heading, pressure on the eye and throbbing temple.

My sisters think it's impossible for guys to have migraines and since they don't have migraines it's impossible for me to have migraines. :P

Anonymous said...

hi qq

you are spot on rite
what the fcuk is the gomen doing to ban those h/powered car lites?
as if both gomen n drivers are FCUK BLIND !!!
hope yr migraine is much better-dt

Anonymous said...

Im sufferring from aura migrane too and caffox worked like wonder. But do take note that caffox will have some harmful side effects. Caffox actually narrows our blood vessels thus with less blood rushing to our brain it will lessen n relief the migraine. If u have weak heart or high blood pressure dont take too much caffox.

Higher awareness said...

Where do u get your caffox. Every time go buy the GP only give like 8 tablets.
Finish need to reconsult the doctor.

Sometimes I drink black coffee from coffee shop. Works too.