migraine migraine migraine goose

A quick word about my migraines. I started getting them around the time that I suspect I started going through menopause. Menopause was a nightmare, and I went though about a year of hell before someone finally figured out what exactly was going on with me. It wasn't cancer (stomach or brain) and I wasn't crazy, or a hypochondriac, and my infertility certainly wasn't "unexplained". There are plenty of posts about that whole nightmare around these parts, and I'm not even gonna bother trying to find and link because dude, I have a migraine. I am typing this with one eye closed (because I am so devoted to you, gentle reader) and in just a moment I am going to jet off to the chiropractor and lie on the floor and wait for my turn, or for the world to stop repeatedly kicking me in the back of the head. Either one would really help me out.

So, migraines. They are awful. This is not a headache, I have had those (but not often) and headaches are indeed miserable and uncomfortable and unpleasant as all hell but a migraine is something for more insidious.

It starts, for me, with this horrible clamping PAIN (all caps required to communicate the level of PAIN) at the very base of my skull, usually on the right side. The pain, after a few minutes or a few hours, will begin to burn THROUGH MY BRAIN. At least, that is certainly what it feels like. And then, my eye starts to throb. And then, without much warning, I throw up. The puking is my sign that we have a serious problem. Because if there is puking, the medicine that will kill the migraine does not stay down.

So, if the migraine develops over the course of an hour I have time to deal with it.

If it just shows up and barges right in I'm screwed. And the next thing I know, I am covered in sweat and vomit, on a gurney, getting a shot in the ass or being hooked up to an IV, or in really special situations...both.

In the grand scheme of things, this has been a non-event as far as migraines go. I woke up, I felt the pain, I got the kids to school, I came home and took my pill and passed out listening to NPR, I woke up and spent an hour feeling dizzy and nauseous, and now ?

(flixter.com)

I'm good to go. You know, relatively speaking. I'm little woozy, and one eye is still feeling all bulgy and weird and I can't quite turn my head but otherwise I'm much improved and off to the chiropractor.

Soon I will write a long and gratuitous post about chiropractors and chiropractic and how while I do not believe it is the cure-all, and I still embrace all manner of pills and antibiotics and vaccinations, I have found a place for it in my life. A very important place, filled with very important people who have helped me tremendously when I was in pain. And for that, I owe them at least one fan blog. So, see you back here for the chiro-party.