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When the drugs don't work. When its less than a 10

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CluelessKitty
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Post  pen Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:10 am

How do you cope? I am not one to stay in bed...it doesn't help and I feel so isolated.
I try relaxation techniques, but I am not good at it, the pain usually wins.
I try to distract myself....even a conversation can help for a while if it isnt too intense or long.
But often I cant do that, and even if I can the pain tends to win in the end.

I put on daytime TV, usually with subtitles, I find that helps me concentrate....if I am at the point I can concentrate.
I can then also turn the volume down low. I have mastered sort of watching out of one eye...Very Happy

We spend a lot of time discussing medication. I just wondered what we all do to make the best of it when that fails...

I know we are all very different, but you never know if what you do might help someone else. Smile
Even me confused


Last edited by pen on Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:10 am; edited 1 time in total

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Post  Jewishmother Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:21 am

If the migraine is not too intense I try to draw........a new hobby for me and uses a different part of my brain that doesn't get much exercise.........can be very absorbing for me and therefore very distracting.........
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Post  pen Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:29 am

That is such a good way to get out of it. I cant draw, and I dont think my pain would let me, not enough concentration, but full power to you for pushing back the monster in this way. And so creative. Pity we cant see some of your work on here...
Thanks.

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Post  HeelerLady Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:34 pm

I have found that it is best to be sitting doing something. If things aren't working, sitting there dwelling on the pain makes it that much worse. I was having...well something, but very agitated and anxious - had some crazy thoughts. Any way, I had a worry stone - started working on that. It didn't get rid of whatever it was (wondering if it might have been a panic attack) but it was something to do and lessened the anxiety.

When in the throws of something, I can't read - can't comprehend and tv...well I turn it down really low. At night, I've been finding that I can't tolerate the overhead lights, but dim lamps work. I do bead...it can be relaxing but if I'm having visual issues - not the easiest. I also am making dog tugs and leashes from polar fleece and rope. I can braid in the semi-dark and it's enough to focus on to not pay attention to the symptoms. The worst thing there is the dogs trying to run off with my supplies. Rolling Eyes
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Post  tortoisegirl Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:15 pm

I will set up myself on the couch with all my supplies and listen to the tv so low that I can barely hear it. I prefer to be alone when the pain is really bad because honestly I'm just not myself and hate how moody I get towards my husband. It usually happens that I get my worst head pain episodes when I am sick, so I'll have both things to deal with. Not much I can do during those times so the tv helps take my mind off the pain. I too cannot just be in bed, unless I take something to knock myself out and sleep it off. If I sleep more than 12-14 hours a day though it'll just make the pain worse. So, anything to take my mind off the pain helps. Wish I could read or similar. I find myself not really even comprehending the show that is on, but it passes the time. That is why a dvr is wonderful--if you set it up to record everything you like, you never have a time where nothing is on tv. Best wishes.

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Post  tecky Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:04 am

tortoisegirl wrote:...I prefer to be alone when the pain is really bad because honestly I'm just not myself and hate how moody I get towards my husband. It usually happens that I get my worst head pain episodes when I am sick, so I'll have both things to deal with. Not much I can do during those times so the tv helps take my mind off the pain. I too cannot just be in bed, unless I take something to knock myself out and sleep it off. If I sleep more than 12-14 hours a day though it'll just make the pain worse. So, anything to take my mind off the pain helps. Wish I could read or similar. I find myself not really even comprehending the show that is on, but it passes the time.

I agree and share in all this with you, tortoisegirl (moodiness, preference to be alone, not able to read, TV taking my mind off the pain). However, I'm never able to sleep 12-14 hours., even when medicated heavily...I'm lucky if I very rarely can make 7-1/2 to 8. I wish I could escape the pain in sleep more often.

Becky
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Post  TheBookworm411 Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:33 pm

I find myself obsessing about when the medicine will start working and when I can take more. How many hours its been. I obsess about when its bad enough to go to the ER. I hate going there so that is something I don't do unless I'm so bad I can't even dress myself. So I sit in my chair or lay on my bed and think...breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out, etc. I concentrate only on the breathing. I keep having to consciously relax my shoulders, my jaw, my neck, my hands, my back, over and over. Sometimes I have to put in my night guard to keep from clenching my teeth. I have an ipod with many playlists for many moods. I have an easy listening playlist that I play with one earbud in my right ear and concentrate on the words.

p.s. Thinking about all this makes my migraine worse. Have to stop thinking about it.
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Post  LG Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:47 pm

That breathe in breathe out and consciously relaxing your muscles one at a time is actually a meditating technique! Wink
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Post  pen Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:52 pm

lovegia wrote:That breathe in breathe out and consciously relaxing your muscles one at a time is actually a meditating technique! Wink

It is indeed it is called disassociation. I used to teach to to my clients.
You have to rehearse it when you are "well" for it to work properly.

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Post  ShelliB Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:30 pm

When nothing works, I just get into bed, take some sleeping pills and bury my head in my pillows with only my mouth and nose poking out to breath. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to fall asleep and can sleep thru some of it...other times I just lay there and try to focus my mind else where.
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Post  pen Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:58 pm

Thanks for all of your comments. I have learned some new things to try.

One other thing I do, which I forgot. I learned it from a Yoga teacher/healer.
Go around your body thinking of....big toe, second toe etc. then bottom foot, top foot, ankle, calf, shin....
you get the picture. Going all around your body.
Its real fast, you dont do any special breathing.
I go around and sometimes find I loose where I am , which is good because it means I have lost focus for a while.
Stupidly something brings me back, so I am back in the pain....but it can help.

She also taught me to ground myself ,by imagining roots taking me into the ground from my feet.
It sounds dumb, but I will try anything.
It does get me out of my head for a while. Feet are as far away as I can get...
lol!

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Post  CluelessKitty Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:25 pm

How do you cope? I am not one to stay in bed...

Are you kidding me????? affraid

When MY drugs doesn't work it means only one thing - than I am reduced to a vomiting, shaking, trembling, whimpering, barely conscious ball of sweat, drool and stink lying in agony trying not to move a muscle even in my eye as batting an eyelash sends a searing blinding pain deep into my very being, the very core of my being.

I am barely able to hold my piss and crap on the way to the toilet and am wondering just how long it will take before I finally start soiling the bed during those M episodes.

I am not one to stay in bed
???? ............

I don't understand how can you even get out of bed IF the meds ARE working if the M is close to 10 let alone they aren't!

Risa
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Post  pen Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:21 am

tecky wrote:
tortoisegirl wrote:...I prefer to be alone when the pain is really bad because honestly I'm just not myself and hate how moody I get towards my husband. It usually happens that I get my worst head pain episodes when I am sick, so I'll have both things to deal with. Not much I can do during those times so the tv helps take my mind off the pain. I too cannot just be in bed, unless I take something to knock myself out and sleep it off. If I sleep more than 12-14 hours a day though it'll just make the pain worse. So, anything to take my mind off the pain helps. Wish I could read or similar. I find myself not really even comprehending the show that is on, but it passes the time.
I agree and share in all this with you, tortoisegirl (moodiness, preference to be alone, not able to read, TV taking my mind off the pain). However, I'm never able to sleep 12-14 hours., even when medicated heavily...I'm lucky if I very rarely can make 7-1/2 to 8. I wish I could escape the pain in sleep more often.
Becky

Sadly sleep doesn't help me get rid of it, but it is nice to escape isn't it. I too like to be alone. My husband is working from home and I have 2 daughters forced back here from their apartment with the recession.. One works , but the other is retraining, from home.
They do kind of leave me to it, and I am glad of that. Who need to see me like that...and I do get quite irritable, and upset.

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Post  estre004 Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:55 am

I have to admit I am with Risa on this one, but I don't get the in between stuff often -- maybe once or twice a year. I either abort my migraine (which I do most of the time) or I am in the shape Risa described. There is no coping.

On the rare occasions I'm not at the level 10 area I am pretty useless and don't want to be around anyone. I might watch TV which is mindless and just curl up in a dark room.

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Post  CluelessKitty Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:42 am

How different we all are.

I couldn't help but keep recalling my worst episodes of M when I was in bed shaking, whimpering, half-paralyzed with blinding, agonizing pain,
concerned about only how not to crap or pee right there in my bed,
not what activities would be best for me to take my mind off the pain.

I wouldn't care less if I puked on the floor by the bed as long as I could puke and from it feel better
then happy when I finally did, then wiping snots after in the very sheet .

I wouldn't care less if there was a fire, an earthquake, an otherworldly or worldly monster coming at me - I would have not moved or even blink an eye - on the contrary I would welcomed whatever demise would awaited me.

If you have ever experienced what I have then you would know that the last thing I can do while being in the debilitating M episode is -THINKING.
A "big toe, a second toe, calf, shin"???

trust me, all I can do is just WHIMPER, because for some strange reason whimpering helps to lessen the pain.

Or maybe not so strange, maybe it works the same way tortured people must scream while tortured?

Hmm... looks like I have debilitating M episodes.

Perhaps that's why I am the one to stay in bed... because I am momentarily physically disabled? ... Rolling Eyes

Risa
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Post  theresae Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:23 am

ShelliB wrote:When nothing works, I just get into bed, take some sleeping pills and bury my head in my pillows with only my mouth and nose poking out to breath. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to fall asleep and can sleep thru some of it...other times I just lay there and try to focus my mind else where.

yeah thats what i do when i can, take meds, off to bed, or sofa with eye cover and cold pack when kids were little, if i have a biggy i cant speak, think or move so bed is the only place for me,
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Post  pen Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:42 am

if i have a biggy i cant speak, think or move so bed is the only place for me,
ShelliB wrote:When nothing works, I just get into bed, take some sleeping pills and bury my head in my pillows with only my mouth and nose poking out to breath. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to fall asleep and can sleep thru some of it...other times I just lay there and try to focus my mind else where

I have those ones too Theresa and Sheila. Had 3 this month. Sometimes it does get better eventually when the Triptan decides to work very very slowly. Other times there is no help. Theresa, mine didn't start until my kids were grown, that must be so difficult.

Perhaps I should have worded the post differently. Rolling Eyes I was attempting to find out what we all do, when we can do ANYTHING to help ourselves a bit, and to share this. For the 10s or 11s that reduce us to nothing. And I am sure we are all familiar with those, it is hopeless, I can do nothing except try to get through it. And it sounds as if it is the same for you.
I have gone to bed, I have stayed in bed, as I did today until noon. Apart from getting up to rush to the loo as my stomach is really upset with it this time.

I do try to help myself to distract myself from the pain. I have had psychology training and the techniques I learned in order to help others, can help me. Nothing worse than getting locked into my pain.... No

I think we all manage as best we can, I just started the post so that people might like to swap helps for the migraines that can possibly be helped. I guess I should have said, "When the drugs don't work, when it isnt a 10/11" Question
I apologise for not making my intention clearer. As someone said on another thread...problem with the written word.

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Post  kw Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:50 am

I have two different things that I do. When I am really in a bad way and my meds are not working, I get in our bathtub, which happens to be a whirlpool tub, make the water as hot as I can stand it, and put my head under the water for as long as possible. Being that it is a whirlpool, I also try to focus the jets on the parts of my head/neck that are hurting. It's amazing how many times this has helped!
The other thing I do to try to focus elsewhere is color. My husband laughs at me sometimes, but he knows this helps me cope and he understands. My kids have even starting asking me when I buy coloring books, is this for you or us.? haha
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Post  Ivy Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:58 am

If I am home I lay down in bed or on my favourite couche and try to move as little as possible. Cool temperature and dark are fundamental.
If I am obliged to stay at work, I don't take phone calls, focus on something easy and don't move a muscle but my fingers to type...
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Post  pen Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:24 am

KW, see now water is not good for me, but then again I am no swimmer...
Ivy, I cant do the phone at all. Even when my head is "normal" long phone calls can bring it on..

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Post  estre004 Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:58 am

KW - Very interesting about the water thing. I just got a whirlpool tub and absolutely love it--have been in it everyday. It is so relaxing which helps anyway but the jets on my neck muscles during a migraine would be helpful I would think. I would say I can't wait to try it, but no thanks--be better if I never HAVE to try it. Thanks for the tip!

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