Re: Writing on this forum while in pain--

[prettyserious]

I feel fortunate that, although my migraines are horrible to me, I know they could be worse because I can still function and live a normal life. I do have a very high tolerance for pain in general, but I also don't get the constant vertigo and vomitting that many of you do. I can usually at least sit at my desk at work and look aware, even if I'm not really. Like right now, I can tell I have a big one coming on but I'm trying to hold on as I couldn't leave even if my arm fell off. I'm the only one here that can do my job, and you can't very well run a bank without having someone to open new accounts, can you?

My migs very rarely make me light sensitive, so it doesn't bother me to look at a computer screen or type, as long as my head and neck are well supported and I don't have to tilt too much. The pain is a constant, vice-like pressure - I can deal with that better than stabbing, throbbing pain. I accidentally slammed my thumb closed in a locked car door once, that was probably the worst pain I've ever experienced. I deal with my migs as best as can, because I feel like there's really no relief...I can take whatever abortive I'm on this week, and it might help (or it might not) but it'll always just come back in a few hours. I wake up with a headache, I go to sleep with a headache. I still have to work, or else my husband and I would live in abject poverty and I'd probably go insane from nothing to do. But, like I said, mine aren't nearly as bad as others here, so I'm capable of doing this and I'm thankful that I'm as able as I am. When I get home, however, I'm usually down on the bed or the couch and don't move much.

[Johnfd]

I have constant migraine pain which reaches a totally disabling level at times. Say, 48 to 72 hours per week. At those times there is no way I could look at a computer screen. My vision is pretty much gone then anyway. The rest of the time I find that if I have the brightness and contrast set right and use blues and greys for backgrounds and fonts I’m usually ok if I don’t stay on too long. Also my monitor is large enough to allow me to have pages zoomed at +125% without the need to scroll them. That way I can come to this forum and I can also do my family tree research when I feel able.

As I’ve said before, I have no medication that works and just have to wait things out when I have attacks. When you can’t walk or move your head typing can be easy in comparison even if it is a slow process! Like others I type my post in word first so I don’t lose it ‘cos I’m so slow.

Bad migraine pain is hard to beat although it’s not just the pain aspect which I find so disabling. It’s just impossible to move during a bad attack and often it’s impossible to concentrate even during the lower levels of migraine in between. I have had worse pain just once. Many years ago I had a motorcycle accident, went under a van and broke my leg. The rescue services jacked the van off me so I could be pulled out but it fell back. That pain was so bad that I passed out.

[Hal]

Lena,

Make sure that all of the flourescent lights in the room where you work are daylight bulbs and make sure none of them are flickering. If you mix the bulbs or use different color bulbs, they can cause migraines in those of us that suffer from migraine.

JohnFD,

It is interesting that the color blue helps with your migraines. I find the very deep blue of the taxiway lights at airports or the colbalt blue glass cookware is a very soothing color to look at if I have a migraine. Red and green work the opposite, but looking at trees or grass does not have the same effect.

Hal

[Johnfd]

Hal,

It was my optician who recommended using blues on the computer. I had assumed it's the reason why this forum is presented as it is.

My optician has migraines himself although he is not a chronic sufferer. He also recommends grey transition lenses in glasses for migraine sufferers as being closest to blue transition lenses which aren't available. Permanently tinted lenses should be blue.

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