reintroduction of sorts.

Hello everyone, I used to post on this site 4 or 5 years ago.I still go on and read the posts a couple of times a week.I decided to join back in on the discussions after a year of pure mayham. I had to register a new username and my new email. A little about myself.

Im a 44 year old male married with 3 boys. I have suffered with migraine with auras for well over 25 years.My auras are visual disturbances that start with a small squiggly zig zag colorful line that gradually gets larger until after 30 or 40 min it passes through my

field of vision.Then I get the massive migraine for 2 days. I get the migraine with aura about 4 or 5 times a year but I always have some kind of daily headache or crazy symptom. Latly though my migraines, like others on here have changed again and now Ive gotten 4 in

the past month.Weird thing is I didnt get the pain after the aura except once. And for the past week after I had some kind of viral infection I have had a headache on and off for a week.Other people had told me they are having the same type of symptoms with

this virus. Anyway my wife works in the emergency room of a level 1 trauma hospital where I have spent more time than I care to remember.I am currently on unemployment from my job which right now is a god send because with all the issues I have going on

I wouldnt be able to work any way. please keep reading I promise it will get interesting. Like so many of you on this board I have been run through the gauntlet of tests, blood work until I couldnt bleed, 5 Ct scans, 3 MRIs and a angiogram(horrible test!)All negative.

I see a worthless quack neurologist every 3 months, I have also see a Neurosurgen, headache specialist and chiropractor. I am currently on Amitriptyline and imitex.Neither work for crap.Only thing that works for me is 800mg of ibuprofin or self prescribed vicoden that

I have left over from my hernia surgery. My neuro put me on topomax for a month and after I had every possible side effect from them I almost beamed them through the window of his office. I have also tried other triptans with no success. And now Im starting to get

a reputation with the local MD circle as a hypochondriac.Let me explain the last year of my life. Last year I got chest pain with shortness of breath and like any normal person ,I drove myself to the ER. After they ran all of the tests they said I am not having a heart attack

and to follow up with my family Dr. So I do and the chest pain continues so he decides to send me to the Cleveland Clinic to see their cardiologist. After they do more blood work, 5 EKG's, echocardiogram, nuclear stress test and last but not least I get a

wonderful heart cath to add to my file.All is clear of heart disease and say I have some anxiety issues.They still cant find out why I get chest pain and shortness of breath. So back to the family Dr. Guess where my next visit is going to be? Yes you guessed it, I now

have a psychiatrist to add to my co-pay plan. So i go last week to see the therapist first to do all the testing and yesterday I go back for the diagnosis. Well, I can tell you that I did not pass this test.As a mater of fact I got an F.Finally a positive test result! She sat me down

and said that I have been diagnosed with a severe panic/anxiety disorder, depression(Dysthymic) , OCD, Social disorder,and anger disorder.I think the only thing I wasnt diagnosed with was bi polar disorder. So next week I see the psychiatrist to work on the

meds. Therapist said I will prabably be perscribed some antidepressant and anti anxitey drugs. She also told me I should consider filing for
social security disability.It must be pretty bad,as if the migraines arent bad enough now this. So I go home yesterday and tell my wife

that you were right all along, its been in my head the whole time, migraine and mental! Whats next? I wanted to tell the therapist how
I really felt but I was afraid they would lock me up.It just frustrates me that people dont believe that migraine is a real disease.

You know, I never complained about aches and pains BEFORE that horrible day.The very first time I got migraine with aura.My entire life changed that day and would never be the same again. And yes, it does play havock on the mental as well. I am a 44 year old man that

is 6 foot 3 inch 200lb that lives almost every day in fear.In fear of the next aura in some way or another. Im tired of always looking and saying ,"oh no,am i getting a aura?" Or "oh no I got an aura,turn the car around I gotta go home and get in bed"And the biggest fear

of this aura not going away and staying in my field of vision forever.Yes Im anxious,Yes I panic! Yes Im depressed this migraine shit sucks and seems to be getting worse so ya after 25 years it has taken its toll on me mentally as well.

Im sorry this vent was so long and please excuse my spelling.It was nice to talk to someone who understands even if we dont know each other. I look forward to talking to you guys more often now.Thanks Ray

rayzpain, being referred to a psychologist happens to some of us. A chronic pain pharmD referred me to one. The last time I talked to this pharmD, I was having a bad headache and I was having trouble stringing sentences together. So she referred me to a psychologist. Lucky for me, on the appointment day I was only having a moderate pain day and after talking to me for about 15 minutes, he asked why was I referred. After I explained to him my chronic headaches, he told me that many times, when doctors can not help you, they refer patients to psychologists.

Martin

Just wanted to say that I read all your text and you are not alone when you become paranoid because of the darn aura. I am constantly checking what I see in panic of having one, 90% of the time I get anxiety thinking I´m having one and run to my pills, just to realize I had nothing. I have bad sight too and floaters in the eye which resemble aura sometimes, so I am living in the pure paranoia. Thanks migraine.

ray, sorry you have to be back on this forum, but welcome anyway. it's surely the best source of REAL information out there. it's so unfortunate that the majority of doctors of all stripes are still so clueless on the causes and treatments for this disease.

i can imagine that being a male and having a mostly female "issue" is about the worst scenaio there is. OF COURSE you were referred to a shrink; when the doctors run out of ideas that's where they send all of us long-termers, eventually.

one tip i can give you is to get this book from your local library system: ALL IN MY HEAD, by paula kamen. her trip thru the medical system will sound familiar to you. we all do this, the only thing different being the order in which we do the trip.

she found some answers. i did, but it took over 30 years. you can, too. you won't find a cure, but you will very possibly be able to have a much better life. if you don't give up (and you don't sound like the type that would do that) you will find something to help you get through your life with more happiness. it will most likely NOT involve a shrink!! (imho).

dianne, age 72, working, with daily migraines. once-upon-a-time at age 29, they were twice a year, then gradually crept up to daily, despite consulting multitudes of doctors of all specialties, herbalists, chiros, alternative people ad nauseum.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I know there are a lot more people worse off than me out there but sometimes I just get depressed with everything. Gansil, I too suffer from severe eye floaters that drive me crazy! I see the cobwebs , clear worm like lines etc. Been to 3 eye drs for this and they all say it the vitrous gel in the back of the eye.

Oddly enough, I did not develop them until a month after my 1st migraine attack and they just got worse over time. Hope everyone has a pain free day today. If the Browns can pull off another win that will make me feel a little better but I dought it. Ray

Hi Ray, glad u are on here for support. This forum is the best! I too suffer from panic attacks & anxiety which I know sets off a migraine. My neuro doc says migraine folks need to live boring lives because the let down phase after stress is when the neurotransmitters change & if associated w other triggers( for me it's the weather,chocolate, cheese & alcohol) then a migraine will hit. I know this but who wants to live a boring life! I can't control all my stress but I frequently bow out of opportunities because I know it will stress me out. The stuff that means the most to me I do stress or no stress. I only have had 2 auras in my life( zigzag lights & lost my peripheral vision) my panic stems from fear of the pain. It literally puts me in bed , screaming. I think labor was easier! I do get relief from imitex but I can only take 2/ wk per MD. I get migraines up to 4x/ wk. nothing else touches it. So invariably I have to deal 2-3 days /wk just toughing it out! I am a nurse & gave up working after 35 yrs. I worked pt the last few yrs so I could take the imitex if needed on work days. Days off were usually rough! Life should not be dictated by our migraines but it is what it is. Keep the faith, we all will have an extra jewel in our crown in Heaven for dealing w these nasty things!

Thanks Indyjanie, the medical association for neurologists and headache drs should make them read all the posts on this site so that they can see a huge correlation between all of us. Its amazing how close all of our symptoms are between us all.

I hope that sooner or later we can all be healed or at least get the proper treatment for this miserable disease. I was just telling my wife that I dont think im going back to my neurologist again.It cost me more than the reward. I think 8 years is long enough for

him to at least help me a little bit.I have gotten worse. Thanks again for all your responses it really helps to talk to you guys.I hope I can do the same for you guys.Ray

Ray, you have done all the tests and tried the meds but you have to remember when those tests are negative health care providers just think we have a headache. ONLY migraine patients know. Also since there is no standard treatment you have to find your own help.

I suggest you keep trying preventives and hope for a combo that might help. Take care of the boys , do what you can at home and resign yourself to that job.

After 12 years my newly added beta blocker has put me at one M a month for the last three months. Four years ago I was at five M a week and had little hope of a better life. But it has changed for me... I really hope you find some relief soon.

Yes, you are right.Im not giving up on the meds,im giving up on this Dr. He is my second Neuro.The last one I was with for 3 years.
After I find out what my psychiatrist prescribes me, I am going to start looking for a new neuro.

Who knows, maybe the meds he prescribes me might work. Ray