Migrainiously Yours

2010-02-09T16:44:00.000-05:00

If only I would have bought a few dozen snow shovels last week. DC got smacked this weekend with a few feet of snow and every snow shovel for miles was bought by Friday morning. By Saturday, I probably could have sold a shovel for $75 (normal retail price $19), easy. Times a few dozen and poof = muh-lah! Oh well, I have never been much of an investor, or price gauger, anyway. How much more will we have to shovel in the next storm, I wonder?

Bridge to broke

2010-01-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

Why does a little Dremel work and fancy shaped acrylic cost so much? Have somebody grind down some teeth and replace it with goop and wha-lah you're out a few thousand bucks. Isn't that the same thing the guy at my wife's nail place does for under $50? He uses a Dremel to grind and prep the nails, and then replaces it all with some acrylic that makes them look shiny and pretty. So 10 fingers = just a few bucks, but 1 tooth = multiple thousands! As you may have guessed, I just got a bridge done. I busted a tooth over the weekend and had to do something before I could go back to work. I could not go into my office looking like Bubba from the backwater. But it is truly ridiculous to have to pay so much for so little.

Oh my

2010-01-22T19:10:00.000-05:00

I had heard about it. I had never experienced it. I was a total virgin to it. I had always hoped I would get to . . . but now that I actually can . . . I have found that telecommuting is even better than I had dreamed. Business casual? No, bedroom casual with hair still standing up in the back. Take the day off to run errands? No, work from home and get your errands and your work done in one day. Office chair pain in the butt? No, recliner with feet up! Oh ya, and it is suppose to help the environment or something, but that is a load in the pants as far as I am concerned. Yeah telecommuting!

Gunslinger

2010-01-13T18:58:00.000-05:00

Yep, I like guns and I am saving up my pennies for the next one. I want a 1911 style pistol chambered in .45 ACP. This Kimber (pictured above) Pro Crimson Carry II would do just fine. It sure requires a whole bunch of pennies to get a beauty like this. Oh well, that is what money is for, spending. :) Why am I a gunslinger? Because I live in America, it is my right and I enjoy it.

This house is protected by a Second Amendment security system. Beware. :)

No way

2010-01-13T18:24:00.002-05:00

No way! It has really been a year since my last post? Wowsa! If anybody is paying attention, I apologize. Much has happened since. I have a great new job and we finally got settled into our house. I do not know how we ever lived in apartments now, or how we bounced around every couple of years. My wife rocks for putting up with me, and for actually enjoying the "adventure." I love home ownership (or least that the bank lets me think I own it) and the idea of growing some roots. Also, I love our church. What a joy to be a Methodist, I had no idea.

Anyway, in the time since I last wrote, all the activity on the blog has been folks posting about their experiences with Lamictal. I really feel compelled to promote this medicine, though still off label, for the treatment of migraine (I am not an MD and please do not construe this as medical advise). Even though I no longer take it, I credit the use of this medication for getting me out of the constant migraine cycle I used to be in. I still get migraines (as there is no cure), but they occur maybe 5 times per year and with much less severity than ever before. That is so much better than 2-3 per week with horrific pain. I feel for anyone living in pain, and with the other accouterments of migraine. I feel truly blessed that the abortives (triptans) work well for me and that I found a caring specialist (Dr. William Young in Philly) to get me on the Lamictal path and back to living life, instead of just skirting agony.

Please feel free to post your experiences with Lamictal for the treatment of migraine. I plan to make some modifications to the blog so that this can be a greater emphasis of what you may find at Migrainiously Yours. And maybe I will write more often . . . .

Fall

2008-11-03T20:21:00.002-05:00

Fall, my favorite season. A season of relief. A season of calm. I have never really liked hot weather. I would rather be too cold than too warm, but Fall is just perfect. Not cold enough to chill you thru to the bone, but a crisp breeze will often exhilarate the senses. I do love Fall.

Growing up, I knew nothing of hunting. My father did not hunt, or even own a gun. And really, no one I knew on a close personal level had anything to do with hunting. I never looked down on or up to hunting. I just never really thought about it. But when we moved to an area, a few years back, where essentially all of my new friends where involved in hunting, I became intrigued. Don't get me wrong I have always been an animal lover. I have really never gone more than a few months without having some-sort of pet in the house, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So the psychology behind why I would want to hunt is somewhat mysterious to me. I guess part of it was understanding what the area could support. The local vegetation was only enough to support so many deer. After the deer exceeded this population, many would starve through the winter and many would seek food elsewhere, where people lived. Thus all the mangled deer alongside the road and the numerous auto accidents. So maybe that is part of rationalizing the act, but there is definitely more that rationale behind why I wanted to hunt.

So I tried it. First, a great new (new at the time) friend of mine took me out to buy my first ever gun. I had always loved knives, but this was a new level of fun. So the first gun was a .270. Nothing fancy, just a used, scoped up, standard, bolt action, deer rifle. Next was the "shooting range." Out in the country where we lived the "shooting range" was a friend's empty pasture, nice and free and no one around to laugh at the beginner. Surprisingly though, I was a great shot immediately. My first shot, which was off hand, smacked it just 1cm away from the center of the target at 100yds. Next I plopped down and rested myself in the prone position. From there I could hit the center, spot on, and the next few shot just warmed up the same hole. Half a box of shells and I was done practicing. Next was hunter safety training. This was a requirement to get a hunting license, a requirement that most men in the area had completed by age 12. If fact, in my class of 30 students, I was one of only 2 guys over the age of 12 in the class! Oh well, it wasn't that bad. Finally, the hoops had all been jumped thru and whitetails came into season. So my great new friend agreed to continue my hunting mentorship and took me out into the woods, gun loaded and over my shoulder, for the first time. I could not believe just how much I loved being out in the woods. It was just so beautiful and so peaceful. After sitting out there for about 20 minutes or so I could distinctly hear a train chugging by, but my friend said that train was over twenty miles away! The woods are quiet. After about an hour I saw my first whitetails in the wild. Even though they raced by, probably about a dozen does and 3 bucks, way to quickly for a clean shot, my heart raced. That whole day came and went without a single clean shot. But I wasn't upset. I soon realized that the split second of pulling the trigger is not the only enjoyable part of hunting. I loved the whole process: getting up before dawn, washing off any scent, putting on a bunch of gear to keep you warm, checking over your gun one last time, walking out to the spot you have selected a few weeks before and then hunkering down and enjoying the unbelievable peace. My mentor took me out again, to another favorite spot of his where he saw a lot of signage in the last few weeks. After about 2 hours of seeing nothing but squirrels and birds, my friend decide to go walk the ridge and possibly stir something up and in my direction. Sure enough, about thirty minutes after the sound of his footsteps fhad aded away I was startled to see something moving, and it was a beautiful doe all by herself coming right at me. I wasn't even ready. I didn't even have my gun up and in the ready. So I watched and weighted, and everytime she passed behind a tree I pulled my gun up a little more until I was in the ready, standing, forced to shoot off hand. She grazed her way up into the clearing and stopped for the perfect shot pose. My heart was pounding so hard I thought my ears would jump of my head and scare her away. BANG! I took my shot. It rang so much louder than it did at the range and certainly felt so much more profound than any shot before. She took one half drunken step, flipped over and slipped down the slope about 5 feet. She never even felt it. The shot was flawless, punctured a lung and annihilated the heart. When I field dressed her there was just an empty gap where her heart should have been. No suffering there. It was totally exhilarating. I cannot explain it; I just know that I can't wait to get out there again. It has been a few years since I have been out in the woods now, but I feel it calling me back and I cannot wait to hunt again.

Long Sabbatical

2008-11-02T13:16:00.002-05:00

Well, sorry for the long sabbatical. Life has drastically changed since my last post.

On the Migraine forefront, I went for about a year and a half without taking any migraine prophylactic. For the bulk of that time I only got a migraine about once every 2-3 months, much better than the old days of 2-3 migraines per week. However, about a month ago, they came back with a vengeance. I really had not changed any eating, drinking, or caffeine levels. My sleep patterns were unchanged. I just could not pin it down. So back to the neurologist I went and got back on Lamictal. I instructed the Dr (a new doc because we moved) that she should just give me 25 mg. This brought about a puzzled look to her face, but as I explained to her that I wanted to use the minimum effective dose and avoid that potential of triggering an SJS event again, she got on board. Anyway, it has been working great. Now I have only had 1 migraine in the last month, and all of the persistent prodromal symptoms have vanished!

On other forefronts, we moved across state lines again. We finally stopped renting and bought a home. It seemed like the right timing. "When blood is running in the streets, buy!" It is a lovely home and we are very happy. We have great neighbors who have made a sincere effort to welcome us, including inviting us to church. The new (to us) church has been really great thus far.

Also, the end of the billable year was Friday! What a relief! I was a little behind and it took a fair push to get caught up on my time, but I made it.

Additionally, my beer horizon has just been widened. LOHRER BIER! Wow! A friend of a friend brings it home from Germany on his business trips and my friend so kindly introduced me to this sweet, bright, amazing nectar that needs to have a new word that sits high above just bier. I have done a little searching online and it does not seem like anybody imports this stuff for retail. I would really like to find a supplier of this new goodie. I would be thrilled to keep a case of it eternally in stock at home.

Ankle?

2007-05-27T08:57:00.000-04:00

I am a little confused. My ankle/foot has just started a new game where it will begin to throb with pain if I do just a little more than a few minutes of walking. I do not remember twisting, jarring or otherwise traumatizing my ankle/foot. I bought some shoe inserts (now I feel OLD) which seems to help on the short trips. Today, I guess I will see if I can handle a longer jaunt. I am just confused as to what is going on with it. I guess I will have to see a pediatrist.

ok, why?

2007-05-24T20:22:00.000-04:00

Ok now, I have nothing against anyone with a disability. That being said, why on earth would Marlee Matlin attend the American Idol Finale? I mean, this is a music contest, you know, with music. Not typically the favorite media form of the deaf, or am I wrong? I am not saying she shouldn't be there. She has every right to do what she wants. I am simply wondering what her interest would be in a music contest. I am just curious. Anyway, four day weekend begins now!

Ok, maybe I do work too hard.

2007-05-22T16:57:00.000-04:00

I like being busy at work. Besides the fact that my line of work only pays for actual working time, I like to know that I have something waiting for me when I am finished with my current projects. But now, I may have went to far. I was so proficient today that I actually created a new project from scratch. I have to stop! I guess my bosses like it and it will likely pay off, someday.

It is just strange. After so many years of having jobs where it was common place to loaf around and surf the internet, I have found I actually like working hard.

Yes, I apparently have become a circus freak!

A good place

2007-05-18T17:01:00.000-04:00

It is strange, at times, to be in a good job. I have always had jobs where I was essentially taken advantage of. But now, I have a great job and I am very well treated. So much so that my recommendation may even get my friend a job there with me. That would truly rock! I just pray that he gets it. Good luck!

TV?

2007-05-16T19:01:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been a big Soprano's fan for a couple of years now. I really didn't think Christopher would get the axe like this though. I assumed, since he was cleaning up his act, that he would pull away at the end and survive with a legit life. Great writing. Very few shows, movies or books suprise me, but this show has. I will miss it when it is over.

American Idol has sort of stunk this year. The singers are fairly good, but we don't really know their personalities. That, I think, prevents me from investing much interest in these folks. Either way, I predict Blake will go home tonight.

I realized the other day just how much my life has changed without migraines. In the past, I could count on a whopper of an attack with a coming storm front. But we just had a pretty strong thunderstorm and I had no migraine at all! Please spread the word to every migraineur you know with frequent attacks to ask their doctor about Lamictal. It has been such a savior for me, and for a few migraineur friends of mine. I am sure it will not work for everyone, but it at least works really well for some. Good luck if you are trying it.

Zorba's

2007-05-14T20:27:00.000-04:00

We have been hungry for some great Greek food, ever since we moved from FLA a couple of years ago. Tonight, we found some. One of the things I love about the District is the abundance of eateries. Zorba's had just what you want: great lamb, feta, spinakopita and beer. Plus, fun people watching. We have to move in next door.

Do you think?

2007-05-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

Do you think it is possible to go to school forever? Well, I am trying to. Grade school to college to grad school to another grad school to a postdoc to a policy course and now, very likely, law school! A professional student right? Oh well, at least my employers have been footing the bill. Maybe I will be done with school before I am forty? I guess it is fun.

I just hope we figure out where to to buy a home soon. Well, back to the weekend.

Long Reprieve

2007-05-11T19:47:00.000-04:00

What a long reprieve. Well, we are finally starting to settle in. I can not believe we have been here for over six months now. I don't miss ANYTHING about academia. My job is great. I truly love it. My wife's job has turned out to be really great too, with great people to work with. So we are very happy on the career side.

Now we just need to find a house to buy. We are so over apartment living! The apartment, which we pay way too much for, has really turned into the hood. Some real freaks live here!

We used to be sure that our dog was pure Chihuahua, just a big fat one. But then I got to thinking recently that he has an awfully curly tail and a lot more folds and wrinkles around his head than would be expected. The it dawned on me. I think he is half Pug, a.k.a he is a Chug! He is a great dog either way, so I cannot complain.

Personal migraine news: I went back to lamictal, but only taking 10 mg every other day. Works like a charm!!!! And no SJS!!! I have went from 2-3 migraines per week to 1 OR ZERO per month! Fortunately, the migraine relief dosage threshold is lower that the SJS symptom inducing dosage.

I promise I will start writing again. That is all for now though. Spater!

Long Enough

2006-10-06T19:48:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I have taken a long enough blog sabbatical now.

SOOOOOOO much has happened in the gap. I have finally completed my postdoc and acquired a "real job". Maybe my parents can stop asking me "how is school going?" even though I have been out of school for two years. But geez, I have been in some sort of academia for 25 years! I am so excited about my new job. I don't have to be chained to the bench anymore!!! I was really starting to feel like a lab slave. No more failed experiments! AND it is in a real live city, NOT the middle of freakin' NOWHERE! As a friend of ours put it we will experience "Green Acres in reverse". There are SIX restaurants within walking distance of our new place, instead of no restaurants closer than a 20 minute drive. Although this temporary domicile is not exactly what we wanted, it will give us time to house-hunt and select a neighborhood to raise a family in.

I feel bad for the grad students in my lab. They are so down. So many people have left the group (willingly or unwillingly) and now the research funding is going south, and fast. It is rather tragic for anyone left behind. I hope, and pray, that some new funding comes through for them and that the new firstyears will bring some hope and spirit to the group. I won't be there to play counselor.

On the migraine forefront I get to try Lamictal again. I am starting it tonight in fact. My Stevens Johnson Syndrome bumps are now gone and I am going to try titrating my way halfway up to the dosage I tried before. The good Doc and I feel that this lower dose will be effective and avoid the side effects. A nice balance

Hunting. Well, I suppose I won't get to do that as often as I used to. And this fall I probably won't get to hunt at all. Oh well, maybe I will find some good ground in our new state.

Some good shows came to close since I went on sabbatical. The only talented cook on Hell's Kitchen won the show and Mike "Dorky" won BigBrother, as Survivor started up again. I am already bored with Survivor. My new favorite show is Grey's Anatomy, seriously. We got caught up on the past seasons via Netflix and are now enjoying the new episodes. The cast is great. Bailey is the best, but so is George!

Well, the biggest deal in our lives now is the move. I hate moving and I have dragged my very supportive wife all over since we have been married. Hopefully, this will be our final state. Oh well, I am happy anyway. It will all be worth it once we are there and settled in.

Well, I'll try to keep up better with this blog now.

Lamictal, Lamictal, Lamictal!

2006-09-19T14:04:00.000-04:00

I am still on by blog sabbatical, but I had to write about this:

Well, I finally went to the Migraine specialist and started on a new prophylactic treatment. WOW! I might have to change my blog title. He started me on a new off-label drug, that until the appointment, I had never even heard of, and I have done a great deal of searching and reading on the subject of Migraine Disease. Lamicatal (lamotrigine)! This stuff is something else. There is a nasty rash that some people get with it (3 out of 1000), but so far I am in the clear. You have to titrate up to the full dose, from 25mg to 100mg over a month period. I am only three quarters of the way up and my migraines are nearly knocked out! Usually, I get 3-5 migraines a week. Now, over the past THREE WEEKS I have had FOUR TOTAL MIGRAINES. Of course being the scientist freak that I am, I needed to understand this. I have found a number of articles on the subject, specifically an Italian journal: Neurol Sci (2006) 27 Suppl 2 S96-S99. The researchers in this article show that Lamicatal is a potent inhibitor of migraine with aura. My new specialist, being the expert that he is, realized that the odd arm problems I have with virtually every migraine may be a form of aura ( I also get the typical light show with some migraines, but the arm thing with almost every attack). I think what also might have clued him in, that Lamictal might work for me, is that MSG (MonoSodium Glutamate) is a potent migraine trigger for me (as Lamictal is a potent glutamate inhibitor). I couldn't be more pleased with this treatment so far. I hope someclinicall researchers are already hot on the trail of a double-blind clinical trial for the use of Lamicatal for migraine. If the Italians are correct, though, this will only help people with some sort of aura with their migraine attacks.

Sabbatical

2006-08-07T08:35:00.000-04:00

I am on a blog sabbatical for while I try to make some important changes. I'll be back soon.

Finally

2006-08-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

Finally, freak-girl is gone. I don't know how this freak made it this far. She was rude and obnoxious, even to Gordon. Hell's Kitchen was excellent last night. I was totally shocked, and thrilled by the ending. The show starts out with a competition that will provide the winner with immunity for the next elimination and Virginia wins it with flirtation (the very skill that has gotten her this far). This time, instead of being "on her knees for Ramsay" it was "on her knees for every construction worker that came by her counter". She immediately got to go back to brown-nosing Gordo, as a shopping trip with him was an additional part of the reward. Throughout the following dinner service she was botching up just about everything on her vegetable station (come on, cooking vegetables is about the easiest thing to do in the kitchen, after dishes). Good old Gordo gets so fed up with her (she must not have done her duty that day) that he verbally revokes her immunity against elimination; nice twist number one. So, Heather gets the praise as best chef of the night and must put two people on the chopping block. Virginia volunteers herself to Heather and exclaims that she doesn't belong there. This leaves Heather confident that Virginia will go home and that she can throw Sara up with her without concern for who will go. That's not to say Heather would not like to see Sara go, but it makes facing her before nomination a little easier. Sara is already wary of the situation though. The time comes and Heather, indeed, puts Virginia and Sara on the block. After hearing the girls' spiels, Gordo protests that he is a man of his word and that Virginia can chose to use her immunity or chose to go home, but it is up to her; wow, twist number two! Finally, after commercial break of course, it is time for Virginia to make her verdict, for which the production has led us up to believe she will proceed with her volunteer effort to go home. But twist number three, she decides to use the immunity and stay, leaving Sara to hit the road. Nice! Now, I think they both needed to go. And I really didn't care which one went, but the drama of the exit was what made it all entertaining. Certainly, unless she gets some sort of immunity again, Virginia will go home next week. There is just no comparison with her and the other two. She stinks. If she makes it to the final two, on her own merits, I will be shocked. Five times she has been on the chopping block. I wonder how she has avoided elimination. Hmm?

Never Fails

2006-07-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

Will never fails to impress. And Sunday's episode was no exception. In his conversation with Janey in the HoH room he laid out all of the house personal connections, like he was at home watching the show. It is that level of perception that won him his first season of BB. Will it win it for him this time? Just maybe. I was originally disappointed with Janelle winning HoH again, but I like her nominee choices this week. Unfortunately *Spoiler alert* Mike wins PoV. Now I just wonder, will she put Will in his place if Boogie uses it? And better still, will Mike NOT use the PoV and prove to Season 6 that chill town does trust them? But then he stands the chance of a making the Marcellus style PoV blunder.

Today, I really learned something important. That is not to say that I hadn't heard this before but this weekend I listened, acted on it and saw the resolute power of service. I play bass for our church worship team once or twice a month and I teach our adult Sunday school class about once every two months. The worship service I usually enjoy, though I do complain about it sometimes. The teaching I almost always begrudge during preparation, but am fairly pleased with when it was finished. But often I will need to both play on the team and teach on the same Sunday. Then I really get edgy. This happened this week, but through the preparation for teaching it sunk in: other people would love to be able to serve in this way and here I am being bitter about it? What a screwed up attitude, let alone towards service that is supposed to be in God's name. I decided, then and there to be thankful for the opportunity. With that heart I played the bass and I taught my class and everything went so incredibly well. The music was great and my class was laughing and pouring out heartfelt participation. I was shocked, I had really felt extremely unprepared, especially for the class, but then it went better than ever. God said here is a need, this time I filled it with a servant heart and the rewards were true. Hopefully, this will be a lesson I remember. In the future, when God asks "Who will help?" I hope I will say "Ooh, ooh, I will, I will!"

Well, it is better.

2006-07-28T08:42:00.000-04:00

Big Brother is really starting to turn around. My wife keenly pointed out that it usually takes this long to really get going, and I think she must be right. Because now, I am entertained. Things in the house are really getting shook up and I am actually rooting for someone to win, George. Until Tuesday’s episode, I was like Will, I hated everyone equally. But now I see some fun gameplay coming out, especially on the part of Will, another favorite of mine. Why was he ever with that girl from season 2? Ruff, ruff! Anyway, I am really enjoying this show again. I love it when Will boldly makes statements that would get anyone else kicked out, but leave all the houseguests just smiling at him! So, I thought poor Georgey-boy was out of there; what a nice comeback. My only disappointment was that Janelle won head of household. I had hoped it would be someone other that season 6. Oh well, at least there is some drama back in the show. Their ratings should start going up now.

On the migraine battle line, the feverfew has yet to bare any tasty fruit yet. I got six nice whoppers this weak and I have had this awful aching in my back and legs. As for the diet, I can't take it. Not only did I get really sick and tired of rice and veggies, I seemed to get a migraine after every meal. Maybe one of these foods is a trigger for me? I don't know, I am American, give me drugs! Less that five weeks remain until I see the specialist. Cheers till then.

Flipped

2006-07-25T09:20:00.000-04:00

Hell's Kitchen last night was "flippin" sweet. I guess it should have come as no surprise that Garrett was eliminated last night, as a large portion of the episode was dedicated to him, even though there is usually very little attention paid to this ex-prison cook. I think Keith has a real shot at winning this show. I think the only competition he has is, "on her knees for Gordon" contestant, Virginia. Not because she is talented, but because she is so flirty with chef Ramsay. And of course you we can't forget the most dramatic portion of the show was when good old Gordo says “Would you mind taking your breasts off my hotplate?” to the rude customer who proceeds to flip over a couple plates of food before storming out. That was funny. I also liked how Gordo picked on Jean Philippe, by saying “What are you trying to do, lose your virginity?” for flirting with the bachelorette party girls.

In personal news, I am starting the migraine trigger free diet today which, for now, basically boils down to rice and vegetables (pun intended). Thankfully, my wife is going on it too, to be supportive. I think the hardest thing for me will be absence of coffee and soda. I will add in certain pure meats very soon, but this is a start.

I would try it.

2006-07-24T08:23:00.000-04:00

I would try strapping an alligator to my head if it helped with migraines (referring to the ancient Egyptian treatment seen to the right). I guess these things have been frustrating people for many a year. I know that nothing yet is able to cure migraine, but I had hoped feverfew would do it anyway. Maybe, the herb will decrease my attack periodicity or intensity, but I am currently frustrated with the one I had last night and the one I am just starting to get over this morning. Thankfully, I have Imitrex and it works for me most of the time. I am going to give the feverfew the full trial I planned, but now I feel like I have an alligator strapped to my head. But the author of the book (Heal Your Headaches: 1-2-3) I am reading says I need to go further than just trying preventative meds like feverfew. He doesn't claim that food triggers are the end all triggers of migraine, but they are the ones you can control. He suggests that the steps to preventing migraine are 1) avoid rebound by medication overuse 2) avoid the triggers you can and then 3) preventative meds. Well, I already do my best to avoid rebound and since I just went ten days without a migraine (before last night's attack) I am pretty sure I am not in rebound. I thought I was doing well avoiding food triggers (the only one I know I am susceptible to is MSG). And now I am trying the meds. But according to this author I haven't played the trigger avoidance game completely within his rules.

A couple of years ago I strictly cut out caffeine, artificial sweeteners, nitrite and nitrate sources, and alcoholic beverages (some of the migraine triggering heavy hitters) for two months straight. I saw absolutely no decrease in the intensity or periodicity of my migraine attacks. At that point I thought that food triggers were simply not an issue in my case. According to this author though, I should have given up EVERY substance suspected of being a migraine trigger at once. Basically, that leaves me with not much more than rice and water for two months straight. I am a foodie. I could never pull that off; could I? The sad thing is, I think he might, maybe, possibly have some notion of being absolutely right. His working theory of migraine makes more sense to me than any other I have heard. Basically, all of my headaches, and many of the other medical issues I have experienced, are related to the mechanism of migraine. In my head I am rationalizing "If I try this diet and it doesn't help, then what good will I have done?" But, I am slowly starting to get past my denial; this may work. So, I guess I should go to Sam's and buy a fifty pound bag of rice. I am kind of desperate. In six weeks I will see one of the world's top headache specialists, but I feel like I need to try to take control of this, the best I can, in the mean time. How much are rice cookers?

My Hopes Are Up

2006-07-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

I am usually kind of pessimistic about new things, especially homeopathic remedies, but I have my hopes up for this one. Yesterday was a week since my last migraine, a stark contrast to 3-5 attacks per week cycle that I have been in the last few months. I haven't been pain free by any means, but I haven't had an attack where I felt as I needed to run to the Imitrex or Vicodin. I have had numerous prodromal symptoms of migraine all weak (allodynia, tinnitus, pain and weakness in arms (my back is hurting as I write this) but the full mechanism of a migraine attack hasn't cranked up to the throbbing, stabbing excruciating head pain that sends be scrambling for a pill or a shot. Maybe I am just having a good week or some placebo effect is at work in my head, but I'll take what I can get. Yesterday was THURSDAY, the day I can be sure to get a nasty migraine attack, and all I got was a moderate stomach ache with a little nausea. I'll take that any day over the usual agony. The author of the 1-2-3 book I was writing about (complaining about) the other day has a theory of migraine where you have this "trigger cup" (my term). And when this cup starts to fill to a certain level you get your prodromes and maybe mild to moderate headaches (his theory is that nearly all primary headaches are a part of migraine and non-migraineurs simply have a much larger cup, per se). But if the volume of triggers raises further, like the cup over flowing, then wham you get smacked with a nasty migraine with all of the wonderful bells and whistles that comes with. Maybe this feverfew has put a hole in my cup that lets the stuff drain out before I get to the overflow stage. Or maybe my hopes are up a little too soon. I suppose only time will tell but I am going to put it in my prayers.

BB7's ratings are down, and I am starting to see why. Last night's episode was rather boring. It had its highlights and I wouldn't have watched any of the other junk that was on in the same timeslot, but some of the magic is missing. I think it may be the all-star thing. Maybe they should have went with a new cast. I don't know.

Heal Your Headache: 1-2-3

2006-07-20T08:31:00.000-04:00

I started reading this book last night that promises to give you control over your migraines. Before even checking it out I was skeptical, and the first 20 pages or so that I got through last night haven't really turned my stern yet. The author has some credentials (which doesn't mean much to me, I know plenty of "well educated" complete and utter morons) and 20 plus years experience as a neurologist, but admittedly he is not a migraineur. That is not to say that I don't think a non-migraineur couldn't help, but I do count it as strike one. Strike two, he tries to charm the reader my admitting that doctors often blame the headache patient for their problems and that he is on our (migraineurs') side. I suppose that is an expected, and even necessary, lead in, but, it then entrusts the author with a certain responsibility to truly care and nurture the readership. Unfortunately, only a few pages later he makes it quite clear that he feels it is the patient's fault, to some degree, and that his 1-2-3 plan can save you if you follow it. After a few more pages you feel like you are watching a television program that is interrupted every few minutes with a commercial for the 1-2-3 program. This is a little asinine. We already have the book in our hands, the time for advertising is over, get on to the point. As I said I am only a few pages into it as of yet and time will tell if there is any real meat to this book. If not, I will certainly complain about it here.

Recently, I have given up on my planted feverfew. I guess I don't have the green thumb since the instructions clearly point out that it grows so well that you had better be careful where you plant it; it will grow like crazy. I found some capsules at a local store that apparently contain feverfew leaves and now I am giving them my own little, anecdotal trial: two a day, starting this past Tuesday. I'll let you know next month if I have seen a difference.

Maybe cheesey

2006-07-18T09:02:00.000-04:00

This show maybe cheesy, but it tastes good to me. Hell's Kitchen (HK), with master chef Gordon Ramsay, is very entertaining. If you don't like reality television then you would probably hate this show. It has many of the typical reality TV attributes such as a show MC (Gordon Ramsay), multiple competitions and the slow dwindling of the cast to a final winner. I think Ramsay is very entertaining. His earlier television work includes a fun little British show where he goes to real-life restaurants, that are having serious kitchen problems, and whips the staff into shape. Some of the same ferociousness of his character from HK is seen in that older show. But, you also get to see more of his kind and caring personality. As for HK, I think it is a blast. I look forward to it every Monday night to see who he will yell into tears and who will make it through another week.

A rave review for that show, but now onto a two thumbs down situation for MSG. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an abundantly used flavoring, preservative and nuisance. One I could live better without. I really can not find a variety of food triggers for my migraine attacks, but, intake of high quantities of MSG is an obvious one for me. I first became aware of it about a year ago when I was getting a migraine every Friday (and there was no Friday meeting). After thorough consideration I realized that the one thing I did different on Fridays was to get Chinese food from this one place downtown. I took a few weeks off from the place and wha-la no more Friday migraines. Immediately, I was suspicious of high MSG content in their food since it is a common flavoring in Asian food that dates back over a thousand years. Then I started noticing other foods with high MSG concentrations (like soups) also trigged migraines for me. So, MSG is defiantly on my hit-list. Now glutamate, the active part of MSG, is in many foods and is hard to avoid. In fact, your body produces it and uses it to a great extent. It is a necessary amino acid (in its protonated form it is called glutamic acid). And the thing is, that the synthetic stuff that is added to foods and what you body produces is identical. The problem is the short term concentration increase caused by intaking the large quantities found in some foods. Yesterday, without thinking, I succumbed to my hunger for some good soup. Within an hour I was in total agony with a wretched migraine attack. I won't make that mistake again. From what I have read, this is a common migraine trigger for many people. I suspect that, unknowingly, I have gotten other migraines that were triggered by MSG. Even if MSG or monosodium glutamate is not on the label, that doesn't put you in the clear. Some varieties of beans and tomatoes generate glutamate, on their own, to a significant extent. As well, the FDA does not require food manufactures to label foods as MSG containing when the glutamate source is of certain varieties (i.e. autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, calcium or sodium caseinate, and hydrolyzed protein). Now, I am on the watch. Maybe I can avoid a few of my migraines by avoiding high levels of MSG. Though it is obviously not the cause of my migraines (remember that migraine is a genetic neurological disorder), MSG is a trigger that I can try to avoid.

Safe at home

2006-07-17T09:19:00.000-04:00

And the shuttle crew is home safe and sound!

Odd nominees

2006-07-17T08:34:00.000-04:00

Wow, those were some odd choices. Maybe Kaysar is very intelligent, but strategy does not seem to be his strong suit. Last season on Big Brother Kaysar got himself kicked out pretty quickly, and when he got a second chance he made one of the biggest BB blunders of all time by giving up the HoH competition to his household enemies. (Only Marcellus’s choice not to use the Power of Veto on himself was more obtuse.) But now Kaysar has a third chance in the house and, I believe, he is really blowing it again. Why choose these two floaters? What house momentum would they have created at voting time had they gained any power anyway? I think Danielle and Will would have made two better nominees. If Kaysar wanted to see two people squirm he could have chosen better worms. If you missed Sunday's episode, see it on Innertube.

In "higher" news, the space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land in just a few minutes. This is a first for the shuttle program in the years since the broken tile tragedy. I am praying for the crews' safe return today, they have done a good job up there. Here is the landing blog.

In personal news, I was astonished after four migraine attacks last week I made it through the entire weekend without one.

In my complaint section: Sprint DSL and Dish Network suck! The DSL was down all weekend for our entire valley and the new receiver that Dish sent us is just as screwed up as the one we already had. Idiots. I miss the days of Roadrunner broadband and Time-Warner cable. Oh!

You know

2006-07-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

You know, I get infuriated everytime I see the stupid commercial for this crap called HeadON. First of all it sounds stupid "chapstick for your headache". Secondly, it trivializes serious conditions like migraine. Thirdly, some folks are actually going to waste their money on this stuff because they are desperate for some relief. You can ask by wife, I get a little burned up eveytime this commercial comes on. But now there is a forth reason for being upset with the makers of this stuff, it is dangerous. It contains potassium dichromate, something that should not come in contact with your skin, let alone be intentionally applied for any length of time. Here are some excerpts from the material safety data sheet, MSDS, on potassium dichromate:

Emergency Overview
--------------------------
POISON! DANGER! MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED, INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. STRONG OXIDIZER. CONTACT WITH OTHER MATERIAL MAY CAUSE A FIRE. CORROSIVE. CAUSES SEVERE BURNS TO EVERY AREA OF CONTACT. AFFECTS THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, LIVER, KIDNEYS, EYES, SKIN AND BLOOD. MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTION. CANCER HAZARD. CAN CAUSE CANCER.

Skin Contact:
Corrosive. Symptoms of redness, pain, and severe burn can occur. Dusts and strong solutions may cause severe irritation. Contact with broken skin may cause ulcers (chrome sores) and absorption, which may cause systemic poisoning, affecting kidney and liver functions. May cause skin sensitization. Highly Toxic! May be absorbed through the skin; symptoms may parallel ingestion.

Chronic Exposure:
Repeated or prolonged exposure can cause ulceration and perforation of the nasal septum, respiratory irritation, liver and kidney damage and ulceration of the skin. Ulcerations at first may be painless, but may penetrate to the bone producing "chrome holes." Known to be a human carcinogen.

Sound like something you want on your forehead?

Well, I am not suprised.

2006-07-14T08:28:00.000-04:00

I am not surprised 1) that I got my Thursday migraine (migraine number 4 for this week) and 2) that Alison went home last night on BB7. The first one, the migraine, was an obvious prediction, it was Thursday after all. The second one, Alison going home, was pretty easy too. If you looked at some of the web polls as to how many votes each houseguest received to go in the house, hers was the lowest among those who made it. And in the beginning of each season popularity seems to be the key factor in nomination. This season's biggest twist is that everybody on the show has a reputation. Overcoming it, or using it to their advantage, is going to be a difficult task for those with the most notorious reps. I doubt Danielle will avoid nomination this week. Although, I do wonder what Kaysar will do. He may still have a grudge against James, even though the current show slant seems to make last year's cast members "the" alliance. Janelle already pointed out that she doesn't trust James. I bet Kaysar doesn't either. I was kind of sad when Julie announced that they would be returning to the old, single HoH pattern. I really thought the dual HoH twist was an excellent change that would reveal more game play. Well, at least this week we start the three episodes per week pattern; so I'll be ready come Sunday night.

I found my thrill!

2006-07-12T13:30:00.000-04:00

I am thrilled. I got an appointment with one of the nations best migraine specialists! It is crazy, you go through this five hour appointment, seeing a number of physicians who work together to give you the best treatment possible. It is over a month away, but now I have some hope.

Help

2006-07-12T08:45:00.000-04:00

Help! I am soooo tired of these migraines. I have had three this week already. And, I have this nagging prodrome / post-drome of pain and weakness in my right arm that is driving me nuts. It really hurts, but I don't want to take anything and send my self into rebound (already have taken Imitrex/Vicodin for three attacks/days this week). I am just sick of it. I guess I should count my blessings, since Imitrex works most of the time for me. But I always have to retreat at least once, in a couple hours, and I am really annoyed with these interruptions to my life.

I am in a desperate search for a prophylactic treatment. I have gone as far as looking for wild feverfew growing along side of the road. I have definitely given up on my neurologist (and I think he has given up on me). So, I am working on getting in to see a headache specialist. At least I will be able to trust that he knows what he is doing. My current neuro has told me things that I know are wrong. But headache isn't his specialty. So, I really can't fault him entirely. Anyway, I hope this specialist knows just what to try, I am going bonkers.

One of my favorite shows, BB7, was on last night. But I was so fatigued from the migraine I had a few hours before that I could not seem to stay awake. I caught bits of the show, but that is just not like me, to not be able to stay up to 9pm to watch a show I am really interested in. I guess I will have to watch that episode when it shows up on Innertube.

Well, watch out for those Amish buggies and mind the exhaust!

Another Sopranos addict

2006-07-10T08:46:00.000-04:00

Just like my wife, bada bing, I am addicted to the Sopranos. We don't have HBO so until a few weeks ago we had never even seen an episode. But now we are watching the first five seasons on DVD via Netflix. We are halfway through season 5 and I am really sad that soon we will be out of episodes. I have to say HBO has really put out some quality shows (Sex & the City and the Sopranos for instance) that we now watch on DVD. I don't know what we'll do until season 6 comes out on DVD. It is so weird how you end up rooting for these scumbags. I mean, I don't want them to get caught for the heinous things they do, and the thing with Tony and Carmella being split up is just driving me nuts. I guess that is a real tribute to great production. The writing and the acting are so good, but I guess that has been said. I mean they just got another Emmy nomination. What a bunch of freaks, but we love them.

Friday!

2006-07-07T08:31:00.000-04:00

Oh! What a long week. Two days is just two long of a work week.
It really is nice to see the space program back in action. To bad I wasn't in Florida for the launch. Good luck to all involved at the cape and those high in the sky.

Suprise suprise!

2006-07-06T23:15:00.000-04:00

Got my Thursday migraine. What a shocker! Anyway, let us move on to better stuff.

Big Brother 7 finally started tonight. This is definitely one of my all time favorite shows. I was not at all shocked by the list of houseguests who made it in. But, I was shocked as to how they made it in. Many of the people CBS added to the mix, I was sure America would have voted in, especially Will. I guess his "I dare ya not to vote me in" statement actually worked. But CBS had the brains to add him anyway. What I thought was truly funny was how Julie (show host) played off the 14 houseguest cap as a change they made because the voting was so close. This, I am abundantly sure of, was a total load of horse manure. Kudos to the folks over at RealityBBQ who quickly caught CBS's error in the All Stars introductory show back in June. In that episode CBS made the mistake of showing 14 houseguest screens and table settings for 14, instead of the 12 Julie was touting at the time. So, why lie like this? This didn't make for some exciting twist. Oh my, they are adding two extra houseguests. Why not just be honest and say that we are voting in 8 instead of six? I don't get it.

I did, however, like their new twist tonight: two head-of-households (HoH) instead of one. If the two HoH's cannot agree then they are put up on the block as the nominees. I think this is a great twist. It forces at least one of the HoH's to show their hand, as it were, when it comes time to decide who not to nominate. I like it.

One other thing of note: if you want to enter CBS's new Big Brother contest but don't want to pay the $0.99 just click here and you can enter for free. CBS is, of course, required to provide entry in any contest at no charge, and politely they have made it easy to do so.

Well that is all for now. Good Day! (for all you Paul Harvey fans out there)

Fourth 'o' July Weekend

2006-07-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I had an interesting weekend! Everything from a very strange Bed and "Breakfast" experience to my first trip to the store of all stores, Cabela's. Let me start with the B&B. The place was alright. I guess we were kind of spoiled by a B&B we went in the past that was owned by some family friends. It was spectacular. This weekend's B&B was a different story. The guy running the place was a little creepy. For three days we thought that his wife was either imaginary or chained up in the basement because we never saw her. I was just waiting for "her" to come around the corner, looking an awful lot like him, and him nowhere to be found. It just seemed strange since most bed and breakfast owners are very personable. I would think that would be a prerequisite to opening one. Secondly, I don't like eggs. Actually, I hate the taste of eggs. So, we let him know that and he said "she" would substitute something for them. That next morning, while everyone else got a normal breakfast, I got three slices of cheese. Woo hoo! What a classic breakfast. But this was all just silliness that we laughed about, because we really had a good time.

My favorite part was the trip to Cabela's. If you haven't heard of it, it is only the best store in the world for those obsessed with hunting, fishing and camping (ie me). Oh glory! Some beautiful taxidermy too! They have some amazing, monster bucks. My in-laws are so sweet that they bought we a really nice GPS unit while we were there. I love it.

Most of visit consisted of visiting my father-in-law's 13 siblings and their families. Sounds droll, but it was actually very nice. One of my wife's cousins and husband were there and we teamed up with them to sneak off for a few drinks. They were a lot of fun. I wish they lived much closer but they are about 1000 miles away. Oh well.

My lowest point was a pretty bad migraine I had around noon today, but fortunately a quick Imitrex shot did the trick in about 25 minutes.

Well, back to normal tomorrow. The in-laws fly home, we pick-up the doggies and get back to work.

Don't forget:

2006-06-28T11:14:00.000-04:00

Today is the final day to vote your favorite houseguests into Big Brother All-Stars!

Vote Now!

In-laws!

2006-06-28T11:06:00.000-04:00

My in-laws are coming for a long weekend visit tomorrow. Unlike the common cliché, I am really found of them. They have always treated me very well and have been very generous to my wife and I. It will certainly be nice to see them again. Before we moved up here we saw them 1-3 times a month, but now we only see them about 3-4 times a year. We get to see my family a great deal more, which is great, but now we are away from them a lot more. It is kind of a tough spot with our families living one thousand miles apart and at some point we will have to make a decision as to which to live closer to permanently. Well, I have a ton of work to do if I am going to take off a bunch of time, so back at it.

Not a Fan

2006-06-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

I am not a fan of Dish Network. They really don't give a hoot about their customers. We have been having an issue with our receiver (which is only a couple of months old) where we have to reset it every time we sit down to watch television. I call them up and they think this is an acceptable issue. They say they have some doofuses working on the software glitch they believe is behind it, but until then we're screwed. I finally convinced them to knock some money off of our monthly service but that just isn't enough. I mean, I have family coming to visit in a couple of days and now they will have to unplug and plug in our receiver every time they want to watch TV while they are here. Rude much! I really miss Time Warner cable! We had them where we lived before and they were spectacular. Great cable TV, great broadband ISP and fantastic service and customer support. I really didn't know what we had back then. In the little bumpkinville we live in now the cable company is NOT Time Warner and they only offer about ten stations, half of which come in fuzzy! It is sad and pathetic. Oh well, I have ranted and raved now, so I feel a little better. Thanks!

2 Days Left!

2006-06-26T15:37:00.000-04:00

Only two days left! Vote your favorite houseguest into Big Brother All-Stars:

ALISON

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

BUNKY

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

COWBOY

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

DANA

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

DANIELLE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

DIANE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

ERIKA

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

GEORGE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

HOWIE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

IVETTE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

JAMES

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

JANELLE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

JASE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

KAYSAR

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

LISA

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

MARCELLAS

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

MIKE

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

MONICA

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

NAKOMIS

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

WILL

Get your codes at BigBrotherLink.com!

Rainy Days

2006-06-26T08:33:00.000-04:00

I love rainy days. Of course they can be a pain if you had some sensitive outdoor activity planned, but otherwise I think they're great. I am not a huge fan of really bright sunlight to start with, so the overcast haziness is certain my cup of tea. I am also not a fan of really hot weather, and here in the north rainy weather usually means cooler weather too. In the south, rainy weather was a whole other thing though. Instead of cooling off during a rain, the temperature would pretty much sit still. Afterwards though, the geothermal heat quickly turned the whole outdoors into a spritz (sauna). Not to say that I didn't love living in the south, I did. But, something about by physio-chemistry makes me run a little on the hot side. I like the rain workdays, since it is not as attractive to venture outdoors, but the best time for rainy days is when you can nap. Why do we sleep best at those times? Is it the drop in barometric pressure or the increase in humidity? I don't understand it, but I do enjoy it. A new bonus for rainy days is to make my garden grow. Saturday I planted some feverfew (pictured above) and hopefully all of the rain we've had since then will convince it to germinate and sprout up at light speed. The idea behind growing the feverfew is the fresh leaves are suppose to act as a migraine prophylactic (a number of studies, notably one in the UK, elude to this although a fully scientific, double blind large scale study has yet to be published). So if I ever get any to grow I'll give it my own 3 month, 1 subject, anecdotal study. I'll let you know either way how it goes. It will be awhile before I even start though; germination alone may take two weeks.

Taylor Hick - Tonight Show - Last Night

2006-06-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

Click to play

Awesome!

What is my deal?

2006-06-23T08:20:00.000-04:00

Ugh. What is my deal? Every single week I get a migraine attack around, or even during, this weekly work meeting I go to. It is not a stressful meeting, my boss is great. He is always positive and if things are not going well he gives me ideas to try, instead of coming down on me. So what is my problem? Is stress really setting things off? I know stress is not the cause of a migraine attack (it is a genetic neurological disorder, not a psychosomatic event) but it can be an exacerbating factor in triggering one. Why would I stress about this? It is dumb. I used to get a migraine every Friday, but finally figured out it was the MSG in the Chinese food I was eating every Friday. I discontinued the Chinese food from that place, and the Friday migraines stopped. How do I stop these new "meeting migraines"? I can't stop the meetings, so I guess I have to change some subconscious attitude I have about them. I really felt positive about yesterday’s meeting, but soon after it was over I got hit, and hard. Fortunately, the triptans usually work for me. Unfortunately, they only last 2 hours, and if the attack isn't done with me, up it roars again. I have tried a number of preventatives to no avail, but I think my neurologist has given up on me. I guess it is time to, as Teri Robert would say, "fire his sorry butt". The nearest migraine and headache specialist I could find is about a four hour drive from here. I guess it is time that I make the hike.

Big Brother All Stars

2006-06-22T08:23:00.000-04:00

Ok, so when I first heard that this season of my favorite summer reality show was going to be an "all-star" sort of thing, I was a little disappointed. I mean, part of the show's attraction is meeting all these new people. But, after watching last night's introduction special I am already hooked. I guess I am just a sucker for this show. I know half the time (ok, maybe more than half) it is pretty cheesy, I guess I like cheese. Pass the Gouda cheese please! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Anyway, if you missed it, CBS presented 20 past BB houseguests who are in the running for the new show that starts in July. 12 will enter the house, 6 chosen by CBS and 6 chosen by America's voting (follow the link above to vote for your favorite houseguest before 9pm, June 28th). Well, we all know that CBS will choose the most "entertaining" 6. That is: the most obnoxious, controversial and skanky folks. Since, season one almost tanked when America voted out all the annoying people, CBS is a little on the wary side to trust us again with absolute power. Fortunately, for their ratings and our enjoyment, the remaining "nice people" went nuts (i.e. "Chicken George") and saved the show from the grave.

So what kind of "twists and turns" has CBS come up with for this year? Who cares? Apparently the attraction of getting to legally "stalk" these folks for a summer creates a broad enough appeal to get the ratings that make this show survive, despite the often corny "surprises".

Well, enough about that for now. I probably won't miss an episode and will be on here complaining about or praising it all summer.

Sweet Fall

2006-06-21T08:18:00.000-04:00

It is just starting, but I am ready for summer to be over. I love Fall. Cooler weather, crisp air, the changing of the leaves and, of course, loads of good hunting seasons. I wish it was whitetail season already, but I would settle for bear or fall turkey season. I could really use some time in the woods to just plop down and take in the peace. Besides the chance of bagging a critter or two, what I love about hunting is some quiet time in the woods. I guess I have always enjoyed the quite. Growing up an only child gave me plenty of time alone (latch-key-kid). I guess I sort of need that time now to feel normal, and nothing seems to do that better than hunting. Anyways, I have yet to nab a monster buck. Maybe last year's new antler restrictions will give me a better chance, I don't know. I am really a novice hunter but I have really come to enjoy it very quickly. I suppose there is the solace of fishing for now. I would love to have some trout anyway.

Migraine?

2006-06-20T09:46:00.000-04:00

The National Headache Foundation describes migraine as such:

"More than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraine, with women being affected three times more often than men. This vascular headache is most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55, and 70% to 80% of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Less than half of all migraine sufferers have received a diagnosis of migraine from their healthcare provider. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus headache or tension-type headache.

Many factors can trigger migraine attacks, such as alteration of sleep-wake cycle; missing or delaying a meal; medications that cause a swelling of the blood vessels; daily or near daily use of medications designed for relieving headache attacks; bright lights, sunlight, fluorescent lights, TV and movie viewing; certain foods; and excessive noise. Stress and/or underlying depression are important trigger factors that can be diagnosed and treated adequately.

Migraine characteristics can include:

Pain typically on one side of the head
Pain has a pulsating or throbbing quality
Moderate to intense pain affecting daily activities
Nausea or vomiting
Sensitivity to light or sound
Attacks last four to 72 hours, sometimes longer
Visual disturbances or aura
Exertion such as climbing stairs makes headache worse

Approximately one-fifth of migraine sufferers experience aura, the warning associated with migraine, prior to the headache pain. Visual disturbances such as wavy lines, dots or flashing lights and blind spots begin from twenty minutes to one hour before the actual onset of migraine. Some people will have tingling in their arm or face or difficulty speaking. Aura was once thought to be caused by constriction of small arteries supplying specific areas of the brain. Now we know that aura is due to transient changes in the activity of specific nerve cells.

The pain of migraine occurs when excited brain cells trigger the trigeminal nerve to release chemicals that irritate and cause swelling of blood vessels on the surface of the brain. These swollen blood vessels send pain signals to the brainstem, an area of the brain that processes pain information. The pain of migraine is a throbbing pain that is typically felt around the eye or temple area. Pain can also occur in the face, sinus, jaw or neck area. Once the attack is full-blown, many people will be sensitive to anything touching their head. Activities such as combing their hair or shaving may be painful or unpleasant.

Diagnosis of migraine headache is made by establishing the history of the migraine-related symptoms and other headache characteristics as well as a family history of similar headaches. By definition, the physical examination of a patient with migraine headache in between the attacks of migraine does not reveal any organic causes for the headaches. Tests such as the CT scan and MRI are useful to confirm the lack of organic causes for the headaches.

There is currently no test to confirm the diagnosis of migraine."

My migraines started in grad school and I had hoped they would stop when I graduated. Yet, quite the opposite has happened: they have gotten more intense and more frequent. I am unfortunate enough to suffer from all of the above symptoms 1-5 times a week. I also experience other symptoms such allodynia, tinnitus, vertigo and muscle weakness (some of my migraines are hemiplegic in nature). I get prodome warning signals as much as 3 days in advance which often continue as much as 5 hours after. Usually a triptan pill or injection does the trick when the pain comes and I am back to my old self in an hour. But during some attacks I can take the maximum number of triptans and pain killers and still get no relief. Those days suck! Fortunately, I have a very supportive wife who does her best to understand and takes good care of me when I am in the throes of the worst ones.
If you want to know more about migraine disease, a fantastic book on the subject is Living Well With Migraine Disease & Headaches by Teri Robert.

A little introduction:

2006-06-19T20:46:00.000-04:00

25 Things About Me:

25 I earned a doctorate in a physical science.

24 I enjoy hunting (fair chase & free range).

23 I am a migraineur (a person diagnosed with the genetic neurological disorder migraine).

22 I am happily married to my GORGEOUS and intelligent wife, whom I love.

21 I like to travel.

20 I have lived in three different states.

19 I enjoy rock, blues, jazz, and praise music. (Taylor Hicks rocks!)

18 I play bass guitar (just not very well).

17 My favorite beverage is Spaten Optimator.

16 I love gadgets.

15 I enjoy trout fishing.

14 I love my two dogs.

13 I am a master griller (not bator).

12 I like to watch American Idol, Big Brother, Hell's Kitchen, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Little Britain and Black Books.

11 I enjoy teaching.

10 I like camping.

9 I hike.

8 I can't sing, at all.

7 My favorite movies include most of the Bond films, Star Wars, Tom Clancy movies, the Bourne films, Lord of the Rings, Crouching Tiger and House of Flying Daggers, Jackie Chan's flix, Harry Potter movies and other nerdy Sci-Fi.

6 I was a smoker, years ago.

5 I enjoy horseback riding.

4 I love German food.

3 I am a foodie.

2 I love Netflix

1 I can really dance (not like Elaine from Seinfeld).