the return of the migraines

When I was in high school I suddenly developed headaches. Not your run of the mill mild headaches, but nearly debilitating headaches that were usually on the right side of my head, just above my eye.

I went through a bevy of tests to try to determine what was causing these headaches (my head was scanned, my reflexes tested, blood drawn). The doctor boiled down the possibilities to Lupus (because it ran in my family) and migraine headaches. Lupus was eventually ruled out as well because really, my only symptom was the dang headache.

I'd get them every few months and would usually put me out for the count. Some people with migraines get auras (fuzzy light or blurry vision), I did not, so I couldn't really tell when I was getting them. I also didn't have photo-sensitivity (when the light hurts your eyes) which is quite common. But the one system I did have that maybe made the whole thing worse was a sensitivity to smell. It was like every horrible smell was a bazillion times worse than normal. Even good smells were unbearable. If I were to choose between light sensitivity and smell sensitivity, I think I would choose light, because at least you can close your eyes, right? Maybe this is a case of the grass-being-greener-on-the-other-side thing.

I was put on an oral migraine medication and lived a fairly normal life. And then one day the went away! For years I didn't have a migraine, or if I did, it was very manageable (nothing a few ibuprofen and a swig of diet coke couldn't solve).

Until recently; you all remember this post (which I really think was the beginning of the return of the migraines).

Well folks, it's happened again. I got a migraine last night, went to sleep, woke up and it was still there. I was nauseated, ate a little fruit, and then promptly got the mouth sweats, and had to run to vomit. I took a few ibuprofen, took a 2 hour nap, and I'm good as new.

I must say I'm getting pretty good a throwing up (I also suffer from gastro-esophageal reflux disorder -- or GERD) which has made me vomit a few times. Lovely stuff.

So really, kids, I need to get to a doctor to have this stuff looked at. I just hate going through the process of getting the appointment, and my doctor has less-than-stellar hours. But I'm thinking that if my headaches aren't being managed with the stuff I'm doing, and my GERD isn't responding to over the counter drugs. I suppose Monday I'll be making a call to the doctor's office.