Migraine Sufferers, Read On

     Most people who know me know I've had migraine headaches for years. As in, since I was in middle school. I've been through just about everything on the market you can try for them, from plain old Advil to watching my caffeine to the popular meds like Imitrex to shots in the ER.
     Migraines are a strange, strange thing to have. I'm convinced they're one of the most complicated diseases out there. Just about anything you do can affect them. Sleep. Hormones. Drinking one too many or too few cokes. Stress. Sitting next to someone with strong cologne. And just the same, there's a ton of things you can do to get rid of one or make one better. Sleep. Change the light. Take a bath. Eat. Caffeine.
    
     Mine are genetic. My mom has had them forever, and a lot of people in my family have them too. I don't have too many triggers, and they're pretty easy to watch out for. Strong perfume and cologne is the worst one. Black Amethyst from Bath and Body Works can give me a headache in one sniff! But I can also have one just from waking up and bam! I just have one. Hate that so so bad it's not funny. I think they should be fair and give me a little warning.
     The problem for me is since I've had them so long, they're getting really hard to treat. I've long been nearly immune to the effects of Advil and Tylenol type medications. I'm hugely allergic to the family of medicines called triptans, Imitrex and all those medicines especially made to get rid of migraines, so a lot of the most used meds to get rid of migraines are off-limits to me. That pretty much leaves straight pain medications. And the bad thing with those is the longer you take them and the more you take, then the more you have to take and the stronger strength you need for it to work. You ever wonder how drug addicts get where they are? I know, but I'm pretty sure I have better willpower. It's tempting to just resort to the strongest stuff you have, because you know will work way beyond what you need, and you know you won't have to come back later and take something else. I won't say I haven't done it before. But that only leads to needing something stronger than that stuff, so how are you really helping yourself anyway?

     So instead of becoming an addict, I tried something very new. Actually, most people probably haven't heard of it before. I got shot in the head.
     Lol, I'm actually not far from kidding, but I am using the phrase a little loosely :) I actually have had a procedure called a nerve block done on my head, and the way they did it is to stick a needle straight into my face...yikes!
     It's really not at all as bad as it sounds. I was all freaked out for my first one, I  mean, who wouldn't be? But you get a choice of what type of sedation you want between Verced and laughing gas, if you want it at all (Believe me, you do. I get Verced, gratefully.) and it's over and done with in about an hour. You're numb for a few hours where they shot you, kind of like going to the dentist for me since they shoot me in the face, and you might have a little soreness there the next day, but whatever pain they're treating you for is definitely better.
     The best thing about these things is that it helps your pain long-term. I had my first block, a temporary one, two weeks ago, and I haven't have any pain whatsoever in the right side of my head since. The shot they give you basically coats the nerves that are bothering you in medicine that numbs and starts to kill them, so you quit having whatever pain you've had. They do a set of three temporary blocks to get the location absolutely right, then a final big one to make sure all those nerves are dead. Then you won't have any pain whatsoever there for six months, a year, maybe even more.

     I'm getting a set of three temporary ones on each side of my head, then a big one on each side to finish. I'm all for no migraines for a year or more!
     Today I had my second block on the right. Actually, I got a two for one deal. Technically I was only going to have one, but it didn't work quite right and my doctor is a perfectionist - not a bad thing at all! - so I got another so it would work like it was supposed to.
     The blocks I get are called Sphenopalatine Ganglion blocks. You should be impressed...I didn't even have to spellcheck that! The way they do mine is they inject a needle right in front of my ear, kind of where some people get piercings. The nerves they hit numb my face from my cheeckbone to my jaw, and all the way from my ear to the midline of my face, but the area that it's working on killing for my migraines is behind my eye and up in my temple. Crazy, right? Today I got the freebie block because when I woke up from being sedated none of my face was numb. The second one wasn't as fun, since I had to be awake. My doc wanted to be absolutely sure he got the right thing. These blocks aren't bad normally, but being awake is something I hope to not repeat. The Verced usually makes it to where you don't remember even if you are a little awake for parts of it, but that second block today I remember all too well! Yow!

     I go in two weeks for my last temporary block on that side, and my big block will probably be two weeks after that. I'll update everyone after that, and let you know how it goes! So far, no regrets!