I need some advice y'all

[bananandrea]

I know I have been super MIA lately and I know I am going to fail out of my current challenge. I have had a lot of stress and stuff go wrong.

Anyways. I had to go to the doctor today for some really bad headaches that I have been having. Like bad enough that I can't even pick my head up off the pillow in the morning. They kind of become a dull throb throughout the day... but they are very much like migraines. Which I have had a little trouble with before. I figured they were just stress headaches or something.

Well the doctor wants me to get on some sort of medication. He said there were a couple of options of different ones. He really scared me actually cause he ran a few paralysis tests to see if my migraines have cause some sort of nerve damage? Idk. I really wish someone else was with me cause I didn't really understand anything that he did and/or said really. He kind of freaked me out.

Do any of you know what he's talking about? Do I need to be on medication for migraines/stress headaches? And don't be afraid of terating me like I am dumb. I really don't know what I am talking about.

[Saggy Z]

Have you had any kind of muscle weakness? Slurred Speach, visual disturbances?

Severe Migraines can cause damage to nerve tissue. From my limited knowledge of migraines it is a severe form of headaches which is caused by vasodilation in the brain, or enlargement of the blood vessels, and that causes nearby nerves to release chemicals to cause you the sensation of pain. This can cause from my very limited knowledge permanent damage to your nerves somehow.

Also do you have a history of high blood pressure? Heart Disease? Have you also cut out anything in your diet like caffeine or nicotine?

[teas926]

Are you male or female? 'cause I know females are more susceptible to migrain. That's not to say if your male its unusual. When you say "stress headaches", you know thats basically another name for migrain right? It can be triggered by stress, coz my Missus gets em from time to time.

I'm pretty sure its initially treated with A: painkillers for the headache, and B: nausea medication for, well, nausea.

I won't pretend to be an expert at the risk of giving baadvice, but I will say this. It's amazing how stress can affect you physically!

If your not fully understanding what the Doc says don't be afraid to ask questions, however silly you might think they are. "There's no such thing as a stupid question." Or failing that, take someone along who your comfortable with, close friend/family member.

Feel better mate, get well.

[diableri]

I know I have been super MIA lately and I know I am going to fail out of my current challenge. I have had a lot of stress and stuff go wrong.

Anyways. I had to go to the doctor today for some really bad headaches that I have been having. Like bad enough that I can't even pick my head up off the pillow in the morning. They kind of become a dull throb throughout the day... but they are very much like migraines. Which I have had a little trouble with before. I figured they were just stress headaches or something.

Well the doctor wants me to get on some sort of medication. He said there were a couple of options of different ones. He really scared me actually cause he ran a few paralysis tests to see if my migraines have cause some sort of nerve damage? Idk. I really wish someone else was with me cause I didn't really understand anything that he did and/or said really. He kind of freaked me out.

Do any of you know what he's talking about? Do I need to be on medication for migraines/stress headaches? And don't be afraid of terating me like I am dumb. I really don't know what I am talking about.

Go back. Tell the doc you didn't understand and that she worried you. Stay with the doc until you understand. Take notes and take someone else. You don't even have to know the person all that well if you don't mind them knowing your medical situation. Have them take notes. Ask questions until you understand. Write down the list of medications that the doc is considering. Write down the possible diagnosis as well.

Despite the way some physicians treat their patients, they work for you. If they are not doing their job; change. You wouldn't let a shoddy plumber fix your toilets or sink, don't let a shoddy doctor try to fix you. EDIT: And by the way, their job does not involve you leaving "freaked out" or misunderstanding them.

I hope you find relief soon and that your health improves. Good thoughts your way.

[Crooked]

Wise words from diableri. I just wanted to add that if it's impossible to go back, get a call in to him now. I have a bunch of specialists, and whenever I think of a question after my appointment is over, I call, even if I feel silly calling the same day or a day after I had my appointment. Some doctors I've encountered get so caught up in treatments that they don't fully explain the underlying issue, which as a patient you have the right to know. Get a second opinion if you think this is a problem with the doctor rather than with this particular appointment. Good luck and best wishes!

[Oogiem]

Get thee to a second opinion! I am female, a lot older than most here and have had serious migraines off and on. They are no laughing matter and sometimes drugs are necessary but first get another opinion. And I echo the wise Diableri, the doctor works for you. Find out what is really going on or find a doctor willing to talk to you.

[Alethea]

I second Diableri and Oogiem. Go back to your doctor and figure out what they actually said. If you're not comfortable talking with that doctor or you dont feel confident in their diagnosis, go get a second opinion. Headaches are a common symptom - they can mean a hundred different things from stress to blood constriction to whoknowswhat - so step 1 to fixing them is figuring out what is wrong. Depending on what it is, there could be a bunch of different treatments (meditation instead of blood pressure medication, for instance), so you need to understand what is going on so that you can make the best decisions for you.

[Wolfman]

I have had severe migraines my entire life (severe as in missed a year of junior high school and, more recently, five months of work, not to mention the normal 2-3 sick days that I've lost count of). I have tried every therapy known to mankind, special diets, and a host of drugs. I am now on Propranalol. It is a blood pressure medication that is often prescribed for migraine sufferers. I hate taking any medication regularly, but it has been the only thing to keep the migraines away (I get them once or twice a year now instead of once or twice a week). I occasionally ween myself off to see if my diet/lifestyle changes have fixed whatever is causing the migraines, but so far... no go.

Good luck! It takes a lot of time and energy trying to figure this stuff out and in most cases (like mine!) the cause remains undiagnosed. Don't be discouraged, though! There are treatments that work for most people and you are definitely not alone! Send me a PM if you have any questions!

[thescrawnycaveman]

My migraine experiences aren't as bad as wolfman, but a couple years back I had headaches that would literally knock me out. One time I was walking in the hall way, saw a bunch of staticy colors block out my vision, opened my eyes and I was somehow on the floor and my face hurt. And also had a terrible migraine for hours. I saw a doctor about this, he did the whole paralysis tests thing as well as a few other tests. He prescribed me some medication and told me I didn't have to take them, but if I want the headaches to go away I have to either take them or stop eating junk food (MSGs are a common cause of migraines) and start relaxing more. I took the latter and it worked like magic.

bananandrea, you will be fine, try to stay relaxed. The more you stress about migraines, the more they are probably gonna hurt. Relax, get some extra sleep, take nice hot baths, do what makes you happy, and DON'T WORRY! You are in good company :-)

[LynnyLee]

I'm going to go in with "thirding" Diableri and Oogiem. It's your body; you have a right to know what's going on.

[bananandrea]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to get on again guys! I do think I am going to go back to see the same doctor again. My headaches have not gone away but they have really dulled down. Unfortunately as weird as this sounds... My hair is starting to fall out... I called the doctor after that and he literally told me I needed to cut down on the stress in my life then the stress will kill me.

I am not sure what to do. I feel like nothing I am going through is THAT bad.

Sure. I have no place to "live"(currently staying with a friend for a few weeks). I don't have very many friends. My church is kinda being... judgmental? I never have any money... I don't know what I want to do with my life.

But I am only 23.. and the money thing is my fault... but I have a car. A place to stay. I woke up mostly healthy this morning. So my life isn't that bad compared to people that live in Africa. But I guess the stress of my life is still too much?

Ugh. And now I am just rambling.

['Roos]

@Bananandrea - your problems are your own to wrestle with, regardless if other people are going through worse elsewhere. It's never fair on yourself to say, "Well I am doing OK and shouldn't complain because so and so has it much worse and is doing better" - that's just silliness and guilt-tripping yourself over feeling how you feel. Having nowhere to live and poor prospects would be incredibly stressful to anybody and it seems like you're having a serious physiological reaction to that stress. Best of luck with everything.

[Crooked]

I kind of think you need a new doctor. First he freaks you out by not providing enough information about your condition, then he tells you to stop stressing because the stress in your life will kill you? Not helpful. Maybe it's just my interpretation, but it sounds like you could be going to someone much more sympathetic who explains things more thoroughly.

Have you considered treatments that might help with reducing your stress levels? Therapy, yoga, meditation, even stretching might be good approaches to help manage this chronic issue. Do what you can to maximize sleep given your living situation. These might help:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-sleep/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/17-ways-to-improve-your-sleep/

[thescrawnycaveman]

You could always give a famous herbal stress reliever a try ;-). Just uhhh don't get caught

[Wolfman]

Also, while stress can definitely cause headaches and exacerbate the condition, it's not the be-all end-all of migraines. Diet, health, blood pressure, allergies, and many other things can cause or work together to cause recurring headaches. If his instant response was "oh it must be stress" and that's where his exam stopped, then you definitely need another opinion.

[diableri]

I have been catching up with Robb Wolf's podcasts lately as I jumped into paleo foods about a week ago and came across this. I have no idea if it will help or if you already know about it so I apologize if that's the case. From I think episode 6 of his podcast, "The Paleo Solution" and his blog response in the hyperlink below:

"I do not see those meds as being particularly competitive with leanness. Have you ever tried a fully ketogenic diet? We have seen several people who have suffered debilitating migraines go completely off meds using a ketogenic approach. Andy’s wife (pdocast Andy) had a remarkable improvement."

During the podcast, they discuss migraines and their clients that suffer from them and what has worked for them for several minutes. Probably worth downloading and listening to it. It's all free other than you have to put iTunes on your computer (blech!).

http://robbwolf.com/2009/12/08/the-paleolithic-solution-episode-5/

About 3/4 down the page in the comments, search for "Migraine" on the page and it'll jump right down to it. Hope it helps in some way. Best wishes.