Monday, January 14, 2013

Seeing Stars

Hubble image found here

So I was cruising along, smug as heck about making it through the holidays without a crash. John and I were driving home from a delightful dinner when I noticed something very odd. The lights from the oncoming cars suddenly looked.....strange. Like there was a distinct starry pattern coming from each headlight. And the streetlights looked as though the light was broken up into teensy pieces and the light was swirling around like a cloud of bugs around each bulb.

STRANGE.

I commented about it to John, who wasn't seeing the same things that I was, silly man. Pfft. What's wrong with his eyesight, I wondered...

Then my ears began to ring at a roaring volume. And the whole world tilted sideways. As we pulled into the garage, I still was stupidly wondering what was going on inside my weirdo head, and about the time that I hung up my coat a dull ache smack dab in the middle of my forehead began.

Rats. Another migraine. Dang. I thought I would just zip through the holidays without any issues but yet again, I realized that I should quit with the smugness attitude since it always seems to precede some kind of reality check.

I made a panicky grab for my meds and slugged them down as quickly as I could. They did their job well, and within an hour I was pain free and the world regained it's balance. One of the side effects listed for Imitrex is "drowsiness", and boy howdy, what an understatement. But since unfortunately I'm aware of this drug's side effects after using it several times, I was prepared. By the time the "drowsiness" or more specifically, the "buh bye, going to sleep for about 12 hours" hit, I was in my jammies and tucked into bed.

I'm not certain that the grogginess that persists for about 24 hours afterwards is related to the migraine.......or the Imitrex. I suppose it really doesn't matter since I'll trade the feeling of super-sized brain fog vs migraine symptoms any day.

Having another appointment with Dr. Young Guy soon. I'll have to run my concerns past him.

Do you have migraines? What sorts of symptoms do they cause for you? Dumb stupid headaches.....

7 comments:

Heda said...

You have my complete sympathy. I had migraines and the pain would get so unbearable that my blood pressure would go through the roof and cause me to vomit uncontrollably. Only solution was a visit to ER for an anti-nausea vaccination unless I was lucky enough to get an anti-nausea tablet down before the vomiting started. And then one day about 15 years ago they just stopped and haven't come back. Hope the same happens for you.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I have migraines, complete with auras and confusion frequently.... For me they are a miserable side effect of dry (without protective oils) eyes.

I hope you feel better ~

I've not been able to get my name on there yet, but its Alisande.

Kristi Hiemstra said...

I also get migraines and have for many years. My symtoms: A couple days before my migraine hits I get very tired...more than usual. A couple hours before it hits I get very cold and nothing works to get warm. I know a couple posts ago you were wondering what causes your migraines. I get mine if I don't get enough sleep, my neck is out of place, and when the barometer has a big change. I hope you find out soon what's causing yours.

annie said...

Funny you should ask this question today because I got up fine, but once I started opening up all the window shades to let all the bright sunshine in, I started to feel like I was on a wobbly ship. My stomach was heaving, I wasn't walking straight and I started feeling knots in the back of my head and neck radiating to my shoulders and I couldn't see well.

Unfortunately, it isn't only light or sunlight that disturb me. I have problems with scents (flowers and perfumes) and odors (cigarettes,fireplace smoke,food cooking,cleaners etc.) I usually feel nausea,palpitations, shakiness and a feeling as though I will pass out, along with those knots in the neck and shoulders. My rheumatologist mentioned chemical sensitivities, and I had read about that in cfs and fibro years ago, but my neuro said no, it's typical migraine. I think we suffer from chemical sensitivities as I had never had problems with migraines before getting sick with all these illneses. I think patients know best!


kara said...

The three or four times I took Imitrex it increased my migraine symptoms. I think the grogginess is related to the migraines. At least for me, it seems the more severe the migraine, the worse the grogginess it.

Robin said...

My husband gets migraines. His are triggered by too much bright sunlight and too much (gasp) chocolate. He gets queasy and often feels better after he does vomit. He tries to immediately lay down and sleep it off in a dark room. He often has a migraine "Hangover" grogginess afterward.

Kelly said...

I get what used to be called Migraine Equivalents or Ocular Migraines, which feature the visual aura that can precede a migraine attack, but the headache pain never arrives. Still, I do feel muzzy-headed for a day or so after one of these attacks and as I have progressed through peri-menopause to full blown menopause, some headache has crept in, but nothing like what people describe with a migraine headache. Triggers are bright flashing lights (especially the sun flashing off of a windshield unexpectedly into my eyes while driving or having to look into the sun to hit overhead tennis shots or serves), sleep deprivation and stress. You will NEVER get me to admit that chocolate or green tea triggers these episodes, although I might be able to discern a link between doing too much laundry and getting a headache...

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