My Ectopic Pregnancy

Hi, dear blog readers! I fully realize that I deserted my blog for a while...no good excuses, life just got in the way. I get overwhelmed easily, and this was just one more thing I "had" to do, so I needed a break.

I'm taking a break from the break to share some things going on with me and to talk about something new (new for me, that is) I'm trying for my headaches/migraines.

First, how cute is my little girl?! This is her at Christmas. She is such a blessing.

Hollis, 17 months

Second, and this is the bad news, I just had an ectopic pregnancy. My husband and I had been TTC (trying to conceive) baby #2 for eight or so months when it happened. My endometriosis caused it...apparently my only remaining fallopian tube (the other was removed when I had the ovarian cyst) is a hot mess. Thankfully, we caught it early.

Let me interrupt to say that I read the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, years ago and it has really helped me understand my body. Without that knowledge, I may not have even known I was pregnant and my fallopian tube could have ruptured. Let me also say that if you're TTC, Dollar Tree pregnancy tests are super accurate and the way to go...no need to spend tons of money on fancier ones.

I had bleeding from the start, so my husband and I never had the chance to get excited or get our hopes up. I thought it was miscarriage, but my doctor had me get blood tests done regularly just to be sure, and when my hcg levels went up a little, she had me come in right away for an ultrasound. If she hadn't been on top of things, my fallopian tube could have ruptured, which requires emergency surgery. I was given a shot of methotrexate which, surprise surprise, caused a massive migraine (plus cramping and exhaustion, but then again it did save my tube, and possibly my life). I have a follow-up appointment next week to talk about next steps.

Sweet baby feet

I bought this charm from Etsy to honor my baby. The footprints are the size of a 10-week fetus (my baby was around 5-6 weeks...I think 10 weeks is when the toes form). I believe that life starts at conception, so this was my way of honoring the sweet baby who is now in heaven with his or her paw-paw (my husband's dad), who passed away a few days before I got the positive pregnancy test. January was a tough month, to say the least.

Third update: Since I can't try to get pregnant again for another three months (or maybe more, if I can even try again...we'll see what the doctor says), I decided it's the perfect time to try something new for my headaches that I otherwise wouldn't be able to try! Turning a negative into a positive. :) A friend from church recommended Migrelief...she said it hasn't gotten rid of her migraines, but it has reduced the frequency and the pain level. There are two kinds, but it the ingredients are similar. She uses this one (MigreLief), but I bought this one by mistake, but I'm going to switch over to the brand she uses once I finish this bottle. (Side note: I just saw that Vitamin Shoppe's current web special could have saved me $11.00...excuse me for a moment while I go punch something). The kind my friend uses has a refund program if it doesn't work, but you have to buy three bottles and then send two back. I've tried magnesium and feverfew separately, but not together. I don't think I've tried riboflavin, the other ingredient.

Oh, and I can finally take Aleve again (it was a no-no for pregnancy and breastfeeding) for my headaches, woohoo! :) As for the migraines, I've been taking Fioricet as needed (even during pregnancy/breastfeeding) and am pretty happy with it as long as I limit how much I take.

I'll update again after I give the Migrelief/MigreLief a good try (at least three months, unless I have bad side effects). Peace and love to you!

I *heart* my neuro

As I write this post, I'm drinking homemade apple carrot juice. Thanks for the suggestion, Jessica! I added a little celery, splash of OJ, and honey too. And the apples are Pink Lady apples, fresh from the mountains. YUM. While I haven't noticed a change in headaches (yet), the juice is without a doubt clearing my face.

Last week I finally got to see my neurologist, who is back from maternity leave. She spent a lot of time with me and I feel really good about things! I had been keeping a list of things to ask her, and we went through them all together. My Twitter friend Gina suggested that I write down every health issue I've ever had, even minor ones, and share it with her to see if the list would trigger ideas or show that I might have an auto immune disease. My neuro looked it over, commented that a lot of the ailments are common for people who end up having migraines (such as colic which I had as a baby), and decided to have me do an infectious disease blood test. I'm still waiting on the results. My neuro also is going to contact my insurance to see if they'll cover Botox for me, but I'd be in complete shock if they do (at least any time soon).

Speaking of tests, I finished my hormone spit test and mailed in the tubes, so now I'm in waiting mode for that one too.

In the meantime, I've started a new non-pharma treatment, Butterbur, which may prevent/reduce migraines. I got the pills from Whole Foods and they contain feverfew too.

I'm still seeing a therapist, and I still am wearing my TMJ mouth guard, but I'm slowly tapering down the hours - right now I wear it 17 hours a day. It hasn't helped my headaches, but I do have less jaw pain in the mornings, so I'm probably going to wear it every night for the rest of my life.

For emergencies, I had my neuro write me a prescription for Butalbital (Fioricet), and as long as I take it as little as possible, it helps my migraines (if I take it too much my body gets used to it and it stops working, and plus it can cause rebound headaches). I can generally handle the almost-constant headaches, but if they get really bad I'll take two Aleve pills. I'm starting to feel ulcer-type pains again, so I'm trying to take as little Aleve as possible.

I'll keep all of you up to date on the results of all the above. Thanks for all your thoughts, suggestions, comments and prayers. :)

Book Review: The Headache Cure

On a recent vacation, I read The Headache Cure by Joseph Kandel, M.D. and David Sudderth, M.D. I read the entire book in the car in about five hours (surprisingly, reading in a car does NOT give me a headache). I read it so quickly because it told me just about everything I already knew.


(image copyright 2008 Barnes & Noble)

If you're just starting to get headaches, this is the book for you. It's basic and covers lots of possible reasons and solutions.

However, if you're like me and have been suffering from headaches for years, you probably won't learn much from this book.

There was one part that was interesting, so of course I'm going to share it with my readers! If you want to try feverfew or other vitamins/supplements, this book gives some helpful buying tips:

* Buy vitamins/supplements manufactured in the U.S. or Canada only.
* Check ingredients to make sure there aren't lots of unecessary ones. For feverfew for example, it should only contain parthenolide.
*Ask your doctor about the dosage, or buy the product that has the lowest required dose.
*This goes without saying, but check with your doctor before you start taking vitamins/supplements because there's always a risk of interaction with your current prescription or OTC medications.

Abilify

I had an appointment with my neurologist yesterday. He put me on Abilify, a drug for bipolar disorder. He said it's also used at a smaller dose for headaches, and it helps with stress and muscle tension but doesn't make you drowsy.


See how tiny it is? I put it by a penny. I just remembered my computer has a camera on it, so I can take pictures for this blog! I don't have a digital camera...weird, I know. Sorry it's a little blurry.

I started taking it this morning and didn't have any noticeable side effects. It must be strong though because my neuro is having me take 1 mg (the pill is 2 mg, so I have to split it) every 3rd morning for 3 doses, 1 mg every 2nd morning for 3 doses, and then 1 mg every morning. VERY gradual!

Also, I asked my neuro about Migraten and feverfew. He explained that he doesn't think they would help with my headaches which are more tension than migraine. I had TWENTY headaches last month (part of it was from the Naproxen rebound headaches), and he said that with the frequency and type of headache I have, it wouldn't be enough to help. That makes sense. I can still try it though - he said it won't interfere with my other medications (I'm still on 5 mg of Bystolic also). I looked at the Vitamin Shoppe and Whole Foods, and both had migraine pills with feverfew, magnesium, riboflavin, etc. but no Migraten. They're all pretty expensive in my opinion (about $30 for 60 pills), but I may try them at some point.

Sinus Buster

An employee of Sinus Buster saw my blog and sent me free samples of different formulas of the nasal spray, including the "Headache Formula" pictured here. It's similar to Sinol, but it has feverfew in it, which is also supposed to prevent headaches with regular usage. I've been using Sinus Buster twice a day for about two weeks. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped prevent any headaches yet, but I'm still going to keep trying it and maybe increase the dosage. It's much easier to use than Sinol - the sprayer works better (note for anyone who works at Sinol who may be reading this!).

Check out more info on Sinus Buster here.

My neurologist is letting me go off Lexapro, which I was originally excited about since I don't like being on antidepressants. I've been on it since late last year though. I split the pills in half a few nights and then stopped taking it for about two days. My neurologist had told me to wean myself off it, but he didn't get too detailed. I got SO depressed, so right away I took half a dose (5 mg) and have been taking that every other day and will keep doing that until I run out. It's scary that medicine can affect your emotions that much.

"Good gosh, are you writing a book?" Quote from my husband. It's Friday night, and it's been a rough week at work and my world of headaches (probably related to the work stress), so I'm going to listen to the hubby.

Headache Blogs

I've found several headache and migraine blogs, such as these two:
http://notintendedforconsumption.blogspot.com/
http://www.thedailyheadache.com/
(I'm sorry; still haven't had time to figure out the link thing.) It is no surprise, because headaches are so common, and blogging is so popular. It's sad to see others are suffering like me, but it is helpful to read experiences of others and to know that I'm not the only one going through this.

Medication update: I'm taking Desipramine and Lexapro, both for depression, but they're supposed to help headaches too. My noticeable side effects are major dry mouth and loss of appetite. I'm having to force myself to eat and that's weird for me because I have a high metabolism and am used to eating a lot. I am 5'7'' and normally weigh around 115, but I was around 108 last time I saw my neurologist. I also have a rapid heart beat (around 105 beats per minute). I was on one medication once for high blood pressure (I think it was Toprol) which, of course, I was taking for headaches, and my heart rate got down to 40 beats per minute. So 105 seems high, but maybe it's not that bad.

I did some quick research on feverfew, and here's some info from WebMD:

Feverfew and migraines
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is an herb that has been used for years to prevent and treat migraines. In recent scientific studies, it has shown some promise in reducing the frequency and severity of migraines. However, more research is needed to confirm its benefits.
Inflammation of tissue around blood vessels in the brain is thought to play a role in headache pain and other symptoms associated with migraines. It is thought that feverfew reduces inflammation in blood vessels, which seems to decrease these symptoms. The active ingredient in feverfew is parthenolide, which acts similarly to a combination of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as aspirin, and a corticosteroid, such as prednisone, to reduce inflammation and pain.
Feverfew is available as dried leaf powder, tablet, capsule, and tea. It is important to find feverfew that has been standardized (which means you receive the same amount of active ingredient in every dose) with guaranteed potency. It can take several weeks of use for feverfew to become effective. For long-term treatment and prevention of migraines, use feverfew daily for several weeks to months or longer.
Side effects of feverfew are usually mild but can include stomach upset and allergic reaction, such as a skin rash. People who chew on the feverfew leaves sometimes develop open sores (ulcers) in the mouth. Feverfew is not recommended for use by young children or by women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/Feverfew-and-migraines

I might pick up some feverfew next time I go shopping. My neurologist doesn't think it will help though, but I say it's worth a try.

I'm praying to God that my headaches go away, and I will pray for everyone else out there with pain too. They'll go away eventually, one way or another. For now I am just thankful I'm able to live my life.

Two words: dra - ma

It all started on Tuesday. My husband commented that our credit card bill was too high this month and told me I spend too much money. I dared him to actually total how much I spent on ME (not groceries, gas, etc.) and he came to $300...about $250 of that was medical bills/copays/prescriptions. I don't think he should have counted medical things because it's not like I WANT to spent that much on doctors instead of clothes or something fun! Ugh.

So then on Wednesday, I had my chiropractic appointment. It was my 14th visit and I had been going for about a month, so they did a re-exam and I filled out more paperwork. When I met with my chiropractor, he told me that it looked like there was nothing he could do because my type of headaches don't seem to respond to chiropractic care. I actually started crying - how embarrassing. I guess I had felt like it was something new and since they did find a problem with my neck in the x-ray, maybe it would work. But no. I'm still going to go for "adjustments" once a month and I might still get the neck pillow just to keep my neck loose and in the right position.

Then on Wednesday afternoon, I had my neurology appointment. I told my neurologist (who recommended the chiropractor) that it didn't help, and again, I started crying. He gave me samples of Lexapro, which is an anxiety/depression medicine, and said to keep taking it with the Desipramine, also for depression. He said my headaches seem to have characteristics of tension headaches, and Lexapro should help within a few weeks. I took it last night; no headache today (yet), but I think it's because I just started to get out of a 4-day headache yesterday evening.

My chiropractor recommended taking feverfew, but my neurologist said it would have little impact on my headaches and wouldn't help prevent them. I still need to find time to research feverfew.

I'm on my lunch break at my desk, and all I want to do is sleep!