Headaches seem better, but aren't

I was going to write a blog post about how my headaches have finally been getting better, so I went to look at my headache calendar to see how many fewer headaches I'm having. Ummm, apparently none. I still only have 2-4ish days a month that are completely headache/migraine-free. So why was I thinking they were getting better? My guess is....wait for it...exercise.

I've noticed that my headaches are better during vacations and I thought it was from being more relaxed, which could be the case, but my husband and I took a recent vacation to Nashville, TN (pics below!) and I noticed all the exercise I was doing. When we're on vacation, we always do a ton of walking, and this time we also took our bikes so we could ride the local greenway.

Plus, now that I'm healed from my surgery, I've started running again. I downloaded the free Nike+ app which makes running even more fun (for me anyway) because I can track my distance, speed and time. Then I can brag to Jonathan that I'm a better runner than him...not that he claims to be a runner. :)

From what I can tell, exercise cuts off or at least delays a headache if I'm starting to get one. Occasionally though, probably when a migraine is inevitable, it brings on a headache/migraine, but that hasn't happened very often.

So while the frequency of my headaches hasn't improved, they still seem to be slightly better, at least when it comes to the pain level - or my impression of the pain level. That gives me the drive to keep exercising as much as possible!

In the works:

• I'm switching neurologists because I was having to pay a separate "hospital fee" (around $250) for my clinic which was tied to a hospital. It's taking forever to get all my records transferred and get me "released" (like my calling for an appointment somewhere else isn't enough?) from the former place, but everything is almost ready and I'm looking forward to meeting neurologist #7!
• A company mailed me a product to try out, so expect a review soon (don't get your hopes up). 

Jonathan & I are jamming at the visitor's center

Day trip to Mammoth Cave, KY

Headache Poster

I made this poster using Adobe Illustrator for the final project of my summer class, and I thought I'd share it with you all. I purposely put the words over top of myself to symbolically show how the headaches/migraines and treatments have tried to take over my life. So artsy, I know. :) My teacher gave me an A!

Guest Post: For Those Missing Midrin

I don't feature guest posts very often, but since I'm having a whirlwind summer with an intense summer class, internship and part-time work (all fun stuff, since I'm doing lots of designing!), I haven't been able to blog as much as I'd like. So when I received an offer via email and the topic sounded like it could be helpful to you all, I gladly said yes. Just a personal note, I haven't tried Midrin or a similar compound, although I won't rule it out for the future!

John Voliva, author of the post below, is a pharmacist and serves as social community manager at Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA). He has more than a decade of experience owning a compounding-only pharmacy, and has worked hand-in-hand with hospitals, physicians and patients to help solve problems stemming from drug shortages. PCCA has a membership of more than 3,900 independent community pharmacists, and provides them with chemical ingredients, equipment, devices, training and education, among other resources.

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For Those Missing Midrin
There are solutions available locally

By John Voliva, RPh

For those that suffer from migraines, finding a medicine that offers real relief can be a challenge. Many migraineurs came to rely heavily on the popular drug Midrin and were very upset when it was discontinued in 2009, and then again when generic versions were pulled from the market in late 2010. Regional shortages of Midrin continue, with sporadic or limited availability, at best. For sufferers of migraines, this unavailability has posed a significant problem, as Midrin had been the best medication they had found to treat their symptoms. Since then, they have been forced to turn to other drugs or remedies to cope with their pain. What if they could get Midrin back?

Many are unaware that there is a solution to the Midrin shortage through pharmaceutical compounding. Compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications, and effectively returns to the roots of pharmacy, where pharmacies make, by hand, medicines that doctors prescribe. Through the years, modern technology and research have allowed more pharmacists to customize medications to address very specific needs not met by major manufacturers.

The active ingredients that were used in Midrin (acetaminophen, dichloralphenazone, and isometheptene mucate) are still available. While pharmaceutical companies are unable to produce Midrin or a generic without clinical trials and applications for FDA approval, compounding pharmacies – which are regulated by state boards – can compound an equivalent prescription medication. Following a precise formula, these pharmacists use the same active ingredients, in the same concentrations, to provide patients another option in treating their migraines. Compounding also makes additional customization possible: If, for example, a patient was instructed to limit their use of acetaminophen, a compounding pharmacy could compound using only the two other active ingredients. In this way, an effective analog could be provided, while helping the patient abide by doctor’s orders.

There are thousands of compounding pharmacists practicing all over the United States and Canada, with the tools and ingredients needed to create a Midrin equivalent. To find one, patients and doctors can go to www.findacompounder.com. Entering a zip code at that site will yield a list of compounding pharmacies within a given radius, as well as information on what to look for in finding a good compounder.

WoH Quoted in Article: What You Might Not Know About Treating Migraines

War on Headaches was mentioned in an article on The Daily Muse, a website for career-oriented women. The article is titled "What You Might Not Know About Treating Migraines."

The author, Varci Vartanian, used to work as a nurse for a neurology practice, so while she doesn't suffer from migraines, she knows all about them. Since it's National Migraine Awareness Month, she decided to write an article on the topic and she found my blog and requested an interview. I enjoyed talking with her because she was very understanding and sympathetic of migraines and how they impact one's life. Please be sure to check out the article and share it with your friends - especially the ones who say "just take some (insert latest OTC headache med they just saw on a TV commercial that "works" for migraines)."

Thank you Varci and The Daily Muse for raising awareness of migraines and how tricky they can be!

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This isn't related to this post, but I wanted to share a story with you all. I was shopping with a close friend who has had two kids and is pregnant with her third, and she was having to avoid certain stores that had strong scents because they made her nauseous. We also smelled cigarette smoke from far away. I told her that I understood how she felt because I always had a heightened sense of smell plus random nausea, and she said, "Wow, it's like you're pregnant all the time!" I hadn't thought about it like that, but it's so true! She was able to better relate to me from making that connection, which was nice. :)

Know Your Dose!

The Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition recently launched the Know Your Dose campaign to educate those who have chronic pain on the proper use of medications containing acetaminophen. Did you know that acetaminophen is used in more than 600 over-the-counter medications?! I didn't either until I found out about this campaign. Most of us know we're supposed to stay within the recommended dose, but it's easy to overdose accidentally if you're not aware of which medications contain acetaminophen, especially if you're taking more than one medication.

The Know Your Dose website has a cute interactive game, a short video and an interactive label reader that explains each part of OTC and prescription labels. It's a great reminder that we should always read the entire label before we take something new! Or heck, if your memory's bad and you enjoy reading, read it every time. :)

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So just a brief personal update. It's been a month since my surgery and a month has made such a huge difference! I can walk without bending over, I don't have to take medicine every three hours, the glue on my stomach is almost gone, etc. Unfortunately my headaches and migraines are still the same old, same old. Since I met my insurance deductible from the surgery, I had glorious plans to finally try Botox and whatever else I could think of, but unfortunately my insurance renewed June 1 and now I'm starting all over. I cried when I found that out...it made me so angry! My deductible is $1,000 which isn't a *lot lot* but considering I have to pay for part of the surgery (a very small amount thank God), I can't go on a spending spree right now.

Plus, my one lonely ovary has been mourning the loss of my right ovary in the form of angry acne (on my face, not my ovary!), so I had to see a dermatologist and go on three different acne medications. That hasn't been fun but I'm trying to suck it up since at least the acne isn't causing me physical pain (except for the ones that form big bumps under the skin...ouch). Emotional pain on the other hand, oh my goodness.

By the way, happy National Migraine Awareness Month! Lots of bloggers are doing daily posts on various topics this month, so if you're looking for migraine information, now's a great time to read some blogs!

Endometriosis

During my follow-up appointment with my surgeon's nurse, I learned that I heard correctly after my surgery - I do in fact have endometriosis. If you're not familiar with the condition, here's how MayoClinic.com defines it:

"Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus."

The link above explains the symptoms and other details. Basically, it sucks. But I've always had extremely painful periods and at least now I know the cause. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to help, but I already know all about that scenario. ;) I thought the surgery might have helped, but I got my period soon after the appointment and it's been as painful as always.

Then there's the whole fertility thing. My husband and I haven't tried to have kids yet because we haven't felt ready (even though we've been married eight years this month), but now I feel like we should at least start trying because there's no telling how long it will take, if it happens at all, due to the endometriosis. I'm trying really hard not to stress over it, but I'm 29 and at the age where EVERYONE and their mothers are popping out babies (okay, maybe not their mothers...), so that doesn't help. Anyways, I'd rather not think about it right now.

I was also hoping the surgery would have helped my head, but no such luck. I had another one of those migraines where it wakes me up and I can't move without feeling like I'm going to throw up. My husband brought me everything I needed before he left for work, and the Butalbital (Fioricet) ended up working although I had to take another dose later on that day because the pain started to come back. My husband brought me graham crackers to take with my meds but since we were almost out of them, he also brought a box of cheddar duck crackers which are basically like Goldfish. Can anyone imagine eating those when you're nauseous? I don't think Jonathan gets nauseous very often LOL. At least he was trying to help. :)

Art for Migraines
So I got an email from a migraine sufferer in the UK who is doing an online art exhibit through June 30 and he's donating a percentage of purchases to Migraine Action, a UK charity. If you're looking to buy some animal/landscape paintings, check out Mike Jory's website; I included one of his paintings below. His work is gorgeous!

"Riverside" by Mike Jory

Surgery for Ovarian Cyst

In a previous post, I wrote about an ovarian cyst that was giving me pain. As expected, I had to have surgery to remove it. What was UNexpected was that my blood work came back with high numbers for one of the tests that can indicate cancer, so instead of my gyno doing the surgery, a cancer surgeon did it as a precaution, and I was moved to a larger hospital which is luckily only a few minutes from my condo. Both my gyno and the cancer surgeon believed that the cyst wasn't cancerous (and they were right; I won't leave you in suspense on that one!), but they wanted to play it safe, which is a good idea when it comes to possible cancer. Of course I was still scared as anyone would be, but I tried not to think about it - no use worrying until I knew for sure.

The surgery was last Tuesday. The only surgery I'd had prior to that was wisdom teeth removal, so I had no clue what to expect. I was calm though, and of course I credit God for that. My friends and family put me on prayer lists at four different churches, and I had three preachers pray with me over the phone before and after the surgery, one being my dad. :) The night before I'd had to cleanse my system using magnesium citrite (I drank the sparkling lemon one straight - it wasn't that bad) and Dulcolax. Then when I checked in the morning of surgery, I had to do a vaginal douche with what I think was povidone iodine, and then I did two enemas. All I'll say about that is it's not the best way to start your day. Then it was a lot of waiting because a surgery before mine was running behind and only a limited number of rooms had the robot machine that was used for my surgery. Once I was wheeled away to the room, it took only seconds for the gas and whatever else they gave me to work their magic.

Side note - there's a picture of my scars at the bottom of this post (second picture down), so if you're queasy about things like that, scroll slowly to avoid the picture!

After the surgery, I started to come to and the first thing I asked was, "Was it cancer?" and thank God the answer was no. Okay that was actually the second thing I asked...the first was "Can you knock me back out?" :) I was still out of it, but I think they told me I have endometriosis - I'll know for sure after my follow-up appointment Wednesday. What I do know for sure is they removed a lemon-size cyst, my right ovary, right fallopian tube and appendix. And I went home that same night!

The recovery has been slooooow and painful, but I'm just thankful it wasn't cancer and that I still have one ovary, which will take over each month. My headaches have been better this week, but I've been on pain medicine around the clock too. I read that ovarian cysts can impact headaches and migraines, so I'm going to ask my doctor about it during the follow-up appointment.

Oh since the last time I blogged, I became an aunt! My sister and her baby Hadley, which means "field of heather" :), took care of me the day after my surgery. Here's a picture of my beautiful niece:

My niece, Hadley! :)

And here's the other picture I mentioned, my battle wounds. The surgery was laparoscopic. There are stitches on the inside and the outside is sealed with glue. I think I enjoy showing them off so much because unlike with headaches and migraines, there's actually a physical, visual, tangible sign of my pain! So anyway, here's my belly - don't look if you get grossed out easily!

Not sure why left side has more cuts than right...there's probably a good reason.

Product Review: On-Target Ice

I was contacted by On-Target Ice to review their natural headache remedy product that works via cold and massage. As you see from the picture below, the device is comprised of a copper tube topped with a chrome steel ball. It measures about 4.25 inches and is filled with a non-toxic gel. Mine came with an insulating holder (similar to pool noodles) that keeps your hands from getting cold and also helps the device retain the cold longer. It also comes with a storage pouch, and the device can be stored in the fridge or freezer. The shape allows you to massage pressure points.

Photo provided by On-Target Ice

Before I start my review, let me go ahead and get this out of the way, because I know what some of you are thinking. No, it's not one of those. When it arrived in the mail, my husband gave it one look and said, "Does it vibrate?" Ha. Ha. Ha. I will say that due to its appearance, I keep it hidden in my refrigerator drawer. I wouldn't use it out in public because it might get some second glances, but then again I don't carry around a refrigerator or freezer and the device doesn't stay cold long enough to use it once I leave the house.

Now that I got that out of the way... I've been using my On-Target Ice for more than a month because I wanted to test it out on headaches and migraines of all levels. I can say without a doubt that it helps my minor headaches. It is so cold coming out of the fridge that it shocks my skin, which distracts me from the headache. I usually hold it to one eye socket until I can't stand the cold anymore, and then I switch to the other. After a few minutes as it starts to warm and/or my skin adjusts, I use it in other places, like my forehead, temples and neck. Sometimes I'll use it to massage my temples. The flat copper end works great on the top of my forehead, while the rounded end fits perfectly in my eye sockets, as seen in this photo (that's not me by the way):

Photo provided by On-Target Ice

I'm impressed with how long the device stays cold. I haven't timed it, but I'd say it lasts a good 30-45 minutes, maybe longer. Sometimes I use it on its own, and my headache goes away. Other times I need to add an ice pack on the top of my head and they both work.

For more severe headaches and migraines, this device doesn't do the trick. It helps, but once it starts to get warm, the pain goes back to its original level. From my experience, major head pain calls for major drugs, and ice packs and other natural remedies aren't enough, as much as I hate to say that because I hate relying on drugs.

Other random observations:

• It doesn't sweat like some ice packs do, so water doesn't end up dripping down my head. 
• I tried putting it in the freezer one time, but it came out ridiculously cold. Trust me, the fridge keeps it plenty cold. 
• I wear a lot of makeup thanks to my acne (due to my cyst and crazy hormones) and I have oily skin, but the device hasn't discolored and hasn't shown any wear at all.
• It would be awesome - but probably physically impossible due to varying head shapes - to have a version of this that covers your entire head, like a cap!

At the cost of $24.99, this isn't a bad deal. It seems like it will last forever - unlike most ice packs. If ice typically helps soothe your headaches/migraines, this is worth a try!

Disclosure: On-Target Ice provided me a free product in exchange for me writing this review, but both parties agreed that the review would be unbiased. 

Yours Truly on CBS New York

I'm on a news story about medication-induced nightmares on CBS New York! Here's a link to the video.

My puppy Ellie is famous now. :)

P.S. - Here's an earlier post about the filming of this video.

Ovarian Cysts - trip to ER

This post is a little scattered because I have a really bad headache (surprise), so I apologize in advance if I jump around or don't make sense!

I went to the ER about 2 1/2 weeks ago because I thought I had appendicitis. Five hours and a CT scan later, I found out it was actually ovarian cysts.

It had all started the night before when I woke up with such bad cramps that I got out of bed and onto the floor and pretty much just rolled around in agony. Then I went to the bathroom and dry heaved because the pain was so bad. It was miserable. I took meds to knock me out, felt a little better the next day but had another "attack" that afternoon so I had my husband take me to the hospital.

The nurse gave me Toradol for the pain, which I used to take for migraine but it hasn't helped the last few times. It didn't help my cyst pain either. The CT scan was interesting. Because it was an abdominal one, I had to drink two bottles of nasty stuff not-so-disguised with lemonade flavor; it was gross but I didn't mind it much. Part of the scan was done with contrast and when they inserted the dye, it TOTALLY felt like I was peeing my pants. The tech warned me that would happen, and he said that he's only had one patient actually pee her pants, but then he added that "she was just crazy." LOL.

The pain was so bad that I missed classes and work (luckily I could work from home and spring break started at the end of that week) and even taking my dog out took a lot of effort because walking hurt and I had to hunch over a little. Luckily I could use my condo building's elevator. I couldn't even make it to see my gyno until three days later. She did an ultrasound and told me she would hate to be me and that I must be in a lot of pain. I wanted to hug her because she had real sympathy and compassion. She told me I couldn't exercise for at least two weeks and I'd need to see her in a month for another ultrasound. One of the cysts on my right ovary looks pretty bad and may need to be surgically removed, but I'll find out for sure at the followup.

I know this post doesn't have much to do with headaches, but it's medical related and it's definitely impacted my head. No exercise + lots of pain + lots of Aleve and Motrin + hormones acting up = migraine/headache increase. I'm ready to get past this cyst issue so I can focus on healing my head!