Migraine miracle
The migraine started at 6.45am while I was having breakfast. By 7.30am I was out the door and walking to the office – an hour’s journey. It was the week before Christmas and with a busy schedule at work I couldn’t afford to be sick, so I took my medication and carried on with my day as if the migraine did not exist.
I may have been fuzzy headed, clumsy, my reactions slower than normal, and I may have mixed up words and struggled at times to put a coherent sentence together but somehow I got through my hectic day. I even had a little chuckle when I discovered that I had written ‘migraine’ instead of ‘migration’ twice in an email and in my diary.
By the time I got home I was feeling proud of myself and rather baffled. ‘It is a migraine miracle’ I thought. I have tried several times before to push through a migraine attack whilst at work but I have eventually given in and gone home to bed. So why was this time different and why did I not feel so ill? I have taken the same medication - Migraleve - for years. When taken as soon as the migraine begins (during the aura) these pink tablets combat the nausea and the headache allowing me to sleep if I so wish. So I’m wondering if Vemma could also be helping me. Has Vemma made my body healthier and stronger and therefore more capable of dealing with a migraine attack?
I’m also wondering if my mind is getting stronger at dealing with migraine attacks. By pushing through the migraine and carrying on with the day as normal, am I training my mind to believe that a migraine (if the right medication is taken) doesn’t have to be debilitating. I was certainly more determined than usual to get through the working day. I couldn’t let the migraine win - I had deadlines to meet. I did not allow myself to stop. Adrenaline kept me going and as a result my usual negative feelings of disappointment, failure and guilt of having a migraine did not have a chance to surface. Instead I ended the day feeling positive because on this day the migraine did not control me. I control it.
Happy 2009!
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Monday 10 November 2008
Vemma diary: November 2008
"Vemma is like a pocket rocket smoothie!"
My good friend, Mark, feels like a new man since he started taking Vemma - and he's only one week in! "It was very exciting when I opened the Vemma box - just like Christmas. Very posh especially with the shot glass," he tells me. "Every time I take it I feel energised and perky, which is very unlike me in the morning. Must be all the goodness causing brain stimulation, like a pocket rocket smoothie!" I'm so pleased it has already had such a positive effect. It certainly feels good to recommend Vemma to a friend.
For your own pocket rocket smoothie click here.
Friday 31 October 2008
Vemma diary: October 2008
Would you avoid certain activities to avoid a migraine?
As a migraine sufferer I make a conscious effort to take extra care of myself which means sticking to a healthy, balanced lifestyle in order to avoid my triggers. Well that’s the plan anyway. I don’t miss meals, I don't drink caffeine, I try not to let myself get too dehydrated, I try to avoid stress and muscular tension, I take my daily shot of Vemma…and so on. But sometimes I’ll do something which upsets the routine and the risk of triggering a migraine becomes greater.
Take for instance, the abseil I did for charity. I abseiled down 29 storeys (469ft) and even though it was all over in a matter of minutes I had, without realising it, put a lot of strain on my body. I may not have felt scared; in fact I thoroughly enjoyed it however my body was still very tense. The next day my neck, back and arms were stiff, and I suffered a migraine. As with all migraine attacks you can never be sure of the exact trigger or combination of triggers, but I think it’s a fair bet to say it was probably due to muscle strain from doing the abseil. As muscular tension and migraine often go hand in hand I wasn’t surprised this had happened.
Normally I feel angry and upset when I get a migraine, especially as I try to figure out what had caused it this time. But how could I feel angry that I had a migraine because I had done a charity abseil the day before? If doing the abseil meant I would get a migraine then so be it. I'll happily avoid certain foods to avoid a migraine but I certainly won't avoid doing certain activities to avoid one.
As a migraine sufferer I make a conscious effort to take extra care of myself which means sticking to a healthy, balanced lifestyle in order to avoid my triggers. Well that’s the plan anyway. I don’t miss meals, I don't drink caffeine, I try not to let myself get too dehydrated, I try to avoid stress and muscular tension, I take my daily shot of Vemma…and so on. But sometimes I’ll do something which upsets the routine and the risk of triggering a migraine becomes greater.
Take for instance, the abseil I did for charity. I abseiled down 29 storeys (469ft) and even though it was all over in a matter of minutes I had, without realising it, put a lot of strain on my body. I may not have felt scared; in fact I thoroughly enjoyed it however my body was still very tense. The next day my neck, back and arms were stiff, and I suffered a migraine. As with all migraine attacks you can never be sure of the exact trigger or combination of triggers, but I think it’s a fair bet to say it was probably due to muscle strain from doing the abseil. As muscular tension and migraine often go hand in hand I wasn’t surprised this had happened.
Normally I feel angry and upset when I get a migraine, especially as I try to figure out what had caused it this time. But how could I feel angry that I had a migraine because I had done a charity abseil the day before? If doing the abseil meant I would get a migraine then so be it. I'll happily avoid certain foods to avoid a migraine but I certainly won't avoid doing certain activities to avoid one.
Monday 29 September 2008
Vemma diary: September 2008
Migraines are a pain in the neck
I often find myself spreading the Vemma word, telling friends, colleagues and family members about how well Vemma is working at combating my migraines. I also recently suggested to a friend that his mum, who suffers from arthritis, should consider taking Vemma to help relieve the pain. I have read testimonials from people with arthritis who say that they are now pain free or have experienced reduced pain and stiffness.
This got me thinking. Many different triggers for migraines have been identified and one cause is muscular tension. I know that many of my migraines are caused by muscle tension around the neck, shoulders and back. A few years ago my neck had become very stiff and sore, which lasted for months. It had got so bad that I could hardly move my head from side to side. I had many migraines during this time and ended up seeing an osteopath to get my neck back to normal and therefore reduce the number of migraines I was suffering from. After six weeks of treatment the stiffness and pain had disappeared and the migraines had lessened. However, I found that if I did not keep up with the daily neck exercises the stiffness would slowly start to return.
I haven't done any neck exercises for over a year now and I've hardly experienced any problems with my neck. I also started taking Vemma over a year ago too - in June 2007 - so I'm pretty much convinced there is a connection between the two. If Vemma relieves muscular and joint tension, then surely I haven't been having so many migraines because Vemma has been relieving and keeping at bay the muscular tension in my neck.
I often find myself spreading the Vemma word, telling friends, colleagues and family members about how well Vemma is working at combating my migraines. I also recently suggested to a friend that his mum, who suffers from arthritis, should consider taking Vemma to help relieve the pain. I have read testimonials from people with arthritis who say that they are now pain free or have experienced reduced pain and stiffness.
This got me thinking. Many different triggers for migraines have been identified and one cause is muscular tension. I know that many of my migraines are caused by muscle tension around the neck, shoulders and back. A few years ago my neck had become very stiff and sore, which lasted for months. It had got so bad that I could hardly move my head from side to side. I had many migraines during this time and ended up seeing an osteopath to get my neck back to normal and therefore reduce the number of migraines I was suffering from. After six weeks of treatment the stiffness and pain had disappeared and the migraines had lessened. However, I found that if I did not keep up with the daily neck exercises the stiffness would slowly start to return.
I haven't done any neck exercises for over a year now and I've hardly experienced any problems with my neck. I also started taking Vemma over a year ago too - in June 2007 - so I'm pretty much convinced there is a connection between the two. If Vemma relieves muscular and joint tension, then surely I haven't been having so many migraines because Vemma has been relieving and keeping at bay the muscular tension in my neck.
Sunday 31 August 2008
Vemma diary: August 2008
Eating lots of fish and ginger can help with headaches
I love eating fish. I could quite happily eat fish every day. I also love ginger, especially in tea, which I also happily consume every day. So when a friend forwarded me on a pdf about which food helps with which aliment, I was absolutely delighted to read that fish oil helps to prevent headaches and that ginger reduces inflammation and pain.
As a migraine sufferer, there are certain foods that I avoid because they are a trigger - most notably cheese and chocolate. I often joke that cheese and chocolate are evil because cheese and chocolate equals pain. So I love the fact that fish and ginger have a positive effect on headaches and migraines. So it seems, fish and ginger are good, because they help to prevent and combat the pain of headaches.
Mangosteen is also good. In fact it is great in my eyes. This rare, tangerine-sized fruit which grows primarily in Southeast Asia, is the main ingredient in Vemma, the liquid dietary supplement that I take everyday. I love this fruit because it helps me with my battle against migraines. Who would have thought that a small orange fruit could take on such a big, powerful entity!
But just don't take my word for it. Click here to read some testimonials from other Vemma drinking migraine sufferers.
I love eating fish. I could quite happily eat fish every day. I also love ginger, especially in tea, which I also happily consume every day. So when a friend forwarded me on a pdf about which food helps with which aliment, I was absolutely delighted to read that fish oil helps to prevent headaches and that ginger reduces inflammation and pain.
As a migraine sufferer, there are certain foods that I avoid because they are a trigger - most notably cheese and chocolate. I often joke that cheese and chocolate are evil because cheese and chocolate equals pain. So I love the fact that fish and ginger have a positive effect on headaches and migraines. So it seems, fish and ginger are good, because they help to prevent and combat the pain of headaches.
Mangosteen is also good. In fact it is great in my eyes. This rare, tangerine-sized fruit which grows primarily in Southeast Asia, is the main ingredient in Vemma, the liquid dietary supplement that I take everyday. I love this fruit because it helps me with my battle against migraines. Who would have thought that a small orange fruit could take on such a big, powerful entity!
But just don't take my word for it. Click here to read some testimonials from other Vemma drinking migraine sufferers.
Thursday 31 July 2008
Vemma diary: July 2008
Controversial surgery may cure migraine
Since my last post I have been scanning the web to find out more about the surgical technique that could offer a cure or significant relief for some migraine sufferers - the removal of the corrugator muscle in the forehead (the vertical frown muscles).
The BBC News tells the success story of a 53 year old lady who had been suffering from debilitating migraines for 15 years. She has not had a migraine since the muscle was removed last December and her quality of life has improved beyond her imagination.
Read the full story here: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7487995.stm
To screen migraine sufferers for surgery, patients are given Botox injections to temporarily paralyze the corrugator muscle. If patients report improvement after Botox injections, surgery to remove the muscle is recommended. It is, however, a controversial technique and many experts remain skeptical.
The executive director of the National Migraine Association in Alexandria, Virgina, USA argues that neither Botox nor surgery can be a "cure" for migraine, but only a treatment of its symptoms. "The most important thing," he says, "is that migraine is an incurable disease."
Read more here: www.migraines.org/about_media/wbmd0900.htm
Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, undertook a study to determine whether there is an association between the removal of the corrugator muscle and the elimination or significant improvement of migraine headaches, and their findings indicate a strong association.
Read about their findings here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10946944
Since my last post I have been scanning the web to find out more about the surgical technique that could offer a cure or significant relief for some migraine sufferers - the removal of the corrugator muscle in the forehead (the vertical frown muscles).
The BBC News tells the success story of a 53 year old lady who had been suffering from debilitating migraines for 15 years. She has not had a migraine since the muscle was removed last December and her quality of life has improved beyond her imagination.
Read the full story here: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7487995.stm
To screen migraine sufferers for surgery, patients are given Botox injections to temporarily paralyze the corrugator muscle. If patients report improvement after Botox injections, surgery to remove the muscle is recommended. It is, however, a controversial technique and many experts remain skeptical.
The executive director of the National Migraine Association in Alexandria, Virgina, USA argues that neither Botox nor surgery can be a "cure" for migraine, but only a treatment of its symptoms. "The most important thing," he says, "is that migraine is an incurable disease."
Read more here: www.migraines.org/about_media/wbmd0900.htm
Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, undertook a study to determine whether there is an association between the removal of the corrugator muscle and the elimination or significant improvement of migraine headaches, and their findings indicate a strong association.
Read about their findings here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10946944
Monday 30 June 2008
Vemma diary: June
Could this be THE migraine cure?
This sounds amazing to me. I know every operation, however small, has a risk, but if the result is a life without migraines then I'd be willing to go under the knife. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.
Saturday 31 May 2008
Vemma diary: May
Eating dessert with a migraine is no easy feat
At the time I was angry, frustrated and disappointed. I was after all sitting in a plush London restaurant, 48 floors up with fantastic views overlooking the city, eating a delicious three course meal, when it happened. If I could just make it to the end of the evening without ruining the occasion... Dessert had arrived and so what if I couldn't actually properly see what lovely sweet things I was eating. The tablets would kick in soon and I'll just carry on like it wasn't happening. But of course, that was no easy feat. The migraine had closed in upon me and my body and mind were shutting down. I was silly to think I could fool my close friends. They could see that I wasn't being myself, especially in a fun and social setting, and were concerned. I should have told them as soon as I got the aura. But you see, in the past, I have managed to go practically a whole day at work with a migraine and not tell any of my colleagues. It was hard, that's for sure, but with no meetings and no deadlines for the day I could sit very still at my desk, not talk and even close my eyes for a while. I hate having to announce to the office that I'm ill before taking my speedy departure, so I was determined to push through it. The usual negative feelings which coursed through me, making me look, I'm sure, stressed and moody, worked in my favour. It is work after all, so one is expected to look stressed and moody from time to time. So the moral of the story; be honest about your migraines to your friends and family...and not necessarily to your work colleagues :-/ (OK this last bit is debatable).
Vemma is my closest thing to finding a cure
I may still be getting migraines, but Vemma is my closest thing to finding a cure. I went two months without one, which is good going for me. So it appears, Vemma may not keep this illness completely at bay, but it is very effective at lessening the number of migraines suffered.
At the time I was angry, frustrated and disappointed. I was after all sitting in a plush London restaurant, 48 floors up with fantastic views overlooking the city, eating a delicious three course meal, when it happened. If I could just make it to the end of the evening without ruining the occasion... Dessert had arrived and so what if I couldn't actually properly see what lovely sweet things I was eating. The tablets would kick in soon and I'll just carry on like it wasn't happening. But of course, that was no easy feat. The migraine had closed in upon me and my body and mind were shutting down. I was silly to think I could fool my close friends. They could see that I wasn't being myself, especially in a fun and social setting, and were concerned. I should have told them as soon as I got the aura. But you see, in the past, I have managed to go practically a whole day at work with a migraine and not tell any of my colleagues. It was hard, that's for sure, but with no meetings and no deadlines for the day I could sit very still at my desk, not talk and even close my eyes for a while. I hate having to announce to the office that I'm ill before taking my speedy departure, so I was determined to push through it. The usual negative feelings which coursed through me, making me look, I'm sure, stressed and moody, worked in my favour. It is work after all, so one is expected to look stressed and moody from time to time. So the moral of the story; be honest about your migraines to your friends and family...and not necessarily to your work colleagues :-/ (OK this last bit is debatable).
Vemma is my closest thing to finding a cure
I may still be getting migraines, but Vemma is my closest thing to finding a cure. I went two months without one, which is good going for me. So it appears, Vemma may not keep this illness completely at bay, but it is very effective at lessening the number of migraines suffered.
Wednesday 30 April 2008
Vemma diary: April
When was my last migraine again?
Sitting round the kitchen table one evening with my house mates Claire and John, I was reminded of how Vemma is working so well in helping to cure my migraine. The topic of migraine came up and Claire asked me when the last time I had one was. For a moment I couldn't remember and it was John who had to answer for me - last month whilst visiting my family. I was chuffed that I couldn't immediately remember and even more chuffed that I have been migraine free for the whole of April. Result. Thanks Vemma. (Click on Vemma link on the right hand panel for more details).
Sitting round the kitchen table one evening with my house mates Claire and John, I was reminded of how Vemma is working so well in helping to cure my migraine. The topic of migraine came up and Claire asked me when the last time I had one was. For a moment I couldn't remember and it was John who had to answer for me - last month whilst visiting my family. I was chuffed that I couldn't immediately remember and even more chuffed that I have been migraine free for the whole of April. Result. Thanks Vemma. (Click on Vemma link on the right hand panel for more details).
Monday 31 March 2008
Vemma diary: March
Party time!
I had an interesting party at my place the other Saturday, and no, it had nothing to do with irate neighbours or bad dancing. I had left my bottle of Vemma - a liquid dietary supplement containing life-giving whole food phytonutrients and powerful antioxidants - in the fridge. I believe my daily shot of Vemma has been helping to lessen my number of migraines. So I'm sure you'll understand my shock and disappointment when someone decided to drink my Vemma - providing a nice mixer for their vodka perhaps. Now this had been followed by one friend who spent some time having a little dig at the ingredients, followed by another friend who couldn't understand why I would pay £56 a month for the stuff. Truth be known, I would pay £1000 a month if it guaranteed no more migraines. I didn't actually mind my friends' comments as I realise it is difficult for a person who has never suffered a migraine to understand the misery it causes. However, next time I have a party, somebody please remind me to take my bottle of Vemma out of the fridge!
I had an interesting party at my place the other Saturday, and no, it had nothing to do with irate neighbours or bad dancing. I had left my bottle of Vemma - a liquid dietary supplement containing life-giving whole food phytonutrients and powerful antioxidants - in the fridge. I believe my daily shot of Vemma has been helping to lessen my number of migraines. So I'm sure you'll understand my shock and disappointment when someone decided to drink my Vemma - providing a nice mixer for their vodka perhaps. Now this had been followed by one friend who spent some time having a little dig at the ingredients, followed by another friend who couldn't understand why I would pay £56 a month for the stuff. Truth be known, I would pay £1000 a month if it guaranteed no more migraines. I didn't actually mind my friends' comments as I realise it is difficult for a person who has never suffered a migraine to understand the misery it causes. However, next time I have a party, somebody please remind me to take my bottle of Vemma out of the fridge!
Sunday 10 February 2008
Vemma diary: February
My worst ever migraine
10 years ago, when I was 22, I had my worst ever migraine. I was asleep when I had the aura - a 30 minute warning to take your medication and fast! It wasn't until the pounding headache started that I woke.
It was a Saturday morning and I was staying at my boyfriend's house. I took two Migraleve tablets, but by this point I was already throwing up and the tablets didn't stand of chance of staying down. Now this has happened to me before - whereby I would have to endure a migraine without any drugs. In my early teens before I even knew it was a migraine that I was experiencing I had no medication at all to take. It's tough. I can't sleep, the pillow feels like concrete and the sickness is relentless. And yet, some how I got through it. I would often imagine that the waves of pain on my forehead were waves crashing onto rocks - a beautiful scene in my mind. It was a form of meditation I guess. And yet on this Saturday morning, things were very different indeed. I could never have imagined a migraine could ever be this bad.
A scary sight
I was like a wild animal unable to communicate my thoughts. I paced up and down the bedroom for hours speaking gibberish. My words were back to front, inside out. I was delirious from the pain and the vomiting would not stop. This must have been a very scary sight for my boyfriend. He had seen me suffer from migraine attacks many times before, but never like this. He wanted to take me to the hospital, but I refused. How could I leave the room? It would have been too difficult, and besides I did not want anyone else to see me in this state. In the end my boyfriend collected medication from the hospital. I couldn't tell you what it was but one tablet went under my tongue and the other tablet took the rectal route. They did the trick and eventually I was able to sleep.
Going to work on Monday was strange. I felt like I had been through that nightmare and here I was back in the office, going about my duties as normal like nothing had happened. After that day, things seemed different. A shift had been made in my mind and my view of migraines had changed forever. The attack had scared me. Why had this migraine been particularly bad. I never want to go through that again, I thought, but it might and I have no idea of when that will be. Sitting here writing this, I am pleased to say that I haven't had to go through that again - touch wood, several times over.
10 years ago, when I was 22, I had my worst ever migraine. I was asleep when I had the aura - a 30 minute warning to take your medication and fast! It wasn't until the pounding headache started that I woke.
It was a Saturday morning and I was staying at my boyfriend's house. I took two Migraleve tablets, but by this point I was already throwing up and the tablets didn't stand of chance of staying down. Now this has happened to me before - whereby I would have to endure a migraine without any drugs. In my early teens before I even knew it was a migraine that I was experiencing I had no medication at all to take. It's tough. I can't sleep, the pillow feels like concrete and the sickness is relentless. And yet, some how I got through it. I would often imagine that the waves of pain on my forehead were waves crashing onto rocks - a beautiful scene in my mind. It was a form of meditation I guess. And yet on this Saturday morning, things were very different indeed. I could never have imagined a migraine could ever be this bad.
A scary sight
I was like a wild animal unable to communicate my thoughts. I paced up and down the bedroom for hours speaking gibberish. My words were back to front, inside out. I was delirious from the pain and the vomiting would not stop. This must have been a very scary sight for my boyfriend. He had seen me suffer from migraine attacks many times before, but never like this. He wanted to take me to the hospital, but I refused. How could I leave the room? It would have been too difficult, and besides I did not want anyone else to see me in this state. In the end my boyfriend collected medication from the hospital. I couldn't tell you what it was but one tablet went under my tongue and the other tablet took the rectal route. They did the trick and eventually I was able to sleep.
Going to work on Monday was strange. I felt like I had been through that nightmare and here I was back in the office, going about my duties as normal like nothing had happened. After that day, things seemed different. A shift had been made in my mind and my view of migraines had changed forever. The attack had scared me. Why had this migraine been particularly bad. I never want to go through that again, I thought, but it might and I have no idea of when that will be. Sitting here writing this, I am pleased to say that I haven't had to go through that again - touch wood, several times over.
Tuesday 15 January 2008
Vemma diary: continuing in 2008
With a New Year, feelings of new hope, new beginnings, and a fresh, renewed outlook on things inevitably arise, and I am determined to keep positive and pro-active in my search for a migraine cure in 2008.
The dairy-free life
On my shopping list this week there is no regular milk, yogurt or margarine. Instead they have been replaced by Soya milk, Soya yogurt and Soya spread. And you know what – it tastes all right. As I have previously discussed (in week eleven), many people are sensitive and not allergic to diary and gluten. Therefore it has been recommended that migraine sufferers should try life without one or both, to see if it helps. I have considerably cut down on my dairy intake since the New Year and so far so good. Plus, with the Vemma and the decaf tea I have been drinking lots of (well I am English after all) I’m hoping my body responds well to all three.
A time to be thankful
There are certain times in my life when I am thankful that I did not get a migraine, like during my holiday in Vancouver last month. I did have a bad cold however. Yet, this just made me even more thankful that it was just a cold I was suffering from and not a migraine. The cruelness of migraines is that they can strike at any time and will often strike with little or no warning. It often feels unfair and it certainly always feels intrusive, and even though there is that initial feeling of shock, at the same time it comes as no surprise. It's the 'oh no not now' thought followed quickly by the thought: 'OK here we go again'. For instance, after my delight of not being ill with a migraine during my trip to Canada, a week or so later, a migraine did make a not so welcome visit on Christmas morning. I did feel that initial shock and yet at the same time I just thought this is so typical. I wanted to sulk, but how could I? It was Christmas day. So I got out of bed and got on with the festivities, which to be fair wasn't too difficult with presents waiting and my mum and dad looking after me. It's when you are at work or at an important meeting, that it is very hard.
The dairy-free life
On my shopping list this week there is no regular milk, yogurt or margarine. Instead they have been replaced by Soya milk, Soya yogurt and Soya spread. And you know what – it tastes all right. As I have previously discussed (in week eleven), many people are sensitive and not allergic to diary and gluten. Therefore it has been recommended that migraine sufferers should try life without one or both, to see if it helps. I have considerably cut down on my dairy intake since the New Year and so far so good. Plus, with the Vemma and the decaf tea I have been drinking lots of (well I am English after all) I’m hoping my body responds well to all three.
A time to be thankful
There are certain times in my life when I am thankful that I did not get a migraine, like during my holiday in Vancouver last month. I did have a bad cold however. Yet, this just made me even more thankful that it was just a cold I was suffering from and not a migraine. The cruelness of migraines is that they can strike at any time and will often strike with little or no warning. It often feels unfair and it certainly always feels intrusive, and even though there is that initial feeling of shock, at the same time it comes as no surprise. It's the 'oh no not now' thought followed quickly by the thought: 'OK here we go again'. For instance, after my delight of not being ill with a migraine during my trip to Canada, a week or so later, a migraine did make a not so welcome visit on Christmas morning. I did feel that initial shock and yet at the same time I just thought this is so typical. I wanted to sulk, but how could I? It was Christmas day. So I got out of bed and got on with the festivities, which to be fair wasn't too difficult with presents waiting and my mum and dad looking after me. It's when you are at work or at an important meeting, that it is very hard.
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