Thread:Sthcpagames/@comment-38558458-20190827041255

Hello Sheryl…again! ~  Sorry, I just thought I should send this in a separate thread. I've seen you and a few other people talk about bad headaches/migraines. I'm sure you don't know my back story but I've been off work for about a year now because of migraines. I've had them since the early 2000's and they've continually got worse over the years. I did so many things to try and figure out why. I've tried so many different preventative daily medications that didn't work. I have taken several different types of abortive medications when I feel them coming on or while I'm in the middle of the migraines (the side effects to those abortive medications is slightly less bad than the migraine itself). They are always on one side of my head - typically on the right and end up behind my eye. They have affected my life so much. I would get a migraine every 3-10 days. I could never go on a vacation without having at least one migraine and not participating fully in that day’s activities. Migraines were my life and were miserable. I worked with a Neurologist for 10 years. When I would travel for either work or pleasure, I would typically take a burst and taper of Prednisone (steroid) and be on it for a week before and after my trip. Sometimes I would get lucky and have no migraines during that time period, but if you know anything about Prednisone, it is not a medication you want to take on a regular basis. So I just tried to live with these migraines. The last time I really worked full time in an office with people was from 2008-10 and it was difficult. Many times people just don't understand unless they or someone they know have had the same issue. I worked for 2 years (12-14) out of my home and that was so nice because I didn't have to deal with people who didn't understand this situation and could be at home and work around the migraine if need be. We tried to have my insurance company approve Botox injections, but they wouldn't because I only had 14 days of migraines and the qualification was 15 days. By 2017 I was finally up to 15-17 days of migraines and my doctor was able to get the Botox approved. I decided to start a new job in the fall of 2017 and my migraines were manageable at 2-3 days a month. I had two quarterly rounds of injections and found out that my new health insurance company would not cover the Neurologist who I'd seen for 10 years and that I needed to be seen as a new patient elsewhere. By the time I finally got into that new doctor we were a month past due on my Botox injections. The new doctor submitted the paperwork and the insurance company denied the injections - we appealed and were denied 3 times. My migraines were back up to 13 days when I took a leave of absence from my employer. I was not able to get short term disability - very hard to prove and very little history with this new doctor. I was told there was a new FDA approved drug on the market last summer. I was waiting and waiting for that and found out that the pharmaceutical company had no records from my doctor (dropped the ball again I believe). I pretty much felt like this new Neurologist just wasn't getting anything done for me and asked my Family Doctor to start this paperwork. I was finally approved late last October after my employer and I severed my employment. I give myself an injection once a month and at first it seemed like the number of days didn't change but the intensity of the migraines did seem to not be as strong. Then by January's dose I turned the corner and the number of days started to become less. By the month of April I had ZERO Migraines!! I was never so happy in my life. Since April, I have had a few mild headaches that are in the front or back of my head, but never one sided and behind my eye. I simply take Excedrin Tension Headache over the counter and it just goes away - like a real life normal person! The medication/injection I take is called AIMOVIG. I think there is another medication also on the market that is similar. This medication has literally changed my life. So, I'm not sure if the headaches you have are migraines, but regardless, I feel your pain. If what you have are migraines and you are getting these frequently, it would behoove you to look into this medication. I don't know if there is certain criteria that needs to be met (like there was for the Botox Injections), but it doesn't hurt to check it out. I'm not sure if you have an aversion to shots or not (I used to be terrible with shots). I have had so many shots over the last 30 years. I get two allergy injections every 3 weeks - I feel those more than these shots. The botox injections would sting a bit. The abortive Imitrex migraine injection in my leg was horrible - it would be my last course of action. So, I was really concerned about this injection. I give it to myself in the stomach and I do NOT even feel it. It has been so easy. I honestly don't know how this is able to keep migraines away for 30 days but it does.

So, if for some reason your headaches are just that - bad headaches and you are not necessarily interested in this thread, hopefully you might know someone who could benefit from this information. Or if you know someone who could benefit from reading this, then I'll be glad to have sent this to you so another person can find some relief. I'm just so happy about this medication that I'm trying to get the word out that it is definitely worth trying. Good luck to you Sheryl and I hope your bad headaches get better! ~  Llyssa 