After a lifetime (36 years) of intense headaches, I went to a neurologist a week and a half ago. I get a mix of mild and strong headaches; advil works okay usually for the mild ones, but does little to nothing for the strong ones.
My neurologist suggested we start with a medicine to take when I get headaches. She explained a little about what makes a migraine and that this medicine was for those bad ones. The catch? I have to take the meds within the first half hour or else it’s useless.
This sounds easy; I get a bad headache, I take a pill right away. Unfortunately, I’m realizing I’m not that in tune with my body. When I feel something, I have the bad habit of thinking that’s how I’ve always felt and will always feel. This goes for physical and emotional feelings. But I liked the idea of only taking medication when needed and not on a prophylactic basis, so I said I’d try to pay attention to my body.
I got the medication on Monday and felt good for three days. Friday I woke up with a migraine. My body found a way around the system! I can’t know if I’ve already had the headache for more than half an hour if I was sleeping. Sneaky body.
Saturday afternoon I went to movies. About half an hour in, my left temple starts to pound. Aha! My first chance. I take the pill, which I’d packed in my purse on Monday, and have a few sips of my boyfriend’s soda. I hadn’t read the notice on the medication to take with PLENTY of water. My headache didn’t get better throughout the movie, but it didn’t get worse. When I got home, I started drinking water, then Gatorade, and felt better! It worked! Hopefully for the first of many times.
FuzBubbles 