Protect Migraineurs from compact fluorescent light bulbs

Ok this is going to be super quick because I'm blogging at work, but I wanted you to know that Diana over at Somebody Heal Me put together an awesome petition against CFL's being the only choice in light bulbs. As you may or may not know, CFL light bulbs can trigger migraineurs, and if these become the only light bulbs available, this can be a huge problem for us! You can sign it by clicking Here. Please go and sign this petition. It just went up and we already have 12 signatures, but we need many more!!!

Thanks!

I'll be back later when I have more time to give more info on this. Sorry this is so short.

Special K.....

Well, at least that's what the kids call it.

Ah, yes, ketamine.

I was recently reminded of this drug when I was over at the Migraine News Network which is also my friend Rain's site.

In one of her recent posts, she mentioned an article, Night club drug could ease depression, on how ketamine can actually help ease depression!

For those of you who didn't know, ketamine is also used in IV therapy for migraineurs. See this wonderful article:IV therapy for Refractory Migraines by Teri Robert about Dr. Krusz down in Huston who is know for his IV therapy and of course, his kind nature towards patients! Love ya Dr. K!!!!

I found this funny because well, back in the day I used to go to the club, and although I never personally did "K" or "Special K" I just remember all the hanging "K"s all over the place (think the Kellogg's red K).

Also, I had a friend that worked for a dentist. Well actually and oral surgeon. His drug of choice for putting children under? Ketamine! Yes, he would put these children into a K Hole because the side effects from the Ketamine are less then those of the other drugs.

The one little interesting side effect of a "K Hole" is that as you come out of it, you act as if you are a child again, like in utero. Yep, you may actually curl up in the fetal position and gurgle like a little baby. Interesting side effect isn't it?

Now, of course, the amount being used for IV therapy for Migraineurs is obviously not the same amount as what a dentist would used to actually put someone under....

But I still found the whole thing very interesting.....

And the winners are....

The winners of the 2008 My Migraine Connection Poetry contest were announced today. The winners were selected by MAGNUM. Please check it out!

Oh and big kudo's to my friend MJ who took third place Congrats MJ! (you can visit her blog at Rhymes with Migraine ) and you can read her poem and the rest of the winners by checking out My Migraine connection at this link right here!

One heck of a week....

Just a little update here.

Up until now, I've been pretty lucky. I have been averaging about one migraine every sixteen days. This has been my pattern since January, when Dr. Greene put me on the Amitriptyline, which was added to my Topamax.

Well - this week has just proven to me that I can still take a step backward.

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water." (for those of you who don't know, this is the famous tag line from JAWS, which is one of my all time favorite "horror" movies and the reason I don't swim in the ocean)

I had three - yes three, migraines this week, including today - right now. The first two this week started out at tension headaches that I could not get rid of with my normal Skelaxin, and then went into a migraine. After I took a Frova on both of these occasions, Mr. Migraine went away.

Today was a different story.

It started out very small and quiet. I thought, "oh, no big deal, I'll throw some Skelaxin at it while it's at a 0/1 and I'll be good to go". Well that didn't help so an hour later I ended up taking a Frova.

The Frova knocked the pain down from it's then 4 to about a 2, but the throbbing in my left eye was still there and reminded me every time I moved. Along with the oh so lovely nausea. Thank God I had learned earlier in the week from my girl MJ (see her blog at Rhymes with Migraine ) had mentioned something about how Ginger Altoids help her....low and behold we had them in the kitchen at work! So I ate my weight in them today.....

I get home and Mr. Migraine is still alive and kicking. I end up resorting to my rescue drug, Vicodin. I only take half tabs because of course, the whole pill will make me nauseous. So I had a half and was good for about 3 hours, now I feel it creeping back up again. Oh what fun it is!

I really can't think of what caused this sudden spike in migraine activity, except the change in the weather. Everything here in good 'ol New Jersey is in full bloom, although I don't seem to be having any allergy symptoms.

Oh well. Ya win some, ya lose some.

If this keeps up next week, I'm definitely going to call my neuro and see if I can get in a litter sooner then my scheduled appointment in July.

I hope the rest of you out there in migraine land had a better week then I did!!!!
Enjoy the weekend!!!!

The honest to god truth....what I put in my body everyday.

So I thought it would be good to let my readers know exactly what I take everyday, for those maybe not as familiar with Migraine Disease. Yes, at age 30 I have over 5 scripts and take a total of I think 10 pills a day. Here we go:

A.M.
Topamax - 25mgs
Multi Vitamin
Magnesium - 650 mgs
Calcium - 1000 mgs

P.M.
Topamax - 50mgs
Amitriptyline - 20 mgs
Melatonin - 5mgs
Jolessa - one every night

And on an as needed basis:
Frova -2.5 mgs, allowed up to 3 pills per day if needed - but not more then 3 times a week or may lead to Medication Overuse Headache
Skelaxin - 600 mgs - as needed up to 4 a day for Tension Type Headaches
Tigan - 400mgs as needed for nausea
Vicodin - 500mgs (I split them in half) as needed for Rescue

Yep, so I think that's about it, and that's not to mention the vitamin C that I take to help my TTH's go away faster.....

So although you may think by looking at me "You don't look sick" - remember to not judge a book by it's cover. I sometimes feel like a slave to the drugs that I take. If I don't take them, I get very sick. If I take to many of them, I can get very sick. It's quite the balancing act us migraneurs play.

So this was just a little peak into my world. I don't think I've actually ever broken it down before. Wow!

Blog Carnival Posts are up!

Yes, I didn't put this up right away - we had some Internet issues the last few nights and finally we have things up and running! Yippee! In touch with civilization again!!!

On April 14th, Diana over at Somebody Heal Me announced her blog carnival!!

There are some wonderful entries, 14 in total!! Some names I recognize, some I need to get to know!! My friends Teri Robert and Megan Oltman both have submissions up there, along with many others, so please check them out!!!!

Ok guys I promise, that's it for tonight!!!

See you got three in one day!!

2008 Putting our Heads Together Poetry Contest!!

What a great way to express yourself and raise awareness!! Brought to you by Help for Headaches and My Migraine Connection, and judged by MAGNUM: The National Migraine Association.

Lead MMC expert, Teri Robert has helped put together this great event, sponsored by her site, Help for headaches and the Health Central site, My Migraine Connection.

Entries need not be long, I was looking over past entries today and got inspired to write my own! Even if this would be your first poem or written word, feel free to enter it!!! It would be a wonderful way to express yourself and get your thoughts out there!!

The deadline for entries is April 21st, and winners will be announced on April 30th.

You can enter the poetry contest by going to MMC at this direct link Here.

Please show your support and enter!! It will be fun!!