LynvjWilson65
"So I'm experiencing a new kind of migraine. I'm not sure when, exactly, the migraines started but I noticed this pain right along the bridge of my nose and radiates around my eyes. There isn't any warning except a feeling of a little congestion under my eyes. Like eyes get when the allergies strike. If you've read my feed for any length of time you know I was bit by a dog on the face. My doctor gave me migraine meds but I'm not sure this is an official migraine. It's very painful but it seems to be caused by inflammation of the cartilage of the bridge of the nose unlike my POTSIE migraines which occur because of low blood pressure. (Or sometimes I wake up with a migraine...) It's another mystery.
Lyn ""Sometimes its just hard being the evil sister who never visits my dad in Ohio, a 15 hour drive from my home (with stops for meals). I'm tired of explaining, I'm tired of having to say what should be obvious. Some advice consists of cutting my sister off from communication and just ghost her. That is not who I am really and it would just punish my dad who is 88. I have too much going on physically right now to make a trip to Ohio. I can't put my dad through the watching and the worry of having POTS related migraine while at his home. Am I being ridiculous? I talk to my dad at least 3 days a week for over an hour via Facebook Messenger. My adult kids talk to him EVERY single Friday and have for years. Yes it's hard to watch him from a distance. But to put him through it with my multiple syndromes, that just won't do. The man would be a wreck and I would be a wreck trying to put on a brave face. "
, ugh, what a tough situation to be in. Fifteen hours is a long drive for anyone, let alone someone managing various health conditions. Thank goodness for technology that allows for multiple calls and ways to communicate! Please be gentle with yourself. Taking care of yourself is not being ridiculous. Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member) Thank you Christine! I have experienced migraines lately when talking about family. It's so weird within minutes of talking about my younger sister I get a wicked headache. It's literally walking on a knife's edge with my younger sister. She's interfered in my life and that of my adult children in ways that I wouldn't dream of doing to her or her adult children. I'm not going to retaliate. "Reminding ourselves that the other person isn't the enemy, just in pain, just scared." a quote I read years ago now. It was part of a journal exercise. My sister has a lot going on in her life and I can't be angry at her but I do know how quickly hurt can turn to anger. My migraines remind me that I really CANNOT afford to be angry. I know many folks have that same issue. what a great quote that you keep in the back of your mind. And, I can not stress enough, good for you for taking care of yourself. It sounds like your migraine occasionally reminds you to take care of yourself too. You're not alone! This community is here for you. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member) I am just seeing this now. I'm sorry for all that's going on in your family -- one thing that's clear to me is how deeply you love your dad and how hard you're working to make sure he knows it, even from far away. I hear that you are trying to protect him from the harshness of your symptoms. Have you ever talked about this with him directly? Ultimately, this is about you and him, not your sisters or anyone else. Keep doing the best you can. -Melissa, team member
"Well I finally wrote to the neurologist treating my POTS syndrome to ask for migraine meds. I put it off as long as I could but the migraines have worsened since my mom's death. My younger sister felt put upon by my dad's dependence on her during my mom's illness. It's caused a rift. My dad is 88 years old and lives 15 hours away from me. I feel like a hot mess right now and every time I feel like this the symptoms get worse. "
My heart goes out to you,
! I am so sorry to hear of your mother's death and the stress of managing family dynamics. That is really a lot to managing and going through. Good for you for reaching out to your neurologist to help take care of yourself and get some relief from the migraine attacks you've been experiencing. Please know that this community is here for you! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member) Thank you very much Christine. I take comfort in the "walls" of migraine.com. I read posts from others who have experienced worsening migraine symptoms after the death of someone close to them. It is not something that doctors or therapists really talk about so I was rather surprised when my migraine symptoms changed. Normally my migraines are related to my POTS syndrome. I've learned to adapt to those. When my migraines came back more like a "typical" migraine... as I had when I was a much younger woman.. I was really taken back. I thought maybe I had developed a worsening issue with one of my other chronic conditions but my neurologist assured me that migraine after a death or traumatic situation is not unusual. I'm so glad that the stories and information here can give you comfort. You absolutely are not the only one who experiences worsening symptoms after a death, and I'm also glad to hear that your neurologist was able to assure you on this as well. It really is something doctors and therapists should be talking about (and more aware of). I really hope that the family dynamics stress starts to decrease soon. And that you can get some relief from your increase in symptoms. Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team member) Lyn, have you seen this article Tonya wrote about her own experience with grief? Maybe you can relate: https://migraine.com/living-migraine/managing-an-attack-while-grieving
Any kind of stress can be a potent migraine trigger -- and grief is certainly stressful in so many ways. Hugs to you! -Melissa, team member
That was a perfect article. I'm not crazy after all.
LynNope, definitely not. Emotions are hard on the body! Hugs. -Melissa, team member
"Correct diagnosis does equal a better chance at correct treatment. I think I'm even more keenly aware how that works in my world. It's complicated, way more complicated than I thought because my kids suffer migraine too. The weather has provided us with a roller coaster this Summer. This is of course the tightrope we walk with migraine isn't it? Migraine has had a bearing on mental health this summer as we have had to curb or limit activities because of the heat. My kids are adults but they live at home but it still hurts to see them hurt. (and feel responsible) "