Diary of a migraine

 I am awaking from a migraine. It is a common thing, a regular occurrence for me. I have tried a gazillion ways to avoid them, I have seen many a doctor but the reality is that migraines are just something some of us have to deal with and swim through to the other side the best we can.

Oh the pain. The pain. It hurts.

I knew it was coming on Saturday. So I pretended this one would be ok. It wasn't too bad. I went to bed early, crossing everything that a good sleep would keep it away this time.

By 5 am I was scoffing down codeine. And nurofen. They come together in a neat little package. The package needs to be served with a Fibre gel chaser.

That codeine is no bowels friend.

It takes its time to settle in.

By 5.30am I decide a shower will help. Anything to stop the constant throb while I lie twisting in the dark with the pain.

For some people a migraine attacks their eyes making anything visual difficult. While I have this at times, mainly I find distraction a useful tool. Anything that takes my mind off the pain. It works best if I don't have to move. Reading can work for a short while. TV can work if it is not loud and too glarey. Social media can work too, but no one is there to talk on Sunday morning at 6am.

Because it is a Sunday Mr H is home. By now I have thrown myself into the spare room where no one comes to speak to me. Speaking and interacting can be difficult. It takes concentration and noise and means I have to move my head. I say no to all phone calls and utter one word replies to any questions.

At midday I move myself to the couch. I have a book and allow myself to keep reading it. Immy snuggles in with me, she has sniffy blanky and snorts away at the threads hanging off it. We sit there snuggled in silence.

Popps starts playing the keyboard. Mr H decides he is off to try his new golf clubs.

I call on my codeine package again.

We eat soup I have made the day before for tea.

I finish my book and go to bed but I can't sleep after lazing around all day.

The next day starts with a fresh throbbing pain. I turn to my new migraine friend, Mazalt. I don't know much about the drug. I am wary of it. I am not sure if I should be. It works. It dissolves on your tongue in seconds and then sends me rather spacey. My body feels odd, like I have less control of it and can't rely on it to do what I want it to. The feeling lasts for half an hour before slowly starting to leave and taking with it any pain at all. After an hour the pain is totally gone and I think I should have just taken the Mazalt first up the day before. But I never do, each time I try and beat the pain myself. Drink more water, avoid alcohol, get enough sleep, take a bath, do pilates, use voltaren, drink apple cider vinegar, walk more. Every time the migraine still attacks.

Maybe next time I will grab the Mazalt first and see how the diary goes.