The Long Saga Of Living With Chronic Migraines | The Odyssey Online
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Health and Wellness

The Long Saga Of Living With Chronic Migraines

They're painful, but there might be an answer.

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The Long Saga Of Living With Chronic Migraines
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We all have our own "headaches" in life. We all struggle with different aspects of life that are out of control, for me this has been headaches for a long period of time.

For me it wasn't just a headaches that comes and goes when the weather changes or you feel a head cold coming on. For me it was chronic, debilitating pain for days on end. You never know when they come on and you never know when they'll end. It's something you just have to live with.

It's not something they can diagnose or they can really explain to you. You just know you live in pain on the bad days and try to get through as best as you can. On the good days (which happen every so often) you keep thinking to yourself will today be like the rest.

Migraines and headaches of course aren't as serious as the many diseases we're trying to fight and find a cure for, but it is something that makes your life more challenging. It makes those days you want to go out and live your life a little bit harder.

For me a migraine means terrible auras, feeling nauseous, terrible pain in your head and the need to lay in a dark room for hours. Theres no sure way of getting rid of it and there's no medication that can Aleve that type of pain. Not only does that stay for a few hours, but for me that lasts days. See, living with this type of pain is one of the hardest things you can do. You can't show people how you feel and your life has to be altered during the days where you can't make it out of bed. When you suffer with migraines you really do suffer.

You'll see doctors who prescribe you this and that, but it doesn't seem to make that pain stop.You've also tried all the remedies you saw on the internet. I can also tell you that putting a cold compress behind your neck and your hand and feet in warm water won't get rid of all that pain. For me it has been doctors upon doctors for twelve years telling me the same things. Lets check you this or that and nothing ever came up positive. If you do struggle with this there is hope.

My struggle ended this summer and maybe one day yours will too. Stay positive on those days where you're stuck in bed and you just can't physically make it out the door. Those days can be hard and you may feel terrible, but one day they'll be a brighter day.

For me that day came this summer. In April they found a small hole in my heart hidden that they hadn't noticed before. After tests and tests they found indeed I had a Patent Foramen Ovale(PFO) something a lot of people are just born with. Doctors are undecided on the issue to close the hole due to the lack of scientific evidence that this closure will stop the migraines, but my doctor had faith that if anything it would make one less thing I have to worry about.

I have great news that after a few months recovering and after weeks of discomfort I no longer suffer from migraines. Now this might need be the exact scenario for you. You may not have anything like this, but there is proof that things can change.

So thanks Dr. Levchuck and the great staff at St. Francis Hospital. You rock!

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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