Oh sweetheart, I know there are many, many people who have headaches everyday with migraines intermittently including myself. I was even treated by one of the best headache clinics in the world called the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. I was hospitalized there at least 7 times and found other people with the exact same issue but usually with another serious illness like Muscular Distrophy. So as horrible as I felt, it gave me a new perspective. I’ve had daily headaches and severe migraines for 46 years and feel like a pharmaceutical guinea pig. I’ve been on every class of antidepressants, atypical antipsychotics, pain meds, you name it. I was using Imitrex self injections back in 1992. Nothing helped. I finally resorted to seeing a pain management physician, who is a physiatrist. He had me on methadone which obviously helped but it was the only pain medication that I needed less and less of until I didn’t need it. But my doctor started giving me Botox injections which helped me significantly. I only took ibuprofen and occasionally Amerge (naratriptan) for the migraines and I’ve been headache free for at least 8 years. I’m having some breakthrough pain as of recent, but am going to try a nerve block tomorrow. One of the very few things I have not tried and believe me, I’ve tried everything. Acupuncture, acupressure, massage, strict headache diet, biofeedback (extensively), chiropractic, dental mouth guards, nerve ablation, DHE 45 treatment, hospitalization, and every drug you could possibly think of for headaches, migraines, and pain in general. Seriously the list is long over 44 years. I’m 68 now and eventually qualified for Social Security Disability but that keeps you very poor and unable to afford living alone, not that I’d want to right now, but I could easily see myself becoming homeless as a result of everything I’ve been through and the cost associated with my pain. I often wish for something like cancer so I know if I couldn’t be helped that the end would be near. It’s a hard, hard journey that I’d never wish on anyone. You are not alone.
Thank you for sharing. I’ve tired everything you listed over 22 years. I almost went to Cleveland Clinic, but they offer everything in LA offered there. One of my 7 neurologists speaks highly of Diamond. I’ve tried every drug out there including CGRP Aimovig which gave me multiple infections, wiped my immune system, so when I had emergency surgery on infected tonsil (from Aimovig), I got sepsis, double pneumonia and a super bug in ICU, basically died to came back. So no more new to market drugs.
Need to try Rolfing for upper body muscular issues which is common w NDPHers. Quite the journey.