What a peaceful day of off and on rain showers, reading, jokes, bird song and laughter. And for the first time in, I can't even RECALL how long, no headaches or migraines! I've been having these chronic headaches for the past several months that quickly escalate into this awful migraine should I attempt any sort of exertion - even speed walking! I went running with a girlfriend a month or so back only to be in bed right after with a migraine that refused to go away for almost 72 hours. The following week, stubborn me attended a zumba class with another girlfriend only to get another migraine. It was awful having them all the time because I treasure healthy living and exercise is an integral part of that! Last month, after three weeks of field work in Rwanda, I finally caved and contacted a neurologist/friend of my mother in the States. Talking with him was a huge relief because even though he wasn't able to examine me in person, he helped me to understand what symptoms could possible mean what and what sort of treatments I should consider. Honestly, in the back of my head I had been worried about having a tumor or something because, seriously, who has headaches EVERY DAY?! But the neurologist explained that should I have a tumor, I would be experiencing bad migraines in the morning that got better as each day progressed. Furthermore, sudden "thunderclap headaches" would by symptomatic of an aneurysm. Had I not been in a public place during that phonecall, I would have done a little happy dance at the realization that my headaches meant nothing serious. Nevertheless, my headaches remained a significant frustration for me, especially when they worsened into migraines which would often last for days at a time and wouldn't be alleviated by the typical medicines such as Excedrin Migraine or Panadol. The neurologist told me that there are several ways to treat migraines, but admitted that exercise-induced migraines like mine are much harder to treat. The neurologist suggested that I take low-dose beta blockers which basically slow your heart beat down keeping blood from rushing to your brain every time you try to exercise, which is GREAT because I feel like that's my main problem. When I get my migraines, I feel like blood is pulsating in my head causing it to throb like I can't explain (I have literally crawled to bed during some of these attacks).
Anyway, today is my second day on beta blockers and I am happy to say that this is my first day in months that I didn't wake up, and go through my day, with a throbbing head. It has been such a liberating feeling. I'm not feeling soooo gutsy as to go for a run or do zumba yet, but I can tell you I'm feeling optimistic.
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