Migraine and Me

Here I am with my glasses again... My migraine has worsen for the past weeks. For some reason, I get headaches and the pain goes down to my eyes. My glasses works as protection which was given as an easy option to lessen it. I stopped wearing them in 2009. If you will notice, my eyes looked tired. Even with enough sleep, I still look wasted. My migraine started when I took up Nursing back in 2002. It's just terrible, maybe my brain couldn't handle the stress of memorizing terms and studies with regards to medicine. I even thought that I was already having some eye problem. But thank God, my eye sight/ vision is still normal. 

Instead of getting a prescribed medicine, I was advised by my doctor to cut down on caffeine which is one of the main causes of migraine. Next is to get a computer monitor protector, third is to have more light every time I use the computer, fourth, is protective eye wear.

Late last year, my husband bought me a new computer monitor. He made me choose between a 21" Samsung from a 19". I wanted a bigger screen, but the 21 inches was overwhelming, ended up with the 19 inches. I can't imagine a bigger migraine scenario if we bought the 21 inches.

What causes migraines?

Some people who suffer from migraines can clearly identify triggers or factors that cause the headaches, but many cannot.

Potential migraine triggers include:

1. Allergies and allergic reactions

2. Bright lights, loud noises, and certain odors or perfumes

3. Physical or emotional stress

4. Changes in sleep patterns or irregular sleep

5. Smoking or exposure to smoke

6.Skipping meals or fasting

7. Alcohol

8. Menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control pills, hormone fluctuations during menopause onset

9. Tension headaches

10.Foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), or nitrates (like bacon, hot dogs, and salami)

11.Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods.-source-

And with the causes stated above I'm guilty of nos.  4, 6, 9 and 11. My medication? I only take pain killers like Advil or Ponstan. Paracetamol doesn't work for me. I'm lucky in case somebody comes home from GA, I get Excedrin Migraine. In a few weeks, I will be visiting my eye doctor. I would probably go under a specific test this time. I wanna make sure my brain and my eyes are in good condition.

Common Migraine Triggers