MY
MIGRAINES
- by Milo, 9 years old |
HELP
WITH MIGRAINE
- by Matthew, 12 years old, by his mum |
MY
MIGRAINES
- by Max, 6 years old |
CLUSTER
HEADACHE
- by Anne-Marie, former child sufferer |
TWIN
MIGRAINE
- by mother of 11 year old twins |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- Ben, 13 years old, by his mum |
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Megan, 12 years old |
ABDOMINAL
MIGRAINE
- Jaclyn, 9 years old, by her mum |
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|
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MY
MIGRAINES
- by Ashley, 14 years old |
STOP
ACCUSING ME AND START HELPING - by Chrissy, 12 1/2
years old |
MY
MIGRAINES
- by Nicola, 14 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Thomas Matthews, 7 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Holly, 8 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Laura, 10 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Sarah, 11 years old |
|
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Nikita, 12 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Keiron, 11 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Hannah, 12 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Chloe, 11 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- Courtney aged 4 years old (by her mother)
|
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Joanne, mother of a 9 year old sufferer |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Deana, mother of 6 year old sufferer |
MIGRAINES
- by Georgia, 12 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Dillon, 9 years old |
MIGRAINE
- by Dillon's mum |
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Neil, 13 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE
- by Marie Cox, 9 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by mum to a sufferer aged 6 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Bethany aged 11 years old |
MY
FIRST MIGRAINE
- by Martina aged 12 years old |
MY
DAUGHTER'S MIGRAINE
- by Brian Lamb |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Alex aged 13 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Kenzie aged 5 years old |
MY
MIGRAINE STORY
- by Sophie aged 12 years old |
|
MY
MIGRAINES... by Milo aged 9 years old
Hello, my name is Milo and I am 9 years old. I have been having migraines for about 5 years. I take 5 ml of sanomigran in the morning and 15 mls at bed time. Sanomigran does work, but then I get used to it and the doctor puts the dose up but then I get used to it again. I am now on the top dose and the doctor at the hospital is looking at trying something else, Topiramate. Has anyone else tried this? Is it any good? I have missed quite a lot of school with migraines. I usually get a bit of a warning so I can take painkillers (paracetamol and ibuprofen together) and then go to sleep before the pain or vomiting gets too bad. When I wake up I am usually starving and my mum or dad make me something to eat, unfortunately for them it is often in the middle of the night! I have some triggers, these are uncooked cheese (pizza is OK), chocolate (choc biscuits are OK), marmite, raisins, being unwell, being tired, being hungry, going to see a movie at the cinema (I take more meds before I go,just in case).
Although migraines are a real pain they do not stop me doing lots of things I love like skate boarding, playing my guitar, judo, karate and listening to music (the red hot chilis rule!)
Milo
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HELP WITH MIGRAINE... Matthew aged 12 years old, by his mum
I want to tell you about how my 12 year old son's migraine attacks have decreased quite a lot. I read that feverfew, taken daily, reduces the amount of attacks and the severity. The problem is that it is not always suitable for children. I tried my son on homeopathic feverfew 6x, and have been giving him 2 tablets daily. He has been taking this for about 8 weeks, and he has had hardly any migraines, and if he does, they do not last long.
Before he started taking the medicine, he used to have about 2 or 3 attacks a week, and he would be quite ill with them. I have also found that giving the feverfew tablets when he has an attack also helps. I hope this helps with some other children; it can do no harm to try. You have to stick with it as it can take a couple of months, and then you still have to keep the dose up.
Matthew
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MY MIGRAINE... Max aged 6 years old
Hello my name is Max I am 6 years old. Today I did not have enough to drink and I went to my friend's house and played in his room on the X-box all afternoon. When my mum picked me up I started to get blurry eyes. This lasted for a long time. Luckily I had some medicine straight away and my headache did not come. This is my 4th migraine and all of my migraines so far have been from watching too much television or being on a computer for too long, and also being a bit run down.
Max
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CLUSTER HEADACHE ... Anne-Marie, former child sufferer now aged 27 years old
I am no longer a child but I have suffered migraine / cluster headache all my life and I know all too well the excrutiating pain without proper medication and the feeling that no-one understands and how quite often people make this condition even harder for you. I was particularly struck by Rochelle's case. From what she describes it sounds like classic cluster headache. I suffer from this and have found 2 forms of treatment which alleviate the pain quite well.
One is Sumatriptan (injection) taken at the onset of pain. It takes about 1 minute to clear the pain. It is not licensed for use in children but it may be worth checking with your doctor - Sumatriptan in nasal spray is licensed for adolescents and there are other treatments like this called triptans which doctors can prescribe off-license.
Another lesser known treatment is to breathe 100% oxygen from a cylinder for 10-30 minutes. It is a treatment for cluster headaches but I get this and migraine and I find it seems to work for both for me. You do need special cylinders of oxygen and a special mask, so you do need to talk to your doctor about this option.
More information about cluster headache is available from www.clusterheadaches.org.uk.
Recent research strongly indicates both migraine and cluster headache are triggered by allergies involving a complicated histamine response. I know many of you have tried to eliminate all sorts of foods etc but I would recommend getting some proper allergy tests done as it may be a particular type of pollen or a food you are unaware of. I'm sure mine is an allergy but I'm still trying to find out what.
Dr A.M. Johnson (Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
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TWIN MIGRAINE... Mother of twin sufferers aged 11 years old
I have just looked for information as one of my sons has just had 5 migraines in just over 2 weeks, pretty much since starting secondary school. Both he and his brother have suffered since being about 6 years old. It is so good for them to know they are not alone and convince them to find out what causes migraine for themselves, particularly making sure they eat regularly at school which seems quite difficult since starting at secondary school.
Mother of twin sons
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... Ben aged 13 years old, by his mum
Ben is 13 and suffers from migraine and we have not as yet found anything that relieves it. I suffer from severe migraines where the doctor has to be called out each time and Ben seems to have inherited them. He has had migraines for about the last 2 years, but has always been prone to headaches. It is hard for him to get the doctors to understand how it affects his life. It is now Thursday, and he started with the latest one on Saturday evening. It just swaps sides when he sleeps. He has missed about 30% of school because of it and the anxiety and fear of falling behind adds to the stress and this in turn affects the migraines even more. It makes me very sad to think that he has to suffer this horrible illness and I wish I could do more for him.
When the migraine continues day after day he gets very upset, and when he has a headache he is not the bubbly chatty boy we know. It affects all of our family and the stress of trying to get him into school as what the school authorities want is very hard on all of us. I would love to find a way for him to manage this problem, so that he can live his life again, because the migraines take part of it away.
Ben's mum
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MY MIGRAINE ... Megan aged 12 years old
My name is megan and I'm 12 years old and I've had numerous problems. It started out with my heart and irregular heart beat. It really messed with me and now I'm getting very bad migranes that hurt in the back of my head and neck. They call them clusters.Tthey have started me on Topamax, 1 pill for a week, then 2 pills at night for a week, then 3 pills at night for the rest of the time. I have just started them so I'm not quite sure if they are going to take it away but I hope so because I hurt and feel sick and even sometimes feel like I can't breathe very well. My mum is worried about me being on Topamax 150 mg a day because this is also used for seizure. If anyone can feed back on this treatment or if any other child is taking this please post your story. Thanks.
Megan
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ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE ... Jaclyn aged 9 years old, by her mum
Jaclyn had complained of a sore tummy since she was 3 years old. We would explain it away as not enough sleep, not enough to drink or not enough to eat (not knowing that these could be triggers for migraines!) At kindergarten she was sent home a few times not feeling well and very pale but after a sleep she was much better. Then on starting school she would complain of sore tummies at the end of the day. But they started to be followed by flushing, pallor and violent vomiting. She would writhe around on the bed asking us to make the pain go away and this would sometimes last all day, until she finally vomited and slept, exhausted from her ordeal.
After many tests it was finally confirmed by a paediatrician that she was and had been suffering from abdominal migraine. The list of triggers, which is extensive, includes excitement (so birthdays, Christmas, holidays), too much sleep, not enough sleep, too much activity, not enough to eat or drink, hot weather (in summer she was having 2 episodes a week that each lasted 3 days) and I've cut down her chocolate intake.
Migraine does run in her Dad's family but we still get a lot of strange reactions from people when we say Jaclyn suffers from abdominal migraine. I'm sure many of them think we're crazy. She doesn't vomit anymore but still has nausea and pain. She started taking Lovan daily this year and the episodes were fewer but I think it was just a matter of breaking the cycle. Unfortunately she is home from school today having endured another 3 day episode. I'm so disappointed for her as she had been doing so well.
Linda, Jaclyn's mum
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OPHTHALMOPLEGIC MIGRAINE... by Rochelle aged 11 years old
My name is Rochelle and I am 11 years old. All I have ever known since I was 16 months old is this agonising pain. The doctors have diagnosed me with Ophthalmoplegic Migraine although they're not totally sure. It starts with pain behind my right eye and gets slowly worse, like someone stabbing something into my eye socket. I've taken all sorts of painkillers, Paracetamol and Codeine, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac but the only thing that really works is morphine. Then I start to feel sick and have to take anti-sickness medication. I discovered Prednisolone (steroids) 3 years ago which work most of the time but every now and again the pain comes back and I have to take more steroids. The steroids have lots of side effects so the doctors are trying to get me off them. I've taken Aziathioprine (an immunosuppressant) for 1 year, which had no effect. I've also taken Pizotifen when I was younger, which also had no effect.
I've been to many different hospitals, been kept in 24 times and to Great Ormond Street, but no-one has yet discovered what to do for me. Sometimes I'm ill for weeks at a time. Last year I had a whole month off school. It's such a pain. I really like school and sometimes have to get work sent home. When I'm poorly I can't do the things all the others take for granted. I just stay in the house day after day and it really gets me down. My little brother wonders what's wrong, why I don't want to talk or sing - all I want to do is get better and have a normal life. My Mum and Dad have just found out about a new operation they're doing in America where they implant this tiny electrode in your head and it deadens the pain, but my specialist says it won't work. It costs £30,000.00 so I don't know whether they mean it won't work or they don't want to pay for it. So now I'm going to a different hospital - starting afresh - I hope and pray that one day someone can help me.
Thank you for reading and if you can help, please get in touch.
Rochelle
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MY MIGRAINES... by Louise O'Brien aged 11 years old
Hi, my name is Louise O'Brien. I am 11 years old and I have suffered with migraines now for 6 years. That's six years of headaches, six years of knowing that there is no CURE for them, 6 years of putting my family under stress, SIX YEARS OF MEDICATION.
When I was little in reception and my Mum said to me ' I've got a really bad headache' I used to think ' Ah well it will go soon and then she will stop moaning' ; but I had no idea that a few years later I would be suffering with migraines just like my mum does and her mum did.
When they started in year two I used to cry for hours on end because they really hurt; but that just made them worse. In year 2 I used to take this horrible orange medicine. It was really disgusting. Then I tried lots of other attempts to try and get rid of them such as:
- Not eating chocolate,
- Not eating dairy products,
- No Citrus Products,
- No wheat products,
- Chiropractors,
- Acupuncture,
- Sanomigran,
- Glucose Tablets
- Feverfew Tablets
But nothing seemed to work. The acupuncture and Sanomigran seemed to work a little but not enough. Now at the age the age of 11 I think ' Hey I'm not the only one with migraines and the other people that do could be in a far worse position than me!' I have been taking four cod liver oil tablets a day and they seem to be calming them down.
I would just like to say if you suffer with migraines ' I know exactly how you feel!!!'
Louise
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MY MIGRAINES... by Ashley aged 14 years old
Hi, my name is Ashley and I am now 14 years old. I've suffered from migraine just for the last 9 months and it's torture.
The doctors don't know why it just started but I hope it will go away as fast as it came. The last one I suffered was only 2 days ago. The pain is unbelievable; I lose my speech and the feeling down my left side. I don't recognise my parents or family members most of the time during an attack. I have been in hospital 5 times and been on morphine.
I am on pizotifen every day which does increase my appetite so I have to try and eat more fruit and, when I feel an attack coming on, I take painkillers but most of the time they don't work.
I don't eat any chocolate or cheese and I've stopped eating McDonalds. I was getting a migraine every two weeks but they are slowing down now. My great-grandma suffers, so I guess she's passed it on to me. I hope they find a cure soon and we all get back to normal.
Ashley
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STOP ACCUSING ME AND START HELPING!... By Chrissy age 12 1/2
Hi my name is Chrissy and I am 12 1/2. I started suffering migraine when I
was 9. I remember the numerous times Mum had to come and pick me up from
school. I had them about 3 times a month but then when I turned 10 and
started year 5, I missed around 74 days of school. Thank heavens I am a
quick learner as I kept up and was sometimes ahead of the others in my work.
In grade six I had 23 days off school and grade seven (present day) I have
already missed 47 days and the year isn't over yet. I get a agonising
headache where I get dizzy and sometimes can't really move. I get dry
retching as a muscle in my stomach doesn't work (prevents me from throwing
up but is a disadvantage as I get stomach bugs for twice the time). And I go
numb or tingly down one side and I often feel when I get up as though I have
blacked out.
Only 1 or 2 doctors out of ... actually I have lost count, said it was
migraine. All the others said it was school refusal. Why was I being accused
of hating something that I loved. They didn't seem to realise I was in pain!
I cried a lot of the time not just because The pain was agonising but
people, even my family didn't always believe me.
My immediate family was excellent. They stayed home with me all day even if
something important was on at work. My friends and basically everyone at
school knows me as the girl who is sick a lot. My group of friends are
always hugging me when I get back at school after weeks of pain even if I
would only stay there for the first hour.
My gastroenterologist gave in to Mum's begging and booked me in for an
endoscope to see if there were any problems in my stomach (to cure stomach
cramps not the migraine). He was away the day of it so filling in for him
was a migraine sufferer. When I woke up from the anaesthetic she asked me
questions about the stomach cramps and as well as that I described my
migraine. She said, "Well the tests I took for your stomach cramps will be
back soon but what medication is she using for the migraine?" Mum almost
fainted. "Doctors said it wasn't migraine."
She replied," As a migraine studier and sufferer I would say it is
definitely migraine and she should have been on medication from the start."
I am now on medication for migraine and the amount I get has decreased
rapidly however when it hits (every 2 weeks for 2 or 3 days) it hits really
bad. The stomach aches have turned out to be food allergies reactions,
exactly what the doctors said it was not.
Chrissy
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MY MIGRAINES... by Nicola aged 14 years old
Hiya, I'm 14 years old and have been suffering with migraines now for 4
years. I roughly know when I am going to have a migraine. I hate them, and
I hate knowing that there is no cure for them. My migraines don't start off
with a headache, but starts off with eye problems. I cannot see anything,
and have flashing lights, if I was to look at someone, I would only be able
to see half there face. After fifteen mins of this, I then get the painful
headache, then 20 mins later, I am continuously sick. I had my worst one 1
year ago. This time I felt dizzy from the start, and I couldn't move, or
talk much. I felt light headed and just couldn't keep anything down. My
mom called a doctor and the dr came and gave me an injection, which made me
feel much better afterwards. I have been to the doctors on several
occasions to get these migraines checked out, and have had everything done
to make sure I am ok, but it looks like I'm stuck with them. Doctors say it
may just be hormonal, but anyway, I still hate going through with them. The
light is also a trigger for me, if I look into the sun or a light, I will
get flashing lights, and this sets off a migraine :(
When I am suffering
with migraines, I have to go to sleep in a dark room, with no light, and
after 3 or 4 hours of sleep, and 6 or 7 times of being sick, I am back to my
normal self again. After the migraine I feel very tired, and sometimes a
bit dizzy. My head also feels sore. I just hope it is my age and hormonal,
and I am not stuck with them for life!!
Nicola
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Thomas Matthews aged 7 years old
Hi, my name is Thomas, I am 7 years old and have been suffering with migraines now every day for the past 2 months. After being admitted into hospital a doctor finally diagnosed migraines and has put me on pizotifen which I don't think helps. As no one in my family suffers with migraines, the doctors think it is very rare for a child of my age to have migraines. I hope I will grow out of them, but who knows. To all you other sufferers out there, I know how you feel.
Thomas
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Holly aged 8 years old
Hello, my name is Holly, I am 8 years old. I have been suffering from migraines for a very long time. When I get a migraine, I feel dizzy and I get tummy ache and a headache. I had a very bad migraine on my birthday. I had a very bad headache and tummy ache, and I couldn't feel my arms or legs - to me, it felt like they were gone. I have been in hospital 4 times. I had a drip and I had to have morphine that made me better.
Now I am on migraine tablets. They make me very tired and make me want to eat a lot more. I have been put on a very strict diet:
NO CHOCOLATE - NO CHEESE - NO CAFFEINE
NO CITRUS - NO PINEAPPLE - NO BANANAS
It is very hard not to eat those foods. I have had to come home from school loads of times because I have been crying. Sometimes the medicine my mum or the hospital gives me doesn't work.
Holly
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MY MIGRAINE... by Laura aged 10 years old
Hello, I am a 10 year old girl and I suffer from migraine. My mum and I have done some tests on me to find out when they are worse, and what makes them better. My mum and me have found that I have two different types of migraine, and one is much worse than the other. If I don't eat enough food during the day I get a dizzy migraine and my mum gives me lucozade or glucose tablets and sends me to bed. The dizzy isn't too bad.
The worst one we have found out that if I eat too much sugar over a couple of days, I will get a migraine, and the more sugar I have eaten, the worse the migraine is.
The only thing that takes my tummy ache and that will let me go to sleep to get rid of my headache, is for me to be sick, so my mum stays with me and gives me lots of water so I have something to be sick and I'm not retching and hurting myself. After I have been sick she gives me a paracetamol and I can go to sleep. She doesn't give me lucozade or glucose if I've had a sugar migraine.
My mum knows when I'm going to get a migraine, because I don't eat and I get bags under my eyes and I feel tired. That's when she starts to bug me about what I've eaten that day and how much, so she knows what to get ready for when it comes, because it always comes. We haven't found a way to stop it, yet.
Laura
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MY MIGRAINE... by Sarah aged 11 years old
Hello, everyone. I am Sarah,and I have had migraines for over a year now. I totally despise them!!! My migranes are called aurura, I don't think that's how it's spelled, but they are migraines in the eyes. My mum and dad think I shall grow out of them, I certainly hope so. I am 11, I've had them since I was 10.
Sarah
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MY MIGRAINE... by Jack aged 11 years old
Yo guys, my name is Jack. I have been suffering from migraine for a long time now. Firstly I see wavy lines, blurry vision, then the ground spins around, around and around, and I drop to the ground. Sound hurts my ears and head, I can't walk sometimes and I have one danger sign -_- then like Holly I can't feel my arms and legs. I have a pounding / pressure / needly headache. After that I vomit. No stomach ache, but I feel nausea. Then I sometimes get fits. My bones pound, my eyes freeze, I get really cold. I turn deaf and my eyes sting. I don't take drugs. I deal with the pain. I can't eat too. My head gets swollen, I have a stuffy nose and I can't flex my bones. I have not been in hospital yet.
Jack
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MY MIGRAINE... by Nikita aged 12 years old
Hiya! My name is Nikita and I am 12. I first started to have migraines when I was 3 years old and they diagnosed me when I was 11! I have been on pizotifen for a year, then was taken off them and then put back on them. I haven't eaten CHOCOLATE, CHEESE, CITRUS FRUIT or CAFFEINE for 2 years and that has had no effect. But now when I eat chocolate, I have a migraine. When I was put on beta blockers, I kept fainting and getting too many side effects. I still get them and now I am going to start to go private, go to a migraine clinic and have a brain scan. Now I have to take medication every night and it is so annoying!
Nikita
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Keiron aged 11 years old
My name is Keiron I am almost 12. I ve suffered with abdominal migraine now
for nearly 3 yrs, I am also an insulin dependant diabetic. I don't know what
type of migraines I get but I get them weekly and every time I get one I end
up in hospital on a drip and an infusion and heart monitor. I throw up
about 4 to 10 times with every migraine. I have had 6 days off school in the
last 7 weeks I have tried pitzofen but they didn't work now I am taking Imigran but it doesn't seem to be working. When I get a migraine my eyes
flicker, I lose my sight, my bones hurt so much and it makes me ill for up
to 3 days. I don't know the trigger yet but I have cut out all the foods
suggested that causes migraines. I have lost lots of weight with the
sickness and now I'm totally fed up as I can't plan anything. I am also
finding now that I keep forgetting simple things that I never used to.
I grit
my teeth and keep smiling, this will not beat me. Keep your chin up - it
could be worse.
Keiron x
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Hannah aged 12 years old
Hi, I'm Hannah and I'm 12 years old. I have had migraine for almost 2 years now. They began when my stomach began to hurt unexplainably for days at a time. I would vomit over and over and nobody would know what was wrong. The doctor thought I was getting repeated stomach viruses, but it turns out I was experiencing abdominal migraine. That went on about once a month for a year. Then, on the second day of 6th grade, I started throwing up again and this time my head hurt so bad I was in tears. This happened only a little at first, like every other week for a day or so.
Then it increased to every day. None of the medicines prescribed for me were working. I was not going to school almost every day. I tried beta blockers and all they accomplished was extreme drowsiness. Me and my mum flew to the New England Center for Headache and they put me on an extreme diet. All foods that were common migraine triggers were completely eliminated. All I was eating was salad (no dressing I was not allowed to eat vinegar). It didn't help at all.
I have now figured out that a few of my triggers are flying, an approaching rainstorm, stress, too much sleep, too little sleep, my neck being tight and weekends. The principal of my school is unenrolling me and so my teachers will just have to send home packets of work, because I was missing too much school. Nothing seems to work. A few days ago I started a new tricyclic antidepressant. It's name is Dopin. I had already tried nortriptline and amitriptyline. I hope it will work. Only time will tell....
All I really know is that I am sick of being sick. My life is falling apart at the seams. My brother is always complaining that he has to do extra work around the house when I am sick. My parents have been really overprotective and controlling. I know they mean well, but all they talk about is how I can get well. All I want to do is forget about it, but migraine is taking over my life. My friends are always concerned, but I just want my life to be normal again. They ask how I am and what the doctor says, but what I really want to talk about is books and music and make things the way they ised to be. My life is being taken over by some stupid blood vessels!
Hannah
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Chloe aged 11 years old
My name is Chloe and I am 11 years old. I am a child that suffers with migraine and I think this website is very good for children that suffer from migraine. This website tells us what a migraine is, who gets migraine, what affects a migraine, what causes a migraine, and many more things! I have lots of friends but not one of them suffers from migraine! They do not know what people with migraine deal with and have to put up with!
When I have a migraine, I find it very painful and I just want it to go away, but it is not as easy as that is it? No! I started having migraine when I was about 7! Me and my mum went to the doctor; my doctor said he could not prescribe me anything! But I have just found this website and after all these years I could have something to help my migraine! My mum has booked me an appointment at the doctors, and she is going to print off the part about what can help my migraine and show this to the doctor.
When I have a migraine, I just want to go to sleep in a dark room with no sound at all, and I have just looked on the website and found out that that is what you are supposed to do. Everything on this website has taught me a lot. I will regularly visit the website. Everything you tell children to do I will do if it helps with my migraine; and I love your idea about a diary and I will be doing that as well. Your website has inspired me and will inspire other children. I will always keep your website on my favourites. Thanks very much!
Chloe
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Courtney aged 4 years old (written by Courtney's mother)
Diagnosed at 14 months with (benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood) which all doctors told us would turn into migraine and they have. What is so odd is that they occur every 9 weeks almost to the exact day. When the migraines hits, she falls to the floor if she is awake but typically it starts in her sleep, she begins to vomit and we immediately do the Zomig nasal spray and give her a Zofran for the vomiting which works rather well. She sometimes cannot open her eyes and a lot of times, the blood vessels will burst in her eyes. She has to lay totally flat for the entire migraine - she cannot walk around and feels dizzy. She tells me "the green lights make me dizzy" and that she is "doing what the ceiling fan is doing". She communicates really well and is very tuned in to what is going on. Nothing affects her except timing - it's every 9 weeks and has been on this pattern since she was 14 months old. If anyone has had this occur please post your story or comments to this website - it is terrible to watch such a young child go through something like this.
Courtney's mother
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MY MIGRAINE ... by Joanne, mother of sufferer aged 9 years old
My 9 year old son has been diagnosed with migraine. He started having symptoms about 2 years ago following a very busy weekend. He complained of waves of nausea and as this was happening his face became visibly flushed. He then asked to go to bed and slept for about 12 hours. On waking he was completely back to normal. This happened on and off for about 12 months and was always associated with busy, probably stressful times such as holidays or hectic weekends. He often mentioned a headache but this didn't seem to be a major factor. We assumed that he was 'over tired' and put the symptoms down to over exertion. We sought medical help when, on one occasion, he started talking 'rubbish' and was very disorientated. We were referred to a neurologist and he had an MRI scan and EEG to exclude epilepsy although the consultant seemed convinced that he has an 'Alice in Wonderland' migraine. The EEG was abnormal and he was recalled for a sleep deprived EEG which showed some abnormal waveforms. There is a very strong family history of migraine and no history of epilepsy. As there are no other sypmtoms of epilepsy we are still with a diagnosis of migraine and are using Migraleve tablets when necessary.
Courtney's mother
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MY MIGRAINE STORY ... by Deana, mother of a young sufferer
My name is mum and I have a daughter of 6-years old. About 18 months ago she started to suffer really painfull migraines often triggered by light or deep concentration. I have reduced the amount of cheese and chocolate in her diet although the pattern of her migraines is changing and they regularly occur every 4-5 weeks. The last two have come within 10 days of each other and has affected her eye sight to the point of not recognising either myself or daddy. She screams in pain and I feel helpless. My doctor has offered for my daughter to have a scan although I am not sure what to do. I did however find a very useful healthfood shop that recommended she have an allergy test and in turn I am going to diary her full intake of food for the next 4-6 weeks. I have also been offered medication although do not really see this as an option as I am afraid of the side effects. This website was easy for me as a mum to understand and I valued all comments and stories.
Deana
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MIGRAINES ... by Georgia aged 12 years old
I used to have bad migraines! It starts when my eyes suddenly go fuzzy. Then within a minute I have a horrible headache and feel sick. I used to have them once every 2 weeks. But about 3 months ago it just suddenly stopped and I have not had one at all. I am very sporty and swim a lot, but I think that since I have got a dog it has helped because I walk him every morning before school and after school.
Georgia
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MY MIGRAINE ... by Dillon aged 9 years old
My migraine feels like a mushroom cloud exploding in my head, a tornado spinning in my eyes, pulling my head off, two volcanoes exploding in my stomach and head, gas and acid rising and being squished in the head, really hard. I often feel as if bugs are crawling on my back. I don't want to eat, but I want to go to sleep. I have a glass of water and cuddle my teddybear, Schubert. I want to throw up to get the migraine away. I always have to be sick several times a day when I have a migraine. First, I get a headache, my stomach turns and then I can just feel something coming up my tube. Migraines make me feel like a little boy, it makes my handwriting like a five year old.
Things that give me a migraine are:
- the smell of fresh oranges being peeled
- loud noices (someone at school shouting into my ear, I am not keen on fireworks and funfairs)
- watching spinning things (like in a funfair, roundabouts)
- when I spend too much time in the car
- when I have been hungry for too long
- getting too tired (sometimes at school I need to close my eyes for a rest)
To help me with my migraine, instead of writing I draw pictures as they say a picture speaks a thousand words. I have to take medicine twice a day (Sanomigran, 2x 10ml) and I take Children's Nurofen when I first feel my head aching, then sometimes I won't get the full migraine or feel sick.
Dillon
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MIGRAINE ... by Dillon's mum
Dillon has suffered from migraine all his life, but we didn't realise why he was sick at least once a month until he was finally diagnosed with migraine about a year ago. A previous doctor thought it was a stomach acid problem.
During an attack Dillon is desperate for the pain to stop. He has a very specific cry, which we recognise immediately as the onset of a sickness episode of his abdominal migraine. If he doesn't get a dose of Nurofen at the first hint of a headache, it will 99% of the time develop into a full blown migraine. He is very interested in hearing about alternative treatments and causes of migraine, like watching a recent programme discussing the link between a hole between heartflaps and migraine, and how an operation to close the gap might cure the condition in some people; as well as the possibility that acupuncture may help.
In September, Dillon stopped having school meals, taking a lunchbox instead, as he often complained the food was making him feel ill. The number of attacks went down. The medicine he is taking at the moment has also reduced his attacks dramatically since the dose was increased to 20ml a day. He has now not had a migraine since January 2006.
Dillon is having various academic problems at school, especially with his spelling, also his reading age is a couple of years behind. He has an Individual Education Plan and has been put on "Schoolaction Plus". He will be seeing a paediatrician next week to help to work out if, as suspected by his GP, a lot of his migraines are stress related (he sometimes finds life hard as his older brother has Asperger Syndrome). Dillon chews the sleeves of his clothes until they have disintegrated to the elbow. During a GP consultation Dillon told us about a boy at school yelling into his ear and making him anxious; a problem which has now been solved with the help of his teachers. We are also waiting for a speech and language assessment as his language at times is slightly immature. He also sometimes gets into a muddle with words and names of things.
Dillon is a very happy boy most of the time, we call him our little sunshine, but we all feel there is often an underlying sadness just beneath the surface. As much as he suffers when he is ill, Dillon has surprised us recently by saying: "I don't know if I want my migraines to be cured....they are part of me." We had to reassure him that he would still be himself, he just wouldn't have to feel so terribly ill any more.
Dillon's mum
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MY MIGRAINE ... by Neil
My name is Neil and I'm 13 nearly 14. I suffer from migraines and I get about 2 a month. It feels like stabbing pains in my head and sometimes it's around my left eye. I am usually sick when I have an attack and it lasts for a few hours, usually round 4, and I go to sleep in a dark room because I can't stay in the light. Also I find I can't use my hand normally and can't grip things as well. After an attack if I shake my head I have a pain which doesn't go for about 1 day.
Neil
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MY MIGRAINE ... by Marie, aged 9 years old
I suffer from stomach migraines really bad I get them mainly at night time.They make me cry and feel sick. I have some medicine called Sanomigran it takes the pain off a bit but not a lot. I have got to take this medicine 3 times and then 4 if 3 doesn't work and if 4 dosn't work then I have to go back to the doctors.
Marie
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by mum of a sufferer, aged 6 years old
I am a very worried mum. My daughter is 6 years old and has been suffering with migraine for 2 years. We only had her diagnosed 6 months ago. They start with stomach pains where she needs to sit on the toilet for hours whilst she opens her bowels. It then rises up her body and into her head until she is violently sick. She goes very pale and sometimes gets a rash around the back of her neck, or on her body. She is taking sanomigran which has just had an increase in dosage as the migraines are becoming more frequent, 3 x 5 ml spoonsfuls a night. This weekend the headaches and stomach pains have been terrible and have lasted on and off for 3 days. She cannot eat oranges, or any orange drink, cola or fizzy drink and I now think chocolate may be the cause. My little girl is so brave. I want this to stop. I cannot see her go through this again. All of these children who suffer with migraine are so brave.
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MY MIGRAINE STORY... by Bethany, aged 11 years old
Hi! My name is Bethany (Beth) and I am soon 12. Three weeks ago I was in
school at my desk when I first started a migraine attack. My head burnt so bad
and my tummy felt like a rollercoaster, and I was sent home. Three days later
I went back feeling fine, but the next thing I knew I was going back home
again, feeling horrid. It got so bad that two and a bit weeks later I was in
hospital. They did blood tests and alsorts, and I came home with SANOMIGRAN
tablets to take at night!
Now I have to use special glasses at school to keep out light, as its makes me
dizzy!
When I get an attack, I can't look right because of the pain and I can't move
because it makes me go dizzy and sore. When I am back at school I have to take
it easy because the pills make you very sleepy. My friends sometimes get
jeasous about how I miss loads of school and take it easy, but I wish it
wasn't me!
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MY FIRST MIGRAINE ... by Martina, aged 12 years old
My name is Martina and I am 12. I just wanted to tell you that I had my first migraine attack today. It was very scary. The things that happened to me were that I could see blurry out of my left and right eyes, like when you have a barbeque and the heat waves are there. Also, I tried to speak out some words on a poster but I couldn't read or speak them properly. The last thing was that I had a throbbing head, and if I moved my head it got worse. I have not yet been to the doctors, but mum is trying hard to contact them.
Martina
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MY DAUGHTER'S MIGRAINE ... by Brian Lamb
My
daughter has been getting migraine since she was 4 years
old. Triggers appear to be caused when a combination
of things overload her system such as too much junk food,
chocolate, tiredness, stress, excitement, loud noises
and sometimes from eating McDonalds. A combination
of aspro panadol vitamin B and mintec eased her last migraine
within an hour avoiding the usual full blown attack which
can last hours.
Brian
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MY MIGRAINE STORY ... by Alex, aged 13 years old
My name is Alex and I am 13 years old. I have had migraines most of my
life though recently they have been less reguarly. When I was younger I
couldn't convey the symptoms properly and was repeatedly told I had
dehydration headaches and wasn't drinking enough and I still have vivid
memories of sitting in a chair in after school care trying to explain that
I was nauseous but didn't have a stomach ache. My main symptom is the
actual headache but if it is bad enough I will vomit, lose hearing for
brief periods of time and see in black and white. I'm not exactly sure
what causes my migraines but I often get them after Long days and car
trips and they worsen with light and particuarly noise. Medication doesn't
seem to work but I know that if someone piches hard (repetitively) between
your thumb and finger (I think it is a pressure point) it helps relieve the
pain. I also recommend drinking something like lemonade rather than
water/cordial/juice/tea during a migraine because the above mentioned are
very nauseating.
Alex
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MY MIGRAINE STORY ... by Kenzie, aged 5 years old
I have been having migraines since I was about 3 years old, it all started with me always feeling sick then I got bad headaches and my eyes hurt, I would then fall asleep for a while then waken up and feel a bit better, then when I was about 4 years old i was getting my sore head every 2 weeks so mummy took me to the doctor and he said I was having migraine he gave me pizotifen and I take 1 tablet every night, I still get migraines every 2 weeks so don't know if the tablets help me or not. I don't like having my sore head because I miss school a lot and in the summer my eyes hurt alot when I am out playing!!
Kenzie
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MY MIGRAINE STORY ... by Sophie, aged 12 years old
My name is Sophie and I am nearly 13. I suffered from my first migraine in the summer of 2006. I was eating tea outside with my cousins when my eyes went all blurry and I couldn't see properly. I then started vomiting so I had some iboprofen then went to lie down in a dark room. A couple of hours later my mum came in and disturbed me so I started vomiting again. I went back to sleep and when I woke up a few hours later I felt a lot better and was soon playing with my cousins. Everyone was happy to have my usual self back (I hope)!! I've also had them a few times at school where I have had to come home. My last one was last week where I was at school and my eyes went blurry. As soon as I got home I was vomiting. I went to sleep for about 3 hours ans slept it off.
There is something called kinesiology which may help you discover if you are allergic to any foods. You can go and see an expert about it or simply do it at home:
1. Hold an item of food you think you could be allergic to up to your stomache.
2. See if you can resist someone pushing against your hand.
3. If you can't resist them and they can push your hand away then maybe that it what is triggering the migraines.
Sophie
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