The last migraine I suffered before this weekend was on September 21st, I wouldn’t say I get them all the time, but more frequent than I would like. It is considered episodic, meaning it can last for hours and weeks or months can pass between attacks.
My migraines appear out of fucking nowhere, a tinging sensation materializes out of thin air in my fingertips then branches up my arms, then vision obstructing prisms form in my peripheral, followed by a painful pressure to the back of my eyeballs, and sometimes I vomit. Last night I vomited. The experience is met with a mix of panic and anger, it is so debilitating that I can’t focus on anything, I can’t be present with my family, I can’t do much of anything, let alone read or write. The whole ordeal is infuriating to me.
When people have chronic migraines and appear to function under the vice of one is simply amazing to me. My sister is one of these people. I don’t understand how anyone can manage. I need my bed and a darkened room, stat. Last night was one of worst migraines I’ve encountered in quite some time. Utterly miserable and sensitive to sights and sounds, like Vincent Price’s portrayal of Roderick Usher in Roger Corman”s Fall of Usher. A peculiarity of temperament.
Doctors don’t even understand this shit. It is all potential causes and possible triggers and no definitive answers. One site lists the causes as: Central nervous system disorder, chemical imbalances, genetic factors, vascular irregularities, brain injury, inflammation, infections, tumors, and intracranial pressure. Just to narrow it down. The Triggers are anxiety and stress, which just about everything in life can be attributed to those two major things that most of us feel everyday, I know I do. There’s bad posture, caffeine (Which I thought combats headaches and migraines?), certain spicy, salty, and aged food can potentially cause one. don’t forget artificial sweeteners and MSG. Hormones and medications and headache medication can trigger a migraine. Temperature, humidity and barometric pressure can spring one. Sleep can be a culprit as well. Might as well check them all.
The thing that I think really gets me is sensory. While loud sounds and strong odors might not bother me, lights do. Am I alone here? Lighting wrecks me. The sun, LED lights, all the screens, and worst of all, glare. People with blue eyes or light-colored irises are believed to be more light sensitive. Mine are greenish-hazel. Fucking photophobia.
Do you get migraines and I hope you don’t, but if you do, how do you treat them? I’m not asking for a friend.
SEAN GABLER 
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