So, I finally got in with a bonified headache guy.
Our first appointment was rather anticlimactic. We went over my history, I described the last almost four years as best as I could and a tentative diagnosis of ndph/chronic migraines was mentioned. They didn't have all of my records yet, so I have to go back when that gets squared away, which was pretty frustrating. The doctor is an hour away by car, which we borrowed from my mom, and next time it may be a two hour train and bus ride. I was already barely functional at the end of this appointment, I can't imagine adding four hours of buses, trains, people, and walking to that. Ugh.
It was also suggested that we might kick off my treatment with a 5-day hospital stay, with dihydroergotamine as a feature player. This terrifies me, for reasons that I can't even articulate. Every time I try to talk about it with my boyfriend, I have to struggle not to panic and cry. In fact, I have to stop writing about this right now, I'm getting too upset just writing about thinking about talking about a hospital stay. Sheesh.
On a happier note, I've been really good about exercising! In the past thirty days, I've walked outside or on my treadmill TWENTY days! It was when I started thinking of it as physical therapy that I started walking more regularly. I can get up to a decent clip on the treadmill now, and it's nice to break a sweat and get my heart rate going. When I walk outside, I go a lot slower, and often stop totally when the noise or sunshine or cigarette smoke or perfume of passing teenagers overcomes me. I don't worry about my heart rate on these walks, it's all about being outside, walking the dog, taking photos, being present and making it back home. Sometimes the exercise triggers my head, but it's worth the risk because my stamina is really obviously improving. and the better my body feels, the better my head feels. Usually.
Hopefully my work will pay off and by the time that next appointment comes up, I won't even feel the commute. Here's to wishful thinking.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
Oh I know those feelings all too well!
My last hospital stay in August, Jesse had to practically drag me there...two days after I was supposed to be direct admitted! I was just too traumatized from the previous stay that I did not want to go back.
However, it turned out to be a far better experience.
I have to say...IV DHE, Decadron & Depakote (I call it the 3 D's)...are all very successful for me. Unfortunately, as soon as I am off that IV cocktail...it's back to square one. The effects for me are never long lasting.
I am wishing for some IV steroids right now as a matter of fact!
FYI...if you are going to go the DHE route...you really should be in the hospital. I had to be on a heart monitor the whole time. Good thing I was because I had an arrhythmia & my heartrate dropped to 40 bpm, which then led me to a cardio consult and echocardiogram. Just not something I'd mess with unless closely monitored.
Hope can be a very powerful coping tool. Glad you have some :)
I had the same 3 d's as Jessica a couple of times - the decadron helped nothing else much did but you do have to be monitored for the DHE. My second hospital stay was where they identified my headache as indomethacin responsive (there are only a handful of conditions that are) so I have to say it was of benefit. The scary part is that the pain control is out of your hands, but the good part is that you have a doctor who cares enough to try so he may try differenct "cocktails" in your five days to see what helps. Hoping if you try it, you find some answers. Understand the transportation/travel worries I switched docs because of it.
Yay on the exercise! boo on the proposed hospital stay. I hope something else can be worked out.
Post a Comment