Migraine, migraine, who has the migraine? I do! Even as I
write, the aura of a colorful kaleidoscope lightshow hinders my vision. I must
shift my gaze beyond the screen just to see it with partial clarity.
Migraines used to debilitate me. My initial attack was
exactly 40 years ago, in fifth grade. The nausea with vomiting, the flashing
lights, and the immense head pain would keep me at bay (usually in a dark room)
and render me lifeless. Sometimes I would get reprieve a couple days or weeks
before the next strike, while other times I would only get a few hours. Brainwave
testing, hormone tracking, and diet control provided no assistance in
discovering their cause. Varieties of strong medications did nothing to deter
symptoms. No migraines displayed any rhyme or reason for their existence, but I
eventually discovered mine do follow strict patterns. Over the years, that understanding
has helped me embrace migraine headaches as a permanent feature embedded in my
physical being, and allowed me to continue
functioning.
So far, there are four patterns I have discovered:
·
Unusual, Yet Specific Warning Sign
o
Roughly two days prior to a migraine, the
fullness and hunger signals in my stomach will glitch. They temporarily paralyze.
A ravenous hunger possesses my body (like the voracious appetite of a nearly hatched silkworm, aka Graine) with strong cravings, severe pangs, and uncontrollable
growling in my gut. The priority: find food and eat it! By the time I finish downing
a whole pizza, a big salad, and dessert, the cycle is on repeat. It is best to
not judge me during this phase; I am hunting prey. Once I
finally do start feeling satisfied during a meal, I am approachable and know to
prepare for an aura.
·
Auras Develop, Then Travel
o
An aura begins as a tiny blind spot off-centered
in view. Over a period of 45 minutes, it continues to develop from a small circle
to a large greater than (>) or less than (<) shape, eventually
disappearing. For example, if the spot begins to the right of view, the circle of glistening lights gradually expands, develops an opening on the left (creating a > sign), then travels across the right plane of vision until it rounds to the right temple and disappears. By contrast, if the spot begins to the left of view, the circle of glistening
lights gradually expands, develops an opening on the right (creating a < sign), then travels across the left plane of vision until it rounds to the
left temple and disappears. The background during this incredible phenomenon
looks like big drops of rain splashing down on a windshield, which inevitably causes
the onset of nausea.
·
Auras Always Shift Sides
o
If an aura travels across the right plane of
vision, migraine pain will always land and stick above the brow on my left side;
if an aura travels across the left plane of vision, migraine pain will always land and stick above the brow on my right side. And auras always shift sides, like
a pendulum swinging back and forth. If the last migraine aura started on the
right side, the next one will start on the left side, then the one following it
will shift back to the right, and so forth. Always.
·
Auras Are Not Necessarily Singular
o
Auras do
not necessarily occur one at a time. In general, once an aura begins, it travels the entire
path until the migraine pain sticks, then there is a break before the next strike,
giving me ample time to breathe. However, on numerous occasions, a second
aura began before the first aura pattern completed. The most I ever encountered
at one time was three auras…left, right, left or right, left, right…leaving me
hunkered over in a terrible state of confusion.
I am confident there are more patterns to be discovered as migraine
headaches are quite a spectacular mystery. They have been my constant companion,
my undying friend. I cannot imagine life without them. Literally, I do not
recall what life without them offered me. Doctors assumed I would “grow out” of
them. But no matter how extravagant they may appear,
I chose early on not to let migraine headaches define me, nor excuse me.
