*whimper*

[AdminAssistant]

Siiiiigggghhhh....

First day of rehearsal was last night. It's going well, but it's weird. I don't like all the responsibility and pressure that comes with being the stage manager, but my cast is awesome and I actually like this musical. So thank the heavens that is going well.

I may have mentioned this, but I've been having headaches, always around my right temple. I went to a doctor about it, and he told me that I couldn't possibly have migraines, since I was functional, they must be tension headaches brought on by stress. Okay, then why did I get them over Christmas, Spring Break, and during my little mini-summer break - low stress times? He gave me midorin which did absolutely nothing. Seriously. Ibubrofen made a bigger dent in the pain and pressure, although that doesn't do much so I usually just deal with it. They've been getting worse and more persistent. Combine that with rehearsal starting and a lack of sleep lately and finally, for good, ending things with BT and.....well, I'm not exactly Miss Happy Pants right now.

So, on a quest to stop my head from hurting, I went to the eye doctor. I was overdue, and I thought, hey, I can at least rule out eye strain. Mom and Dad agreed to pay for it, and so I went. Dr. said there was a slight difference in my left eye and that a possibility is that my right eye has been overcompensating, but he wasn't very certain. Got my new glasses today...and I swear my vision is worse. Reading printed stuff is fine, but the computer is hell. And everything feels closer to me. They felt...off...when I put them on at the eye doctor's, and the woman said, "Well, give it two weeks, it'll take some time to adjust" *grumble grumble grumble*

I just want to be able to see and for my head not to hurt, that's all. *sigh*

ETA: Called Mom, apparently Dad got raging drunk last night, spouted off a lot of nasty stuff. And wrote me a letter that he would let her read, and mailed it. I don't think their marriage will survive this year, to be honest.

[artifical sweetner]

hmm sometimes a stronger prescription will feel really "wrong" at first and take a while to adjust to

sorry to hear bout your parents, that can be really difficult to deal with

[wagegoth]

My eye doctor actually backs off my prescription, rather than making it so I have to adjust.

AA, you could have cluster headaches. It's very common for them to strike in the temple, and to occur several times over a time period. They can be caused by stress, but they're also often caused by allergies, including food allergies. If you're eating and/or drinking differently while on your breaks, that could be the cause.

[BookstoreEscapee]

My dad for a while couldn't eat chocolate or he'd get an almost instant migraine.

I get migraines but it's actually been quite a while since they've rendered me completely useless. I don't take any prescription meds, though. Ibuprofin and Sudafed washed down with a caffeinated soda tends to work for me.

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, I was just annoyed by his attitude of "Well, it can't be migraines because you're not curled up in the fetal position on your bed in total dark and quiet sobbing in pain".

The glasses are doing better. It's really only bothering me on the computer.

Damn astigmatism.

[iradney]

Er....

I've been wearing glasses since I was 9 and contacts since I was 16, and I've NEVER had a doctor say to me I must give it two weeks to "adjust". Like, ever...

*hugs*

[AdminAssistant]

Thanks, guys.

I called the office, and the receptionist kept asking me, "Are you sure you don't want to wait a week? New prescriptions, blah blah blah" Finally, I said, "Yeah, I can wait a week and call you then, because it's not that my eyes aren't use to this prescription. Something is WRONG." Finally got an appointment today, jeez! You know, I should've just made the hour drive into KC to see my optometrist there, but noooo, I wanted to use a local guy.

[bookworm]

Depending on your prescription strength, it can take a couple weeks to adjust, especially on a computer.

I had a doctor once recommend that I keep my previous glasses to use on the computer and use my new glasses for everything else. I didn't do that cuz what a pain (carrying 2 pairs of glasses - I often work at clients offices, so I couldn't just leave them at work), and it did take a couple weeks before I was comfortable on the computer.

And while I have gotten headaches from eye strain, they didn't feel anything like migraines to me. I'm with the person who said cluster headaches.

Sorry you're not getting more help with the headaches, I know how frustrating it is. I finally had to cut out caffeine to get rid of them. Which really confuses me because a lot of people on here say they use caffeine to get rid of their migraines and it seems to cause or at least make mine worse.

[AdminAssistant]

From what I've read on cluster headaches (which isn't much) it seems like they're really REALLY painful...and I'm not having that much pain. I mean, it really hurts, it sucks. But I go to class, rehearsal, etc. I'm also not sensitive to light or sound. I'm so special. Yay.

But I did go back into the eye doctor today, and he tried a few things and decided to split the difference between my old script and this new one. And if that doesn't work, he's going to dialate my eyes with a solution that will also paralyze the muscles that make your eyes focus, so that I won't be able to give him any false readings. Have I mentioned how much I hate having astigmatism?

I'm in grad school. Caffeine's pretty much a requirement.

[Kiwi]

I had cluster headaches for almost a year when I was 14, my doctor said sometimes having a headache can trigger another headache and another headache and another... you get the point. She said that the cycle would eventually end and all I could do was all the regular stuff. Make sure I am hydrated, de-stress physically (yoga or meditation), wear my sunglasses and get plenty of sleep, have a little bit of caffine but not too much etc. The headaches werent migraines, just a dull ache with a couple of shooting pains an hour for months... they sucked.

I am very sensative to light though, I never go anywhere without my sunglasses. Im glad to hear your glasses are going to be fixed!

As for your parents, sadly you have to tell yourself that "their shit is their shit" and it is up to them to deal with it. For your own sake, I think you should make it a rule not to get involved. If your Dad said stuff to your Mom, thats his and her problem, they should not be using you as a sounding board for their marital problems that is totally unfair to you. One of the biggest stresses in my life is my brother and mother and their nasty comments to me about each other.... I have to refuse to talk to each of them unless they desist from putting each other down now. I can't fix their relationship, I cant stop the anger and resentment. They need to work it out between the two of them.

Good luck with the play though! Throw yourself into it and escape from the real world!

[AdminAssistant]

Throw yourself into it and escape from the real world!

That's exactly what I've been doing, Kiwi. Luckily, it's a wonderful, uplifting story about healing and forgiving the past...it's really perfect.

[Primer]

Yeah, I was just annoyed by his attitude of "Well, it can't be migraines because you're not curled up in the fetal position on your bed in total dark and quiet sobbing in pain".

That attitude of his is utter bullshit! And it takes a lot to make me cuss!

However-- If Midrin does not do a thing for the pain, it's probably not migraines.
You could try Imitrex also, but if you don't have insurance it's horrifically expensive. And again, if it's not migraines, it won't help.

About 10 years ago, I had a scare because at work, one eye "fuzzed out" to gray. I lost all vision and saw only gray fuzz in one eye. I immediately informed my boss that I was leaving work and going to the eye doctor. My optometrist referred me to an eye specialist, who referred me to a neurologist. I was diagnosed with ocular migraines.

Yes, I get headaches, but not the auras or vomiting or fetal position in the dark pain. Yes, Imitrex will cut the headaches off at the pass. It's been about 9 years now since I had those eye problems. But yes, it's been officially diagnosed as migraines.

[AdminAssistant]

Well, I have new glasses now, and they're much much better. The doctor split the difference between the old prescription and the one he tried to give me. So....hopefully this will be all that I have to do with that.

I was thinking about going back to the health clinic to talk to the doctor again, but since I'm not taking classes this summer, I'd have to pay a $50 health fee.....despite the fact that I have the student insurance plan that I've already paid $200 for to cover me through the summer. Lame.

[blas]

*hugs*

I feel for you on the doctor thing. I've had headaches since I was about 16 years old, off and on (but mostly on, and always when I'm awake and active) and I bring it up with the doctor every single time I see her.......and every time, she tells me it's because I smoke, because I drink, because I drink soda pop, because I tan, because I have sex, etc etc etc....oh and don't forget, it's all in my head and it's really not THAT bad, just pop some ibuprofen and you'll be good to go!

[Parrothead]

If you haven't tried it Alieve (sp?) or generic Naproxin Sodium works on my migraines. (but really follow the dosing directions.)