Spotlight: Brooklynn of Migraines and Me

Spotlight: Brooklynn Blog: Migraines and Me Blogging since: September 2007 Migraines since: 2002 Work: Supervisor for an insurance company Advocacy: I grew up in a gay family and support the Human Rights Campaign

What are your migraines like?
They start with what I call “the pinch” -- a vice-grip type feeling between my shoulder and neck. My neck feels heavy and hard to support, and the pain is hard to massage out. Then it radiates up my neck, around my shoulder blade and eventually orbits one of my eyes. That’s when the nausea and photophobia set in and I feel like I’ve been run over. I’m achy all over and just really hurt. I liken my migraines to a beast that feeds on joy or Captain Caveman who hits things with his club while flying around in my head.

These migraine symptoms happen unexpectedly, but usually occur around my period or when in high stress. I have to remember that my body doesn’t hate me, but it’s clearly screaming something. Unfortunately, the screams are just too loud to understand.

What motivates your writing?
It actually started with a book I purchased that was supposed to be for migraine sufferers, yet 95 percent focused on chronic headaches. Then I was given the anti-seizure med Topamax for my migraines, which put me in a complete fog for two weeks! These two events inspired me to search the blogs for answers. I read about 20 blogs and thought my own experience might help others. I do love to write, so why not? Hence, Migraines and Me was born.

Can you name some favorites?
The Daily Headache has a really good post one about diet. I remember thinking that there’s got to be another way other than taking chocolate out of my life, but I would try it.

Deborah at Weathering Migraine Storms wrote a great post describing migraine pain. I don’t think most people understand how bad it can be.

Migraine Chick is just funny and I love that. It’s important to be able to laugh even when you feel hopeless as the migraine beast beats the inside of your head.

What do you enjoy most about writing?
The times I can report that I’m migraine free and share the other events in my life (like my nephew being born!). I love people’s response to my writing because I try to keep it light and entertaining.

How do you treat your migraines?
Here’s my list:

Botox: I love it for the daily headaches. I get injections in my head, neck and shoulders.
Amerge: Migraine rescue medicine that I take as needed.
Maxalt: Migraine rescue medicine I take when Amerge fails.
Muscle relaxer: My neck and shoulder are always tight despite yoga and stretching, so I take this when sitting for long stretches becomes too uncomfortable.
Ayurvedic supplements: Cleans the body and provide energy flow.
Probiotics: Restores the bacteria in the stomach to healthy levels.

Any migraine research have you excited these days?
I tried acupuncture and chiropractics but it didn’t assist all that much. I’m open to trying it again, though.

I’m hopeful about probiotics. When I told a friend I had been eating consistently and exercising for three months and hadn’t lost a pound, she suggested I try it. Recently, I read an article in the print edition of Yoga Journal that linked stomach bacteria imbalances to migraines.

Then there’s my friend Kat from Katsoto.com; she’s an artist who looks to natural remedies to avoid prescription side effects. Kat recently pointed me to an Ayurvedic diet, which is about balance in one’s body. Chronic migraines screams imbalance, but when you’re in the thick of a migraine western medicine is the only thing that helps. I’m trying to balance western medicine for the immediate help and eastern/alternative medicine for long term.

What gives you a sense of hope?
My hope comes from my pain-free days, when I feel normal again. I watched my boyfriend lose 100 pounds naturally and get off of all of his medication (blood pressure, etc). My life is blessed. I don’t live in poverty, I’m in a beautiful, loving relationship. California is beautiful, I have a good job and my family is very loving. How can I not feel hopeful?

What worries you?
I always worry that there’s a bigger issue behind my migraines. Recently an article linked mini-stroke in women to migraines. These articles send me into a flurry of “what if’s.” I also worry about having to tolerate migraines for the rest of my life; I’m determined to find the root cause.

I calm these fears with the knowledge that I wasn’t born with migraines and know there is life without them. My challenge is finding a way to break it off with my migraine. They’re like a bad boyfriend you just can’t shake.

What do you wish someone had told you when you first started dealing with migraines?
That most people suffer in silence. Had I known, I think I would have found my voice earlier. My biggest frustration has been with the constant stream of meds and little research on the whys. Western medicine leans towards a band-aid approach rather than seeking the root cause. People in the west want a pill that’ll fix it and medicine responds to that.

Have you seen the TV show Intervention? Doctors prescribing meds and not looking at the underlying issue has gotten out of control. I know my body better than any physician; while I’m thankful for the medicine, I don’t want to be on anything that disrupts my cognitive function. On Topamax, I was missing meetings at work, doctor’s appointments and couldn’t hold more than one thought at a time.

If someone had told me that going to western doctors would be all about medication, I would have gotten more aggressive with the eastern and alternative medicine sooner. I’m really over the ER visits where all they want to do is shoot me up with morphine. How does that help next time?

What three things would you advise new migraineurs?
1) Write down all of your symptoms you can remember before the migraine (aura, constant yawning, etc); 2) Take your medication as soon as you feel it coming; 3) be honest about the pain with your loved ones and with your employer. You would be surprised how supportive people can be.

What techniques do you use to manage your migraines during the stressful times at work?
I’ve started doing yoga at lunch for an hour three days per week. I recognize when the migraine is coming and I let my boss and employees know. My boss has been very supportive, letting me leave work early or come in late. My work still gets done, and I can still take care of myself. Recently I called my boss at 3 a.m. to let him I had just taken my meds for migraine, knowing I can’t drive for four or five hours because they make me woozy. When I came in at lunch, he just asked, “Are you okay to be here or should you be at home? I want you to be healthy not just present.”

Where do you turn for support?
My boyfriend is truly amazing in his care and nurture for me. He makes sure I’m comfortable and the house is quiet when I’m holed up in our bedroom with the air conditioning on high and the windows blacked out. He also provides a quiet support. There are times when you don’t want to look for the answer to your migraines and you just need to be. He allows this.

How’s your social life?
After my twenties, my social life became more family centered. What’s tough is when I’m planning to go see my nephew and get hit with a migraine. Or when I go see my dads and forget my meds, or need to leave a ton of time to rest once I get there. I try not to let migraines affect my life, but I have to make concession.

Has living with migraines changed your career or your career path?
I’ve tried not to let it, but it does. Migraines force you to look at whether you can handle the stress and workload of the next level of your career, to be honest about what you can offer in the workplace.

What would your perfect migraine-free day look like?
Planning a vacation without having to remember my meds. Not being scared when I feel any pressure anywhere around my head, neck or shoulders. Not dreading the medicine hangover. It’s all fear-based and awful. So, when I can forget about it, I’m free.

Learn more about Brooklynn.

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