I've had migraines since I was 12. I've never once seen a specialist about it. That might be why I'm still like this.
Age 12 — When I Had No Idea What It Was
At first I thought it was just a regular headache. But it kept getting worse, and then nausea and vomiting started coming along with it. Back then, the word "migraine" wasn't as commonly known as it is now. I just figured I had a weak constitution and moved on.
I'd always been the type whose face turns red easily. Looking back, it was probably poor autonomic nervous system regulation. That might be connected to migraines, but I can't say for sure.
It came maybe once a month, so I just powered through. In the early days, there wasn't much muscle stiffness — it was just a headache that hit in a weird spot. I got by with Tylenol and ice packs.
Late Teens — Finally Discovering Migraine Medication
I realized this wasn't normal headache territory and started taking migraine-specific medication. But it was too slow to kick in. So I went to a family medicine clinic, and the doctor said it was largely psychological and prescribed something else. I can't remember what it was, but it worked incredibly fast.
Even that didn't work every time, though.
Age 21 — Got a CT Scan, Nothing There
I got a head injury and ended up with a CT scan by chance. Nothing abnormal showed up. It wasn't until my mid-twenties that I started actually researching migraines properly.
That's when I realized: migraine causes are multifactorial, so sometimes one drug works and other times a different one does. There's no single silver bullet.
Finding the Right Combination
From then on, I started picking medications based on the situation.
- Just a headache? → Migraine medication only
- Stiff neck and shoulders? → Add a muscle relaxant
- Nauseous? → Add a digestive aid
This approach worked better. But if I was too slow to take the meds, I'd still be down for the whole day. I tried posture correction too, but couldn't keep it up — so I was still getting migraines about once a week.
Magnesium — An Unexpected Help
The thing that recently made a noticeable difference was magnesium. I originally started taking it for eye twitching. Apparently the evidence for that is weak, but it does help with muscle pain relief and nerve signal transmission, so I kept at it.
I took extra whenever my muscles felt stiff, and I felt like my migraine interval stretched from one week to about two weeks. I say "felt" because I can't be certain. But there was no downside.
My Mother's Case — Blood Pressure Medication Eliminated Her Migraines
Here's the interesting one. My mother suffered from terrible migraines when she was younger, but they completely disappeared after she started taking blood pressure medication.
I think this shows that migraines aren't just simple headaches. Blood pressure and migraines may be related, and sometimes the root cause of migraines can lie somewhere completely unexpected. Of course, this is just one person's case and doesn't apply to everyone.
Where I Am Now
Down from once a week to about once every two weeks. Understanding the condition and being careful about trigger behaviors seems to have helped. It hasn't vanished completely, though.
One frustrating thing — if you've never had migraines, it looks like someone faking it. You look perfectly fine on the outside, but when you say "I can't work because my head hurts this bad," people go "Isn't it just a headache?" Migraine sufferers deal with pain that genuinely makes daily life impossible, and this social misunderstanding is its own kind of suffering.
After living with migraines for over 12 years, the biggest lesson is that you have no choice but to understand your own body. I haven't found a complete solution yet, but things are slowly getting better.
I'll update this if I learn anything new.
This article is based on personal experience and is subjective. If you have migraine symptoms, please see a healthcare provider. Don't put it off like I did.