Migraine-free for over 17 years!!

Migraines – not a fun thing to have.

Wondering if the pain in your head is a Migraine or something else?

According to the Mayo Clinic “migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.”

Link to Mayo Clinic article. 

Ok, we know that Migraines are not fun. Who seems to be stricken with migraines in the US? One figure I saw was that of the US population, 6% of men and 18% of women are sufferers. Funny how it all comes down to money… One article that I read talked about the estimated cost in lost productivity was valued at approximately $1.4 billion per year!  This only includes those in the study and was not included everyone in the US that has a migraine but still works. This is also not talking about the impact on the family, and the person having the attack. that they cost the US economy a lot of money, not to mention the mental and physical pain and anguish.

This blog post is not about conventional medicine and how they treat Migraines… I’m looking for alternatives. Different ways, perhaps, healthy ways to care for our bodies.

I found a journal article from the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health’s website entitled “The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients with Migraine.” This journal article is a bit old,  written in 2013.  The authors did a nice job of explaining some of the alternative modalities including Massage, Acupuncture, Yoga, and aerobic exercise, which all helped to lessen the effects of migraine. This journal article also talked about Cognitive Therapies including biofeedback, Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Meditation, Relaxation Training, Hypnosis, and Nutritional Therapies including Coenzyme Q 10, Riboflavin, Magnesium, the herbs Feverfew, Butterbur, and Ginger. 

Looking for the journal article cited above? Click the following link: NCBI Website article.

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I want to share one woman’s account of how she was able to free herself from her long history of Migraines.

 Rosanna’s story is below, in both written form and also in audio.

 The audio is breaking down into either the full 46 minutes (link to drop box) or 5 10 minutes segments. Choose the one that works best for you.

Please share your thoughts, suggestions, and comments below. 

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Migraine Free for 19 Years

This is a remarkable story from my friend, Rosanna…thought I’d share with my blogging friends! Thanks, Rosanna, for sharing!

I’ve always had headaches — even as a child. At age 15, they became migraines and escalated in severity and duration after I was involved in a car accident at age 19. From that point on my migraines began lasting 24-72 hours and would hit every 3-5 weeks. At times, I got two or three migraines in a one-month period.

I went to every doctor; our family physician, eye doctors, OB/GYN, Neurologist, Osteopath, & Massotherapist. It was first blamed on menstruation, PMS and heredity. Then, all the doctors cancelled that theory and began blaming my car accident injuries, which I had years after the migraines began. I was given all types of medication; Valium, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, prescription and non- prescription pain medications and Morphine at the hospital.

Nothing worked!

That’s why in 1977 I stopped taking any and all medications. I gave drug lectures at the high schools as part of my job with the Police Department, and I knew what harm these drugs could do to your body. Yet, all the doctors wanted me on them.

My physicians and specialists didn’t know what else to do except advise me of a pain clinic in Michigan that would teach me to “live with the pain”. I felt I HAD learned to live with it because I’d managed to live “around” my migraines and lead a normal life throughout it all.

In the meantime, over the years I truly did everything to rid myself of this pain and agony. I went to many doctors and specialists, had physical therapy and even took Yoga classes and Biofeedback for breathing and relaxation techniques. I can’t tell you how much money my parents and I spent over the years.

When I got a migraine, I’d know 6-8 hours in advance. I was never able to prevent it. It would begin as a headache across the eyes and forehead, then travel to my temple area and top of my head. Once the pain reached the base of my neck, there was no stopping it! I was forced to lie down, immediately, in a totally darkened room with no noises or movement. You cannot walk, let alone drive a car during one of these migraines.

A phone ringing would kill me with pain! I’d have nausea and dry heaves, along with vomiting if I merely lifted my head off the pillow. My pain was severe and debilitating!

It never subsided in intensity, but remained the same level throughout the duration. Some migraine sufferers say theirs subsides in cycles. One never lasted less than 24 hrs. for me and usually lasted 72 hrs.

My two pregnancies gave my husband Dan, and me, an idea that my migraines might be an imbalance in my system with some hope for the future. During both pregnancies, and while nursing our daughters, I never got a migraine. We couldn’t believe it! Relatives and close friends were amazed. And we felt we had hit on something important.

So, we ran back to my OB/GYN who delivered our girls, my OB/ GYN who treated my migraines since I was 16 yrs. old, and my family physician. And to our amazement, they merely agreed this meant it was hormone related and they could treat me with a medication used for endometriosis. But, neither one recommended it because it could cause sterility and we wanted more children. Each one made this diagnosis sitting behind a desk.

My cousin was helped with her “go-to” Supplements for Epstein Bar Syndrome (also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and she pressured me constantly to try them. As a favor, we went to a nutrition talk at her home – reluctantly. But, it proved my saving grace. Many things said during the nutrition sounded like questions we’d brought to the attention of my physicians.

It all made sense, but I didn’t immediately run to get the brand she was using because it sounded too simple of a solution, after years of tests, therapy, medications and doctors. I believed they helped my cousin, but felt migraines were a world apart from what she had. Two weeks after that nutrition, I experienced a 72 hr. migraine and my husband set up an appointment to discuss a supplement
program.

Dan was extremely supportive of me when I began the program. He even began taking the supplements so we would have a buddy system.

After all, we’d get our money back in 30 days if we didn’t feel better. Plus, they were just foods — not drugs.

About 7-8 days after I started the program, I got a migraine. It lasted two and one-half hours and I’m still waiting for it to return. I had a few in the first two months which felt as if they were on their way, but I was able to get rid of that dull, mild, headache feeling by taking extra supplements. With time, it got easier and
easier to “ward off” the migraine before it hit.

All I have done differently is taken her “go-to” Food Supplements!  It’s wonderful and I can’t find words to describe the joy and relief I feel each passing day. I feel like a walking miracle!
I began by taking the following supplements and followed Dr. Klinkhammer’s Health and Harmony Program.

I’ve altered my initial program accordingly over the years.
I want everyone to know there may be hope for them. This is NOT a cure, and I’m not saying you will rid all migraines in 90 days. It’s taken longer for some. But, you deserve to know if it will work for you. If you get the same results I’ve gotten, you will be thankful for the rest of your life!

Love, Rosanna Montecalvo

Posted by HealthyMahmaat Monday, October 05, 2009