Just when I thought, or perhaps naively felt I was on the road to being “cured” of migraine episodes, an attack crept in through the back door and mugged me.

Not so fast, you migraine-bully!

I am taking the self-injection, newly released drug, Aimovig since July; I believe it has helped. Although my migraine pain previously was not debilitating—pain-wise, but more of an inconvenience that impacted on my functioning that I could manage via an Advil and/or migraine pill, I can report that I have had NO migraine vertigo attacks since using the shot. That’s great! The ocular migraine incidents were down, averaging about 4-6 a month (months ago there were over 15 and before that almost daily or multiple times a day) sometimes CBD oil could wipe one out IF I could intervene quickly enough. But this month was different: I have already had 6 ocular episodes, have not been able to stop more than one with CBD oil as they have come on very quickly, and two of those episodes woke me from early morning sleep. As I had convinced myself that each month I would have less and less incidents, I felt, well, defeated. And I began asking why. For one thing, it might be that I reduced the amount and number of times I was taking my CBD oil in hopes of seeing which intervention was working; so, perhaps what I take, shot and oil, works synergistically.

Some pre-migraine signals: (these symptoms once got me to the ER last year, with the fear of a stroke. Nope; migraine)

• I begin feeling that there is a band around my forehead;
• I feel tapping on my face around my nose and eye sockets;
• My nose runs;
• I awake with a stiff neck-that happened two days in a row;
• My heart goes into palpitation mode, especially when I am in bed;
• My hands go numb;

• I get extremely tired; yawn a lot
• I feel like my arms are too heavy to lift;
• Sometimes I get very thirsty;
• If I cough, my skull hurts;
• It I tap my head my scalp tingles;
• My perception is affected; I walk into walls;
• I can’t find the right words;
• My body feels immobile;
• I have to take a nap but I already took one.

And then there is that famous ocular migraine episode which impacts on my vision for 30 minutes: What I was hoping I would never have to deal with again.

It is interesting that the symptoms ramp up as the Aimovig shot diminishes from my system, at the end of the month, making the fourth week more difficult. Migraine is a known neurological/chemical disorder. No one knows what causes migraine, millions of people suffer with it and have a much worse time than I do, still it detracts from my life. From anyone’s life who has to deal with it.

But I am determined not to allow that.

So after I take my second nap of the day, I will begin again to figure this out.

First I am taking my CBD oil.

The first of the series on CBD oil/medical marijuana, begins here.

The previous post is here

The next post is here