I have suffered from migraines since I was a teenager, while I don’t get them as often now, when I do they are terrible. As I sat on the train home on Friday night, I had a feeling I would have one. There were no auras I had a throbbing headache and all the usual causes of a migraine were there. I was stressed from work, tired, sitting on the train eating a chocolate bar (yeah I am sure that helped). I took some ibuprofen, had a bath, a cup of tea and even chugged half a can of coke – all the usual things that can help limit a migraine but when I woke up on Saturday, it was bad.
I am fairly lucky in that my migraines do not last as long as they do for many sufferers. If I can get into dark room, take meds and keep hydrated I am usually ok in a few hours. This weekend is the exception, after a few hours I would emerge from my darkened room feeling slightly better and able to deal with some light. I took a bath, had a cup of tea and thought things were getting better but no, it struck again and again, on and off every few hours until around 6 last night.
That means today is the migraine hangover. I am curled up on the sofa in my jammies with the no music or TV because I still have a lingering headache. I feel like I have been drugged (I would like to blame it on the meds, but I know I feel like this even if I don’t take them). My sleep patterns are destroyed because I slept during the day, so couldn’t sleep last night. My stomach can’t handle more than toast after the weekend of nausea that goes with the headache. My teeth still hurt, I still have the curtains closed to deal with only a little light should it decide to hit again and I am so tired.
I can never decide what is worse, the pain of the migraine (which for me is usually over in an hour and I can cope if I take meds quickly enough) or the migraine hangover days that follow. It can take me a week to get back on track. I just feel weak and my plans for the day are shot. I can’t go to the mall because if it hits again it is 20+ minutes back and I can’t last that long outside and the noise level will kill me. My long weekend after a stressful work week is ruined and while my boss would understand if I called in sick today if I was working, calling in tomorrow because I still want to do stuff I didn’t get a chance to do over the weekend, not so much.
Oh the Monday morning migraine headache….
Hope you get well soon
The name “migraine hangover” is so apt. I too used to suffer from migraines when I was a teenager and still get them form time to time, though less frequently. Have you had any luck identifying triggers?
Victoria, it is usually stress related for me and I had a killer week at work
i get migraines too usually when the weather shifts. I find myself really biting down on my jaw, if I catch myself it goes away in a day but if I miss the signs I wear sun glasses indoors for a few days.,
I use to get migraines so badly, not so much anymore. Drinking enough water is key!