Catawampus

I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

[kat-uh-wom-puhs] Adj. - askew; awry

Who doesn't feel this way at one time or another? Anyone who knows me, will say that I'm always a bit askew. I'm always a little off center. But lately I've been feeling especially lopsided. I recently switched some of my medications in order to see if different meds would help my migraines. Unfortunately, they did not and the side effects made them especially non-friendly. That increases the depression and can make us want to give up. But, there is hope out their for us.

Most migraine sufferers are guinea pigs. (This is a personal opinion and not a proven fact) No one that I know has ever found the right medicine for their migraines on the very first try. Even doctors say that there is no telling which medications are right for each patient.

"The good news is there are many good preventive medications that have been proven to reduce migraine frequency. The bad news is there's no telling which medication works for which patient. The bad news also is that preventive medications don't completely eliminate migraine attacks," said neurologist Dr. Werner Becker, one of the authors of an article written by doctors at the University of Calgary and published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.  Read more of the article.

I can't remember how many different medications I've tried. I can say that I have gotten some relief from my current regimen. But I still remain hopeful that I will someday find a cause and solution to my pain that will allow relief from the 3 or 4 migraine days a week, I am currently experiencing.

Know that finding the right medicine or combination of treatment is an individual thing and can take years. Don't give up hope. Your not alone. Myself and others feel your pain. It might just be that we have to feel catawampus for a little while longer.

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Light Headed

We have had snow on the ground for weeks. That is unusual for southwest Virginia. Oh, the glare! Migraine sufferers know what I mean. All that snow reflecting light. It hurts even if you are not a migraineur. Light or glare is definitely a migraine trigger and makes one feel even worse. That is why I live in a cave.

There are ways to cut the glare and save your head. The first is obviously sun glasses. It is important to wear polarized UV glasses which block the glare. I wear mine all the time. I wear mine day and night, in Walmart, when I'm driving, when I'm fishing, and when I am out shoveling snow. I have friends that have never seen my eyes!

Wearing a hat with a dark brim is another method of cutting glare to your eyes. Black absorbs light, while white reflects it. This is why athletes put black under their eyes when playing sports. We would look even more ridiculous than wearing sunglasses at night, if we blacked our eyes. Wearing a hat or visor (who wears visors any more?) can help prevent more light from reaching your eyes.

A third way to diffuse light and prevent glare is to wear a dark shirt. White or lighter colored shirts reflect light, and hence can create a glare that can cause eye strain. I'm not saying to wear a black shirt all the time, but wearing a gray or even a tan shirt can make a big difference. It is amazing how much of a difference this simple clothing choice can make.

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