If you don’t get migraines, consider yourself lucky! Anyone who gets migraines, knows it’s basically a sick curse bestowed upon you for a lifetime. Like many other women, I happen to have migraines that are driven by lovely hormones or extreme stress. Little did I know, my lifetime of migraines would evolve through various stages of raising children. Here’s my migraine story.
Ah yes, it’s like a train coming right at you when you’re in denial that it’s going to happen..I’ll be fine, I’m not getting one. You know what I’m talking about; like when you’re thinking that stomach bug isn’t going to get you and you’re denying it the whole way to the toilet, or trash can, or better yet throwing your door open in a moving vehicle down the highway.
Pre-Children Migraines
The classic aura – no vision in the left eye, 20 minutes later, excruciating pain over the right eye.
Cure: Someone driving me home from the office because I can’t see, a dose of the migraine meds that dissolve on the tongue to avoid yacking, passing out in a silent dark bedroom for a long uninterrupted sleep, only to have hallucinations and a bloody nose from the meds.
Migraines During Pregnancy (1st Trimester)
The first 3-5 months, no end in sight from morning sickness. When you’re fighting every glass of water you HAVE TO DRINK.. because one or more little babies are using every ounce of fluid from you. Dehydration sets in…ding ding ding.. MIGRAINE!
Cure: Someone driving me home from the office because I can’t see, a dose of nothing, passing out in a silent dark bedroom, if you’re lucky..a foot rub to take your mind off the pain.
Migraines During Pregnancy (2nd and 3rd Trimesters)
The morning sickness is over, my boobs look great, my hair is full and shiny and best of all…HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! ..CAN I GET AN AMEN! The migraines stopped, like some amazing form of hormone magic, they’re gone! I’m so happy, I don’t even notice my new stretch marks.
Migraines – Breastfeeding
I was fortunate to have a hormonal hiatus for the first year after giving birth, my kids loved nursing! Once they weaned…they’re back. I think I’d rather have babies sucking the life out of me than another migraine.
Cure: Better not leave the office, power through..mom guilt attacks! Have to keep a presence at the office and better save any time away for a sick kid emergency. I manage to struggle through driving home with screaming babies in the car, pulling over a couple of times to throw up from the pain. Crap, don’t have any medicine. Finally make it home, babies need to eat. This is it, have no choice but to power through. Why isn’t he home from work yet!!?
Migraines Now
Well, I wish I could say I don’t get them anymore, but since the pandemic, they’re like clockwork. The fun part is when my 6 year old twins ask why mommies get sick with headaches so much. One asks if it feels like an ice pick on my brain… answer, you’re absolutely right kiddo!
Cure: Time to WOMENT UP! Three ibuprofen, peppermint, ginger, or rooibos tea, finish that work project, wrap an ice pack around head, bite into an orange (heard from a friend of Christine’s that it works..heck, I’ll try anything), make dinner, bath time for kids (my bath is in CBD lotion), rub some peppermint oil on my temples… almost there…. read kids a book…ah, FINALLY..my silent, dark bedroom..I made it. That’s a WOMENT.
