Any migraine "victims" here in Knoxville?? (Oak Ridge: home, heat pump)

[maddie0929]

I have suffered from migraines for over 20 years (started in my early teens) and with the weather being soooo crazy here latley I am getting them more often. I have them under control with meds but with the weather pressure today it's bad. I even had to miss work today because of it! Just wondering if anyone else has the same problem
Thanks!

[KnoxBrian]

Growing up in Knoxville, I used to have them often as a kid, but grew out of them as an adult. There was a story on MSNBC a while back that ranked Knoxville one of the top cities in the county for migraine cases, not really sure why, maybe some nuke drift over from Oak Ridge?

[CGardner]

I lived in Knoxville for 42 years - had a 24 hour migrain about every 3 months - had to go on blood pressure med. and they went away. We moved out West 13 years ago and I still had migrains, but more often! We moved back here a year ago - no migrains in the last 2 years. Our 25 yr. old son who lived most of his life out west came back here for an extended visit last Nov. 2 and has had a severe migrain for the last 6 weeks!!!! Is this possible? He's NEVER had headaches and we can't get rid of it. The doctor mentioned it might be in the migrain family. Now he's on blood pressure medicine which is not giving him full relief. So you think it's the weather pressure? Mmmm......

[LauraC]

Last week I had a sinus headache, with nausea, that lasted 3 days but I had those in Maryland, too. I know my problem is related to air blowing on me. Last week, when the weather got really cold, the heat pump was going on every few minutes. I have the same problem in the summer when the air conditioner blows continuously. At work, I used to sit under a vent.

Have you noticed you only have headaches certain times of the year? It might not be the weather outside but how your home and job heat and cool. When everyone sniffles with hayfever in the Spring and Fall, I'm fine, because the heat/air conditioner doesn't kick on.

[maddie0929]

It's hard to say.. any and everything effects me... smells, allergies, sinus, weather, the heat, certain foods. I have to be very careful but I am convinced the weather change has alot to do with it. I am miserable the first of spring and fall. It runs in my family and I have prayed so many times I don't pass it along to my daughter. They are alot better than they used to be. A few years ago I was on topamax which helped alot... alot of side effects but worth it to me.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Last week I had a sinus headache, with nausea, that lasted 3 days but I had those in Maryland, too.

I know many people that had the same thing, last week, including myself. They say there was a stomach bug.

Knoxville also was ranked worst for asthma, at some point.

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by CGardner

I lived in Knoxville for 42 years - had a 24 hour migrain about every 3 months - had to go on blood pressure med. and they went away. We moved out West 13 years ago and I still had migrains, but more often! We moved back here a year ago - no migrains in the last 2 years. Our 25 yr. old son who lived most of his life out west came back here for an extended visit last Nov. 2 and has had a severe migrain for the last 6 weeks!!!! Is this possible? He's NEVER had headaches and we can't get rid of it. The doctor mentioned it might be in the migrain family. Now he's on blood pressure medicine which is not giving him full relief. So you think it's the weather pressure? Mmmm......

CGardner, quite a few years ago when I couldn't stand my migraines another day, my doctor prescribed blood pressure meds for me, even though I had and have very low blood pressure. Beta blockers (like Tenormin) are used to lower blood pressure by dilating your arteries. Many migraine sufferers get the headache from their arteries surrounding the brain constricting.

It has worked for me for over 20 years. I do not get more than 1 every 2 or 3 years!!

Sometimes caffeine containing meds are also prescribed to migraine sufferers. I tried them for awhile, but couldn't tolerate the jitters that went along with it!

[maddie0929]

That may be something for me to think about... the blood presuure medicine.. my blood pressure is always low too but ff it doesn't get any better I may have to look into that. Thanks!

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by maddie0929

That may be something for me to think about... the blood presuure medicine.. my blood pressure is always low too but ff it doesn't get any better I may have to look into that. Thanks!

I would mention it to my doctor if I were you, maddie, and see what he/she would recommend.

My dose, and that of others I know in the same situation, was initially so low that I noticed no side effects of dizziness or being tired as a result of lowering the blood pressure. It was just enough to prevent the migraines.

[marjieoc]

I'm a veteran migraineur with chronic daily migraines -- 26-28 days per month. I've had them all my life. Now they're causing a problem for me at work, and I have to see a local neurologist about it. (Never mind that I've been a patient at the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago for 15 years.)

Can anyone recommend a really good doctor somewhere in Tenn.? My migraines are even weirder than most people's: vision problems, nausea, brain fog (the biggest problem), at least one seizure, migraine-related amnesia, dizziness, disorientation, smelling things that aren't there, mood changes, muscle weakness, a facial tic, etc. Oh, and of course, the pain!