Almost five years ago I had a head-pain that lasted 22 days.
On day 11, I wrote about my experience, and it still makes cringe to re-read that post. I described it as my own private hell, noting that there’s nothing so boring as other people’s whines, woes and worries.
But I also promised a Part B.
Part B:
I’ve spoiled the plot insofar as you know the head pain lasted 22 days, and I lived.
My subsequent research made me think I had hemicrania continua — the symptoms (eye redness, congestion, eyelid drooping, sweating, miosis, agitation) were spot on.
Plus the fact it involved only the right side of my head (hemi crania) and was prolonged (continua).
The point being (as argued in my blog and to my doctor) that it was a headache and not a migraine. That’s why migraine-specific medication did not work.
So it’s official: I am both a (bad) headache and cluster-migraine sufferer.
My head is a fickle beast. Sometimes it responds to a feather, sometimes to the lash. On that occasion it responded to the passage of time and eventually subsided on its own.
Yesterday, after a blessed hiatus of several years, I had another headache, and read an article that illustrates the private hell reserved for us head-pain sufferers specifically as relates to migraine.
I’m pleased they included the word “attack” because that’s exactly how it feels:
It reminded me of a subordinate recently, who rang to call in sick, stating that he would (as in, not is) be off work with a migraine for two days.
He was in prodrome.
When I confided that I was a fellow sufferer, he almost cried. “People who don’t get migraines just don’t get it” he said.
Indeed they do not.
What the disbeliever doesn’t get (nor wants to get) is that prodrome means you’re already unwell. What the staffer should have said was “I am sick now, and will be sick for two more days” if he knows his pattern.
Because the pain-train’s coming, and there’s nothing you can do.
I once tried to educate a colleague about migraines, but his leg began twitching after about three seconds. Twitchy-leg is his tell for disbelief, not just doubt.
Fuck him.
Much as I dread the actual pain, I think prodrome is worse.
It’s like the early stages of labour — yes, yes, I know this will make all the mothers huff (“Outrageous comparison!”) but if you don’t get migraines, no matter how many kids you punched out you, are underestimating how awful prodrome is.
Don’t bite my head off.
But this is not a pain-dick measuring competition, just a medical side-note for myself.
Knowing that there are distinct stages helps because, as the article says, recognising you’re in prodrome means — maybe — you can preempt and prevent.
I seriously doubt it.
But, you know “forewarned is forearmed” sorta thing.