The Comes & Goes Feeling

The pain. Let's talk about the variance between the comes and goes. Before my diagnosis with vestibular migraines and vertigo, I noticed that I would feel great on some days and other days would feel horrible. When I had my migraine episodes, I would need to lie down and rest. I didn't notice all of the back and forth with my body fighting the migraine. In high school, the pain would sometimes feel minimal. Then it would increase to sharp pain like knives were inside my head. I was able to manage my pain level by taking Tylenol and staying hydrated with water and electrolytes.

For Context, The American Migraine Foundation has helpful resources and information on what does a migraine attack feel like. What a Migraine Attack Can Feel Like: Understanding the Neurological Experience Beyond Head Pain | American Migraine Foundation

Some people feel pain less than others. However, even though the pain may feel less, a person can have other symptoms like vertigo, dizziness, and sensitivity to sound and light, to name a few. For myself, I noticed that the pain level can depend on the migraine I am having and the other symptoms that come along with it. The pain level can range from being very minimal to excruciating. Not to mention the tinnitus that accompanies my migraines even before, during, and after the episodes. I have tinnitus 24/7 that stays at a low frequency and then gets louder as the migraine attacks. When the migraine attacks end, I am usually exhausted and try to get rest. Most of the time, I still have other symptoms occurring after the migraine attack, like vertigo. Once my symptoms subside, I feel back to normal.

There are days when I am normal and doing great. Then all of a sudden, I am fatigued, and the migraine will come on right away. It's the feeling of being on top of the world and then all of a sudden feeling like you've been hit by a car the next day. This is the come and go. The back and forth that we go through with our bodies fighting these types of migraines and vertigo. As we closed last month with the Migraine & Headache Awareness Month (#MHAM), let's remember that we are not invisible, but we are visible and being seen. Let's continue to Be Brave. Be Strong. Follow your path. See you on the next Footprints Path with Love.