Sweet Migraines

Last time this year I was just finding out that I was pregnant. I really could not have been happier as I thought the day would never come. I was really nervous because I was taking Topamax as my preventive for my migraines and it can cause some pretty serious birth defects. Thankfully my baby girl had none of those. She was a little early on Nov 19, 2010 weighing in at 6 pounds 8 ounces and 19 inches long.

I was so lucky that I had very few migraines during my pregnancy. I think I may have had one in the first trimester and that was it. Relatively speaking I had a great pregnancy and honestly was a little sad to see it go so early. I was excited about having the baby don't get me wrong, but I just loved being pregnant.

I knew I was going to breastfed from the start, so I searched online websites and watched youtube videos. I gathered as much information as I possibly could. This was going to be a success for me. I wanted to have a natural drug free delivery....helicopter NO! At least the breastfeeding is still going strong. We had a few complications with latch at the very start but nothing a little patience, and momma tears couldn't work out.

I have the sweetest most laid back baby a parent could ever dream of. She looks just like her daddy and if I didn't carry her for 9 months I would have swore he cheated on me. I can already tell she got the best part of my personality.

I wished and prayed and wished some more that these dreaded migraines would be out of my life like a bad boyfriend, but not two weeks later they reared their ugly head back into my life. It is such a struggle to try to take care of yourself when you are healthy with a newborn baby much less when you are sick. There is no preventive medication that I can take for them while I am nursing. I can take Imitrex which I absolutely hate. I hate how it makes my heart beat fast and my head feel like it is burning hotter than a half bred fox in a forest fire. I suppose when I am working with limited treatment I should dust off my hands and work with what I have. I will not admit defeat with these migraines and I will continue to nurse my daughter until either get the best of me.

PS. Honorable mention goes to my IT department, thank you for unblocking Blogger.

Ok so here I am ranting about work again...I am just so frustrated. First there seems to be a problem with a fan in the ceiling again. It sounds like the Wheel of Fortune spinner every 15 minutes. Last winter I called building maintenance, they came out and claimed they couldn't hear anything and left. Well I had my manager sit at my desk for five minutes, and she heard it and called them back out. So the maintenance man crawled up into the ceiling and poked around and pretty much said "I don't know what I did, but hopefully it is fixed". It was until last week, and now today it was crazy loud again. I think it is because we went from heat to cool air. Let the migraine begin!!!

Second my co-workers are not coming back to work. I really try to be sympathetic. I know one of them is going through a tough time in her life, but it is really hard. I just don't know how long I can keep this up.

I came home and took my first injection of Imitrex, wow the burn hurts. I was warned by my HA that it would happen this way, but it sure makes me cry for my Zomig. Let's at least hope the results are least the same. I would hate to think I have gone through the pain of the migraine today and now the ouch of the injection coupled by the burn of the medicine and it do nothing for my head.

I went to pick up my prescriptions today and let me tell you I think my local chain pharmacist is an idiot. First when I dropped them off yesterday I had a consult with him because Dr. B gave me two prescriptions one that he hoped my insurance would cover and one that he knew they would. The first one was for Sumavel DosePro. It is a needless injection of Imitrex or sumatriptan, the other was the Imitrex with the needle. I told the pharmacist that I did not want to fill the Sumavel if my insurance was not going to cover it because I had already been warned of how expensive it was going to be. He really acted like I was putting him out for even bringing in my prescriptions, or asking to have a consult with him. I had brought several other prescriptions in that I just wanted to put on file but did not want to fill at that time. And with prior experiences I did not want to leave there with meds that I did not need because of incompetent pharmacy techs. Well apparently he is just as incompetent.

The first thing that happened when I got home with my medicine was the label said to take by mouth, um ok I obviously have the wrong stuff, even though it looks just like what the nurse showed me in the office on Friday. The second thing is there is no needle to inject the medicine into my mouth or my thigh.  I asked my husband to get back in the car and drive me back up there so that I can find out what is going on. Shame on me for not looking before I left. No complaints from hubby, we were going to grab something to eat anyway.

The pharmacist tries to blame my doctor for not writing the prescription correctly when I get there and that is why I get a refill instead of the starter kit. I was livid right about then, because no one trashes my doctor. I read the prescription very clearly, and I even read it aloud with the stupid pharmacist yesterday. I made him go back and read it and it did clearly say, kit and refill x 6. I walked out of there with two the first time and a label that said by mouth! He couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough for why the label said by mouth and didn't even bother to apologize for the mistake.

I did walk out of there with 6 injections, but they tried to say my insurance would only cover two at first. Then the tech girl put in the computer that it was a two day supply and they covered 4 injections with one co-pay. I had to pay an additional co-pay for the starter kit that had two injections. I can only imagine what this ordeal is going to be like next month.

I really don't understand all this insurance crap, when I was taking Zomig I got a box of 6 and I could get it filled every 2 weeks. It was relieving knowing that when I had a migraine I did not have to hoard my medicine. I did not have to feel like I had to play the wait and see if it got worse game. On the onset of my aura it was time to take my medicine and not worry that I might run out, because I was not limited. I never ran out and I never had to refill more than once a month. But if I am limited to 4 a month and I have 6 migraines, which my migraine journal says I had 6 last month and 5 the month before that, then I am scared....

Since writing this post I came across this article over at MMC http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/support-446403-5.html at least it is a start in a good direction should I need it.

I saw Dr. B on Friday and honestly I really don't know where my life would be right now without that man. My migraines have been rough for the past couple months. He is so understanding and compassionate. He truly wants to help me get my migraines under control and there is nothing he wont do or try to give me a better quality of life.

My insurance sent me a letter saying they are no longer covering my Zomig as a tier 2 medication and that the price is going way up. They want me to switch to generic Imitrex in shot form. I tried the pill Imitrex before and I had some nasty mood swings on it, but I am going to give it a go again, just to appease the insurance. If I still have the side effects then Dr. B said that we can aggressively fight the insurance company to cover my Zomig again.

Work has been very stressful these last couple of months and I know I have been neglecting my fluids, eating properly, and getting quality sleep, which are all major triggers for me. I know what I need to do, but I find my self so wrapped up in my work that I have lost complete tract of time. I literately look down at the clock and hours have past, and I haven't eaten, drank, or even moved from my desk.  I really don't expect it to get much better, since we are still understaffed, and I am basically doing my job plus two others that have been out sick. One is coming back this week pending the outcome of several more tests, so my hopes are not set too high, and the other one is taking a stress leave after her 3 weeks of vacation time she just burned up....something I may need once this over and she is back in a couple of months.

I do have a game plan though. I am going set up reminders that will pop up on my computer that says get up, go to the bathroom, have a glass of water and a snack, set for every hour this week. I am going to start leaving the office during my lunch again, and I am not going to work over unless absolutely necessary! Maybe when the work starts piling up, and I stop being miss I can do everything I will get some help. Otherwise I am going to be back to where I started as if all good things I have done to control the frequency of my migraines was for nothing. I really don't want to be at that dark place in my life again.

I know I said this before, but I really was happier when I was blogging, so I absolutely must take some me time to de-stress and write. It was fun, and it really helped me wrap the day or week up. It also helped keep tract of how I was feeling when I had a really bad migraine. It is important to me and I must remember the important things.

A change is going to come.....

It has been a much needed week off from the stress of work. I am still not sure I am ready to go back tomorrow. I literately did nothing this past week, but read and watch Tennis. I had no migraines, which was wonderful. Right before I went on vacation another supervisor was sending me her call backs knowing that I had my own customers to call back, plus my own work to do, and on top of that I was managing another supervisor's team while she was out on vacation for a week an half. She was also going on break during her phone time and asking me to get the phone. Well not anymore, this next week the answer will be no, you go to break once your phone time is over like the rest of us. I am not going to put up with this. Just because our boss thinks you can do no wrong, doesn't mean I have to feel that way too.

I really did make a new years resolution to start blogging more, but with all the stress at work, I just simply could not bring myself to write anything. My brain hurt! I do have a few new gadgets to write about that I bought myself to make up for my horrible Christmas :) More of that to come.

Christmas to me is a wonderful time of the year to spend time with family and friends and do a little gift giving to let those people know that you have thought about them and that you are glad that they are in your life. Now I know times have been tough on a lot of people this year. This economy has not been the greatest and there are a lot of people out of work, so the gift giving has been less or less expensive if you will. My husband and I have not been affected by the loss of jobs, in fact we have been lucky this past year and both have received promotions. We went out of our way a little more this year with our family and our closest friends. We defiantly didn't expect it back, or even want it.  I just wanted to pay it forward a little bit.

But you know what hurts the most! Not a simple thank you...or wow I love it...where in the hell are your manners?? My friends with children teach their children at a very young age that a simple thank you goes after your receive anything...no matter if you like it not!
Three couples from the family decided that we would pitch in and buy a really lavish gift for my husband's grandparents. We bought a 32 inch flat screen TV along with a TV stand for grandpa, and for grandma we bought a digital camera. I had my reservations about buying her a digital camera. She isn't exactly up with the newest electronic gadgets, but she had been asking for one for a long time and if she was excited about it enough it shouldn't take her too long to figure out how to turn it on and click down the button...right. I guess she changed her mind and didn't want the camera anymore...must of changed it the day before Christmas. Then if that wasn't bad enough grandpa bitched about us getting him a TV and not her a TV to watch in the kitchen. Seriously, in the F'n kitchen?! The TV they had before was one of those old console TV's. They just upgraded their cable to U Verse and they are paying for HD channels that they had no TV to watch them on because all their TV's were born in the stone age. I was literally ready to break down and either cuss and scream and tell them that I know 2 year olds with better manners or just cry my eyes out.

It does get worse, the title does say it all. My husbands mom has really hurt my feelings this year. I know she is broke and can't afford gifts, fine just come up and spend some time with us. She was not here for Thanksgiving and now for Christmas. She is also saying some pretty hurtful things, and the last one that really hurt was when were at my niece's special Christmas party this year. My niece lives in Colorado, so we had to drive an hour away to see her, so that we could have a combined Christmas with both sides of her family. My MIL announced that she and my niece had made special Christmas cards for everyone they cared about, and me nor my husband received a Christmas card. You know that card would have meant more to me and my husband than anything they could have bought us.

BTW, on Christmas Day I had a migraine from hell. It must of been because I was so distraught from Christmas Eve. Next year I am going to Cancun and forgetting that Christmas ever existed.

I received this email via a group in Facebook. Please take a moment to support our neurologists. It will only take a minute of your time. Thanks!

Dear All:

Please take 10 minutes to visit the AHDA website and email your senators. Your help is urgently needed. See the below.

Thanks,

Bray


As you can see, we've just mobilized an action alert to support the Medicare incentive program for neurology in close coordination with the AAN and six other neurological disorder advocacy groups.

Please take just a minute now to visit the AHDA webpage (http://www.capwiz.com/headacheadvocacy/issues/alert/?alertid=14446301&PROCESS=Take+Action ) to email the precise necessary message to your senators to support the Klobuchar amendment to the health care reform bill.

Time is of the essence. The Klobuchar amendment was filed on Monday and we do not know when it will be voted upon by the Senate.

Thanks very much.

Best,

Bob

Robert E. Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology

Given Building C219B,
Department of Neurology,
University of Vermont College of Medicine,
89 Beaumont Avenue,
Burlington, VT, 05405

Phone: 802-656-1480
FAX: 802-656-5844
robert.shapiro@uvm.edu
http://www.med.uvm.edu/neurology/WebBio.asp?SiteAreaID=729



Please Email Your Senators to Support the Klobuchar / Collins Amendment
Dear AHDA advocates:

The AHDA is dedicated to improving the welfare of individuals suffering from headache disorders. Our near-term goals have focused on increasing NIH funding for headache disorders to lead to improved therapies. However, the health care reform bill currently being debated in Congress has forced us to take action in a slightly different direction to protect access to quality medical care for patients with headache disorders.

The Senate Health Care Reform Bill contains a particular provision to provide bonus Medicare payments to doctors from certain primary care specialties. This is a very good idea. It is intended to incentivize and encourage doctors to enter and stay in primary care practice.

Physicians who specialize in headache medicine provide primary or principal care for patients with headache disorders and more than 90% of them are neurologists. Unfortunately, neurologists have been unaccountably left out of eligibility for these bonuses. If the Health Reform Bill passes with the incentive program as it is written, it will significantly undermine the ability to recruit and retain doctors to the field of headache medicine. Headache doctors are already very scarce, and it will become that much harder to find one.

What can we do? Fortunately, Sen Klobuchar of Minnesota, along with Sen Collins of Maine and Senator Brown of Ohio, have offered a bipartisan amendment to the Senate Health Care Reform Bill that would add neurologists to the Medicare incentive program. We, at the AHDA, have added our voice of support for this amendment to those of other national groups with interests in patients with neurological diseases, including the American Academy of Neurology, the ALS Association, the Parkinson's Action Network, the Epilepsy Foundation, the Brain Injury Association of America, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

We are asking you to contact your two Senators right now through our website to urge them to co-sponsor the Klobuchar amendment. Doing this is as easy as just a few mouse clicks. Please do it as soon as possible. Also, please forward this email and ask everyone that you know that cares about someone with a neurological disorder to do so now too. The Klobuchar amendment will be voted upon by the Senate any day now.

It's easy and should take you 10 minutes or less.

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Bob Shapiro
Bill Young
Brad Klein
Teri Robert