Went to Dr. Jones - my chiropractic physician today. He spent almost a full hour and a half working on me! And some new things than normal. He noticed how tight my shoulders were so he took a metal tool that looks like a thin, smooth version of a brass knuckle and rubbed my upper back with that to release the muscles. He used some Icy Hot type stuff with it. It felt great and he said that with this technique some bruising is not uncommon.
When he adjusted my neck, it popped great!!! Then he really spent a lot of time trying to adjust my lower back/hips as well.
Then he put me on a new machine (one of his patient calls it the hug). It has several straps like seat belts that can be adjusted. First he wrapped one around my waist and then one around each shoulder to pull my shoulders back. Once I was there, he did exercises to strengthen my neck and get it used to this "new" aka. correct position.
Next he strapped in my hips with two straps and had me bend over toward my toes. I did a few exercises this way as well, to reduce the strain on my lower back and the pain I get when bending over.
The last thing on this machine is a turned around and he had the two straps still in place and I bent backwards and did the stretching exercises to also reduce my lower back pain (this and the other pain are in slightly different spots and caused by different things).
Then we went over to the decompression machine that he usually uses on my neck, but instead he decided to stay focused on my lower back. More straps around my waist and chest and the decompression machine worked on stretching my lower back/hips.
While I was there he put in a few acupuncture needles.
I ended with the electricity on my lower back.
All in all, it felt great and he thinks that the way my hips "rolled" is effecting my neck and causing my head to overcompensate by positioning my head too far forward.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Horrid Migraine This Morning :(
Woke up sometime during the 5 AM hour. That's all I remember or could see... it was after 5:00 AM and before 6:00 AM. Any my head was pounding! On a scale of 1-10 I easily give it a 10. I wandered aimlessly around the house looking for my med bag, which ended up being in my room to begin with! Also grabbed an ice pack. Took Imitrex, my anti-nausea pill, and two different pain killers - and NSAID which is supposed to help the Imitrex work better and a stronger prescription pain killer. The anti-nausea pill was because yes, I was nauseus. Before I was able to start my venture through the house to get the ice pack, and meds, and water, I first had to sit down as soon as I got out of bed. I get nauseus often, but usually don't really feel like I will be sick - this time I did :( I wasn't thank goodness. I went back into bed and could not get comfortable. And my bird friends, who I normally don't mind singing at my when I wake up so early, were up singing at me. It took a while to get back to sleep unfortunately - for a while I was nervous if I would even be able to. But I did, because I woke up feeling much better about 9:30 AM. Not sure what triggered this one - no bad weather overnight. I did get a steroid shot yesterday at the doctor's for an inner ear infection - so that is a possibility. I also ate sourkraut at dinner, which is a "common food trigger," but depending on what you read, I've heard food triggers only effect people for 2 hours from the time they eat the offending food...
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Officially not Auras
Had my doctor's appointment with my new neurologist on June 5th (I know I'm a little late on this). But we talked about many things - my migraines, my vision problems, and my neck pain. We are going to try to slowly change my preventative medications to help with my migraines (since my previous neurologist didn't ever try changing the medications when it didn't work anymore). He also does not do botox, so if I get to the point that I definitely need that and no other medication will work - I will have to go back to my first neurologist or find another neurologist.
About my vision problems - he said they are definitely NOT auras. He said it sounds like they are related to low blood pressure, which is usually caused by one of three things: medications, old age, or something else I can't remember, but he said that none of those seemed to apply to me. He did try taking my blood pressure laying down, sitting, and standing - and as one would expect there was some slight change, but nothing out of the ordinary (granted at that time my vision was fine). Also to note, my blood pressure is normally lower (but not too low considering my "petite size" as he put it), so it probably wouldn't take much to drop it to a level that would cause the vision disturbances. He told me that if it happens to lay down or sit down and put my head between my knees and keep track of the occurances and we would look over it again at our next appointment on July 5th. I have been doing some additional reading on pain managment and did find out that 2 of the medications I am on can cause lower blood pressure. It doesn't say in what dosage or how much lower. So it is possible that since mine is already lower than average, that it could possibly have to do with one or both of those. Since my appointment, I haven't had nearly the severity of the attacks like before. Sure, a few times I've stood up and for a few seconds had a few dark spots, but I think most people experience that occassionaly - like when you stand up too fast.
Lastly my neck, he was going to get a copy of the actual images to look at himself, but he said that from where the bulging disc is - he would expect that if it would have any effect on me it would be in the lower body - legs, feet, toes, bladder, etc. and I don't have any problems with that. He said it may have some residual pain which may be what I am experiencing, but it definitely is not causing the migraines. I stopped seeing the physical therapist because I honestly didn't feel it was helping me (at least not worth the time and money I was putting in). Again from my reading, everything recommends active P.T. (where I am involved and doing something and have exercised to do everyday) vs. passive P.T. (where the therapist does everything to you). I still have been seeing the chiropractor/acupuncturist. And I have started mild weight training. And for about the last week, my neck and back have hardly bothered me at all (except for the night of the storms, but that's an exception). I'm starting to wonder if the Botox didn't actually CAUSE the neck pain and once it was out of my system, I'm back to my normal usually not in pain self! It's a theory at this point; a work in progress.
About my vision problems - he said they are definitely NOT auras. He said it sounds like they are related to low blood pressure, which is usually caused by one of three things: medications, old age, or something else I can't remember, but he said that none of those seemed to apply to me. He did try taking my blood pressure laying down, sitting, and standing - and as one would expect there was some slight change, but nothing out of the ordinary (granted at that time my vision was fine). Also to note, my blood pressure is normally lower (but not too low considering my "petite size" as he put it), so it probably wouldn't take much to drop it to a level that would cause the vision disturbances. He told me that if it happens to lay down or sit down and put my head between my knees and keep track of the occurances and we would look over it again at our next appointment on July 5th. I have been doing some additional reading on pain managment and did find out that 2 of the medications I am on can cause lower blood pressure. It doesn't say in what dosage or how much lower. So it is possible that since mine is already lower than average, that it could possibly have to do with one or both of those. Since my appointment, I haven't had nearly the severity of the attacks like before. Sure, a few times I've stood up and for a few seconds had a few dark spots, but I think most people experience that occassionaly - like when you stand up too fast.
Lastly my neck, he was going to get a copy of the actual images to look at himself, but he said that from where the bulging disc is - he would expect that if it would have any effect on me it would be in the lower body - legs, feet, toes, bladder, etc. and I don't have any problems with that. He said it may have some residual pain which may be what I am experiencing, but it definitely is not causing the migraines. I stopped seeing the physical therapist because I honestly didn't feel it was helping me (at least not worth the time and money I was putting in). Again from my reading, everything recommends active P.T. (where I am involved and doing something and have exercised to do everyday) vs. passive P.T. (where the therapist does everything to you). I still have been seeing the chiropractor/acupuncturist. And I have started mild weight training. And for about the last week, my neck and back have hardly bothered me at all (except for the night of the storms, but that's an exception). I'm starting to wonder if the Botox didn't actually CAUSE the neck pain and once it was out of my system, I'm back to my normal usually not in pain self! It's a theory at this point; a work in progress.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Worried!
My eyes are starting to make me very worried!
Friday I missed work because when I woke up my vision "went out" - black spots - whenever I stood up - and it was accompanied by pain in my eyes and a circular pain around my head - like if you are wearing a hat that is much too tight. And I would get a stream from my neck up into my head of "emptiness." I'm not sure how to describe it. It was a lack of concentration; a fatigue feeling; a sense of emptiness in my head (and I mean physically - not an emotionally feeling). And this continued all day, every time I stood up - once I sat down it would pass and I would be ok. And as the day progressed the severity decreased until by the end of the day it pretty much stopped. Granted I also slept - a lot. I slept in until about noon. And then went back to bed for a nap about 4 until 6ish.
Saturday morning I experience the same thing again mildly, but it quickly passed.
Saturday night, I talked to a neighbor who is an eye doctor and asked to picked his brain. He said this does sound like it could be an aura, but the only when standing up - could also have to do with low blood sugar and asked if I had been eating much. Well, taking Friday as an example - that answer is clearly no, not with all the sleeping I was doing!
Sunday morning I wake up and it is even worse than Friday - when I first get up it is about the same as Friday, black spots. I sit down and get a large glass of juice and a large glass of water. If it's low blood sugar or dehydration I'm going to beat it! After a glass and a half of juice and a an English muffin with cream cheese and jelly - I am already fatigued and go back to bed. I get up about 2 hours later. I go out to the dining/living room to visit with my aunt and cousin and they offer me a bagel. I take my glass and my plate and suddenly my vision is completely gone - I can see nothing. It is black and purple. It is like you are in the light and suddenly someone turns off all the lights and it it pitch dark. And at this point I do get slightly dizzy. My eyes hurt. My head in that same circle like a tight hat hurts. My mother comes over and takes the things out of my hands. I had put my forarms on the two backs of the chairs in front of me to hold myself in place. She offers to take me back to bed and I say no just let me be. In a few moments I can make out the shape of the arm of the couch and I make my way to it.
Over the next 5 to 10 minutes, I get my vision back. First it is shapes - I see the shape of the TV and the TV stand. The shape of the couch across from me. The shapes of the window. And then colors start to come back. The first color was the dark brown TV stand and then others. The last color to come back was the color of the sky. When all the other colors were back, it was still a very bright bright white, but I couldn't make out the distinguishing colors of the sky - the clouds, where the leaves on the trees actually ended and the sky began (think in the movies how they portray the "bright light" or when God or Jesus appears and it is just a that STARK white - this is literally what I was seeing).
I have my new neurologist's appointment Tuesday and I called my eye doctor and was able to get in on Wednesday (just to cover my bases). So hopefully we may be closer to some answers (or at least elimintating some things). Up until this weekend I was (perhaps naivelly) convincing myself it was definitely an aura and migraine related because I don't want any more problems. It's scary to think I have more issues and more problems to think about (especially if it's blood sugar related!), but I'll hopefully know more in the next 72 hours!
In more normal news - I woke up with a plain old normal migraine this morning.... I guess normal is better than everything else at this point. Is it bad I'm excited about that???
Friday I missed work because when I woke up my vision "went out" - black spots - whenever I stood up - and it was accompanied by pain in my eyes and a circular pain around my head - like if you are wearing a hat that is much too tight. And I would get a stream from my neck up into my head of "emptiness." I'm not sure how to describe it. It was a lack of concentration; a fatigue feeling; a sense of emptiness in my head (and I mean physically - not an emotionally feeling). And this continued all day, every time I stood up - once I sat down it would pass and I would be ok. And as the day progressed the severity decreased until by the end of the day it pretty much stopped. Granted I also slept - a lot. I slept in until about noon. And then went back to bed for a nap about 4 until 6ish.
Saturday morning I experience the same thing again mildly, but it quickly passed.
Saturday night, I talked to a neighbor who is an eye doctor and asked to picked his brain. He said this does sound like it could be an aura, but the only when standing up - could also have to do with low blood sugar and asked if I had been eating much. Well, taking Friday as an example - that answer is clearly no, not with all the sleeping I was doing!
Sunday morning I wake up and it is even worse than Friday - when I first get up it is about the same as Friday, black spots. I sit down and get a large glass of juice and a large glass of water. If it's low blood sugar or dehydration I'm going to beat it! After a glass and a half of juice and a an English muffin with cream cheese and jelly - I am already fatigued and go back to bed. I get up about 2 hours later. I go out to the dining/living room to visit with my aunt and cousin and they offer me a bagel. I take my glass and my plate and suddenly my vision is completely gone - I can see nothing. It is black and purple. It is like you are in the light and suddenly someone turns off all the lights and it it pitch dark. And at this point I do get slightly dizzy. My eyes hurt. My head in that same circle like a tight hat hurts. My mother comes over and takes the things out of my hands. I had put my forarms on the two backs of the chairs in front of me to hold myself in place. She offers to take me back to bed and I say no just let me be. In a few moments I can make out the shape of the arm of the couch and I make my way to it.
Over the next 5 to 10 minutes, I get my vision back. First it is shapes - I see the shape of the TV and the TV stand. The shape of the couch across from me. The shapes of the window. And then colors start to come back. The first color was the dark brown TV stand and then others. The last color to come back was the color of the sky. When all the other colors were back, it was still a very bright bright white, but I couldn't make out the distinguishing colors of the sky - the clouds, where the leaves on the trees actually ended and the sky began (think in the movies how they portray the "bright light" or when God or Jesus appears and it is just a that STARK white - this is literally what I was seeing).
I have my new neurologist's appointment Tuesday and I called my eye doctor and was able to get in on Wednesday (just to cover my bases). So hopefully we may be closer to some answers (or at least elimintating some things). Up until this weekend I was (perhaps naivelly) convincing myself it was definitely an aura and migraine related because I don't want any more problems. It's scary to think I have more issues and more problems to think about (especially if it's blood sugar related!), but I'll hopefully know more in the next 72 hours!
In more normal news - I woke up with a plain old normal migraine this morning.... I guess normal is better than everything else at this point. Is it bad I'm excited about that???
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