Migraine Weirdness IV

I want to kiss Dr Digre at the University of Utah Moran Eye Center. Ruth and Dr. Warner get kisses too, for helping me get in to see Dr. Digre. Without them, I'd just be another name on the list, probably dead. They helped salvage a dying man. Why, I'll never understand, but I'll alwas love them, all three.

After suffering with migraine pain more or less continually since July last year, I am now very nearly headache-free.

This time, I am hopeful that it is a long term solution.

Recall, I experimented before with the Zonisamide drug, Zonegran, which was developed for epilepsy and seizure suffers, but has seen more general application, as I believe, with migraneurs as a group. Migraine therapy tends to be rather experimental in nature. Just try something -- anything. Migraine sufferers will try just about anything to get relief.

Anyway, after titrating Zonegran to the 100 mg level, the migraine seemed gone, but I quit taking it for a time as I was admitted to the U hospital for testing, and the headaches came back with a vengance. Although I resumed the Zonegran, and started a number of other psychotropics after that, I have never been entirely headache free since. The "shark attacks" have steadily diminished, however, and the background migraine is barely noticeable now.

All in all, great progress is being made. I am able to function as well as before in many ways, although I do have some serious problems and challenges that remain. I keep very optimistic about the future, in ways I never felt so strongly.

I have honestly looked forward to death as a relief from the pain of this world. Now, it is looking better every day. Maybe I'll stick around for awhile after all. (big flashy smile)

Letter from Dr. Digre

I hope this is an acceptable way to distribute this info. I decided to simply publish the letter here; if the doctor objects for some reason, I can always take it down. If you cannot read the text as you browser is rendering it, try double click to view the image. It is larger than it looks, but I scanned it as an image, so the text looks smaller.

Anyway, here it is:

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Next instalment:   Living Notes

New Developments

Basilar Migraine Syncope

The "Shark Attacks" have a proper medical characterization that has been observed and diagnosed clinically in other patients. NOT necessarily all dismissed as mental cases!

This from Dr. Digre at the Moran Eye Center at University of Utah Hospital Clinics. She is a Neuro-opthamologist specialialist of long standing and experience. After an examination of some hours, and help from a couplof assistants, this was the initial diagnosis.

Her recommendation was drug therapy that further relax cerebrovascular elements that are spasming to cause the "Shark Attacks". Relaxing the basilar artery will result in an overall increase of blood flow to the brain stem in general, hopefully resulting in reduction and eventual elimination of the condition that results in syncope and spasms. This is the first good news.

In addition, initial eye testing revealed other problems that may exacerbate trigger points for migraine. Special eyeglasses with filters and corrective lenses were ordered.

Next instalment:  Letter from Dr. Digre