| I remember those days all too well. The lights | | | | health issue I had was stress. I later found out |
| from the ceiling fans felt like spotlights shining | | | | from a doctor that stress was directly linked to |
| directly into my eyes. When people talked to me | | | | my migraines. I remember thinking that if all I had |
| it seemed as if they were screaming in a high | | | | to worry about were migraines I was still very |
| pitched tone. The ringing in the ears, the | | | | fortunate (but that doesn't mean that they didn't |
| sensitivity to light, the irritability, the vomiting | | | | hurt!). I was often told to ask my doctor to put |
| were too much. Most of the time the only real | | | | me on prescription pain pills for migraines but I |
| chance of any relief from one of these life | | | | had been down that road before and I never liked |
| altering headaches was to try to sleep it off, but | | | | how the pain medication made me feel. To tell |
| it was no guarantee. Sometimes the pain would | | | | you the truth I had learned to just live with them, |
| last for several days. | | | | thinking I had no other options outside of medicine |
| I'm talking about migraines. I suffered from | | | | which I wasn't willing to rely upon. |
| migraines for over 10 years. At least once a | | | | Would you like to know how I got rid of my |
| week I would have one. And if you have never | | | | migraines forever? |
| experienced one, the pain and discomfort can't be | | | | At 26 I realized I wasn't feeling like I should. In |
| described in mere words. People who have never | | | | spite of exercising regularly and trying to eat right, |
| suffered from migraines are often quoted as | | | | I knew something wasn't right. I started taking |
| saying, "It's just a headache, get over it." The | | | | nutritional supplements in hopes that they would |
| National Headache Foundation has concluded that | | | | supply what my body needed. In truth it was not |
| 28 million Americans suffer from migraines. | | | | an overnight success. I shopped around and tried |
| I remember mom taking me to doctor | | | | supplements from different stores and different |
| appointments. I also remember her going to the | | | | avenues. My initial perception was this is |
| drug store in the middle of the night to pick up | | | | worthless, and it doesn't work. But I kept going, I |
| some OTC medicine. Gosh, you would have | | | | don't know if it was persistence or if I just wasn't |
| thought I was pregnant. I was on prescription pain | | | | smart enough to know when to give up. |
| pills for migraine relief. The downside of that was | | | | Persistence paid off as I finally found a few |
| they were to be taken to relieve the pain when a | | | | dietary supplements that I could actually see a |
| migraine had occurred. I would have preferred to | | | | difference. One of the products I was taking was |
| prevent the headaches from occurring in the first | | | | a liquid B-12 supplement. When I first started |
| place. But the medication rarely worked and like | | | | taking the B-12, I noticed a huge difference in my |
| most medicines had potential adverse side | | | | energy levels, but I never felt hyper or shaky. I |
| effects; vomiting, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and | | | | was feeling like I should be feeling. That is always |
| headaches. Wait, why am I taking them then? | | | | a good enough reason to stay with something. |
| As I got older I started to take a more proactive | | | | One day a good friend of mine asked me what I |
| approach to my health in all areas. For migraine | | | | do to get rid of migraines. She had been suffering |
| prevention I would try to cut out trigger foods | | | | from a headache for three straight days. |
| such as chocolate, caffeine, and dairy. Despite all | | | | Before I answered her I remember thinking, |
| my efforts, I still had migraine headaches | | | | "Wow it has been a long time!" The last time I |
| frequently. It was such a terrible time of my life | | | | remembered having one was shortly after I had |
| because these super headaches not only affected | | | | started consuming the B-12 supplement. I gave |
| me physically, but would drain me emotionally. | | | | her an extra bottle I had of the B-12 and |
| Even when I wasn't suffering from a migraine the | | | | explained to her that her asking me that made |
| thought of having one frightened me so much | | | | me realize just how long it had been since my last |
| that I would keep bottles of OTC pain reliever in | | | | migraine. I advised her I wasn't sure if this B-12 |
| my car, in my desk at work, and in both | | | | was the reason but told her that it wouldn't hurt |
| bathrooms at home. I always had one at arm's | | | | to try. She took it and within 30 minutes her |
| length, and would be fast to take one if I even | | | | headache was gone! She now consumes the B-12 |
| thought my head was starting to hurt. Ironically, | | | | daily and she hasn't had a migraine since. |
| the anxiety of worrying about them would at | | | | So after 13 years of suffering from these chronic |
| times create a migraine headache. | | | | headaches, I accidentally stumbled on something |
| Aside from the frequent migraines I have always | | | | that stopped them altogether. Funny how life |
| been in great physical condition. The only other | | | | works sometimes, isn't it? |