Wow, Danita, thank you so very much. You're right, I do look at what I'm not accomplishing. I appreciate the reminder to look at what I have done! Love and Light, Lynn P.S. I just joined CCASA: Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assualt. They are interested in using me and my book for presentations to the entire state!

Lynn,

Awesome! Don't get side-tracked from your passion!

Can't wait to get toghther with you again!

hugs,
danita

Hello to Everyone,
This is Julie Pedersen, one of the authors of "The Panic Diaries" which is the featured book for this month's discussion. Thought I'd extend an invitation to one and all to drop into the forum, share your thoughts, ideas, worries and have a little fun (well, maybe not FUN..., but my co-author (Jeanne Jordan) and I do try to be FUNNY whenever possible). Of course, as lifetime sufferers of anxiety and panic, we know there's nothing funny at all about these conditions. But we think we've found a way to talk about them that takes some of the sting out - so please, join in and join us.
-Julie Pedersen

I'm gonna say it again. I've suffered with Migraines my whole life. Botox has put a stop to them. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes. I have lost too many days suffering from these horrible headaches that just suck the life out of me. What cost freedom?

I know Dianne. Please see my questions on the hairy body forum. Thanks.

Lynn, there's a new nasal spray that's working great for me. It's Zomig 6mg. Also I have Maxalt dissolving tablets. They melt on your tongue so you won't vomit. If you take it within the 1 hour window, you feel better in about 10 minutes. Also, be careful not to take a narcotic like codeine if you might be getting one. It's a a known trigger. That can kick it into overdrive. Phenergan is so yucky I try to take a dose of one of these within the 1 hour, to avoid that nasty ol' nausea hormone.

Lynn, the diet change has really helped my daughter, especially. When tests came back that showed that she was hypoglycemic and that she came back highly allergic to many foods, including oranges it was a like a lightbulb moment for our family. Kayleigh has always been a little more energetic than most children, but when she consumes anything with oranges/citric she is jittery, loopy, can't focus, irritable and just literally bouncing off the walls. For the longest time I could not understand why Kayleigh kept having "cold-like" symptoms when every morning I would make her drink a glass of orange juice, take vitamins with EXTRA vitamin c (from citric source) and also her toothpaste was mint (she is also allergic to this). I basically sent my child off to preschool each day loaded up with things that her body considered "toxic" and I had no clue that these foods were doing this to her.

It really opened my eyes at the time to other children of friends who had been diagnosed as ADHD/ADD. I recommended to their moms to have their allergies tested and sure enough ALL of the children had severe food allergies to at least one if not more types of food that they were consistently eating and over 1/2 of the children tested positive for hypoglycemia, electrolyte/salt imbalances and more. I think science has a lot of explaining to do instead of medicating our children.

JMO - fortunately for us now, if Kayleigh begins to exhibit some of the symptoms that she did before we are very near to the Block Center which is ran by Dr. Mary Ann Block, a pioneer in treating children who have been misdiagnosed with ADHD/ADD and given Ritalin.

Hi Dallas, wow, it just goes to show how children are too often mis-diagnosed. I do believe diets have a direct relation to behavior. Blaze, yes, I have had the nasal sprays. And I am allergic to codeine and morphine. When I was hospitalized with cancer, I was given the morphine drips, which did not help the accompanying migraine, but worsened it! On the other hand, Demoral alleviates the headache. I don't keep narcotics around the house, except for Darvocette for the chronic daily headaches. You know, I've often been too sick to get out of bed and get the med! I'm glad you have found some relief with the meds. LLL

Lynn,

I, too, got the morphine drip for severe migraines during chemo. They didn't stop the pain, but made me care less. Isn't it fun how many wonderful chemo stories we share? Each chemo migraine, I was wheeled in for a brain scan because the doctors were afraid it was brain cancer.

Maxalt works about 50% of the time. I'm totally scared about Botox, although it probably isn't any worse than the poisons I currently take. Don't want to try nasal sprays because I'm prone to nosebleeds.

Something like 10% of my life is consumed by migraines. I try not to get angry or depressed about this, because everyone has their difficulties in life. Still, it makes me sad, especially on the days when I'm completely dysfunctional. The rest of the time, I concentrate on all that I accomplish when I'm feeling well. You should too. We can't get back the wasted days, but we can make the most of the good ones.

Well said, Meredith, "We can't get back the wasted days, but we can make the most of the good ones." When I was menstruating, I would migraine at ovulation and menstruation. I was down and out 5 days a month. times 12 months and I was bedridden 60 days a year. That two whole months! Fortunately, that has been halved since chemopause. Yes, I too had MRI and CT due to worry of brain cancer. I told my husband that I want my head autopsied and donated to science because there is something wrong with my head that doctors have not yet discovered. I can hear my skull crack. Yes, although Dianne swears by Botox, I'm still nervous about it, except maybe I want it to smooth my frown lines. Meredith, what is Maxalt? Is that like Imitrex? The nasal sprays are so quick, one poof in one nostril. I'm sorry you experienced all that too. Love and Light, Lynn