I think I've found a cure for migraines: RA!
OK, I'm sure that's not the case – and I don't want to be taken for a crackpot – but I've only had one migraine since getting RA back at the end of November. That is totally unusual for me. The norm would be 3-4 a month.
So what's the deal? Must be the drugs I'm on. First I thought it was the Tylenol Extra-Strength (I was taking 1000 mg daily), but I stopped that about three weeks ago. So I can only presume that the other anti-inflammatory (Voltaren, aka diclofenac) I'm on or the Enbrel or Methotrexate are having some kind of effect on my migraines. Especially since spring and fall are horrible times of year for me, with falling barometric pressure being the worst trigger.
Must discuss with my neurologist next time I see him!
P.S. March 20: It's occurred to me that since there's been no sign of migraines, I can try cutting back on my prophylactic medication, so I started doing that today. I cut my morning dose of Topamax by 25 mg. We'll see how that goes, but I'm happy to be taking as little medication as possible, given how many drugs I'm on overall. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful for what drugs can do for me – I shudder to think about what life would be like without them – but if I can live life equally well without them, I'm all for that!
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Hmmm, interesting. Maybe your body is just too focused on putting pain/discomfort in the rest of your body to worry about your head now?
ReplyDeleteNow there's a thought! No, except for the one, I honestly haven't had even a smidgen of a migraine.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting, no?
Very interesting. Sometimes I notice that if I have a really bad cold/flu my RA is not as bad. Maybe our bodies are kind of bad at multi-tasking :)
ReplyDeleteYou could be right about that. Another thing that I noted was my fingernails. They were in crap shape since spring last year – that is until RA hit. Then they shaped up fine – until I started getting RA under control, and now They're crap once again, I think from stress at work (I won't get into the details on that!).
ReplyDeleteIt was so strange how that happened, but it did and I think you might be absolutely right. I mean, it's not like my stress levels have dropped or anything – in fact the work stuff totally paled in comparison to the RA diagnosis, but it's the only thing that I can figure could be affecting my fingernails, and why would they all of a sudden get better with the RA stuff happening and now get worse again???? Soooooooooooo bizarre!!!!!!!
It would be great if you could share your tips with the WebMD Rheumatoid Arthritis Exchange, where some of our members living with RA have been discussing methods to allieviate symptoms . http://forums.webmd.com/3/rheumatoid-arthritis-exchange/forum/242/16
ReplyDeleteHow very strange, Laurie. Maybe the meds you're taking DO have a calming effect on migraine headaches. I've never had one, but I've heard they're sheer hell. RA can be, too, but at least you haven't had to deal with both at the same time!
ReplyDeleteAs for the fingernails: Are you taking a calcium supplement? From the time I started taking that (going on two years ago), my fingernails have been strong -- no chips, no tears ... I like it!
-Wren
Hi Ash, I'll check out the forums!
ReplyDeleteHey Wren! It is a relief re the migraines, although the meds I'm on daily mean I haven't had an I'm-going-to-kill-myself migraine in some years.
Re the calcium, I've been taking it since the RA started, although I've always eaten lots of dairy. As well, I've been taking biotin since the fall. I started taking it because it works on horses whose hooves are weak and crumbly, and I thought, Hey! if it works for them, it'll work for me. That's why I thought my nails were getting better when they were. Oh well!
I'm a long-time horse lover, Laurie -- took riding lessons as a kid, had a couple of horses as a teenager, and took a few English lessons as a 33 year old with RA. FAIL. Oh, well. How about telling us about your horse and your experiences? I know I'd love to hear... ;o)
ReplyDeleteHey Wren,
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely do that at some point. You should do the same; would love to hear about your experiences, too! :) L
I don't have migraines so I'm on the outside asking this question, which is worse the migraines or your cure for them?
ReplyDeleteHi Tharr,
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the cure for them is worse. Don't get me wrong – the migraines were excruciating before I started taking daily medication to prevent them. After that, they were bearable, sometimes bad, depending on the medications. And I went through a number of medications before I landed on Topamax, which is great. All of them prevented really bad migraines, but the side effects were problematic. Those ranged from weight gain to sleep terrors (yes, sleep terrors! rare, but it can happen!). Topamax has been amazing for me and has really cut down on the number of migraines I get and the severity of them.
So, definitely, for me, I'd say RA is worse. With migraines, they were incredibly well controlled, didn't interfere hugely with my day-to-day life, and there was also no lasting damage. So that makes my answer easy.
Funny you should mention that... My migraines have subsided as well since I started on biologics.
ReplyDeleteHi Lene,
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Will definitely discuss with my neurologist (who also suffers from migraines) and see what he has to say about this all. Will fill everyone in when I find out!
You know what? I also suffered FOR YEARS with migraines - neurologists, barrage of different medications thrown at me to see what stuck, etc - but I haven't had many bad headaches since RA either come to think of it. Plenty of body things to worry about, but luckily my head is usually not one of them. Guess we just need to count our blessings when we can. ~;o)
ReplyDeleteHey Mariah,
ReplyDeleteIt's been three weeks so far at the reduced dose of Topamax and no migraines! I'll wait probably another few weeks before trying to cut back another 25mg, since spring with its changeable weather is always a crap time for me re migraines, but I'd say this is pretty amazing! And I'll definitely let everyone know what my neurologist says (my next appointment with him is at the beginning of June...).