How Graham Got Rid of His Migraines

Every January, I go to Orlando to recharge my batteries – not by going to Disneyland but by attending the Wizard course (www.wizardcourse.com).

It’s so awesome to hang out with over 3,000 Avatar Masters around the world all of whom are interested in taking more personal responsibility for their lives. Exploring my mental blueprint in 2005 was my first step to a fuller life, a life without migraines and I haven’t looked back since.

I met an good friend and kindred spirit I never met. What I mean is that I had never met him in person. I had chatted with him, knew what he looked like, shared migraine stories but we had never spoken to each other. We were facebook friends.

He had told me that like me, he used the Avatar tools to get rid of his migraines. So I asked him if he would write something for my blog viewers who suffer from migraines and who want to get rid of them. He said he didn’t know what or how to write something inspiring. I asked him just to tell his story (and asked and asked and asked until finally..!) here it is:

Dear Sile,

Here’s the piece, you’ve asked me to write… sorry, it’s been a long time coming.  I’m not a writer, really, so I put off  putting pen to paper. Anyway, here it is.  I like the idea of sharing my story on the internet if it means that more people will know that with the right training, they can get control over their migraines. I can still hardly believe it myself when I think about it.

Back to the beginning:

Migraines. The word itself put the fear into the biggest of man. My first contact with it was as a child not understanding it. I think I was about 10 years old. My mother had it and when she did she would tell my father that she would go into her room, lock the door, drew the curtains and we didn’t see her for days. I sat outside the door and listened to her as she sobbed herself to sleep.

I now know that from an early age I started getting migraines even though I didn’t know they were migraines because they were different to what most people complain about. I didn’t actually have the pain and still don’t. I got the numbness, lack of any feeling in my arms, legs and face and my words and speech would start to slow down. It was like my body would shut down. I was paralysed.

My father put it down to growing pains and didn’t give it any attention all these years. I don’t blame him though, as he didn’t know any better.

As an adult, I was afraid of driving long journeys for fear that if I got a migraine mid journey, I would put my family at risk. I’m over 45 now so I’ve had this a long long time. I carried pills with me, had an inhaler and when I felt a migraine coming on, I would have to stop what I was doing, pop some pills and press my head down on the (cold) ground until I felt fine again. Not the sort of thing you want to do in the middle of business meetings or if you are driving. But that was the only thing that helped me cope and feel better.

Until…

This time last year, I  did an Avatar course (www.avatarepc.com) which is all about looking at your own belief system and how you feel about the world we live in and how we can shape our future the way we want.  I loved it and continued to do the Masters course in the summer in Germany. Well, in the middle of the course, I had a migraine and as everyone knows too well, the panic started to set in which always made the problem worse. I wanted to leave course immediately. One of the trainers, John, came over to me gave me a specific exercise to do which was about deliberately directing my attention in a specific way. I did it for 20 minutes and the numbness vanished and it was ok for me to carry on the day. That was my first and fastest experience of getting on top of my migraines. In the last year I just did this exercise when I felt a migraine setting in and I’d get better faster and faster. Just knowing this makes me much more relaxed. And I know I am getting more and more in control of it.

I would never have believed it if you just explained it to me. I had to try it myself and it worked and was one of the best tools I’ve learned (and not just for migraines because I don’t think about them too much anymore)!

Lots of love,

Graham

PS I’ve thrown away my inhaler but still keep my pills in my bag, just in case. But before you ask, I haven’t taken a pill in a year.

ooo—000—ooo

I find Graham’s story very inspiring and insightful and I hope that you do too.  If you liked the post please leave a comment below. If you’ve gotten rid of your migraines without medicine, please leave a comment to share how you did it so that you can inspire others to do so too.

When Tummy Aches are Abdominal Migraines

Abdominal Migraines in Children

Migraine headaches usually involve head pain, but there’s another category of migraine that affects children known as abdominal migraine syndrome. Abdominal migraines in children are not as uncommon as most people believe. Children aged between 5-9 years old are most prone to this form of migraine. According to an article published in Family Practice News, abdominal migraines in children may account for a full 15% of unexplained, abdominal pain that recurs on a regular basis.

What is Abdominal Migraine Syndrome?

This is a frequently under diagnosed condition where a child experiences recurrent abdominal pain that lasts for anywhere from an hour to three days at a time. The child usually describes the pain as a dull soreness that’s difficult to pinpoint – although it’s most common in the mid-abdominal region. A child with abdominal migraine syndrome may vomit and be unable to eat. He or she may appear pale and experience episodes of flushing – although this isn’t always seen. Some kids experience sensory symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light – similar to that seen with a migraine headache.

Why is It Called Abdominal Migraine Syndrome?

It’s called an abdominal migraine because many children who have this condition go on to develop typical migraine headaches. In fact, children who are diagnosed with this condition are four times more likely to develop migraine headaches later on in life. Many children with this syndrome have a parent who also experienced migraine headaches.

Although this form of abdominal migraine is primarily seen in children, it can occur in adults as well. The abdominal pain is severe enough to interfere with nomal daily activities. The pallor is often accompanied by dark shadows under the eyes.

Other disorders such as peptic ulcer, urogenital disorders needs to be ruled out by the physician before concluding it as abdominal migraine.

What Should You Know About Abdominal Migraines in Children?

It’s important to remember that the diagnosis of abdominal migraine is made only after other causes of abdominal pain are ruled out. Conditions such as appendicitis, peptic ulcer disease, obstruction of the intestines, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and viral and bacterial infections of the intestines can be difficult to distinguish from abdominal migraines. Some of these conditions can be life threatening if not treated – so always have a child evaluated by a doctor if he or she has abdominal pain.

How is Abdominal Migraine Syndrome Treated?

Treatment depends on the age of the patient, but usually consists of anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the pain and medications to relieve nausea. Most of the emphasis is on prevention of abdominal migraines which means avoiding stress and determining foods that seem to trigger the symptoms and avoiding them.

In children, acute attacks of abdominal migraine are treated with rest and this frequently resolves with sleep.

Abdominal migraine symptoms

The patient suffers from recurrent ( more than 5 attacks ) of Abdominal pain lasting between 1-72 hours. Symptoms including pallor, vomiting and nausea or anorexia is experienced.

The child suffers from recurrent Abdominal pain with one or more symptoms of vomiting, nausea or anorexia. The pain occurs mostly in the mornings on awakening and can also include sensitivity to light and sound.

If its not related to any other gastrointestinal or such disease, the diagnosis is made by the pediatrician. There is no diagnostic test to conclude abdominal migraine.

Most children with abdominal migraine will later develop migraine headaches.
They are also likely to develop migraine with aura or migraine without aura.

Abdominal Migraine Syndrome: The Bottom Line?

Any child who has abdominal pain needs evaluation. Don’t assume it’s an abdominal migraine until other causes have been ruled out. Most kids outgrow abdominal migraines, but, unfortunately, go on to develop migraine headaches later on.