New Normal

I get headaches quite frequently. I think this is pretty common for parents. And more common for parents of kids with special needs. But I had headache issues way before Akila was born, way before I was married. I have been getting migraines since I was a teenager.

But they have been coming more often and staying longer. So I finally went to a headache Dr., also known as a Neurologist. They first made me go to "Headache School". It wasn't very helpful. But I had my appt. with the Dr. last week. It went really well. Here is what I learned, some of what I knew and some of what I didn't:

• I (or all of us), shouldn't be taking Advil or Tylenol or a similar OTC drug, more than 4 times a month. Otherwise we get rebound headaches, even if we're taking them for achy muscles or things like that.
• Caffeine intake should be under 100 mg per day.
• Diet sodas and other things that contain Aspertaine are a no no.
• Vitamin D deficiency is a huge issue for many health issues. My sister-in-law had started on Vit D last year and it has helped her immensely and she had shared this with me. I had started taking it, but was not very regular and was only taking 1,000 mg/day. The Dr. said I should probably be at 7,000-8,000 mg/day but should start with 5,000 mg. The only natural way to get Vit D is from sunlight which we get very little of in the winter. It is not in food.
• I should also be taking 500 mg/day of Magnesium. I don't remember why. Ha.
• Aleve is what he said to take for headaches, and to take 3-4 of them, not the 1 that the bottle says.
• I have tried two migraine drugs and not had success. He prescribed one that is a nasal spray.
• I should also be exercising 3-4 days a week. I of course knew this one. :)

The day I was there, I was on the 4th straight day of a minor nagging headache in the back of my skull. After I left, I took 3 Aleves and it was gone in an hour. First time I can ever remember a headache just leaving like that. Then, the next morning, I woke early with a big headache, the one I can tell has potential to turn into a full fledged migraine. I got up, used the nasal spray. I have to use it 15 minutes later, and 2 hours later. I also took 3 Aleve, as he had instructed me to do. By 11:00 am, the headache was totally gone. I was amazed.

And since last Friday, I have felt great, full of energy, and the chronic lower back pain that I almost always have, is barely noticeable. I am not sure yet if it is because of all the vitamins, and I have actually not had a diet coke in over a week, or if I am just having a good week. I hope it is all the changes, and that this is going to be the new normal. I'm ready for a new normal.