Migraines are only getting worse

Hello all,

My name is Luke. I'm 22 years old and I have had the pleasure of migraines for the best part of my entire life (yay me!)

I'm here today to try and move forward as I'm only getting more and more concerned about my health. But I'm the type of person who would rather suffer before seeing a doctor (not sure why).

The background:

I've had migraines since I can remember and that was about 5 years old. My migraines would be distinctive during my time at Juniour school as I would have them every Friday without fail. My parents would go food shopping to Morrisons on a Friday evening after school and I would remember how the piercing light would burn my eyes with how sensitive they all of a sudden became. The pressure in my skull would be immense. We would go home, but not without some kind of bread for me to eat after I was sick from the migraine when I got home. The bread would always make me feel better after. Being sick release the pressure also.

That continued throughout my childhood until I became a teen and then they became less frequent. I found that my migraines would trigger from the following:

- chocolate

- banana

- long distance travelling

- stress/worry

- occasionally vimto, too

I've always said that these are "trigger" foods when explaining them to my friends. That I could eat 10 chocolate bars and be fine. But then I could eat just the one piece of chocolate and feel the crushing pain of the migraine attacking me.

Fast forward to this year...2016

Since April I've been experiencing a cluster of migraines. They first came on when I travelled to Spain (via air) where

I had a lingering migraine for three days. I went to the pharmacist and he gave me some really good stuff. I usually take Sumatriptan when here in the UK, as prescribed by my GP - but they always leave me feeling fuzzy and although they clear up the migraine, I am still left with an immense amount of pain. Anyway, I was given some tablets that aren't prescribed here in the UK called Hemicraneal (and I'm now told that they cannot be taken with Sumatriptan in any circumstance, even though I haven't). I took two of those and it cleared up the migraine within 30 minutes.

So I have stocked up on those.. problem: they make me feel sick & weak, often for days. So now I avoid taking taking them also!

My migraines have been really frequent and extremely harsh. And when I say harsh I mean paralysing. I have never had migraines to that extremity before. I'm talking 3 migraines a week. It isn't nice!

These have lasted right up until the end of September and I'm happy to say that I've been migraine free for about 2 weeks now! But there's other problems that I've noticed since these attacks:

1. My memory is shocking (short term). I find myself trying to remember what I did at the weekend when someone asks or I can't remember where I've placed something, forgetting people's names etc. For people that know me, I'm often described as "Luke doesn't forget anything" and I can remember right up to when I was 4 years old. But ask me what occurred last week, good luck trying to get an accurate answer out of me.

2. Focusing - I'm struggling to focus be it with my eyes or mind. My eyes keep blurring. I can't focus on what I'm doing. I can't think clearly...

3. Caffeine - I noticed that my caffeine intake was having an impact on the migraines so I've stopped with caffeine altogether. This seems to have helped a little

4. Hand eye coordination- I've become clumsy. Can't grip, can't do what I want to do etc. Not good.

5. Unexpected nostril blockage (cold like symptom) on my right nostril. I've tried everything to clear it.

6. Tiredness - I'm a very active person. I try my best to workout each evening at the gym and my job is very physical. I've never felt tiredness like I have before! I could nod off wherever. I feel, generally, unfit (even though I am not). I'm fatigued if you like. Just a general drain of the body.

Conclusion: I'm screwed!

But seriously... what could it be?! I'm unwell, I know that. My biggest fear of going to the doctors is hearing something I don't want to hear.

Family history:

1. auntie had brain tumour

2. Another auntie had some kid of "brain valve" problem where she had surgery to rectify it

3. Father has heart problems

4. My mother and sister also suffer from migraines

5. Granddads (on both sides) have died of cancer

6. My fathers granddad died from brain cancer

Any advice would be great!

Thanks

PS: I also study Thai language and over the past few weeks with my insrucfor, she has noticed a change in my speech, pronunciation and concentration.

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