StalinsNotDead's Journal: Migraine-free since mid-December

This is good. For about a year (since I changed employer and thus became subject to standard overhead fluorescent lighting) I've had a nearly debilitating migraine by the end of every day. The sunglasses that I owned at the time let in too much light from around the edges of the lenses. Unfortunately, I require corrective lenses to see. I also am fairly neglectful when it comes to keeping my prescription up to date. But I finally got around to getting my prescription updated and found a pair of goggles that I liked.

I got them from Optics Planet. I found them to be quite helpful. They promptly answered all of my questions. They even sent a trial pair so I could try them on before finalizing my order. I'm quite pleased with the Wiley-X SG-1 model that I purchased. It took a couple weeks to adjust to the gaskets and the reduced air circulation around the eyes, but it's well worth it in exchange for headache-free days. It has detachable ear prong things that can replace the head strap, but they are not as serviceable in glasses form as they are with the head strap. For one, the head strap keeps the goggles snugly in place. For another the nose piece doesn't work quite perfectly for keeping the goggles in place for very long. The lenses are removable, and there are many different varieties. I got a set of clear, mirrored and yellow.

So now it's been some months since anyone at work has seen my eyes. And since there's been a bit of turnover, there are people I work with who have never seen my eyes. I think in may be somewhat off-putting to people not in my group, but only one higher up has made any kind of negative remark about sunglasses indoors violating dress-code. But this was retracted when it came to light that they're pretty much medically necessary and an understanding was reached.

dang

[stoolpigeon]

I get a migraine roughly 4 to 6 times a year. Less actually this last year. But when I do - it sucks. I can't imagine day after day like that. I'd lose it. Glad you were able to find something that worked well for you.

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[StalinsNotDead]

The doctor did prescribe Imitrex (I think that's what it was). That worked quite nicely. But it was quite pricey considering that each prescription only had like nine tablets. And I pretty much needed one every day I went to work.

My mood still hasn't completely recovered. Chronic pain can cause depression. Or in my case exacerbate it. There were a couple of times when the only thing keeping me from feeding myself both barrels was a contractual obligation not to self-terminate. Suicidal ideation abounded dur

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[FortKnox]

Wife just got a prescription for imitrex. He dad who gets migraines tried it once, got really sick, and never tried it again. Luckily the wife hasn't had a migraine since getting the pills, so we have yet to determine if it will help (and, yes, they are damned expensive).

She's cured them once. Unfortunately, you can't do what she did...
She had them in college and in the beginnings of our marriage...... until she had Joey. She never had a migraine again.... until after she had Jenna. So what did the

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[StalinsNotDead]

So having boys cures migraines and having girls causes them?

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[FortKnox]

Possibly... or its like a toggle... with each kid its on or off, so she needs to have an odd number when we finish having kids... who knows. So much unpredictable wackiness happens during a pregnancy...

Congratulations

[RM6f9]

Chronic pain can be quite distracting; I'm happy you've managed to solve the problem.

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[StalinsNotDead]

Boy howdy, you got that right. Work sucked. Well it wouldn't have been fun anyway, but the simple knowledge that I was not operating at anywhere near to peak efficiency and found myself making stupid mistakes far too frequently got on my nerves something fierce.

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[RM6f9]

I can somewhat empathize: Mine was only low-back pain, approx. 1 yr. culminating in surgery Nov 2006 - I'm very glad you decided to stick around, and have found a way to beat the cause rather than treat the symptoms.

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[StalinsNotDead]

I'm just dreading the day that they make incandescent bulbs inaccessible. Those compact fluorescent light bulbs aren't much better. I may have to switch to whale oil or kerosene when that happens, or maybe just go to bed when the sun goes down.

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[RM6f9]

Is it the difference in spectrum intensities, or the flicker caused by imperfect ballasts? (just to cure a minor ignorance on my part)

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[StalinsNotDead]

I'm not certain. All I know for sure is that they cause migraines. I do have a sensitivity to strobe lights though, and certain video games. And I have seized before playing a video game.

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[RM6f9]

That tells me it's imperfect ballast/AC flicker - musta been hell back when video refresh rates were lower...

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[StalinsNotDead]

Actually, I never really had a problem with monitors. And this is the first time I've worked in an environment with its main light source being fluorescents.

And the light fixtures here have been recently replaced with more modern ones.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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[StalinsNotDead]

I've accepted the fact that I shall never be cool. I'd rather wear untinted lenses (I stil need vision correction). It does make seeing monitors at a distance more difficult. And as we lose daylight it's more difficult to see in general (like the keyboard. I still can't touchtype).

I'm glad you found a solution

[Degrees]

I had migraines back when I was 24 - 25 years old, and man did they ever hurt. I'm glad these goggles have solved your trouble. :-)

As far as the incandescent bulbs go, you might try to use halogen bulbs in their place. They run a lot hotter, so if you live in a place that needs a lot of air conditioning, they might no be suitable. But they are essentially your classic incandescent bulb, but with different materials.