A woman who has been suffering from migraines for nine months says they hurt so much it feels like she has a drill in her eye – and doctors don’t know when the migraines will stop.
Mitta Quissorcumar, a publicist from Britain, has been struggling with migraines since she was 20, which can last for hours.
But in January of this year, a migraine broke out that was “relentless” and wouldn’t go away – even after numerous medications and emergency room visits.
Doctors diagnosed her with atypical hemiplegic migraine, a rare form of one of the most severe types of migraine associated with problems with nerve cells.
She has now spent more than $1,800 trying medications — from medication to acupuncture to oxygen therapy — but with little luck, as the only symptom relief has been cannabis drops to help her sleep at night.
Mitta Quissorcumar, a publicist from Great Britain, has struggled with migraines that last for hours since she was 20 (file photo)
She wrote in Insider: “The pain feels like I have a drill in my eyes and in the top of my head.”
“I am tense and have neck and back pain as well as jaw pain as a result of my teeth grinding.” I am sensitive to light, noise and smells.
“I feel nauseous all the time. When it started, I struggled to eat.”
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She added: “I spend my days managing my workday, which luckily is a desk job that I can do from home.”
“I spend my evenings in my dark bedroom.
“If I try to do something special, like visit friends or clean the house, I’m out of commission for the rest of the week.”
Ms Quissorcumar said her migraines started on January 12 for no apparent reason because she had been eating and sleeping well and avoiding the triggers.
The pain was excruciating for the first four days, but then subsided to a more “bearable” level.
She went to her doctor, who prescribed sumatriptan, a medication that narrows the blood vessels in the head and helps relieve headaches. But it didn’t even touch the pain.
When a tingling sensation appeared on her right side a few weeks later, she was taken to the emergency room.
At first there was concern that she might have a stroke as she was unable to move the right side of her face when she arrived. However, after tests ruled it out, she was diagnosed with atypical hemiplegic migraine.
A hemiplegic migraine is a rare type of headache that causes temporary paralysis or weakness on one side of the body and can resemble a stroke. This can be caused by changes in blood flow in parts of the brain.
It is estimated that this type of migraine accounts for less than 0.01 percent of all migraine disorders.
An atypical form is an even rarer form of the disease that can cause even worse symptoms.
Doctors performed several MRI scans but were unable to identify a cause for the persistent migraines, such as a tumor.
Ms Quissorcumar was prescribed various medications, but she said they did not work – which partly worsened her situation.
She has now tried acupuncture, hot stone massage, neck and back massagers, meditation, yoga and even oxygen therapy to relieve the symptoms – despite investing $1,800 to no avail.
She also tried cupping, which involves placing cups on the skin to reduce tension, and a migraine hat, which allows people to place cold or hot bags next to the head.
The only thing that has helped her relieve the pain is marijuana drops that she takes at night to help her sleep.
Ms Quissorcumar said she also felt “constantly rejected” by the doctors who sent her home, saying what she was experiencing was “just a headache”.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
