There are a lot of new developments happening here!
1. I'm once again altering my rate of blogging. As some of you know, I went from blogging about once a month to once a week to every weekday. While I truly enjoy blogging on a daily basis, I simply don't think I have enough to say! Plus, I feel like the quality of my blogs often suffers because I can't put a lot of time into writing them. I, like many other humans, have a life that requires more than just writing and promoting myself. That said, I'm going to do away with Thoughtful Thursday. Monday Muse, Toolbox Tuesday, Write Well Wednesday will still go up as usual and, like always, I'll put up Finally Friday as needed. I hope that doesn't bother anyone? I figured since Wednesday was becoming so much like Thursday anyway, that you wouldn't worry too much.
2. I'm beginning to enter myself into Blog Hops and Giveaways. This is way past due. Since I don't necessarily think it's appropriate to blog about books if you're an author (this can lead to some unwanted friction with other writers) I don't get a ton of traffic directed to my blog. In an effort to get some followers, I'm going to start doing these hops. This will increase the volume of traffic and sometimes become disruptive to the look of the blog. Please be patient and enthusiastic about these giveaways. You are, of course, quite welcome to participate! It's a great way to find new blogs to follow and earn some amazing freebies. That said, does anyone have any requests for items they'd like to see given away? As my loyal followers, you all get first pics!
3. Finally, thank you all of you who participated in listening to Hill Dweller Radio on Thursday! I really feel like it made a huge difference because...I got another full request from an editor! Your continued prayers and support are greatly appreciated! I'll keep you updated!
Hi A. L.!
ReplyDeleteCaught up with you from Goodreads.
I empathize with the chronic migraines. I developed latent migraines last year at the age of 37. My mother has suffered with them her whole life so I knew what I was in for...or thought I did.
No one can prepare you for these life-stealing episodes. Days spent in bed with no light, no sound, no relief.
I started to take Maxalt with a prescription from my family doctor.
Then I went to a specialist at UPMC and he started me on medication that didn't work for me, so my husband started researching migraines online and found several people recommending the herbs Butterbur and Feverfew, as well as Magnesium supplements. (This is not an info-mercial, I swear!)
After consulting with my family doctor, I started taking a daily Butterbur pill and a magnesium pill in addition to my multi-vitamin. It helped to lower the frequency and dampen the effects of the migraines, though I still get one a month or so, but it's much better than it was. And, I still take 2 Naproxen and a Maxalt or Imitrex when the migraine hits.
I wouldn't recommend taking anything until you talked it over with your family doctor and did the research yourself, but any time I can pass along a little hope to manage migraines, I try to do it.
As an added benefit, the Butterbur seems to have regulated my sleep--I always had insomnia, but now I sleep better than maybe I have in my entire life. It could be simply a coincidence or a change in my body chemistry as I age, but I hope it lasts!
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Best,
Heidi
It's really hard to blog every day. I have done it before too, but found it was too hard. I usually post once a week, that gives me plenty of time to visit my bloggy friends. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog.
Hi Heidi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story. I actually do take herbal supplements...Well, when I can. My migraines are muscle tension induced (basically I simply can't relax no matter how hard I try). I should probably be on some kind of muscle relaxers; however, my system seems to be extremely sensitive. I can't take much over the counter or prescription medication without it making me feel like I'm on a bad trip (not that I've ever had one, but I imagine it's something like that...I get the shakes, get vertigo, feels like my skin is crawling, get anxious, etc.)
Anyway, I CAN'T take that stuff. So, I HAVE to take the natural supplements. I've gone through the gamut with magnesium, feverfew, valerian root, passion flower, etc. I've tried a huge variety of relaxation and anti-stress methods like regulated breathing, meditation, graduated muscle exercises, and yoga. I also go to a chiropractor and a massage therapist. These work to some degree, but any increased amount of stress--having a book on submission, having a tense day at work...even simple things like driving or having someone jump out from behind a corner and scare me--can aggravate a tension episode that can literally take me days to relax out of. Valerian root works the best for me. However, no matter how little I take, everything seems to make me extremely lethargic (blame that on the sensitivity).
The lethargy basically kills any kind of creativity I have...Which means I can't write. Writing is pretty much the only thing I desire out of life right now, so swallowing those pills every night sometimes feels like killing a piece of myself. I try to balance it out, take pills one week, suffer the next for the sake of my art, but it seems like this is something I'm going to have to battle with constantly. It's harder when I want to set a goal for myself but I can't for the sake of my health and my finances (I'm sick too much I can't pay my bills).