Today, I have a heart condition that causes migraines and fainting, so I take salt tablets to stop the fainting. The migraines can lead to a stroke, so I have medication for them. The medication has a side effect: fainting. And to avoid migraines, I should avoid salt. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, if my blood pressure rises too high I get migraines that cripple me for days, even with medication. I can’t let myself get stressed, I can’t exercise, I can’t stand up too fast if I’ve been sitting or lying down, I definitely can’t have sex, and I also can’t drink coffee. Someone shoot me. FML
Today, I woke up with a migrane, so I took one of my prescription migrane pills to get me through my day. The pill made me dizzy and nauseous, so I took a motion-sickness pill. That pill gave me a migrane. FML
Today, I was put on a medication for severe migraines. One of the side effects is difficulty concentrating and word recall. I was writing a paper and sat there trying to remember how to spell "isn't." This medication better work. FML
Today, and for the past month, I've been feeling lightheaded from a breathing problem. I've now been prescribed a medication to help with my anxiety and my breathing issue, which would in turn help stop me from getting so lightheaded. The side effect of said medication: lightheadedness. FML
Today, I was prescribed medication to treat the headaches, caused by the medication to treat the lethargy, caused by the medication to treat my crippling nerve pain, without which I'd be stuck in a wheelchair. FML
Today, I started taking my anxiety meds. Without them I can't function because I'm constantly fighting off panic attacks, but with them I can't function because I get crippling headaches and heartburn and feel tired all the time. FML
Today, I learned that pregnancy makes me more prone to migraines, but the only pain killer I can take makes me vomit. So I have to choose between being in pain and vomiting for hours on end. FML
Today, after years of high blood pressure and 3 meds for it, a doctor informed me my blood pressure is going too low, and I'm passing out. I've been told to stop the meds. This followed an increase in my meds because it's killing my kidneys. So my choices are kidney failure, or passing out. FML
Today, I'm nearly done with my cortisol treatment for a persistent multi-day migraine. Good news: it actually stopped for the last two blissful, pain-free days. Bad news: apparently anything less than the maximum dose of cortisol doesn't prevent me from getting a new migraine. Here we go again. FML
Today, I can't drink coffee anymore due to its turbo-diarrhea effect on me. I also have to take something with caffeine everyday or I will have a migraine, so I drink Diet Coke. Today, I saw on TV that even two cans of soda a week erase the heart health gains made during exercise. Goodbye, healthy hearth. FML
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Top comments
007type 26
That's beyond ******-up. Get well soon, OP.
lajaynay 15
You're just ******. :/ Maybe DocBastard has wisdom for you.
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Comments (174)
alan831 9
Sounds like the doctor did not think that one through.
AmericanJedhead 10
And suddenly you're back at Square One. Maybe you shouldn't take the medication if it provokes you to faint or have a migraine, you might just be paying money for it.
Rick_S 3
I've got it, too. Talk to your doctors about both conditions, and about your treatment options. You can't be left in this vicious cycle. Maybe they have to talk to each other about it, and determine what's best for you. Don't give up.
laurenlovesjb 20
OP I have a similar heart condition. Let me tell you, there are other ways to stop fainting. The purpose of salt is simply to help "hold in" water that you are drinking. Strengthen your heart with exercise, and drink a TON of water. Then you can take your migraine meds and not worry. This is all info from my cardiologist.
mrsmirk 8
awe that is some good advice^ and thank god, as I was reading through I was just hoping hard that some one here would have some decent advice. I'm sure you've tried alot to deal with this. Even all these people who don't know you feel for you, don't give up.
stormstarcj 12
I have the same thing as well, and instead of medication for migraines, I got Botox injections which helped tremendously. I haven't had a migraine in 7 months! Talk to your doc about it!
CeltyStark 3
That is so messed up i feel so sorry for you
fuzz97 23
inb4 "hurr durr dafuq/daphuq/dafuk did I just read"
G3K0 7
What?
DocBastard 40
Whatever migraine medication you take that can cause fainting should be stopped. There are several different migraine medications you can take, so if you don't like the one you're on, get it changed. And there are some people who believe that taking salt can actually abort a migraine, not cause it. So whatever advice you're getting from your doctor seems pretty lousy. My best advice here would be to find a new doctor.
Boob_fml 6
Perhaps one who is a bastard?
neurodoc 1
Agree. Except salt part. No one knows what salt does. I was asking a top headache specialist in American headache society and headache cooperative of the pacific about this last month. Early indications are that NaK ATPase function is messed up in arachnoid villi in migraineurs. And CSF Na is higher in migraineurs but aura seems to improve with Na. While high sodium good might trigger it in some cases (might be because of its association with processed meat like salami or hotdogs). So it is such a grey area that no one really knows. Hence I wouldn't draw any conclusions about the association unless there has been a RCT on this.
neurodoc 1
129 sorry. That comment was meant for do bastard
Muffin_boo 12
Doc bastard, mah heroo! XD
Pandacupcakelove 26
Complicated, but I Think I got it... That sucks, OP, I'm sorry you have to suffer through all of this :/
isucktoo 4
Well, if it comes down to it, I would take the migraine medicine. Strokes are no fun. I'd rather just faint a lot. Good luck OP!
perdix 31
I suggest you get a slutty girlfriend and have lots and lots of sex. It will either kill you or cure you -- either(ee) way, you'll be better off than you are now.