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
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Thanksgiving
Questions about your love life, a burnt turkey and the cousin who knows everything: Thanksgiving, a contact sport.
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)
natalia32710 8
Guess you have to choose which you'd rather have.
Jeans14 4
I'm pretty sure i have the same thing but I don't take meds cuz migraines don't get that bad for me. Thee fainting is whatever. But that sucks
firemedic424 0
Migrains DO NOT lead to a stroke. Do you even know what a stroke is? You have clearly made a fool of yourself or someone has given you the wrong information. In essence yes salt can lead to a stroke by the clogging of the arterys. A symptom of a stoke can be an intense headache but a migrain does not cause a stroke
neurodoc 1
I disagree. Migraineurs especially Migraineurs with aura have a higher chance of stroke than general population - two mechanisms Migraineurs have a higher incidence of PFO (hole in the heart) which puts them at a higher risk of strokes. Also complicated migraine or persistent vasospasm from migraine can definitely cause strokes. So it is absolutely true that those with migraines are at higher risk of strokes.
momogal 22
Since migraines are neurovascular (having to do with the nerves and blood vessels), they can cause a stroke. A stroke is defined as a disturbance in blood flow resulting in loss of brain function. Since a migraine can cause the blood vessels in an area to constrict to the point of not allowing blood flow, then a stoke can occur. Also, salt does not cause blockages. Salt (along with potassium) is actually required for your heart to work properly. Please check your facts before attempting to insult someone's intelligence.
firemedic424 0
Are you an idiot? Obviously we must have salt in our bodies but too much can cause healt problems I.e. hypertension < do u know what that is? To much salt can cause blockages along with many other things YOU need to get your facts straight. A migraine is a symptom not a cause a headache is a feeling a pain that is caused by some other issue so NO a migraine or headache does not and will not CAUSE a stoke
neurodoc 1
Ok listen. I am a neurologist and I am trained in headaches and stroke. I know what I'm talking about. Migraines DO INCREASE THE RISK OF STROKE. PERIOD. if you are not convinced, please go to med school and do 4-6 yrs of residency and then become and attending physician and do a large trial and prove the umpteen number of existing studies wrong. Until then please don't insult everyone else.
neurodoc 1
Firemedic - Do you even know what a migraine is?!!
firemedic424 0
I highly doubt your a neurologist if ur on fml arguing with people this is pointless nice try though i assume you an "internet neurologist" haha
neurodoc 1
Well. I am a real life neurologist and I don't have to prove it to u. I just can't stand when people like u spread misinformation
bixfish 4
I happen to have the same condition although mine is diagnosed as POTS (basically two different names for virtually the same condition) I'm on 4 prescriptions and two supplements, including salt tablets. I understand how tiring the illness is but I can offer at least some hope in saying that the doctors aren't lying when they say the symptoms are worse when you're in your teens or early twenties, after that you should have at least some relief (I'm still waiting for mine but my oldest sister and father have found that with age things do get some better). So keep hope and if you have any questions (it can be really scary especially if you've just been diagnosed!) feel free to message me.
kewlkate 9
I would rather take the meds. It's better to avoid a stroke and deal with some fainting every now and then. At least that way you're more capable of getting to safe grounds of you (hopefully) get dizzy or something to show that they're coming on.
pexy_fml 16
Huh ?!?
theangelfromhell 6
I dont know from where in Canada you are from, but it does sound like the health system we have here in Quebec (where i am from) ... Sucks to be you! Hope it eventually passes ( no pun intended)
heyred 11
Aren't you on a beta blocker for the syncope? Salt is contraindicated. If you you also need to avoid caffeine and alcohol.
izawesome96 8
The salt probably causes dehydration that can cause migraines. I suggest taking your meds a drinking lots of water. Although, be warned I am not a doctor.
momogal 22
It's a vicious cycle, OP. I have epilepsy, Polycystic Ovary Disease, and insulin resistance. The epilepsy causes migraines for me. I tried to take migraine pills, but they caused seizures and fainting. I took anti convulsants, but they screwed up my birth control pills. The birth control pills helped keep my insulin resistance in check. I had to up the dose of that because of the seizure meds. That caused migraines. So I went off those meds. I wouldn't recommend doing the same, though, as you have a heart condition.
TrinityisLife 22
How do birth control pills handle insulin resistance? All they do in a PCOS patient is balance the hormones to produce a monthly cycle so that your cancer risk goes down. For insulin resistance you would need something like Metformin, which also encourages ovulation in women. Also, if your pharmacist knew you had epilepsy and let you walk out with pills that are contraindicated in epileptics, you need to look into why that happened. I hope you had your meds changed rather than just stopping everything, because there's so many other options out there. You can talk to your pharmacist or your doctor about viable options and I would also see a neurologist to see if they can pinpoint specifically what is causing the migraines. *I'm not a MD. I am a CPhT*