I knew you did. Please know that I read each and every comment, and thank you so much for sharing with me. It means the world.
I've decided to follow the plan of the book Heal Your Headache, and forgive me if I'm not fun at all for a while while I give up caffeine, alcohol, and almost all foods I like. (NO CHEESE? NO AVOCADO?) Hey, but if it works? It'll be worth it. And if it doesn't? I haven't lost anything but a couple of pounds, probably.
To reward you, I'll tell you about two of the best books I've read in a while. Very different from each other, and one of them might appeal to you if the other doesn't.
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake– Sarah Maclean – You might have seen me tweeting about this one. Sarah's a fellow Avon author, and I picked up her book because she's nice. (Nice people FTW!) But dude, THIS BOOK WAS SO GREAT! And people everywhere are talking about it, proven by this: In its first week (and this is her debut adult novel), IT HIT THE NYT BESTSELLER LIST! I couldn't be happier for her.
Let me just sum it up. Callie (Calpurnia) is long in the tooth (can't remember — late twenties? Practically dead). She's considered plain. She'll probably never get married. She sits with the other spinsters while everyone else dances. Then…she decides ENOUGH OF THIS CRAP. She wants to do things! She wants to shoot a gun! She wants to gamble! She wants to ride astride! And she wants to be kissed….
So Callie makes a few changes, and she sizzles. Sarah's a great writer, and she's smart, and I can't recommend this one highly enough.
Farm City – Novella Carpenter – Completely different, this is an urban homesteading memoir set in Oakland (oh, how I love you, Oakland). I've been a fan of Novella's since I first read about her Thanksgiving turkey in Salon.com lo these many years ago, and I've been lucky enough to have been to her small farm. I've seen her bees, her goats, her chickens. She writes beautifully, unflinchingly, about squatting on unused land, raising animals and food in the heart of the ghetto (I hate it when people call it that, and then I realize that yes, it is, indeed, an apt term and I should deal with it).
Her unwavering honesty is what I like the most about her book. There's a lovely scene in which Novella needs to go find more of a certain kind of plant for her chickens, and she walks by some kids that she'd been previously scared of. She doesn't like the reaction she has to them, but she chronicles it, watches it. Witnesses it. And she doesn't solve it. Things in the book remain unsolved and broken. But things grow and are used, they are appreciated for what they are, and then they move on to their next phase. Novella witnesses that transformation with an admirable grace. I loved everything about this book.
Good luck with your migraine-relief plan! I got my first migraine in the first grade (remember the day clearly…) and have fought them on and off ever since. The worst ones were when I was drinking diet soda with NutraSweet (and they tell us it doesn’t cause migraines…PSHAW!!!). As I’ve gotten older, they’ve lessened some, thankfully. Hope yours do that and much, much more.
I am glad you decided to try the elimination diet. I hope you are able to find a combination that works for you! You may not have to give up coffee, I didn’t! Fingers crossed!
Those books sound great, thank you for recommending them.
I meant to comment yesterday, but I’ll agree on the caffeine thing. I quit caffeine cold turkey a year and a half ago (and was super-grumpy for weeks, fair warning), but the frequency of my migraines has shrunk dramatically. Two a month to about one every six months. It wasn’t actually why I gave up caffeine, but is why I’ve stayed off it. Obviously it won’t work for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck with it!
Now I’m off to Amazon to buy the recommended books (yay Kindle editions!)
One other thing I forgot to mention yesterday. If you smoke, it’s a sure fire migraine problem.
Several years ago I worked with a Family Medicine doctor who also had migraines. And she talked about how important it was to have a routine. The first few days on vacation when she slept in and was off her regular schedule, she always had a migraine.
…9rules was AWESOME! picked it up Monday, and had it finished by 11:30 Monday night!
Thanks for the great recommendation.
Ok, both those books sound great. And I’m in hiding-from-being-a-responsible-adult mode, and I could use a few more books to do it with. Off to the library website I go…
(no goats in our backyard. don’t think the husband wants one. don’t know who would win – goat or muscle dog)
ghetto – depends who’s using it and how. Dangerous word. I try to stay away from it so I don’t get burned, but I’m not the right one to use it.
so hey, I am late with yesterdays comment, however after reading your situation, considering my own headaches and upcomming hysterectomy(sp?) I am giving the “Elimination Diet” a go. Wish me luck, the thought of no caffiene makes me teary. Please keep your progress posted!
Today, thank you for two great suggestions…I always appreciate hints at a great read…..
Thanks for the book recommendations! And best of luck with the headaches!
Downloaded 9 rules to my Kindle. Thanks for the recommendation. Will start it tonight.
Good luck with the migraines! I had them almost daily when I was studying for my PhD comprehensives. I dosed myself with uber-dark chocolate, seemed to work a little, but graduation helped the most.
I’m reading your book! It’s so much fun!!
Now have both books on my hold list at the library. Good luck with the migraine elimination diet. My 9yo daughter gets them occasionally, I only get them when I accidentally consume something with artificial sweeteners (esp NutraSweet) but they really suck so we are more careful about reading labels and keeping track of possible triggers. I hope you find and eliminate your triggers.
I also suffer from hormonal migraines, which are gradually getting worse and worse each year (I’m 38), so I’m curious to hear how this plan works out for you. I’m with you – I don’t want drugs to mask the pain (which they don’t anyway), I just want to the pain to be gone.
Good luck!!
Nancy
Give up sugar.
I used “Heal Your Headache” and got good results. I am off all migraine medicines. I still do get migraines, but they are MARKEDLY better. What a relief! When they start to get worse, I can right away track it to slipping on the migraine diet. Previously, triptans had me on such a bad rebound cycle, I had a migraine every day for TWO YEARS. And the other stuff the neurologist tried, I got side effects on it all. Topamax (yes, StupidMax) and others. So much easier to follow “Heal Your Headache”. I hope it works for you!