The last time I wrote about these treatments was back in February. Unfortunately, those two treatments didn't work for too long. As I discussed it with the nurses who attended to me and my doctor, we believe they came back because it wasn't consistent; I went from 2mg the first round then 4mg the second. I was experiencing some relief from the migraines for about three weeks, but then they came back full force and began happening every day again. I decided to contact my doctor and he told me that I could get them whenever I felt I needed them again, so we decided to do four more over the course of a month and a half. We set them up to start in the middle of March and to end on April 27, and let me tell you, it actually worked this time.

What we hoped from the first round in January was for the frequency to go down along with severity. Only one of those things happened: my severity dropped extremely, until they came back. With these last 4, my frequency has gone down and the severity has gone down as well. Not only that, but I'm not chronic anymore. It's incredible. I really can't explain how well I feel; I feel like I'm my age again, no longer feeling old and stuck in bed because I have to lay down most of the time. It's almost been a month since my last treatment and I've only had five migraines. There have been a lot of weather changes lately and I still don't get them. At most, I'll get a headache and I can take ibeprofen, which actually makes it go away!

I was never able to take ibeprofen by itself when I was chronic. I was taking Norco more often because I was cycling out of Treximet, and doing that would give me rebounds. Now I don't even need Norco, which is crazy to me because I was getting so used to taking that all the time. My doctor also mentioned to me how bad it is to do that, because eventually your brain chemistry changes and you eventually have to take more medication for the pain to go away. I've stopped that from happening in it's tracks and I feel so amazing.

Now I can finally start exercising again, I can find a job and work over the summer, and I don't miss school. To be able to do the things that make me happy without waking up in pain is such a blessing. I feel alive. I did feel alive when I got my first round in January, but this is extremely different because it's different now. To be able to say I'm not chronic is crazy to me but it's true.

I would recommend this to anyone but only as a last resort. There are other alternatives that a migraineur can try first and they should. Everyone is different, though; my chemistry is not the same as yours. I chose this because Kaiser Permanente had constantly turned me down from trying other options because I had tried everything they had to offer. By doing my own research I was able to find something that has helped others, so I thought, "Ok, maybe this will help me". Thank goodness for the wonderful doctor I found in Glendale. He has literally saved my life. I can't thank him enough for this. It brings me to tears sometimes because I feel normal now.

If I do choose to get these treatments again, it would be in six months or more. It's only been a month since my last one, but I have improved so much. It really did rewire my brain, just like he said. "Remember those old TV's that would get static and if we hit them the static would go away? That's what we're basically doing to your brain". I remember him telling me that the day I met in his office. Well, the static has finally dissipated. Going from a migraine every day to only five in a month is like being reborn from the dark haze that I was in for four years. If you suffer from migraines, don't lose hope. There are always other options even if it seems like there are none. If your doctors are telling you there's no other options for you, then research like I did and find something. Be proactive about it; there are other treatments that you can try that can work for you. Plus, there's a new preventative coming out next year for us! A year might seem far away, but with how fast time flies, it'll be here before you know it. If I found a way to treat my illness, you can, too. It might take some time, but just remember to not lose hope.