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Submitted by Sonika Aggarwal 2 on 23 October 2018
A young lady with dark hair in a white full sleeved dress in a green surrounding with trees in the background

Sonika Aggarwal,39 has been battling migraine and sinusitis for over a decade. Even a surgery did not help matters much. She shares how she finally found some relief when she changed her diet and lifestyle. Read on.

Please tell us a bit about your condition

I have had chronic migraines and sinus infections over the past 10 years.

When were you diagnosed?

There is no clear line on how one is diganosed with migraine. It can start off with say 4 migraines a month in the initial years which can go upto 15 migraines a month. And it is the same with sinus. Initially I would have a sinus infection 3-4 times a year. But now it is chronic.

What were the early symptoms?

Early symptoms were headaches. But with each year the intensity of the headaches just kept increasing. Initially a disprin was enough to subside the pain. Now its Triptans.

Is there a history of migraine in your family?

None at all. Some family members have had frequent headaches and that is all.

What is your present condition?

My migraines are better but my chronic sinus is still there.

Please describe your experience of managing migraine

Well it was traumatic - in the sense, doctors really don’t know what to do. An ENT specialist will tend to dismiss it as allergy and suggest you see a migraine doctor and vice versa. It can get quite frustrating going back and forth.

What are the triggers of migraine?

And your experience in managing sinus 

Well, I underwent a sinus surgery which was basically useless. Most doctors will suggest this option as they want to make money. But in reality, sinus operations are useless in 80 per cent of the cases. Ideally, one needs to consult a host of doctors for their opinions before they decide to go in for surgery, as it often makes no difference at all.

Any related complications?

Complications in the medicines:

The most difficult part is that most doctors offer conflicting views. Either the approach will be too conservative or too aggressive. Doing your own research and then discussing with doctors is a good idea. Make sure you go back again and again to review your medicine. Sometimes, migraines can even be a symptom of slight depression. Please discuss that with your doctor and see if meeting a counsellor helps. Most physicians don't even notice that.

Complications in the surgery:

Post surgery, the pain levels are really bad for about a week. Also it takes upto 2 months to get back to normal. Till then blood clots are a problem. I personally feel I should have just relied on pain killers. I also made a huge change in my diet. Because post surgery, complications came back sooner and what ultimately helped was a lifestyle and diet change. The diet changes included eating fresh and warm food, cutting out all junk, processed, sweet and fried food. Cutting out all these actually took a huge effort, because we are so tuned to eating all this. Also I had to start avoiding iced drinks and ice cream.

What medications are you on?

Just some painkillers on an SOS/emergency basis. It is important to talk to your doctors about taking more than 10 painkillers a month. It can really damage your liver.

Have you learnt anything in managing in your condition that you wish you knew before?

I have learnt how diet and lifestyle play an important role in managing migraines. I feel if at the outset the doctors had told me how important it is to regulate diet and lifestyle to handle migraine and sinus issues, I could have prevented it from reaching such a chronic state. I do feel we constantly need to educate ourselves on various issues of concern.

What resources do you use to help you manage the condition?

I see an ENT specialist once a month. And a mixture of allopathy, naturopathy and lifestyle changes.

Tell us more about the changes to your lifestyle because of your condition

A lot! I barely eat out now and even if I do I make sure I stick to a clean diet and avoid diary as much as possible. Sleeping on time and managing stress are other two important things in my life now.

Can Naturopathy Heal Migraine?

Have you tried complementary medicine or therapies, like homeopathy or yoga?

I tried homeopathy for about 3 years. It worked for my migraines but not for my sinus. Ayurveda has been more helpful in case of my chronic sinus condition.

Has it been difficult emotionally to cope with your condition?

Well absolutely. I am not the same person I was. I shy away from commitments thinking if I have a attack how will I manage. And I have been even more careful, given that I like social events and travelling. After some years, I felt I was doing unjustice to my job. One also feels guilty about the time one is forced to spend away from the family, as migraine attacks can render you dysfunctional. The overall experience can be quite frustrating.

How has your family supported you? How did your friends treat you? Were you isolated?

Given that empathy is on the decrease in society, its very hard for even friends and family to fathom what you are going through. Sometimes you are also amazed that how can one be in pain almost half the month. I think bringing awareness and knowledge will only help us bridge the gap. It is also important to explain the nature of the pain to your family by drawing appropriate parallelisms. It is also important to educate your spouse and family about chronic pains and how they affect you. Being ashamed/guilty and shying away can only make things worse.

Also look for support from other chronic warriors. These days twitter and facebook have many such groups. These peer groups help you with ways of explaining to your family.

Did you see a counselor for support? Were you offered counselling by doctor?

The doctor never did offer counselling. However, for all chronic pains I think doctors should start or at least suggest counselling. This was one of the reasons I fell into depression. It could have been avoided completely had I been counselled properly.

What was the hardest part of the treatment? What kept you going? How has this changed your life perspectives and ambitions.

It gets tough when no one understands how bad it can be and you see no light at the end of the tunnel. But rest assured migraines and chronic sinus issues are not life threatening. They are painful but not life threatening.

I think the more I read about them, the more I understood that a healthy diet and proper lifestyle go a long way in handling migraine and sinusitis.

Are there moments of humour that you would like to share.

Well, its when you say,’Hey I have a migraine,’ people often respond to it and say, 'Yeah I have had headaches too’. It is often difficult to convey that they are not the same things. Migraines are so much more severe.

Would you like to share anything with others who also suffer from migraines?

A lot of people will give you advice on how going back to a full time job will eventually help you in your migraines and sinus issues. Make your own decision and figure out what works best for you.

Also, there is a myth that vigorous exercises cure all ailments. While it may be true for some, vigorous exercise can also trigger migraines for many and thats a trigger point you would like to avoid. Start gently with yoga and brisk walking. Kindly talk to your doctor before you do either.

I Have Made Many Sacrifices Due To My Migraine

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