CarolineSwing's photostream  

~~~~~~Feb 20th, 2012
A quick note: I have been without my computer for a month now (there are some issues with warranty going on) and it may be a couple weeks more before my baby is back. In the mean time, I am using my phone to do what I can and visiting my parents computer every few days. Please be patient with me. It is taking far longer than I like to reply to things and I'm doing my best. Everyone please send good thoughts to my poor laptop. ;) ~~~~~~


My name is Caroline and I love cats, reading, movies and music. I have many interests including: makeup, nail polish and especially Asian dollhouse miniatures. I have 6 wonderful kitties living with me and there are pictures of them in my profile if you would like to look. The “Swing” in my name is because when I was younger I was swing dancer. :)


Many people have seen me mention that I have chronic migraines and have been so kind with their advice and words of sympathy. Here is a bit of my migraine history:
I've had migraines since I was a young child and they grew worse with puberty. In my mid-twenties they became almost daily (they were daily for 22 months). I currently have migraines 25 to 27 days per month (with chronic daily headaches every day for almost 20 years), but through medications and other treatments the severity of my migraines are a bit lessened and I can at least get out of bed for a few days a week. I currently use Maxalt melts 10mg and I try not to take them more than twice a week (I'm worried about rebound headaches and there is also the fact that the pill cost is now $33! each, and frankly, there are days when I'd rather suffer and do something else with the money). The efficacy of the Maxalt goes from around 30% alone to 60% with the addition of 2.5 - 5 mg of oxycodone. It's a very small dose, but it does wonders for me.

I've tried many treatments including Botox and Topomax (both were disasters), epidurals and trigger point injections as well as radiofrequency ablation, meditation and biofeedback. From decompression to dental work nothing worked well enough to repeat. One of the few things that truly helped was a bite splint to help with my TMJ/TMD.

I have other illnesses including: hypothyroidism (after a nasty four year bought with hyperthyroidism), fibromyalgia and a few other things which lessen my quality of life, but the migraines are the biggest and longest problems I have.

I am currently taking a break from Drs and I'm happier for it.