Confessions of a Concussed Cyclist: please think before you speak

March 15, 2018

Prior to August 19, 2014 I took medication for my asthma (Hello!  Breathing is important!) and I took a multivitamin. That was it. After August 19, 2014 I’m like Norm on Cheers walking into the pharmacy!  Do I love taking pharmaceutical medications? No. Do I need to in order to function? Yes. Is this a sensitive subject for me? Absolutely (it ranks up there with people saying to me “I know just how you feel” when I’m talking about TBI symptoms…despite them never having a brain injury)!

Today, I was at an appointment going over my medication list with someone not up to speed on my current regiment.  Immediately this person says to me “Wow! You’re keeping Big Pharma in business!” I say nothing. She then adds “You’re on TOO MANY medications!”  I then shoot her a dirty look and bite back with “Well! When you get hit by a damn car this is what happens!!” She replies with “I’m only saying they [Big Pharma] must love you…you take too many meds!” To which I bitterly replied “DON’T!”

This conversation was not the first of its kind and I’m aware it won’t be the last. Over the past three years and seven months, I’ve had many people (friends, family and  acquaintances) pipe in with their two cents. Un-asked for two cents I might add.

“You must be imagining this!  No one has a migraine for years and years!”

“If you’d just relax, it would go away!”

“The medications you take are actually making the migraine worse, therefore making you need more medications…you’re making this worse yourself.”

“If you’d just detox, your brain would reset and your migraine would go away.”  

“If you’d take a probiotic it would go away.  You have a migraine because of poor gut health!”

“You obviously haven’t looked into alternative treatments!” (said without knowing I’ve done aromatherapy, chiropractic therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, etc. etc.)

“Take some vitamins and minerals…that’s really all you need.”

“You know you’re hurting your liver and kidneys…right?” *said with a judgmental tone/stare*

Clearly, every person saying these things to me has never dealt with a head injury or post-concussion-migraine.  I’ve had a migraine for over three years because of a DAMAGED BRAIN (it’s not a tension migraine; it’s not hormonal nor is it affected by the weather/environment, as others like to assume).  I never had it before so it’s obviously not for lack of vitamins, minerals, or probiotics. Post-concussion-migraine is not that uncommon and yes, migraines can last for years and years. I am fully aware that my liver and kidneys are not loving the amount of medication I take daily just to function.  I limit my medications as much as possible. As bad as my migraines are on a daily basis, this is WITH medication. Often I need to “detox” between prescriptions and this means no medication for anywhere from 3-10 days. Those 3-10 days are absolutely unbearable. I’m taking what I need to take to try and get through the day.  I don’t need anyone’s judgement or criticism. I’m not a drug addict, shooting up heroine, but you’d think so by the disgusted looks and comments I’ve received over the years. I welcome anyone that thinks they know the perfect answer to this all, to get hit by a car, receive a head injury, then let me know how it’s working for them to “just relax”.

There are very few people in my life that I’ll take “have you tried…” suggestions from (and no one that I’ll take criticism from).  And one of those people has DR. before her name. I understand that the suggestions are meant to be helpful (usually) but unfortunately, they are often coming from people that A). do not know what I’ve already tried and B). know nothing about brain injuries and post-concussion-migraines and are just talking without thinking (my favorite *insert eye roll here* suggestion was to soak a strip of brown paper bag in vinegar, put it on my forehead and “magically” my damaged brain would no longer have a migraine).  The few people I’ll take suggestions from know to proceed with caution (unless it’s that Doctor Lady I mentioned above…I soak up everything she says) because it is a touchy subject for me. People are so quick to judge and criticise someone, especially about something they know nothing about. I challenge anyone to survive a day in my head and then let me know what I “should” be doing!
Do people with cancer or diabetes have to put up with such comments when they take something just to function?  Are they told such asinine comments as “if you’d just relax your cancer will go away!” “Take some herbs and your diabetes will get better!”  I doubt it. I vent all this (and not for the first time if you’ve read my previous Confessions) because it’s frustrating. There is surprisingly little known about the brain and how it heals from injury.  There is even less known about post-concussion-migraines, yet I’m surrounded by people telling what I should and should not be doing.