I was looking a website about migraines (http://www.migraineheadachesaids.com/) and I saw something about migraines I didn't know. I had heart about visual auras - although I don't experience these - but what I learned is that there are three stages to a migraine (some sites say four).
The first stage is the prodrome. Prodrome is the pre-headache. In some sites the prodrome includes the auras and in others the aura is a seperate stage that follows prodrome. During prodrome the migrainuer may experience one or many of the following symptoms:
Altered mood, irritability, depression or euphoria, fatigue, yawning, excessive sleepiness, craving for certain food (e.g. chocolate), stiff muscles (especially in the neck), hot ears, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, sensitivity to smells, constipation or diarrhea, increased urination, and other visceral symptoms.
I thought because I didn't have auras I didn't experience warning signs or prodrome, but after looking at this list I just might. If nothing else I experience the stiff neck muscles. I had thought that those stiff muscles were causing the headache and here it appears that it might be the other way around. Also, the sensitivity to smells and sound.
The second stage is the pain stage, this is the headache/migraine itself. I won't go into detail here.
The third stage is postdrome. This stage is the one that interested me the most. The day after I have a migraine (if I don't STILL have a migraine) I had experienced exhaustion, soreness, disorientation or confusion and many other symptoms. I had always blamed the medications for my migraine hang-over. But what I found out upon reading about postdrome is that all of those and many more are a part of the post headache or postdrome phase. I learned last Tuesday morning that I was truly experiencing postdrome and not linger drug hang-overs because I took absolutely no medication Monday and yet Tuesday, I woke up, feeling hung-over. I was confused, disoriented, exhausted, sore, I couldn't think straight or talk normally.
What does this mean? Nothing. I guess just that I'm normal. And maybe that I need to plan on an extra sick day anytime I have a migraine - not just the painful day, but the postdrome day as well.
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