Found a Miracle, and Finally Lost the Migraines How I … Found a Miracle, Lost the Migraines

By B.J. TAYLOR | NORFOLK, BUSINESS CONSULTANT, 59

It had been a long summer. We had moved, things were hectic and unsettled, and, of course, there were the usual life calamities. I didn’t think too much about feeling exhausted.

By fall I began to notice that, at times, I found myself unable to think clearly, to put sentences together, think of words. In late fall, I developed a slight redness and a significant tenderness on my skin.

Then one night I woke up to a tremendous dizziness that scared me half to death. I grabbed my husband and in my half-sleep stupor moaned about something not being right. By late fall, my mouth was raw on the inside.

Enough is enough. I called my primary-care doctor.

After many tests in four months’ time, he said he had identified three possibilities. We tried treatments on the first two with no success.

The other culprit was a vitamin deficiency. A simple blood test revealed a lack of B12, treated by a series of weekly shots.

Slowly, many of the symptoms began to leave – but not all. Late one night, when I couldn’t sleep, I went online to learn more about vitamin deficiencies. To my surprise, I learned about a link between vitamin deficiency and the use of acid-reflux medications, which can – over time – reduce the absorption of vitamins.

“Bingo!” I thought. I had been taking Prilosec for years.

Next morning I called my doctor. He tested me for other vitamin deficiencies. Results: very depleted in Vitamin D. Doses of both D and B12 restored my energy.

Now, to the real miracle.

In 1992 I began having migraines as a result of a neck injury. I had unsuccessful surgery and so debilitating migraines became a part of life. At first I’d have them once or twice a month. By last summer they had increased to every three days, sometimes seven days in a row.

My list of medications were numerous: Imitrex for migraines, Prilosec for reflux caused by tremendous use of Imitrex, Sudafed for sinuses and Claritin for allergies .

After I began taking Vitamin B12, I noticed I hadn’t had a single migraine. After six weeks I told my doctor. At the time, scientific evidence supporting this fact was limited, but now, my doctor has begun to look more closely at the correlation.

It’s been nearly a year since I took my first vitamin B12 shot. A few weeks ago, I finally was able to stop counting the days since my last migraine.

Recently, a nurse questioned my need for the weekly shots, “There’s no clinical evidence linking vitamin B12 and migraines,” she said. I looked at her and replied, “Honey, I’m living, breathing evidence. Clinical or not, my quality of life has been dramatically restored … so tell your friends.”

I’m not a scientist, just a regular chick with a story that has been life-transforming. Maybe B12 is not the answer for all migraine sufferers, but if it can help just one person, then hallelujah!

I can’t believe it’s been almost a year. The journey taught me a number of lessons.

* Even if a physician says there’s an obvious cause, that doesn’t mean the cure naturally correlates (i.e. neck injury gone south causing headaches then increased sensitivity to food, environment, physical movement, weather, light, etc.)

* Check your medicines and medicine interactions.

* Other than your family doctor, remember to check in with a neurologist, ear-nose-threat doc, dentist, pain-management specialist, etc.

* Get your vitamin levels checked.

* GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION.

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