Dr. Grumpy: "So, at your last visit I gave you Imitrex for your migraines. How did it work?"
Ms. Aura: "Oh, it was wonderful. I had a migraine last week, and I took it, and within an hour the headache was completely gone!" (suddenly breaks into tears)
Dr. Grumpy: "What's wrong?"
Ms. Aura (sobbing uncontrollably) "I just feel so guilty for taking it!"
Wow, get over it lady!
ReplyDeleteDid she at least go on to explain this comment?
No.
ReplyDeleteThat lady has serious issues. I often think triptans are the greatest invention of my lifetime.
ReplyDeleteDoes she think she's taking Methotrexate?
ReplyDeleteMaybe she has a comorbid depression along with the migraine.
ReplyDeleteI've been taking Imitrex for my migraines ever since it came out in pill form (self-injectors hurt worse than my migraine!). I have to say that I have never ever ever felt guilty taking it. I have, however, felt guilty for making my husband schlep it around for me when it turned out I didn't need it (it turned out to be the fibro instead).
ReplyDeleteI can kind of understand this....My parents were raised in very religious households, where basically anything that might be enjoyable, or ease one's suffering was severely frowned upon. Mom said she hadn't had so much as an aspirin until she was 20. While they aren't religious, the general attitude of don't-take-anything-unless-you're-dying still prevails. Even I, who am a generation separate from it, still have a only-if-you-really-really-need-it mentality.
ReplyDeleteSounds like this lady might be part of the same holy roller group as my grandparents.
While I'm sure there are various deep-seated issues behind this, her response was so unexpected I snorted at my desk. So thanks.
ReplyDeleteWell - from personal experience. I paid out of pocket for Imitrex at one point and they were about $30 a pill. I have since found the generics are great, cheaper and fewer side effects for me. You do go through a lot of emotions when you finally find the right Doctor, migraine meds and get the pain and number of incidents under control.
ReplyDelete...is she under the false impression that its addictive or a narcotic perhaps?
ReplyDeletePerhaps her tears were a reflection of finally finding relief after years of suffering, even though, for some reason, she felt guilty about it.
I agree with Livvy and Amanda. Perhaps, she feels like she should be able to handle this on her own or that it's expensive and she feels she shouldn't afford it.
ReplyDeleteI do know that chronic pain is debilitating, emotionally and physically. I'm not surprised by her emotional reaction to the cessasion of her pain.
As a life long migrainer, I think that Imitrex is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I cherish each of the 9 pills I get per month and save up for the bad months. It's like spending a gold bar and I hate to see one wasted on just a regular h/a. Perhaps she was over come with emotion that something finally worked.
ReplyDeleteher husband needs a fart blanket, but she selfishly spent the money on imitrex
ReplyDeleteThis post--I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Laugh at the ridiculous sounding statement, or cry that the poor woman can't just be genuinely happen that she found something that works.
ReplyDeleteGuilty? For what? Killing an innocent migraine?
ReplyDeleteGeez.
Are you sure you did not give 4mg Dilaudid tabs instead?
ReplyDeleteon a serious note, sadly this is a problem with some people who believe they should be in pain for most of ther lives, this is what allows crazy religions to be so popular, some people live self loathing because that's how They wanna live, as long as people live like this they will never progress. Too sad
ReplyDeleteI can understand this. I've had migraines my whole life, and a nice shot of imitrex knocks them right out. When I finally found an imitrex formulation that reliably works for me (those nasal sprays are stupid and the pills take forever to kick in), it felt so STRANGE to finally have my migraines not be a big deal. Having them suddenly go from debilitating to fine was so weird, especially in comparison to my mother who also has migraine/clusters, but hers are intractable. So yes, guilt. It happens.
ReplyDeleteAlso about an hour after I take an imitrex shot, my emotions are all over the map and I'm usually really hungry. There's also that.
I wish imitrex worked for my migraines. Alas, it doesn't (actually it makes my aura of slurred words worse which is just freaky). I have had some good luck at times with different preventives though.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I've often wondered if I would know what to do with myself if I just didn't have migraines one day....it would be... odd. And maybe even disconcerting...I might even cry.
Melissa
There are a whole raft of psychological side effects associated with triptans, right? Isn't it reasonable to think her feelings of guilt might be related?
ReplyDeleteImitrex works for me, but I don't like taking it because I feel like a million bucks when I wake up the next morning. I mean literally, whether life in general is good or bad I wake up feeling like all is right with the world. It's uncomfortable to have my mood manipulated in that way.
So I run to get rid of my migraines now, and it works like a charm (Plus it's cheap and has all the obvious associated health benefits).