It took six years to identify the condition that caused my chronic pain: a blood sugar dysregulation condition
Seven years ago, when I was 27, I got my first-ever migraine. Ten months later, it was still there.
Even after the 10-month migraine ended, frequent weeks-long migraine attacks and bouts of stabbing “icepick” headaches kept me in pain more often than not. I was a software engineer at Facebook, but had to take leave from work because looking at my laptop screen made my head scream in revolt. I would never go back.
Instead, over the next six years, I’d be hospitalized four times for chronic migraine disorder, the most disabling form of migraine disease, which is the second most common cause of disability globally. Chronic migraine involves, among other things, having a headache for 15 or more days per month. I’d also try all of the available medications for migraines despite their side-effects and begin avoiding bright lights, loud noises and a long list of foods that other chronic migraineurs told me could worsen my pain including gluten, tomatoes, dairy, bananas, certain varieties of onions, lemons, olive oil and anything aged – including leftovers.
Early on, I visited one of the country’s top-ranked neurology practices, looking for answers. My MRI, CT scan and bloodwork were all normal, yet clearly something was wrong. But the neurologist insisted this was the end of the road.
