When you travel for a whole year, it's natural to be sick sometimes, but being sick while travelling is never fun! We both recently had a cold (with flu symptoms) and maybe that's why I have a migraine now.
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ShareBut I never really know why it comes, it just does. So I'm currently mostly in the campervan with an ice bag on my head. The photo of Peter swimming was actually taken from the door of the motorhome.
Don't want to complain
I don't want to write this post to complain. We are fantastically lucky to be able to make this travelling by motorhome around Europe and there are plenty of people who have it infinitely more difficult in life (we think and talk about refugees every day!), but for us, as for others, the days are up and down. When I have a migraine, I get totally knocked out, often for days, with pulsating pain behind one eye.
In itself, it's good to be free and I have a nice motorhome bed to curl up in, but my best medicines are out and I suspect that they are difficult to get abroad. These are things that can be a little extra difficult when you are sick on the trip!
Treatment of migraine
When I write that I have migraines, many people always want to share tips. I really appreciate that, but perhaps it's just as well to say that I think I've tried every medication on the market.
I regularly see a neurologist in Stockholm and over the years have tried all sorts of medications, including nasal sprays and a scary injection that Peter had to give me in my leg, haha. I've also tried acupuncture, massage and relaxation and was on the verge of trying botox (yes, it's used as a treatment for migraines!), but dropped out at the last second.
Unfortunately, most medications and treatments have the same effect as jelly raspberry on me (i.e. none). Finally, I have settled on an old medicine (Anervan) that helps sometimes, if I take it early and sleep for many hours. But as I said, it's gone, so now I just have to wait out the misery.
When I recover, I look forward to being able to start exercising again soon - it's usually a good preventative measure. I can also look forward to getting older - my grandmother told me that her migraines disappeared after she turned 90...! Greetings from the infirmary!
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Monica says:
I really feel for you. I am also a headache person and had horrible migraine attacks at your age. That was before the new migraine medication came along so it was just waiting it out in the quiet and dark. Later beta blockers but I guess you tried that too. Colds, stubborn ones with just flu symptoms but with a moderate fever, we get them all the time down here. Especially now around the start of school. We also believe that the fact that we are constantly switching between AC in the car, air conditioning in the house and very warm outside temperatures with sometimes high humidity makes us more susceptible to infection. Plus we are exposed to southern European viruses we are not used to.
Can't you still ask at a pharmacy - some medicines that you are careful with in Sweden are sold extremely liberally, perhaps also right where you are now? Get well anyway and you have time with some sick days from time to time?
19 September 2015 - 12:40
admin says:
Monica, thank you for your reply! The modern migraine medications don't work for me, so I guess I'm a bit like you used to be... Codeine (can help early with lighter attacks) maybe you can try to get it here? As well as beta blockers? I usually take that too, but they're also out of stock... Anervan is a somewhat unusual and old medicine, so I don't think I can get it....
19 September 2015 - 12:50
anita wag agrimanaki says:
Blääää, I feel for you. I had migraines for many years. I used to feel the night before that it was coming, the next day I was passed out, vomiting occasionally and the next day I was tired and with swollen eyes from the pain the day before. I say used to. Nowadays I call it a headache because it is usually not a migraine attack now. 7 years ago the migraine was replaced by trigeminal neuralgia (facial pain) The pain is kept in check with epilepsy medication. And the migraines are very rare now. I would try botox if I were like you....Hope you are better now in any case. Hugs!
19 September 2015 - 12:52
Åsa says:
Hope you get better soon! Hugs!
19 September 2015 - 13:18
BP says:
Ugh, poor thing! I sincerely hope that you get well again soon. The fact that your "favourite" medicine has run out is an extra stress factor. Send Peter out so that he can check if the medicine might be available at a pharmacy nearby. He can take the box with him so that the pharmacist can see which "ingredients" are included in Anervan. Just a tip, we have done that a few times abroad and it has worked.
Oh, the migraine attacks actually decrease after menopause, I noticed, but unfortunately you have a few years to go;-)
PS. Have you met any refugees during your trip? DS.
19 September 2015 - 14:14
Steve says:
I'm sorry. I feel for you, but I won't say I understand how you feel because only you can know.
The future looks bright, even if you have to wait 50 years. Get well soon!
19 September 2015 - 15:05
Ditte says:
Yes, age can sometimes help and so with different conditions. So annoying with your migraine but I hope it will soon leave you for this time. No tips at all from me. But maybe someone can find out what causes it and how it can be treated. Well worth a Nobel Prize in that case....
Thoughts and get well wishes.
19 September 2015 - 15:41
znogge says:
Get well soon, both of you! Migraines are really no fun at all...
19 September 2015 - 15:48
ontripdk says:
Well, what a pity for you 🙁 Get well soon, we hope you get well again soon.
19 September 2015 - 15:59
Henny says:
Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's not funny. Not fun if you have to wait until you're 90 to get rid of your recurring migraines. Perhaps the advice from BP could be something to consider. I really hope that your migraines don't last too long this time and that even the cold goes away quickly.
19 September 2015 - 16:08
Anja says:
Oooh Helena! We could almost have met! Came home from the town of Krk on the island of Krk last night and it has been a nice week! Before, you wanted travel tips - my boss recommended Brach to us before we left (can not get that crow above the a on my computer) and there you are quite close now (when you get well again). We liked Krk, we made many lovely walks along the water and there are organised rock baths that big waves hit when it was windy days. Beautiful! It was so fun to come back to Croatia after a break of a few years. Previously we have been in Zadar, Rovinj, Trogir and Porec oh what I remember it was also nice places all. One year it was too hot for us to continue with the folk bus, so we just turned north and west. Get well soon! (Yes, the refugee crisis is awful and people are showing their worst side. You feel ashamed!)
19 September 2015 - 17:03
Anja says:
Forgot to tell you that the airport controls were HUGE both in Rijeka, from where we flew home, and at Skavsta. I do not know HOW many police officers were in place and we had to show the passports X number of times more than you usually need and in Rijeka there was someone walking around and photographing everyone who sat in the departure halls... It is unsettled in barbed wire fenced EU ): .....
19 September 2015 - 17:45
admin says:
Anita, thank you for your comment! I also throw up sometimes, but not this time. Funny that your migraine suddenly changed shape and became something else! Doesn't sound fun either... Have you heard of anyone who has tried botox?
Åsa, thank you! I'm hoping for an improvement soon, but it's hard to know, it goes in waves....
BP, we'll probably try taking the boxes to the pharmacy next time we find one. There is none here, but I will try it for next time! And no, funnily enough we haven't seen any refugees (as far as we know), but they take certain roads and we haven't travelled exactly there...
Steve, yeah right, haha. It's all about getting old enough to enjoy it 😉.
Ditte, I always wonder what it is and what I might have done "wrong" this time. But I never get any wiser...
Znogge, thank you!
Ontripdk, thank you very much!
Henny, yes, I'll take some boxes to the pharmacy and see if I can get some, for next time....
Anja, oh then we were close! Great that you had a great time on Krk! Thanks for the tips! We are thinking about Brax, it can probably be a trip there! Will check out the other resorts you mention as well, do not know exactly where all are located. Certainly the refugee crisis is terrible, and you almost get scared for humanity when you hear how some people think! Interesting that there was such rigorous control! We have slipped past all the borders very quickly and easily (except possibly Macedonia where they were quite fussy).
19 September 2015 - 18:29
Ama de casa says:
Mainly to be sick... Not fun anywhere, but certainly not when travelling. Best to be at home then.
Hope you recover quickly!
Hugs
19 September 2015 - 18:30
s p i n d e l t j e j e n says:
Get well soon!!! It is never fun to be sick, but especially not when you are in the heat <3
19 September 2015 - 22:04
admin says:
Ama de casa, thank you! In any case, it's nice to have the rolling home with you when you are sick 😉
Spider girl, thank you very much!
20 September 2015 - 7:28
Lennart says:
Getting sick is no fun at all.
Last Christmas and New Year, we were knocked out in Spain!
Get well soon!
20 September 2015 - 7:37
Ninni, Henrik och husbilen Knasen says:
No, but ugh... poor thing! Migraine is really disgusting! Hope it goes away as soon as possible!
But otherwise you have stayed on your feet during the trip, right? Great! You hear so much that happens to acquaintances in your surroundings now so you start to enjoy more and more every day that everyone is healthy and well. Take care of yourselves now! Hugs from Knasen
20 September 2015 - 8:14
Husbilen Helge says:
Get well soon! May it pass quickly!
20 September 2015 - 8:39
admin says:
Lennart, thank you! Sounds sad to be sick on Christmas and New Year in Spain... but you can't control when you get sick, unfortunately... 😉.
Ninni, we have been mostly healthy, but I get migraines from time to time. Peter has had some problems with his back and knees sometimes. But that's something you have to expect... Of course you should be happy every day you can be healthy!
The motorhome Helge, thank you very much! It feels better today when I woke up so I hope it will be over now (after three days)....
20 September 2015 - 8:58
Lena i Wales says:
Oh, dear! Not a migraine! I am lucky enough not to have this condition, but my husband gets attacks from time to time. Both his parents had migraines.
Hope it goes away soon. Feel for you!
20 September 2015 - 10:14
solan says:
Well, I'm sorry you're so tired. Migraines are much worse. Just sending some "hope you feel better soon greetings". We circle around in the forests of Småland with mushroom baskets in our hands.
20 September 2015 - 10:55
Lars Permelin says:
It's no fun getting sick when you're abroad and far away from your bed at home. I really hope it goes away and that you get rid of the headache.
20 September 2015 - 11:08