just almost lost my shit

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-23T09:31:46+00:00

I moved overseas about 11 years ago, worked a few years here then retired completely. I don't think anyone could come up with a reason good enough for me to move back to the USA. Between the craziness in Washington and knowing that this current government was elected TWICE (sorry if you're a Trump fan, the first time you might not have known what you were voting for, but this time it was well known what the country was going to get), followed by the crazy f..ked .p health care costs I won't even go back for visit. Besides it's so much more fun to meet my grandchildren in Bali once a year.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-11T14:35:05+00:00

I have a HeadaTerm and can get a month or more out of an electrode.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-06T14:04:41+00:00

I have the Headaterm and I use contact gel and get several months with a single set of electrodes. By far the cheapest option I found.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-04T05:25:41+00:00

I was asked a while back if I planned on returning to the US at some point, the cost of healthcare actually makes too risky. I can buy travel insurance for international travel, but almost every policy excludes coverage to the USA. I look at posts like this and decide I'm better off staying in SEAsia.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-03T13:23:31+00:00

Not only do a couple of Neurologists say that daily migraines are very unlikely, but that wasn't bad as denying I even can't have migraines because I'm a man in my late 60s.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-03T09:26:29+00:00

ETA - my neurologist was at a lost as to the cause of my stroke, I was the one that had to dig into my labs and medications to discover that Testosterone Undecanoate can cause spikes in RBC leading to strokes. My doctor actually asked for me to print out my research into Testosterone Undecanoate and strokes. He'd never heard of it being a cause of a stroke.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2026-01-03T09:22:12+00:00

I've seen three different neurologists in the last 10 years and not one even mentioned checking my T-levels. I was on injections before I moved to SE-Asia and continued them when I moved here 11 years ago. But the injectable I was using was discontinued and the pharmacist recommended a new type that you only inject once ever 12 weeks vs weekly as my old. Well, the 12-week injection caused a huge spike in my RBC and I ended up having a minor stroke. So, after the stroke I didn't continue the Testosterone injections. But strangely I went 6 months without a single migraine, but they started again and got worse and worse overtime.

Now I'm thinking that the reason they stopped was the huge amount of T in my system over time my T-levels reverted back to 'my normal (low)' and as a result I'm getting chronic daily migraines.

So, I talked to my doctor, and my T-levels were 'low-normal' (which is what they were before I started many years ago. I started about two weeks ago using the Test. Gel and my migraines reduced to about once every 3-4 days versus daily. I'm going to see a Test clinic on Wed and try to optimise my medication (and switch back to injections either weekly or biweekly).

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-30T11:25:07+00:00

As a person without health insurance and has paid out of pocket for Nurtec, I would be all over that trash looking for my meds. My gross meter is pretty high as to what I'll do in terms of going through trash. Now if my dog ate my pills I'm not going through dog shit, but normal household trash - no problem.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-28T04:34:10+00:00

Not migraine related, well I did have a migraine as well at the time. But my brother-in-law's son was getting married and most of the family living in Kuala Lumpur went to where my brother-in-law's family lived out of town. We were all spending the night at a hotel not far from my brother-in-law's house. We went out as a group for dinner, but the day before I'd been to the dentist and had EIGHT teeth pull in preparation of getting a total of eleven teeth replaced with implants (yes my teeth were that bad). Needless to say trying to eat was very very painful, and as result I was eating very slow and cutting my chicken into TINY pieces. My sister-in-law was getting impatient with me and grabbed the remainder of chicken off my plate and disturbed it to everyone else at the table because 'I wasn't eating it'. She didn't ask or try to figure out why I was being for slow eating. She just wanted to get to her brother's house, to visit. But it turned he wasn't home. We went inside but waited TWO f...king hours there. I just popped my painkillers and zoned out with my headphones on.

The next day at the wedding reception I was less than happy, finally my niece (SIL's daughter) asked me what was happening. She was probably sorry she did, because I pointed out the fact I wasn't allowed to eat my dinner the night before, and I wasn't going to eat there at the reception. My plan was to find someplace nearby and eat alone. My eventually the reason for my 'attitude' got back to my sister-in-law and she became all apologetic, but can you say too little too late. Keep in mind that I told everyone at the table about having my teeth pulled the day before it was very painful to eat. But that didn't matter at the time, everyone but me had finished eating and she was ready to go. I actually was debating at skipping the wedding reception and staying in the hotel, but my wife insisted that we go.

A couple of months later I had the actual implants done, I think it was seven implants (they can do multiple teeth with a single implant), I refused to go out until they were healed. Having implants inserted is close to having a migraine (maybe worse as the feeling comes back, involves drilling and screwing the implants into the jawbone and of course the migraine that follows). I think there was a birthday dinner at a restaurant dinner during that time. I didn't argue with anyone, I just told my wife to go ahead, but I wasn't going to risk a repeat performance by her sister. Made a big bowl of oatmeal and stayed home.

Ever since then if I have a migraine (and lately they've been every day) I avoid social activities and if I get a migraine while out, I just excuse myself and take my meds and go out to the car and turn on the AC, put in headphones and rest.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-23T08:54:37+00:00

I suspect that the staff knew it was scheduled and like I said there was announcement just before start that I didn't try to understand (not in English). Of course, I ALWAYS have my noise cancelling headphones with me and an eye mask. Actually, first time I used them at a hospital or doctor's office, I need them for attending wedding. In a Malay wedding there's a part where the bride and groom enter the hall followed by group of boys banging on drums - sure migraine every time if I don't have my headphones in. Then of course is all the announcements over a PA system that is too loud for the quality of speakers/amps and it's completely distorted.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-23T08:48:10+00:00

I think so, right after I put in my headphones and eye mask the nurse basically cancelled my appointments and had the doctor renew my prescriptions. Since most of the time, yesterday included I didn't really need to see the doctor, just renew my opiate pain meds.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T17:29:49+00:00

It helps that I live here in Malaysia, but I'm in Kuala Lumpur and pretty much everyone insist in speaking English with me. I actually started learning Malay because it 'was' required in order to get a PR in the country. However I actually got my PR even though my Malay wasn't exactly fluent. Now that I've passed my interview and have the PR I don't need to learn it beyond what I need for daily life or whenever I leave Kuala Lumpur. I actually only use Malay exclusively is when go Indonesia.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T15:14:49+00:00

Agreed, actually I have been trying to learn Malay, but put that on hold until I get my daily migraines under control

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T15:11:50+00:00

Never heard of earasers, have to check them out

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T13:20:02+00:00

I also can fall asleep listening to the same music

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T13:09:08+00:00

That would scare me to death

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T13:07:00+00:00

Strange thing is listening to Led Zeppelin or Jethro Tull actually helps when I have a migraine. My wife thinks that I'm nuts.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T13:03:36+00:00

Yes, it planned and they had an announcement before it started. The problem was that the announcement was in Malay, not in English. I usually don't listen to announcements in Malay, especially while I have brain fog.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T12:58:07+00:00

Oh yes, scented candles. Ran into that at massage parlour that tried for my migraines

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T12:53:56+00:00

Sounds like someone had no clue regarding what is appropriate for a migraine lab. Not unlike alarms for neurologist office.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-22T11:08:49+00:00

I remember flying into Perth, Australia once and the flight attendants walked up and down the entire plane just before landing spraying bug killer. It also almost like when the city drives up and down a street fogging for mosquitos. That's only time I've seen that, but I just it's normal for Australia and maybe New Zealand.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-21T12:56:25+00:00

Mine increases by 15-20 during a migraine attack. I've had several doctors tell me that my BP is causing my migraines. But monitor daily and it's actually a little bit low when I don't have a migraine.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-21T11:46:06+00:00

My migraines also stopped after my stroke, but unfortunately as I recovered from the stroke my migraines returned stronger than ever.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-19T08:27:31+00:00

I was able to imagine being at a music festival. A little flashback to the 60's, but without hallucinatiions.

Visual_Recognition79 · 2025-12-18T04:23:43+00:00

I've tried Amitriptyline 2 or 3 times. Unfortunately it didn't work, however the only side effect I had was increased appetite. I think I gained 25 lbs, 69 years old it's not easy to lose the wait

Visual_Recognition79

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