I was diagnosed with both chronic migraines with and without aura and chronic daily headache in 2010. It wasn’t until this year…. 9 years later…. that I was given my correct diagnosis, occipital neuralgia.
Over the past nine years, I’ve been to more doctors than I can possibly count. 90% of the time, I would leave with new prescriptions to fill and a new set of side effects to manage.
I was always interested in the root cause of my headaches. Especially since it all started following a car accident (and whiplash injury). It couldn’t possibly be a coincidence and to be honest, I was getting sick of hearing that.
Enter 2019.
My headaches were becoming unbearable. I head a headache every single day of my life, a killer migraine (3-4 days long) at least once a week, and not one single pain-free day since November 2010.
I was at the doctor’s office for my Botox for chronic migraine injections every 3 months like clockwork. The surgical coordinator saw how much pain I was in and suggested that I see a pain management specialist, who specializes in migraines. I was weary about seeing yet another (potentially dismissive) doctor, but I decided to give it a shot.
I’m really glad I did. I finally got my true diagnosis of occipital neuralgia.
