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[webny99]

I must confess to not knowing that migraines were different than really bad headaches. I used to get migraines, or at least what I called migraines, quite often in elementary and middle school. I still get them occasionally, but much less often. They usually develop in the afternoon or evening, so I don't usually treat it other than to sleep it off if it's really bad. Fortunately I've never fainted though, and never had one last for more than a day.

Generally, besides the headache, other common migraine symptoms are nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and "auras" (which Mayo Clinic describes as "flashes of light, blind spots, and other vision changes or tingling in your hand or face").

My wife's migraines often last for a week or more at a time. Although it's really hard to tell when one stops and the next one starts. It's easier to count the days when she doesn't have a migraine rather than when she does.

Yep, sensitivity to sound and especially light are symptoms I've had as well. There have been times when I felt nauseous as well, but fortunately that hasn't happened in several years.

I'm sorry to hear that, hopefully you're able to find some sort of treatment because that sounds like no fun at all.

[kphoger]

Considering that the cause(s) of migraines isn't well understood, and that the definition of it is based more on symptoms than anything else, it's completely reasonable to think that what works to kick it for one person might make it worse for another person.  My wife has to take Advil right away, at the first sign (which for her is shimmering in her peripheral vision), and then lie down in the dark.

[Scott5114]

I checked with my wife, and she specified that what her doctor told her was that NSAIDs make rebound headaches more likely. That is, her doctor is worried that having too much of a NSAID in her system (i.e. the amount needed to make a severe headache to go away) will cause her body to react by giving her another headache. This, of course, would just lead to a spiral of more and more headaches.

I suppose if a person can take a small enough dose of a NSAID to avoid a rebound headache and still end the initial migraine, it's probably actually helpful. It's just that my wife's migraines are bad enough that's not possible, so she has to use non-NSAID medications like tryptans. And not all NSAIDs are equally likely to cause a rebound—naproxen (Aleve) is less likely to than ibuprofen (Advil) is. 

[kphoger]

I checked with my wife, and she specified that what her doctor told her was that NSAIDs make rebound headaches more likely. That is, her doctor is worried that having too much of a NSAID in her system (i.e. the amount needed to make a severe headache to go away) will cause her body to react by giving her another headache. This, of course, would just lead to a spiral of more and more headaches.

I believe that's in line with current medical understanding of migraines.

[adventurernumber1]

Thankfully I've never had migraines, but my dad does occasionally. The migraines are usually the worst whenever we're at a high altitude (such as a trip to Colorado in the mountains). He avoids eating certain things such as chocolate because those have been triggers in the past, and is very diligent (my mom baked cookies for Halloween that were mainly chocolate chip but also made a batch of peanut butter cookies for my dad). Migraines are definitely an extra league than normal headaches and are surely not fun in the least.

[TMETSJETSYT]

The worst pain ive ever experienced was when I had strep throat, and when I swallowed, not only did my throat hurt, but the pain would travel from my throat to my ear, and it would hurt like hell. Honestly I feel like breaking my wrist (which I did a few months prior) was not nearly as bad as my strep throat that turned into an ear infection at the same time basically.

[XamotCGC]

Kidney Stone

[NWI_Irish96]

Early on the morning of the 29th, I set out on one final clinching trip for the year, planning on picking off several Iowa counties as well as IL 5 in Rock Island and a nice chunk of US 34. I thought all the ice had melted on my driveway but I found the one patch that didn't. I broke my fall with my left arm, which knocked my humerus completely out of its socket and fractured it in two spots. It required surgery and a splint for 6 weeks and even then I might still need a shoulder replacement. Worst part is that I'm left handed, but in any case no driving for me for quite a while. Also having to type one handed so probably significantly less posting for a while too.

[Hunty2022]

I got one of my fingers slammed in a door a few years ago, blood all over my finger.

[bing101]

I went through a near death experience at work one time and it was the worst I experienced.

[MultiMillionMiler]

The worst pain ive ever experienced was when I had strep throat, and when I swallowed, not only did my throat hurt, but the pain would travel from my throat to my ear, and it would hurt like hell. Honestly I feel like breaking my wrist (which I did a few months prior) was not nearly as bad as my strep throat that turned into an ear infection at the same time basically.

Covid was like that for me back in July. Was actually in the hospital for 2 days due to extreme dehydration from just not being able to get a sip of water down. Also had diaherrea and vomiting, one time with blood in it. Blood pressure spiked at 179/116. I never got the booster, but did get both pfizer shots. Didn't prevent hospitalization or reduce symptom severity. And I was 22 with no physical health problems and still got an agonizing sore throat and a 102.5 fever (may have been higher before they measured it). Needed prescription pain and nausea medication and IV fluids, which all worked well.

[kphoger]

Didn't prevent hospitalization or reduce symptom severity.

Just jumping in here to say that it's impossible to know if it reduced symptom severity, because your getting the disease without having gotten the vaccine is a complete hypothetical that cannot be compared to reality.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Didn't prevent hospitalization or reduce symptom severity.

Just jumping in here to say that it's impossible to know if it reduced symptom severity, because your getting the disease without having gotten the vaccine is a complete hypothetical that cannot be compared to reality.

But I did get the vaccine, just not more than 2 shots. Just because I wasn't on a ventilator doesn't mean they made it mild instead of severe.

[kphoger]

Didn't prevent hospitalization or reduce symptom severity.

Just jumping in here to say that it's impossible to know if it reduced symptom severity, because your getting the disease without having gotten the vaccine is a complete hypothetical that cannot be compared to reality.

But I did get the vaccine, just not more than 2 shots. Just because I wasn't on a ventilator doesn't mean they made it mild instead of severe.

I know.  You were implying that having had the two shots did not reduce the severity of your symptoms.  You have no way of knowing that.  It's entirely possible that your COVID case would have been even more severe, had you not been vaccinated.  It's also entirely possible that it wouldn't have.  My point is that it's impossible to know.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Well they did make it sound like getting at least 2 doses would make your illness very mild and tolerable. As for how much worse it could have been there's no way to know, but given the "average severity" of a covid case even before the vaccine, I doubt my case was mild with the vaccine.

[Max Rockatansky]

Thing is, you have no baseline for how you would have felt with no vaccine or with a booster.  So how can you tangibly fully measure the affects of COVID on yourself when your data set is incomplete?

[MultiMillionMiler]

All I can say is I was violently ill. They made it seem like you would get only a very mild cold if you were fully vaccinated, and I got much more than that. I've gotten severe colds and it was worse than that, let alone a mild cold. I have no baseline to compare, but it seemed excessive for a disease I was supposedly "fully vaccinated" against, regardless of how I would have gotten it without the vaccine.

[CtrlAltDel]

Kidney Stone

You ain't whistlin' dixie.

[formulanone]

Well they did make it sound like getting at least 2 doses would make your illness very mild and tolerable. As for how much worse it could have been there's no way to know, but given the "average severity" of a covid case even before the vaccine, I doubt my case was mild with the vaccine.

That's the thing, COVID-19 had similar symptoms but reactions to it were much more unique from individual to individual. For some, it was a "common cold" that didn't even rank in the worst Top 10 of their personal illnesses. And for others, several days in the hospital, months of lingering symptoms, and even death. What we do know is that the vaccines seemed to quell the curve and greatly reduce the harsher side-effects of COVID-19. And there's no promise of 100% vaccine efficacy in all circumstances.

For me, it sucked for two days, but it then it was just an annoyance for a few days. My brother was laid out for two weeks. A buddy of mine was sick for a month. A co-worker of mine had zero symptoms but kept testing positive for two months (which kept putting off some necessary surgery). My kids' former teacher died as a result. From a health and well-being standpoint, everyone is different.

I went through a near death experience at work one time and it was the worst I experienced.

Not sure if this bears more discussion or not, but that's a personal choice. Hopefully you've had much more positive experiences from here on out, and came out stronger than what tested you in the first place.

[Scott5114]

For what it's worth, my wife has tested positive for covid twice—once before the vaccine was invented, once after. The first time I had it too, and it felt way worse than a cold. Mostly I remember the fever and whole-body soreness that felt like I had been working out every muscle in my body. After getting the vaccine, my wife tested positive after a coworker came down with it. My wife was entirely asymptomatic, and I didn't catch it from her at all despite her quarantining across the hall from me.

Now, this isn't a 100% scientific study because, among other things, they were different strains (alpha vs. omicron). But it was sufficient evidence for us to keep up with our boosters as recommended.

Anyway, although covid sucked and I don't want to get it again, it wasn't the worst pain I ever experienced. (Or even the worst illness—I think that was having strep.)

[kphoger]

All I can say is I was violently ill.

Then that's all you should have said.

[MikieTimT]

2nd worst pain: broken nose
Worst pain: surgical procedure to correct said broken nose the next day

Went into shock shortly after the broken nose, so didn't bother me all that much other than obstructed view from my right eye.

The whole broken nose setting process consisted of a small hammer and some tongs up the nose before packing it with gauze until healed.

Done under local anesthesia.  Coincidentally, the only time I have partaken in the usage of cocaine.  Can't say that it did much for me, or that it was a particularly great anesthetic, but given that I don't have a point of reference of the same procedure without it, maybe it did great for all I know.

[MultiMillionMiler]

For what it's worth, my wife has tested positive for covid twice—once before the vaccine was invented, once after. The first time I had it too, and it felt way worse than a cold. Mostly I remember the fever and whole-body soreness that felt like I had been working out every muscle in my body. After getting the vaccine, my wife tested positive after a coworker came down with it. My wife was entirely asymptomatic, and I didn't catch it from her at all despite her quarantining across the hall from me.

Now, this isn't a 100% scientific study because, among other things, they were different strains (alpha vs. omicron). But it was sufficient evidence for us to keep up with our boosters as recommended.

Anyway, although covid sucked and I don't want to get it again, it wasn't the worst pain I ever experienced. (Or even the worst illness—I think that was having strep.)

Yeah, well the vaccine didn't do shit. You don't get 3+ polio vaccines and then still get a mild, let alone moderate, case of polio. Never got a booster after that, and never will.

[kphoger]

Yeah, well the vaccine didn't do shit.

See below.

You have no way of knowing that.  It's entirely possible that your COVID case would have been even more severe, had you not been vaccinated.  It's also entirely possible that it wouldn't have.  My point is that it's impossible to know.

All I can say is I was violently ill.

Then that's all you should have said.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Well then they shouldn't call it a vaccine. Vaccines are supposed to make you immune to a disease, not reduce its severity by 1%.