Well it has been just about 3 months since I went and got the daith piercing to help with migraines. Just as a reminder, the migraines were daily and quite severe. One of the reasons that I went with the daith piercing is because I had tried many medications, and then injections….Amovig (insurance would not pay) and Emgality (had a reaction after 3 months), and the neurologist recommended Botox injections. This terrified me, so I was willing to to the next thing on the list that terrified me just slightly less… a daith piercing. I was desperate.

You can refer back to this post,
https://fikeadventures.com/daith-piercing-for-migraines/ , to read about the initial adventure.

I also went on to get the Botox injections the following week, and figured that between the two, hopefully it would help. Here is more about Botox (and the 33 injections!)
ttps://www.botoxmedical.com/ChronicMigraine/DosingAndAdministration/ProvenInjectionSites

This is my update on the Botox injections the day of the first injections.
https://fikeadventures.com/botox-for-migraines-and-daith-update/

The doctor still believes that I am having “lupus migraines”, and that they are some of the hardest migraines to fight. I do know that certain kinds of stress cause migraines for me. Very bright, white lights, especially those extra bright headlights, or the sun shining through a tree lined street, causing a strobe-like effect, cause migraines. Also, certain foods cause migraines for me. Most of these are unavoidable, but as in the food, I just don’t eat those foods any more.

It has been about three months now. Since the piercing, I have had about 15 severe migraines that needed prescription medication, zero trips to the ER for IV fluid and migraine cocktail, and one shot in the doctor’s office, because I had a migraine on the day of a follow up visit. I have also had some small headaches that were easily manageable with rest or a few times I took excedrin migraine. I know that this sounds like a lot of migraines… BUT I had been having DAILY SEVERE migraines. That is about 30 days times 3 equals 90 days. 15 days is FAR better than 90 days! That is about two and a half months of better functioning, clearer thinking, and a more enjoyable life.

The piercing itself is healing nicely. It seems to have stopped all seeping. It does still feel bruised from time to time. I think I may sleep on it wrong at night. On nights that it is sore, I still sleep with a “U” shaped neck/travel pillow with my ear in the opening.
https://www.fivebelow.com/printed-memory-foam-travel-pillow.html Most days, I don’t even notice that it is there. I do still clean it morning and night as recommended by the piercer.

On a side note, I used the cleaning solution that I purchased at the tattoo place. Then I ordered Blue Wave on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Tattoo-Blue-Saline-Cleansing-Solution/dp/B0019S5LJC/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?crid=JTTKZ0YVC86C&keywords=blue+wave+saline+spray&qid=1558331259&s=gateway&sprefix=blue+wave%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-2-fkmrnull

After that ran out, I made my own with 1/4 tsp of sea salt dissolved into 1 cup warm distilled water.

So, three months later, if I had to do it again, would I get the daith piercing? Absolutely! There are many times, that I feel like a migraine is coming and I gently pull on the earing, or play with it a little, and I can feel it fighting the migraine. Many times it will go away completely. It is a weird feeling when the migraine is trying to push through and the piercing is “fighting” it. It comes and goes, back and forth, quickly, like a pulsing…until the pulsing gets slower and then is gone. I know it is an acupressure point. I have no idea how it works, but it works on me for many of my migraines. Yes, I would do it again. Will I do the other ear? Probably not. There is really no need. This one seems to be doing well enough on its own.

Would I get the Botox again? yes. I will continue with the current plan of treatment. It seems to be making a huge improvement. I wish it were more working a little better . The Botox is every three months. We are coming up on round two in June. It could take a few treatments to reach its full effect. Maybe with more treatments, it will improve each time.

Over all, both the daith piercing and the Botox injections have been a positive experience for me during the first three months.