Hello everyone! š Today I thought I would talk about a medical device I have just received, the Cefaly Duel. I did have the Cefaly prevent, but, after some migraines my medication schedule gets messed up and I'm very bad at keeping up with schedules, especially medicinal schedules. Recently the company that made the Cefaly came out with two more options. A Cefaly Duel, and a Cefaly Acute. That is three different options for migraine treatment and prevention.
Feel free to use the links provided below for information. You can also continue below that to read more about my migraine history and some random rambling. š
Products may be different in different countries
Photo taken from Cefaly Facebook Page , Click Link for more information
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Non-Professional Cefaly Pictures by Me! Makeup free yikes, you'll want a clean forehead though!
Video taken from Cefaly YouTube Channel Click to watch more videos provided by Cefaly
A little about my migraine experience
I had thought about doing a month of treatments and coming back for an update, but, this may help some people right now.
For some personal information, I have horrible chronic migraines. I have had them since I was 16 and am going on 12 years, and many migraines later. My migraines usually happen in the middle of the night and I wake up with one, usually. I have 12 hours from the time I wake up until my migraine will go away, it's a weird thing that usually works like clock work.
I have limited methods of helping because I can't keep oral medication down. I have tried Immitrex and Sumatriptan shots, and have found they made things worse. Now, if I can, my only recommended defense when I get a migraine is try and get down 1000mg of a non-steroidal anti-inflamatory medication, 50-100mg of Sumitriptan, an ice pack, tiger balm, 8mg of Ondansetron for nausau, and try and stay in bed for 12 hours or more. Life has not been very accepting of that line of defense. I have rolled my way into work, and of course sent home. No one likes a vomiting employee who refuses to take the sunglasses off. Fortunately the job I currently have they are understanding, but most are not!
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I have also tried an array of prevention medications but none have helped, and the few that may have helped once in a blue moon the side effects did not out-weigh the small improvement. The one thing I haven't tried is hormone therapy to regulate hormones. That has helped many women in particular, however, I have a blood clotting disorder called Factor V Liden, which causes my blood to clot more than normal. It's a hereditary disorder, or, mutation rather. For this reason I can't have most medications that have a risk of clotting.
Anyway, right now I take supplements. I take 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan). It's probably the biggest supplement that has helped. It's a natural mood stabilizer, so it says. Being a supplement it has not been evaluated by the FDA, so, take at your own risk. It's way better than the Amitriptyline that I was on for about a year and 30 pounds later. Fortunately I have lost all of that weight! That sucked.
Sooo, back to the Cefaly. I used it for a couple months. My schedule at the time was not the greatest. My documentation of anything is lacking also. Then, spring was rolling in, and I was hit with two days of head throbbing, nasau inducing, constant, pain. One of the worst migraines of my life. From then I just pushed aside all of my suppliments, the Cefaly, I was in a long state of post-tramatic Migraine depression, if you know what I mean.
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Well, put away on the shelf it sat. However, every so often I would put it on during a migraine, which was not recommended for the model I had. But, I will say, while the Cefaly was on, it really helped my migraine. Just a moment of relief, until the 20 minute session was over and my migraine rushed back. I had thought about starting the session over more times but being paranoid of using things wrong I didn't.
Now, there is a Cefaly for prevention, treatment, and both. The Cefaly duel just arrived the other day. It has a setting for prevention, meant to be used for 20 minutes every day, and it also has a setting for treatment, meant to be used for an HOUR, preferably at the beginning of a migraine, and can be used twice in a day.
Photo from Cefaly Facebook Page
The price, well, the two single settings are $349 a piece, and the duel is $499.
There is a 60 day money back guarantee, which is what finally pushed me to purchase the unit. This is enough time to know if the device is going to be helpful or not.
If you visit Cefaly's website (listed at the intro) there is more information pertaining to the devices and some testimonials. I will be trying to stick to a tight regiment of treatments and try and continue to stay on track even after a migraine. I'm hopeful, along with other medications I think this has a shot of helping many people. The price is high, and it also needs a prescription from a physician.
I had looked at this thing for a long time before purchasing. I even got a credit card specifically with the idea of buying it. It's one of the last resort solutions. I'm hoping soon it will be recognized and covered by insurance companies. I think it should be one of the first things suggested by doctors for migraine sufferers. The amount of money I've had to spend for ER visits, shots, medication, doctors visits, specialists, and a $1500 sleep study that turned out to be completely fine, I could justify giving this a chance. There are so many migraine medications that have adverse side-effects. I even dread taking my sumitiriptan. Occasionally it works, but usually it doesn't, and the side-effects and the crappy feeling I get from it is not desirable.
Hopefully this helps someone. I know this device is not the cheapest option. I have spent a lot in home remedies, supplements, and even prescription medication. Migraines are a big part of my life. I have to schedule around them, work around them, and try and live my life around them. I know, and have seen, SO many other people walk that same path. To be blunt, it sucks, it sucks BAD. There is not enough awareness, there is not enough understanding, there is barely enough treatment. There are many "silent" illnesses, this is definitely one that a lot of people don't completely understand and don't always take serious.
Feel free to share some of your migraine information, stories, medications, tips and tricks below. I know I have tried all that a doctor and google can offer me lol.
Forgot to add this
From badland lyrics on YouTube