13 replies to this topic

[Matt]

Hey everyone. I was wondering if any of you get migraines? I havnt had one in about 6 months and is now winter. I usually get them in summer however yesterday i got one 3 hours into work. I was narrowing down causes and the only thing different is that i havnt made and black powder in a long time, i made half a kilo on saturday and 400g of glitter on monday.

I dont like thinking that fireworks could be the cause, not something im planning on parting with. Anyone else think its possible? would a good respirator help?

-Matt

[Creepin_pyro]

I started getting headaches recently. Not quite migraine standard (I've never had one - so I wouldn't know) more of a persistant, dull pain. I got quite paranoid about chemical poisoning, but couldn't think of any safety procedured I'd bypassed, so I thought about it a little more. It dawned on me that I had moved into a new office, with different seating arrangements. And a new 15" monitor. Locked on 1280*1024 way too close to my eyes. I insisted that I get a flatscreen, so I could put it at the back of the desk, and until the order comes trough (few years, mabye) I get to work on a laptop
They've cleared up now, and I've calmed down on the lab work - it's made me review all of my procedures, and think about getting a new respirator. I just hope it doesn't happen again when I start mixing things, which needs to be done soon. That would really worry me

[Phoenix]

I've had the same thing happen to me if I screen mixtures or roll stars, or other things that kick up any dust, without a good respirator on. I think that it's potassium nitrate that does it. I recently got a nice 3M respirator with a rubber face seal, and that seems to help a lot, but I've taken to doing particularly dusty procedures outside too, that way I have no problems. The normal paper-like ?2.50 dust masks (the sort I was using before) don't offer very good protection.

Just wondering: The more expensive respirators often have an expiry date on them. I guessed that this because they are meant to provide protection from poisonous solvents, and contain activated carbon or something similar. If this is the case, presumably this shouldn't affect the respirator's ability to stop the particulate matter that we deal with, so there wouldn't be any need to chuck it out after a month even if you only use it once, just when the filters are blocked?

BTW, I was only talking about normal, wimpy headaches, not proper migraines.

Edited by Phoenix, 24 June 2004 - 09:52 AM.

[StfuStuf]

I find that I rarely get headaches when I work with potassium nitrate even with wearing those paper masks, or without a mask at all when I was young and foolish. Maybe its just because I don't have a ball mill but still there is plenty of dust flying around my workspace. The potassium nitrate looked pretty harmless to me compared to other things...

[Stuart]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I used to get Migraines but haven't had any for at least 6 months to a year now. Guess what I started doing about 6 months ago... pyrotechnics.

I doubt that it has solved it, maybe it just gets me off the computer so I don't get them any more. I used to go on the computer a lot, not much now. Having said that, just finished a 2 hour game against my brother, for once he did well, but still lost.

[bmiller14]

Computers are a big problem these days there is not enough education about them they can cause lots of problems. I often get head aches after I have been on the computer for a while. They may be migraines I don't know how bad qualifys as a migraine.

[Matt]

Dont think computers are my problem. I have been to some radioology (sp?) place for a head scan thingo and they found nothing.

Migraines are much different to headaches, vommiting is usually another thing that comes with migraines and not headaches. Which is another reason why i pointed my finger at fireworks this time, Ive never thrown up so much in my life. I was probably in and out of bed vommiting every 15-20 mins for about 3 hours.

[Stuart]

Oh god yes. My record is about 7 times in 30 minutes. There was nothing to bring up after the third, stomach was empty. I also go white and just slump over on anything. If you try talking to me you will hardly get any response. Matt, when you get one, do you find that something funny thing happens to your vision first.

[Matt]

I FOUND A MIGRAINE BROTHER!!!!!!
Yep, when things start dissapearin i say to myself "get home and go to bed NOW before the pain kicks in" quite freaky to say the least having peoples heads half missing and whatnot.

Its kinda like the countdown. I usually get about half an hour after that then my vision comes back, then bam in comes the pain

My mom sais ive been known to go a pale green as well as white. The phone kept ringing when i went to bed also, they heard my grunts and never called back...

-Matt

[thewildething]

I can relate to what you guys are saying, I used to get bad Migraines. Just like you said, I get visual disturbances, things do actually disappear, I cannot read when I get them. From the time of the visual disturbances I have half an hour befor the pain kicks in to get to a dark quiet place and take painkillers. I also get severe photophobia with migraines, so I have had my room fitted with blackout blinds so I can make it pitch dark whenever I want. Then I have consistently 4 hours of bad pain, I mean consistently, Its never more than a few more or less minutes than 4 hours which is some comfort as i know when I will be ok, The pain almost goes instantly with me being sick, and I have been sick every time I have had a migraines.
At least you guys can understand, other people I tell who dont have migraines think its just a headache and ask why its such a big deal, well I tell them a normal headache is nothing compared to a migraine.
I still do not know what causes mine, there are 1000's of things that will cause them and my doctor said it will be very difficult to pinpoint the cause. I think its stress, but i am doing A-levels at the moment an I am pretty stressed but I have not had one for about 8 months. Touch wood.

Cheers,
Marcus.

Hey Matt, you went for a head scan and they found nothing?? sorry I had to point it out. :-)

Edited by thewildething, 24 June 2004 - 01:18 PM.

[Stuart]

Its nice to hear other people have the same symptoms. I have had headaches before I think and I would rather get 10 times as many headaches than migraines. At least with headaches, you can take some pain killers and thats it. You hear people say they have a banging headache but they are still quite cheerful. You just think, you don't know the meaning of the word pain. I have about half an hour to an hour to live when my vision decides to play around then once its gone... bang, hits me.

Anyone wanting to know what its like, cave your head in with a block hammer a few times and you might just about approach a 'soft' migraine

Stuart

Edited by Stuart, 24 June 2004 - 03:29 PM.

[Creepin_pyro]

You hear people say they have a banging headache but they are still quite cheerful. You just think, you don't know the meaning of the word pain.

Heh - try dislocating your arm the wrong (backwards) way - now that's what I call pain.

Seriously, though - I feel for you guys. My mum has had them recently - seeing someone with one makes normal headaches seem so tame. Has anyone tried the migraine pills you can buy, or morphine, or Nitrous Oxide? Surely there's somethng that will help?

[Stuart]

Morphine, that would seem like gold. Nitrous Oxide, interesting, might look for a synth

Seriously though, I don't know. Some say that pills work, others don't. I have never tried them, didn't know there was such a thing until a few months ago when I discovered another migraine brother as Matt put it. If I do get one again though, god forbid, will have to try some

Pain is the wrong word to describe a migraine. Migraines feel more like..like...well, a migraine. Cant describe it, its just horrible though

Edited by Stuart, 24 June 2004 - 08:44 PM.

[Flashy]

If you want a good respirator then the Sundstrom SR 100 is a fantastic half face mask.



They are availiable from http://www.photosol.uk.com/ in the catologue. They sell them on there for ?28 and the P3 particle filter is around a fiver. Seems expensive but its well worth it.

Dave