Mum ended up in A&E with 'out of control' migraines that left her bed bound
A mum whose "out of control" migraines were so severe they affected her speech has finally found a solution that works for her. Jo Price, 38, started getting regular migraines as a teenager and was given medication.
But during her twenties they became increasingly severe as she was struck down regularly with migraine attacks that took days to recover from each time.
Known officially as hemiplegic migraines, they can mirror the symptoms of a stroke as they lead to severe weakness on one side of the body. Jo struggled to hold down her job working at a specialist educational needs (SEN) school and had to make multiple trips to A&E.
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Speaking to the ECHO, Jo said: “At around 14, I started getting migraines and went to the doctors. I was told these migraines ran in the family and they just prescribed basic GP medication. I would have them once a month and two hours later I'd be okay.
“In my twenties, they become more complex. I would have migraines where I wouldn’t be able to move. It affected my speech and gave me a severe stutter.
“My migraines became out of control. It would take three days to recover. I would then feel better but fall straight back into one. They were continuous."
As time progressed, Jo feared that she would have to stop working and wouldn’t be able to start a family of her own. She said: “I worked in a local SEN school. I was having multiple meetings with HR. It was really tricky. I didn't understand it myself and had to spend time off work.
“Starting a family, it just felt like it was never possible. I couldn't look after myself. I was bed bound, being sick. I thought, how can I even have kids when I can't look after myself? That goal was so far away because I couldn't see a way out.”
After being put on several different medications, Jo discovered The Walton Centre in Liverpool had a headache service 10 years ago. Jo, who is from Ruthin, North Wales, pushed to receive treatment at the centre and succeeded.
Initially, Jo’s migraines were being treated with nerve blocks and Botox medication and she quickly felt she was in the right place. She said: “I felt supported by people who understood the condition and could teach me about it as well.”
Although the migraines did not disappear entirely, the most severe effects of her migraines reduced significantly. When Jo decided to try to start a family, the trust’s dedicated headache team worked with Jo to safely adjust her medication and create a plan that balanced managing the episodes of migraine with her goal of becoming a mum. This plan succeeded, and Jo now lives happily with her partner Gareth, 35, and their son Olly, who is four.
The Walton Centre continues to support Jo with further treatment. Thanks to monthly ajovy injections to further reduce instances of migraine, Jo was able to launch her own behaviour consultancy business, working with neurodiverse children and their families.
Jo never imagined she would be able to be self-employed, but that is now possible thanks to how her condition has improved. She said: “I was self-employed which is something I never thought I’d be able to do.
“I have to live with it now and understand it better. I get migraines monthly. They can range from six hours to two days whereas before they were continuous. I bounce back a lot quicker.”
Jo wants to use her experience to highlight how chronic migraines differ from standard headaches. She said: “Chronic migraines means you have a headache or migraine for 15 or more days each month.
“There’s a perception where people just think it's just a headache where you just take paracetamol and move on. That doesn’t work for me. I've had to have some really painful procedures.
“I've had to have ambulances called to my home and not be able to move. It's been horrific. I don't think others realise how difficult it is to manage. In my twenties, I would have loved to speak to somebody older and realise that I could start a family and could start to work for myself.”