Tension Headache - Ankylosing Spondylitis.

I wanted to write a short article about something that rules my life and drives me completely insane sometimes. Due to my AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) I suffer horrendous tension headaches which cause me incredible pain and discomfort. Due to years of very active AS, I now have a fused spine and neck so unfortunately tension headaches have for approximately the last 10 years been a regular feature of my life, in the last 5 years they have gotten worse and the attacks can turn into cluster headaches where it can last for several days before easing.

Today as I type this I'm on my second day of a bad head, I've tried everything from heat packs to ice to sunglasses and medication but sometimes I just have to leave it to run its course. Ordinary paracetamol does nothing for me now, I do take codeine if I can't stand the pain, but I don't like the side effects and constipation I seem to suffer. My favourite standby of choice and a medication that nearly always works is Syndol, a mixture of paracetamol/ codeine & doxylamine succinate. It works but makes me feel quite spaced out and drowsy. For the last few months Syndol has been off the market again which is really frustrating. I have one precious box left which I now ration and I really hope that Syndol becomes available again on the market....

My consultant prescribed Amitriptyline to help with the tension headaches, but I just couldn't stand the side effects that made me feel worse than the headaches themselves. If anyone out there has some suggestions, I would love to hear them!

Well I'm off to heat my neck pack in the microwave and hope this headache eases. Bye for now everyone. Mart x

The Grand National - this race should be banned!

The 2013 Grand National takes place tomorrow 6th April and once again it turns my stomach thinking of how many horses will suffer injuries and how many will be killed or have to be put down because of injuries sustained in this barbaric race.

The jumps are poorly designed and cruel. This year the race organisers bowing to public pressure have lowered some of the jumps and added plastic instead of wood, this is still not enough. The jumps are still either too high or too wide and encourage horses to bunch together and jump when they are tired. Some fatal injuries are even caused when horses crash into each other.

Britain is known around the world as a country of animal lovers, our RSPCA is a model for animal protection agencies around the world and does so much good for protecting animals in this country and yet we all seem to accept this race and get sucked in by the media "excitement". It really is sick and a national disgrace that this is allowed to happen. Just think for a minute..would motor racing be allowed to continue on a certain course if every year 2 or 3 drivers died in fatal accidents? The answer is NO... So why the hell do we let this sick race continue. Horses are beautiful animals and there is nothing at all wrong in racing on the flat but these steeplechase jumps are too much and proven dangerous.

Please do your bit by not watching this race and not betting on it. Together in our own way we can show that this race is WRONG.