My name is Rajni Mathur, and I’m a 55-year-old teacher in a government school in Delhi. For over 40 years, I’ve battled chronic migraines. It started in fourth grade with severe headaches, and the pain only escalated as I got older. I think it started when I was in fourth class. The first time I had the pain in my head, I didn’t know what migraine was.
In school, sports periods in the sun would trigger agonizing pain. Stress from studies often forced me to take medication, even during my tenth-grade board exams. I would often worry during exams that the pain would start before the exam finished. As I entered the workforce and got married, the migraines worsened. Vomiting became a regular occurrence with the intense pain, and traveling was a nightmare. I would get pain and vomiting while traveling, even now. So, I would avoid going to functions or anywhere I couldn’t easily rest.
Over the years, I tried countless treatments: allopathic, homeopathic, preventive medications, pain killers – you name it, I tried it. I saw doctors all over Delhi, trying every kind of medicine. I even tried ayurvedic treatments a couple of times, but they didn’t really help. Nothing seemed to provide lasting relief. The frequency of my migraines increased, and I was taking pain killers almost daily. I think I’ve taken lakhs of painkillers in my life. I’ve taken everything – Disprin, Buff, and now I need Headset or medications from the triptan family.
Migraines impacted every aspect of my life. I had to avoid activities, travel, and social events. In college, I missed out on functions and activities because I couldn’t handle the exertion. The constant pain affected my work, my relationships, and my overall well-being. In my job as a teacher, the pain would often start by eleven or twelve, and I’d have to take a painkiller just to get through the day. It was hard because I couldn’t just take a day off every time I had a headache. Sometimes I’d wake up at four in the morning with a headache, take a painkiller with some biscuits, and go to school.
I felt like a burden, always complaining about headaches. Even at home, after I got married, people would say, “It’s just a little headache, come sit outside, watch TV.” But they didn’t understand the kind of pain I was in. Eventually, I stopped telling people I had a headache because I didn’t want them to think I was always complaining. I would just take my medicine and try to carry on. I especially didn’t want my in-laws to think I was using migraines as an excuse not to work. It’s a common problem for women with migraines, especially after having children. You just try to push through with painkillers.
Desperate for a solution, I finally found hope at a place called Padaav. A colleague’s daughter, Khushi Mittal, had received successful treatment for psoriasis there, and she suggested I give it a try. She told me they also treated migraines. Skeptical but willing to explore any option, I visited Padaav on December 23rd. I had taken a painkiller that day.
The doctors at Padaav took a different approach. They immediately stopped all my medications, including the painkillers and preventive medicines I was taking. The next day, the pain started, of course. The doctors there monitored me closely the whole day, encouraging me not to take any painkillers. It was difficult, but I managed. The next two days were also rough, but the medications they gave me provided some relief. After that, I started to feel better. I followed their routine – waking up at six, walking, drinking two glasses of water (which was a new habit for me) – and taking the medications they prescribed. For four days, I was pain-free! Since then, I’ve only needed a painkiller once. It’s been thirteen days, and this is the longest I’ve gone without regular painkillers in ten years.
Padaav gave me a sense of hope that I had long lost. I had started to think my kidneys would fail because of all the painkillers I was taking. I even told Shikha Madam that I didn’t think I’d live to see my daughter’s wedding. But now, I feel like I have a path forward. The routine they have me on is something I can actually follow in my daily life.
I’m still on my journey to recovery, but I’m confident that I have finally found a path that will lead me to a better quality of life. My faith in Ayurveda has grown tremendously. I used to have terrible constipation from all the medications, but even that has improved significantly since I came to Padaav. I think the focus on diet is the key.
If you’re struggling with migraines, please don’t give up. There is hope, and there are ways to manage the pain. Consider exploring alternative treatments like Padaav, and don’t hesitate to seek help and support. If my chronic migraines can improve, anyone’s can. Don’t rely solely on allopathic medicine and painkillers. Padaav is worth a try. It can change your life.
