South Geelong man’s decade-long battle with severe migraines, chronic pain

Since a motorbike accident in 2014, South Geelong’s Felix Orion has battled severe migraines, chronic pain and seizure-like episodes.

Geelong man Felix Orion has been struggling with ongoing health issues since a motorbike accident in 2014. Picture: Brad Fleet

When Felix Orion was thrown from his motorbike in a horror freeway crash the trajectory of his life changed forever.

Since the 2014 crash the South Geelong man has battled severe migraines, chronic pain and seizure-like episodes.

Mr Orion was riding his motorbike on a Sydney freeway when a truck cut him off.

He “tossed and tumbled” to the ground.

“I had some back pain but I was cleared after the accident,” the now-35-year-old said.

While living in London in 2015, he would wake up feeling dizzy and started experiencing severe headaches.

“I thought it was really odd, I had never experienced anything like that in my life,” he said.

“I thought I was 10 ft tall and bullet proof but after the accident, it totally changed my life and my perception of pain.”

Mr Orion visited specialists and neurologists in London, but medical experts were not able to find a cause for his pain.

“The investigations became a bit like spaghetti against the wall … it didn’t achieve much,” he said.

“I would try (any medications) that were available … it might have helped with one symptom but was causing several others.”

In the past three years, Mr Orion’s chronic pain and medical episodes have intensified.

He has been forced to cut back on working as a producer and a film lecturer at the University of Melbourne.

“It’s been really tough to treat a lot of these migraines,” he said.

“I used to have one here and there but now I’m at the point where I get up to 15 a month and they can last for a couple of days.

“They are quiet a silent disability, someone can look at you and you can seem healthy and fit but you live with something that can impact your life so much.”

Geelong man Felix Orion has been struggling with ongoing health issues since a motorbike accident in 2014. Picture: Brad Fleet

In early 2023, Mr Orion was on a flight from the United States to Auckland, New Zealand when he experienced a medical episode while the plane was landing.

“It started with severe pain, I then had difficultly breathing and started to lose consciousness,” he said.

Mr Orion was resuscitated and spent 24 hours in an Auckland hospital.

He remained under medical observation for another week before being allowed to travel back to Australia.

Mr Orion said he has exhausted his medical options in Australia and intends to travel to Europe to access alternative treatments.

He is considering plant-based medical clinics in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

“They are psychotherapy based treatments with the additional element of psychedelics,” he said.

“I have been trying to get into these trials in Australia but they are ridiculously expensive … and they are restrictive because current trials are not long-term and are only for terminally ill patients.”

A Go Fund Me page has been established by Mr Orion’s friends to help cover his travel expenses.

To donate, head to gofundme.com/felixfight.

Originally published as South Geelong man’s decade-long battle with severe migraines, chronic pain