Coping, Doctors, Treatment

My Ideal Headache Specialist

Migraine Awareness Month Blogging Challenge #19: “The Match Game” — Describe your perfect doctor to treat your migraines.

My ideal migraine doctor attended Hogwarts and then completed four years at a top-notch magical medical school. After a four-year residency in neurology, she did a two-year fellowship in headache medicine at the world’s best magical headache clinic. She’s kind, compassionate, brilliant and innovative — and she’s never had a patient whose migraine attacks couldn’t be controlled. Chronic migraine is her expertise and her typical patient goes from 25 migraine days a month to five. The treatment is complicated, painful, time-consuming and, of course, expensive, but it works beautifully.

I feel a little snarky writing that I want a magic doctor in response to the blog challenge, but I’m tired and fed up as I begin week four of severely disabling migraine attacks. I have seen so many headache specialists, including some brilliant, well-respected, highly regarded, compassionate, academic superstars and yet I still have a migraine nearly every day. My current headache specialist and the person I saw in Boston are my favorites. I trust them both tremendously and know they have my best interests at heart. And yet I still have a migraine nearly every day. It feels like my migraines are beyond the current understanding and experience of medicine and that only a Hogwarts graduate has the knowledge to get them under control.

National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger’s Challenge is initiated by Fighting Headache Disorders.

8 thoughts on “My Ideal Headache Specialist”

  1. Have you tried Botox or an occipital (?) block for the chronic migraines, which I also have. I take 2 daily medications for migraine, actually used to take more. A constant shuffle to see what and at what dosage works best. Plus attack meds, as you know. So the migraine glasses should be very wonderfully helpful–once I can get them in a prescription lens… And I will try Botox injections soon. Since I am also in the Phoenix area,I would very much appreciate it if you would share your doctor info w/ me, also.

  2. Hi, I’m wondering if you might be willing to send me your dr’s name via email? I have a similar chronic migraine profile and have not had much success finding a good migraine specialist and would LOVE to see who you recommend!

  3. Kerrie,

    I understand so completely where you’re coming from. It’s disheartening, disappointing and so very depressing to be stuck with a disease like this. Although I don’t have a Migraine every day, I have many more than I would like to have. They’ve gotten to the point that even the triptans don’t completely stop them. Please hold on – we’ll make it. You’re so important and life will bring us all an answer. Remember that there are so many of us out here who understand this complicated disease; we are with you and will continue to be, without fail…

  4. I love your post. I finally have a wonderful migraine specialist, also in Boston, who is compassionate, and brilliant (maybe we are speaking of the same doctor?). But, you are right, there is an end to the general knowledge and treatment of chronic migraine. I know she feels frustrated as well. I am in the midst of a run of hellish migraines, so I wish a magic wand was in the repertoire as well 🙂

  5. I laughed and cried at this.

    It’s not snarky at all, IMHO. For those of us who have gone through so much and can keep a sense of humor, and employ it- even with some degree of black humor- well, that’s just what this blog challenge is about, imho. To see the range of thoughts, to laugh, to cry, to empathize, to sympathize, and to have others who understand.

    Speaking of Hogwarts- didn’t know if you’d seen this when Teri wrote it…

    Dr. Fred Sheftell and Dr. Timothy Steiner study references to Harry’s headaches and try to determine a diagnosis.
    http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/news-43179-5.html

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