30 Things Meme

My 30 Things

This is a reader-submitted story.

1. My diagnosis is: Chronic migraine/chronic daily headache
2. My migraine attack frequency is: 3 per week, headache is constant
3. I was diagnosed in: March 2014
4. My comorbid conditions include: none
5. I take 4 medications/supplements each day for prevention and 3 medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: In the 3rd grade
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Intense throbbing pain and waves of nausea, light and sound sensitivity
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: The whole left side of my face starts to tingle and go numb
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Skipping meals, lack of sleep
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: It feels like my eyebrow hurts (weird I know)
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: Not being able to take care of myself
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: Everything I am missing while I am lying in the dark (for example, class, studying, hanging out with friends)
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: how lucky I am that I don’t have one right then
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: “have you tried XX treatment? It worked for my mom/friend/coworker”
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: I hope you are getting proper treatment
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: I tried that treatment, and it didn’t work
17. My best coping tools are: Ear plugs, heat packs
18. I find comfort in: my bed
19. I get angry when people say: That I use migraine as an excuse, or that I don’t “seem” sick
20. I like it when people say: “Can I get you anything?”
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Bring me ginger ale, and food once the nausea fades.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: “There’s lots of treatments we can still try”
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: Knowing I will probably have to deal with this pain on some level for the rest of my life
24. Migraine has taught me: To be more attentive and sensitive to the pain of others, especially when it’s invisible or internal
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is:”if you’re going through hell, keep going”
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: “This pain will not go away tomorrow, the next day, or even a year from now. Don’t look for a magical cure because there isn’t one. But have hope for the future and keep going.”
27. The people who support me most are: My amazing family, boyfriend, and roommate
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: How it affects senses throughout your entire body, and that the pain is unreal.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: I want others to be aware that even though someone seems fine, they may be struggling. And it is important to be there for those around you. Especially when they are ill.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: There needs to be more funding for research to find better treatments.

Reader-submitted stories solely Migraine and headache disorders 30 Things memerepresent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres. Follow this link to learn how to share YOUR 30 Things about living with a headache disorder.

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