This is a reader-submitted story. Want to share your 30 Things? Here’s how: Migraine & Headache Disorders 30 Things Meme.
1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Migraine, Chronic Daily Headace
2. My migraine attack or headache frequency is: mild headache every day, migraine intensity headache varies, but when I get them the tend to turn “status” because the last so long.
3. The first migraine attack or headache I remember was: I was 27 years old. The weekend of my Dad’s birthday, we were at Stevie Rays Blues Bar, that headache lasted for 3 weeks
4. My pain levels range from: CDH: 2-3, Migraine: 5-8
5. I was diagnosed in: 2009
6. My comorbid conditions include: psoriasis, IBS, and most recently depression
7. I take __7__ pills each day for prevention and __2__ pills to treat an acute attack; and this doesn’t include injections, infusions, and blocks.
8. In addition to pain, other symptoms I experience include: photophobia, nausea, dizziness, difficulty talking, and sometimes numbers in my arm
9. Treatments I have tried include: medications, injections, blocks, massage, relaxation techniques
10. During a migraine attack or headache, I: a dark cold place
11. My migraine attacks or headaches are triggered or get worse when: my sleep schedule gets out of control (as in my insomnia is in effect), stress gets too high, or just because I’m breathing that day. I don’t have dietary triggers except that I can no longer drink draft beer.
12. The most frustrating part about having migraine or a headache disorder is: everything really. It’s put a strain on all aspects of my life.
13. Having migraine or a headache disorder causes me to worry about: my financial stability.
14. When I tell someone I have migraine or a headache disorder, they usually assume or say: ” I don’t know how you are working” or ” I have a headache but I won’t complain because it’s nothing like yours”
15. When I see ads or articles about migraine or headache disorders, I think: oh just shut up!
16. My best coping tools are: my friends/family help keep me grounded, music when I’m not having sound sensitivity
17. I find comfort in: be alone most of the time. So that I don’t have to explain to people what is wrong.
18. I get angry when people say: when I have to tell people more than once that I don’t feel up to doing something, like they don’t believe me.
19. I like it when people say: Your brain is a bastard! Because I agree.
20. Something kind a person can do for me during a migraine attack or headache is: make sure I’m stocked up on ginger ale and crackers, my staples.
21. The best thing a doctor has ever said to me about having migraine or a headache disorder is: I will not give up on you.
22. Having migraine or a headache disorder has affected my work/school life by: it’s made it hard to fulfill my duties at time and I often feel like I’ve let my co-workers down
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine or a headache disorder is: they don’t define me, they are just a part of me. Something I struggle with daily.
24. Having migraine or a headache disorder has taught me: to take help when it is offered
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through hard days is: fake it until you make it and this to shall pass.
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: some days are totally going to suck, don’t dwell on those. Learn how to take your own advice.
27. The people who support me most are: some family and a couple of my “people”
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine or headache disorders is:it’s not just a headache.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: Brain pains are bad. Awareness is good!!
30. One more thing I’d like to say about migraine or my headache disorder is: I could use a few could days here soon.
Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.