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, Complex Migraine with TIA
2. My migraine attack frequency is: pretty much daily with at least 3-4 a week that keep me from normal activity
3. I was diagnosed in: 2005 officially. I have had headaches my entire life though
4. My comorbid conditions include: knife stabbing pains in base of head by neck, throbbing intense pain on top of head, Nausea , blind spots in vision, irritability, numbness on right side of body
5. I take ____ medications/supplements each day for prevention and ____ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack: daily- blood pressure, anti anxiety , anti depressants and triptipans. To treat an attack- fioracette
6. My first migraine attack was: I believe in my teen years
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: unable to put words together and pain
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: before major attacks hit I tend to yawn a rediculous amount and experience euphoria
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: barometric change and heat
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: Vision gets blurry, then blind spots, feel anxiety
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: that I feel like a nuisance to my loved ones. Even though they are incredibly supportive to me, the guilt kills me! I think non migraine people do tend to not understand the severity of the pain and symptoms. Which in turn makes me feel the need to try to “push” through an attack to keep plans.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: letting people down.
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: I need to get as much as possible done between attacks to try to have some kind of life. I often push myself to hard which leads to another attack. Horrible cycle. My wonderful hubby gets to keep me from over doing it but it’s hard not to.
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: a look of “oh really, you mean headaches?”
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: God bless them and their family
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: they are a joke! They are part of the reason society doesn’t understand how TRUELY debilitating they are.
17. My best coping tools are:the love of my family and friends
18. I find comfort in: my dark, cold quiet room with lots of pillows and quilts!
19. I get angry when people say: ” just take some Advil and drink water, you’ll be fine”
20. I like it when people say: ” get some rest and we will take care of everything else”
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: just to be understanding. To not get upset if I don’t answer calls or texts for a few days while I am dealing with it.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: I will stick with it until we get the right combo of MEDS and lifestyle to help you
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: the depression that goes with it and constant feeling of letting people down.
24. Migraine has taught me: I am not in complete control of my life.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: the serenity prayer… God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, courage to change
The things I can and the strength to know the difference.
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: Relax, it’s gonna be a long journey.
27. The people who support me most are: my mom, husband, children and best friend
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: They are not predictable. They always seem to come at then worst time and no two migraines are ever the same.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: I wish there was more research done to help people
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: As much as it appears to be exaggerated or convenient or a cry for attention: everyone suffers differently. Each person has their own ways of dealing with them and I can promise each person feels guilt with them. I wish society in general was better educated on them
Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.