Category: 30 Things Meme

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 with intractable pain, being treated for cluster headaches
2. My migraine attack or headache frequency is: all day, every day. Several peaks of increased pain during the course of the day. Cluster headaches come in phases.
3. The first migraine attack or headache I remember was: in high school, missing several days and laying in bed wondering if I was ever going to be back to normal.
4. My pain levels range from: 5-9, with a 10 once every few weeks. I hate classifying anything as a 10. Most of my daily life is spent at a 7/8.
5. I was diagnosed in: 1990, episodic. 2011, chronic. 2015, cluster headaches.
6. My comorbid conditions include: depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, pre-diabetes, neck pain
7. I take __8__ pills each day for prevention and __0__ pills to treat an acute attack. I rarely medicate acutely due to ineffectiveness and side effects of meds. I have a potent nasal spray that sometimes is effective.
8. In addition to pain, other symptoms I experience include: sensitivity to my environment, nausea, diarrhea, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, flushed cheeks, droopy eye, tooth & ear pain, vision problems, neck pain, phantom smells
9. Treatments I have tried include: over 2 dozen preventative and abortive medications, hospitalizations, DHE, Lidocaine and Ketamine infusions, supplements, nerve blocks, biofeedback, dietary changes, massage, chiropractic, therapy, exercise/yoga, various birth controls.
10. During a migraine attack or headache, I: am really disabled, cranky, and sensitive, and am trying to figure out how to reduce my pain
11. My migraine attacks or headaches are triggered or get worse when: the weather is bad, I’m stressed, I’ve eaten something, I’m in certain phases of my menstrual cycle, it’s too hot, I get too little sleep, I go too long without eating, I drink alcohol.
12. The most frustrating part about having migraine or a headache disorder is: not functioning at the level I know I’m capable of, missing events, and not being the mom my kids deserve.
13. Having migraine or a headache disorder causes me to worry about: my family, my bills, my long term health, my social security, my lost career, my future.
14. When I tell someone I have migraine or a headache disorder, they usually assume or say: “Feel better”, “Oh that stinks”, or assume it can’t be that bad because I look fine.
15. When I see ads or articles about migraine or headache disorders, I think: most people are misinformed and don’t know the challenging truth.
16. My best coping tools are: The Office, my comfy sofa spot, my sunglasses, rest, and my cold face mask.
17. I find comfort in: knowing I am not alone, my husband and kids, peanut butter
18. I get angry when people say: “Have you tried…”, “I get headaches, too”, “So you still get headaches?”
19. I like it when people say: “Let me know how I can help”, “I’m sorry you’re still suffering”
20. Something kind a person can do for me during a migraine attack or headache is: help take care of my kids, help get my medication and get me settled, let me rest
21. The best thing a doctor has ever said to me about having migraine or a headache disorder is: “You’ve been having a hard time, let’s step back and re-evaluate”
22. Having migraine or a headache disorder has affected my work/school life by: causing me to leave my career
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine or a headache disorder is: that my life may be like this forever, and that I have not been pain-free for over 5 years.
24. Having migraine or a headache disorder has taught me: patience, acceptance, the strength of community, not to judge a book by its cover, disabilities look different
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through hard days is: This too shall pass
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: be patient, and be prepared to fight for yourself and for a long time.
27. The people who support me most are: my husband, my kids, my close family, my migraine community
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine or headache disorders is: it’s more than just head pain, but the head pain can be horrendous. And just because I look fine does not mean anything.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: it’s my opportunity to share my story and educate those in my life.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about migraine or my headache disorder is: it has made me the strongest and most resilient I’ve ever been in my life.

Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.

Want to share your 30 Things? Here’s how: Migraine & Headache Disorders 30 Things Meme. 

1. My diagnosis is: Transformed Migraine, Chronic Migraine and a bunch of other Migraine Types
2. My migraine attack frequency is: Every single minute of every single day, although it varies in intensity
3. I was diagnosed in: 2005
4. My comorbid conditions include: depression
5. I take 1____ medications/supplements each day for prevention and __3__ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: when I was a teenager, but I didn’t know I had migraines
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: the intense pain, the slowness of thought, and the nausea
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: I can’t find the right words and often misspeak
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Weather and odors
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: My eyes start to hurt and I have a problem finding words
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: staying in bed and missing life
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: getting fired
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: how long will this last
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: Oh, so do I or so does so and so.
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: I’m sorry
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: another thing to try, maybe this one is the key to a solution
17. My best coping tools are: just willing myself to get through whatever situation I am in when the pain gets intense
18. I find comfort in: finding activities and hobbies I can still do, I have taken up scrapbooking and genealogy since the migraines have been bad
19. I get angry when people say: Why don’t you go out on disability? (like it’s that easy)
20. I like it when people say: Are you feeling better?
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Not make me feel guilty if I have to cancel plans.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: Everything I know about treating migraines I learned by treating you. (BTW, he’s a general neurologist but he has helped me more than some of the best known headache specialists on the East Coast)
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: I can’t do the things I want to do.
24. Migraine has taught me: to be more sympathetic to others
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: Find a new doctor, now.
27. The people who support me most are: my doctor and my family.
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: there is a difference between daily migraine and a migraine that happens a few times a year. I know. I used to have just a few a year–it’s still difficult, but more manageable than a daily migraine.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: people who want to be informed can be.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: I still have hope that a treatment will be found that will change my life back to what it once was.

This is a reader-submitted story. Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.

Want to share your 30 Things? Here’s how: Migraine & Headache Disorders 30 Things Meme. 

1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Severe Migraine with Episodic Hemiplegic Migraine
2. My migraine attack frequency is: lately about 3 times a week (with episodes usually lasting more than 24 hours)
3. I was diagnosed in: 2004
4. My comorbid conditions include: Depression; no other health challenges or issues
5. I take __3__ medications/supplements each day for prevention and __2__ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: in 2ng grade; but I didn’t know it was a migraine until decades later, when describing the experience to my Neurologist at our first appointment, and he told me it was a migraine that in the 70’s they almost never diagnosed children with migraine. (My primary dr kept sending my for eye exams, thinking it was eye strain and I needed glasses. Finally, the optometrist said “he has 20/20 vision; stop bringing him here!”
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Extreme fatigue; cognitive dysfunction and ultra sensitivity to smells
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: constant cravings of certain foods like chocolate; and more chocolate!
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: cigarette smoke; flourescent lighting; strong colognes or perfumes;
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when:
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: it completely details my day, and often whatever was planned for the next day or so
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: how far behind I’ll fall yet again in my writing or other important tasks
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: let me get done as much as I can before the next one comes along
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: Awww; I hope you feel better; try to get some rest.
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: “you just don’t get it!”
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: been there, done that!
17. My best coping tools are: just solitude and peace and quiet
18. I find comfort in: knowing that I’ve accomplished a lot in spite of the challenges migraine continues to present
19. I get angry when people say: “do you think it’s just stress?”
20. I like it when people say: I wish there was something I could do; let me know if you need anything
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: just be understanding when I need to detach and just “be”
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: regretfully, I can’t share anything good that a doctor has said to me
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: that despite how much I strive to manage it, I have NO real control over migraine disease.
24. Migraine has taught me: to maximize productivity and enjoy each day that I can
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: “What doesn’t kill you only serves to make you stronger.”
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: buckle up and get prepared!
27. The people who support me most are: those few in my family that really get it and understand with empathy
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: it’s not just a bad headache; and its not going anywhere. It’s a reality in my life.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: we need to raise awareness and bring attention to this as a real thing, not something to joke about in commercials, like one I just saw: “act like you have a mgraine”. Ugh!
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: It’s been life changing, in so many ways….but I’ve risen above self-pity and strive to remain focused on being the best I can be, as often and for as long as I can.

This is a reader-submitted story. Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.

Want to share your 30 Things? Here’s how: Migraine & Headache Disorders 30 Things Meme.

1. My diagnosis is: no true diagnosis, just intermittent migraines.
2. My migraine attack frequency is: 1-2/month (now much less than years ago–on great preventative treatment!)
3. I was diagnosed in: 2002 (7 years old)
4. My comorbid conditions include: —
5. I take __0__ medications/supplements each day for prevention and __2__ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: when I was 7
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: stabbing, blinding pain behind one eye, unilateral aura
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: numbness and tingling of fingers and tongue, aphasia (confusion and difficulty speaking)
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: cafeine, lack of sleep, skipping a meal, bright lights, pressure changes (weather/flying), nitrites/highly processed foods, hormones
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: visual aura for about 30mins, then the pain comes.
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: it takes me out of work, school, and time with my family and friends.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: making up for the responsibilities I’m missing out on
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: I wonder when the next one will hit, and I hope it’s not today.
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: “oh wow I’ve never had a migraine before, what’s it like?” Or, if from my fiance, “what can I get for you to make this better?”
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: I’m not alone, and when someone tells me they get aura symptoms, I feel encouraged to dive into what their aura presents as.
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: wow, I wish my meds kicked in that fast. And, I with I could actually get back to real life on days with a migraine.
17. My best coping tools are: dark rooms, cool rags, sleep
18. I find comfort in: knowing that my family and friends support me in whatever it takes to manage this disorder
19. I get angry when people say: “it’s just a headache”
20. I like it when people say: “what can I do to help you feel better?” And “I get migraines too, I know what you’re going through”
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: speak quietly, get me a tall glass of water, check on me periodically
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: I am here for you and I want us to make this work.
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: there is something in my brain that I cannot control, even with all my effort in to control it.
24. Migraine has taught me: life isn’t always fair, but to embrace what you have and to feel grateful for the good days
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: “it can’t last forever, right?”
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: we will figure out what your triggers are and we will make this work.
27. The people who support me most are: my family and my fiance
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: it isn’t just a headache and I can’t just “not think about it”
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: there aren’t a plethora of sufferers in this world, so for those of us who do suffer, it’s important for the rest of the world to have a grasp on what we’re going through when our days are shattered by this mind numbing disorder
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: it’s no fun to have to tell your best friends and family that you have to cancel plans or have to call into work. And just know that whenever we do have to do those things, we’re not faking and it hurts us far more than it hurts you, i promise.

This is a reader-submitted story. Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.