30 Things Meme

Getting worse with age…

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.

1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Migraine
2. My migraine attack frequency is: 1-2 a week
3. I was diagnosed in: 1998
4. My comorbid conditions include: Sleep Disorder
5. I take 0 medications/supplements each day for prevention and 1 medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: 1998
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Horrendous right/left temple pain, eye socket throbbing, nausea.
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: Yawning
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Hormones, chocolate, who the heck knows…
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: I start to yawn a lot, and my temples start to throb.
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: Loss of time w/ family and friends.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: When it will end, and how long I will be seperated from husband and daughter.
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: Why me.
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: Oh god, I’m sorry, that sucks.
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: What are you taking, is it better than what I’m taking.
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: Would that work for me?
17. My best coping tools are: Maxalt, sleep, dark cool room.
18. I find comfort in: All of the above in #17.
19. I get angry when people say: Can’t you just take Tylenol? Are you sure it’s not just a headache?
20. I like it when people say: I’m sorry, that must be awful.
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Help me get to all of #17.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: There’s a drug that can help diminish the migraine.
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: Unpredictability, having them for ever, and knowing it’s only getting worse and more frequent w/age.
24. Migraine has taught me: To enjoy every second w/out migraine.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: It has to end, just go to sleep and let it pass.
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: Learn to cope, there will be medicine that will help you one day.
27. The people who support me most are: My fantastic husband.
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: I cannot help when a migraine comes. I’m not lying to get out of your function, I’m genuinely super sick.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: I’m absolutely terrified that my little girl will suffer as I do.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: When you suffer from migraine, the truth is that it’s hard to live a whole rounded life. Sometimes that in it of it self, is tremendously depressing, and can cause server self loathing, Try to push through, because every day above ground is a good day.

30 Things Meme

30 Things About my Life with Migraines

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.

1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Resistant Migraines
2. My migraine attack frequency is: Six or seven days a week right now.
3. I was diagnosed in: 2000 something
4. My comorbid conditions include: Insomnia
5. I take many medications/supplements each day for prevention and many medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: as a child
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: the pain, sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, not being able to see
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: flashing lights and worms floating across my eyes
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: weather changes, allergies, food chemicals
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: I wake up, I start moving really fast
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: the time I miss with my family and friends
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: Getting behind at work and in school
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: I rarely have time between attacks, if I do I worry about the next one
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: I know someone who gets migraines
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: poor you
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: don’t be fooled. It doesn’t work.
17. My best coping tools are: relaxation
18. I find comfort in: my bed with big soft pillows
19. I get angry when people say: it’s just a headache!
20. I like it when people say: nothing. Few can really relate and I don’t need you to go through the list of alternative treatments you assume I haven’t tried.
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: leave me alone to deal with it.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: haven’t encountered a positive statement yet.
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: I can’t control them.
24. Migraine has taught me: to listento my body.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: this too shall pass.
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: be kind to yourself. It’s going to be a rough ride.
27. The people who support me most are: my family.
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: it is not just a headache.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: it’s one month people are a little bit more informed.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: be kind to migraine sufferers.

30 Things Meme

Loves the Quiet

This is a reader-submitted post.

1. My diagnosis is: Hemiplegic migraine, Chronic migraine, Classic migraine with and without aura, Cluster headaches
2. My migraine attack frequency is: About 4 days a week
3. I was diagnosed in: 1990 (approximately)
4. My comorbid conditions include: Hypoglycemia, Allodynia
5. I take 5 medications/supplements each day for prevention and 4 medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was at about 12 years old.
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are losing vision, vomiting, disabling pain.
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are losing the ability to speak clearly, foggy thinking, yawning non-stop, tunnel vision, seeing “sparkles”
9. My biggest migraine triggers are stress let-down, changes in sleep pattern, weather, hormones, not keeping a regular food schedule, traveling.
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when my skin starts to get hot and my stomach starts to churn.
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is not being able to do anything about it, missing out on important life events, feeling like you are constantly letting people down.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about my husband having to pick up all of my slack.
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think “No migraine? There must be ABSOLUTELY NOTHING important going on today”
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually some “magic” thing that they think will get rid of migraines… it won’t.
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think that if I talk to them for a minute or two I can figure out if they REALLY have migraines or if they get they occasional tension headache.
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think “Well here is another treatment that will be overpriced, highly metered by the insurance companies, and I won’t be able to take anyway because of the type of headaches that I have.”
17. My best coping tools are knowing that I have a primary care physician who will always be willing to break a headache if it won’t go away. I rarely have to go to the ER anymore.
18. I find comfort in knowing that my husband understands what I’m dealing with.
19. I get angry when people say “oh well if you would just do X (whatever supplement/juice/thing-they-say-on-TV) your migraines would go away
20. I like it when people say “I understand that you can’t be there. It’s ok.”
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is just leave me alone.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is that they are willing to keep trying things until something works.
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is that it doesn’t go away.
24. Migraine has taught me I can’t control everything.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is “nothing lasts forever”
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself to prepare to deal with this for the rest of your life.
27. The people who support me most are my husband and my dogs (don’t tell me they aren’t people!)
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is it can’t be fixed with a magic potion.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because it let’s people here real stories from real people
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is although it’s difficult, it’s not beyond hope.

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.

30 Things Meme

Thank you for Reminding Me That I am Not Alone! 30 things about my migraine life

This is a reader-submitted post.

1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Migraine

2. My migraine attack frequency is: I have head pain almost daily, approximately 20-25 day’s per month. The severity and symptoms vary daily. Botox is beginning to show me some relief though, for about 6 weeks between injections!

3. I was diagnosed in: 2004 and initially I was episodic, the last few years I have been in an Intractable state.

4. My comorbid conditions include: History of TIA, Congenital Heart Defect. May be related, the Migraines started after the TIA and an Atrial Implant.

5. I have Botox injections every 90 day’s currently, supplemental daily and abortive medications.
I could not possible remember all of the deifferent medications that I have tried. The most effective form of treatment for me was Nerve Blocks. They provided relief for approximately 3 weeks and then I would slide right back in to the same chronic state though.

6. My first migraine attack was: In 2004. I thought that I was dying, having a stroke. I started initially having what I would refer to as a 10,000.00 headache (emergency room visit and the complete work up) just a couple of times per year!

7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Numbness, tingling, weakness (stroke like), Constant Vertigo and Head Pain. My right temple hurts constantly. Just varying degrees of pain…forgetfulness, cognitive abilities and reasoning skills and simply communicating.

8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: Constant Yawning. Cognitive impairment, trouble speaking and comprehending. Phantom smells. Last week I was in the hospital, I started to brush my teeth with blistex! The really sad thing was that I just acknowledged with the Nurse that Blistex was a great thing to give out, since you get so dehydrated in the hospital. And then, I started to brush my teeth with it!
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Lights (fluorescent mostly), smells, noise. Weird, random, unexplained, and varying. Certain stores, hardware stores, plastics, fertilizers, exhaust fumes etc.,

10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: The Back of my Neck starts getting stiff. This is usually but not always the first sign.

11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: I can not accurately predict it or control it. The only thing that seems to help is doing as little as possible…It is extremely difficult to work, concentrate, think clearly and/or do anything at all.

12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: all of the symptoms, could this be more than a migraine…what if I am having a stroke?

13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: Wow, I feel half decent today 🙂

14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: Oh, yea, I hate headaches etc.

15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: Oh, I am so sorry, how can I help you?

16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: Yea, whatever! Very frustrating to see all of the so called cures/guarantees for migraine sufferers. “Dr. Oz said” yea, yeah, yea…

17. My best coping tools are: Quiet and Rest.

18. I find comfort in: My doctor’s understanding of Migraines and my personal support system, my spouse and my family members that understand.

19. I get angry when people say: Did you have another headache?

20. I like it when people say: I can’t imagine what that is like and/or I hope that you can find relief soon.

21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Be understanding that I am not myself, physically, cognitively and/or emotionally. Try not to ask me a lot of questions or try to engage in conversation. It is just too difficult to think, let alone communicate effectively.

22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: You are not alone. There so many people just like you, in chronic pain. We will keep trying 🙂

23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: It is unpredictable and only slightly manageable.

24. Migraine has taught me: To embrace my good hour’s and occasional day’s to the fullest. Get as much accomplished as possible while I feel decent!

25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: This too shall pass 🙂

26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: You ain’t seen nothing yet, yikes!

27. The people who support me most are: My husband and my Neurologist.

28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: It is not just a bad headache and each of us have our own array of triggers, symptoms and solutions. Caffeine does not bother me even though it may trigger others. Icing my forehead does not help me either, it makes me feel worse. Yes, I get plenty of rest, I eat well, I take pretty darn good care of myself!

And as soon as my head stops hurting and the constant state of dizziness lets up for a little while, I will begin to exercise more too 🙂

29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: Unless you have experienced a migraine, you couldn’t possibly understand all of the complex neurological side effects that go along with the headache.

30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: Challenging, enjoy your good day’s to the fullest 🙂

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.

30 Things Meme

My migraine life!

This is a reader-submitted post.

1. My diagnosis is: Migraines
2. My migraine attack frequency is: 5-7 times/mo +
3. I was diagnosed in: 1985
4. My comorbid conditions include: Diabetes, Arthritis, High cholesterol
5. I take Metformin + many sup.____ medications/supplements each day for prevention and sumatriptan____ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: ?
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Nausea and flu like feeling
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: My nosebone gets very heavy like I have heavy glasses on
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Weather
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: The bridge of my nose gets heavy, my eyes get congested, my ears clog up like being under water and then my head starts hurting
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: Not being able to think straight
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: Being present in life with work and home and taking too much medicine
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: I try to enjoy not having one and NOT think about it and then I think WHAT can I try to get rid of them!
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: Oh that’s awful
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: Oh that’s awful, I can relate
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: MAINSTREAM meds!
17. My best coping tools are: Ice and Sumatriptan
18. I find comfort in: Knowing that the Sumatriptan still helps
19. I get angry when people say: After you go thru menopause they’ll go away
20. I like it when people say: You poor girl
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Don’t talk to me
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: The allergist told me to go see a neurologist
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: That it probably will be a life long problem
24. Migraine has taught me: To live in the moment and revel in the days migraine free
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: Hang in there
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: At least now I know what is going on
27. The people who support me most are: My family
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: How disrupting and unmanageable it can be
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: It brings attention to the disease
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: It sucks!

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.