Life with Migraine
Journey On: My Journey Living with Vestibular Migraine
The Beginning Looking back now, my journey began 11 years ago on July 14, 2011. Little did I realize that my life would change forever on that day. I remember having a history of bad headaches on and off since college, but now I had begun to experience horribly intense ones. I will always remember the afternoon…
Read MoreManaging Seasonal Depression: Taking Care of the Body
Daily, consistent self-care is key for managing seasonal depression and seasonal affective disorder. Taking care of your physical body is so important during the darker months. Focusing on the following can help manage SAD, and is also beneficial for migraine and other chronic conditions.
Read MoreMigraine, Seasonal Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Migraine, Seasonal Depression and SAD: Part I As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, it’s common to feel the “winter blues.” But for many—especially those of us battling migraine and other chronic conditions—seasonal depression can go far beyond just feeling down during the darker months. This is something I have a lot of personal…
Read MoreManaging Seasonal Depression: Taking Care of the Mind
Seasonal depression and SAD can be really difficult to deal with, especially if you also live with migraine, but doing something each day to take care of your mind can help to keep focused and in a more positive place.
Read MoreCreating a Migraine Preventive Action Plan
Bearing in mind that migraine is a disease that can chronify, it’s not only important to know the signs for when preventive treatment is appropriate, but also have a road map to follow once you’re in that place. A Preventive Action Plan (PAP) is a road map for treatment communication and care planning. Having a PAP gives you a sense of direction and independence as well as the greatest potential for relief. It raises awareness of different approaches to preventive migraine treatment, and it also makes you a partner with your doctor in your disease management and healthcare. Your involvement in a PAP is essential, because you know your body best, you know how migraine is impacting your life, and the PAP needs to be integrated by YOU into your care and daily life.
Read MoreSigns It’s Time for Prevention
As someone who lives with migraine, do YOU realize how IMPORTANT it is to be aware of your silent disease?? I’m not speaking of just your attacks but also your overall migraine days. Do you know the difference? Is there a difference? Do your days blur into one long week or month? And, did you know that there are signs to be aware of that show you need to consider preventive treatment, or reconsider the preventive treatment you are on. Yes, that can be scary, but the consequence of not being proactive with this disease can have a disabling and long-term impact on your life.
Read MoreMigraine Chronification, Are You at Risk?
Migraine is a debilitating disorder that can be subdivided into several categories. Two of those categories, chronic migraine and episodic migraine, are both part of a tapestry of migraine disorders. One of the things many people are not aware of when first diagnosed with migraine is that this is a complex neurological disease that can chronify. This means that it is possible to go from low frequency episodic to high frequency episodic and then to chronic migraine.
Read MoreMigraine Symptoms: Closing Thoughts
When people think about migraine, often what comes to mind is head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. These are also the hallmark symptoms commonly used to identify and diagnose migraine. But those with migraine know these are often just the tip of the iceberg.
Read MoreLesser-Known Migraine Symptoms: Yawning, Thirst, Tinnitus
By now this Migraine Symptoms blog series has proven that migraine goes far beyond head pain. However, in addition to some of the more common symptoms, many people with migraine also experience a set of symptoms that is lesser known—yawning, thirst/dry mouth and tinnitus to name just a few. These symptoms can vary from being mildly annoying to having an intensely negative impact on quality of life.
Read MoreMedical Gaslighting and Migraine: It’s Not All in Your Head
Medical gaslighting happens when healthcare providers dismiss, explain away, or don’t believe a patient’s symptoms. While this can happen to anyone, it’s especially common for women, and those struggling with invisible illnesses like migraine. It’s a dangerous practice that often results in misdiagnosis and/or the inability to receive appropriate and timely treatment and care.
Read MoreNavigating Insurance With Migraine
With more migraine treatments available than ever before, people with migraine can feel hopeful that they may find an option that brings them relief. Unfortunately, this process is not always as simple as it may sound. Insurance companies frequently construct barriers to treatment.
Read MoreThe Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil
One of the most challenging things many of us with chronic illnesses have to face is trying to advocate for ourselves in the healthcare system. Somehow, it just seems wrong that when we are the sickest, we often have to push the hardest. Timely and appropriate medical care should not be such a challenge, yet… sadly, it…
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