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 Migraineur
2. My migraine attack frequency is:
Constant pain, with severe attacks, weekly. Attacks lasting 2-15 days.
3. I was diagnosed in: 2010
4. My comorbid conditions include: Depression and fatigue.
5. I take 8-10 medications/supplements each day for prevention and 2-5 medications/supplements to treat an acute attack.
6. My first migraine attack was:
When I was probably 6 years old. At a health fair I ate a cookie that triggered a migraine exercise. I remember the smell of maple frosted donuts. The scent still makes me shudder.
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are:
Mind numbing pain. Crippling fatigue.
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are:
Constant yawning, my movements seem like I have Parkinson’s, even my steps get jerky.
9. My biggest migraine triggers are:
Intense conversation, math, stress, sugar, lack of sleep.
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when:
When I notice I’m yawning too often. I get grouchy for no reason; irritated by voices or noises; I don’t want people touching me or too near.
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is:
Loosing my ability to do things I need to do. Giving up my time, my life.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about:
Longterm damage. People’s judgments. How long will “this one” last. Loosing my ability to work. Loosing my sight.
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think:
“When is the next one? What am I doing right? Am I a hypochondriac?”
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually:
“Oh, I get those too. I just take a tylenol.”
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think:
“Oh, no! I hope they aren’t as bad as mine!”
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think:
“They are getting so common now. I hope they find a cure.”
17. My best coping tools are:
Sleep. Rest. Solitude. Quiet. Prayer.
18. I find comfort in:
My bed. My familys’ love. Dark, quiet, soft bed.
19. I get angry when people say:
“Have you taken an aspirin?” Or “Have you been to a doctor?”
20. I like it when people say:
“You seem so strong.”
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is:
Give me permission/encouragement to go to bed. Offer to bring dinner to my family, or help my husband with things.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is:
“We are going to fix this.”
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is:
This is my lot in life. I won’t be cured. I will pass this on to my children.
24. Migraine has taught me:
Not to overestimate my health, and appreciate when I have energy.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is:
“My flaws are His (God’s) perfection.”
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself:
“It’s going to get worse. Hang on.”
27. The people who support me most are:
My family. Husband, sons, parents, sister, cousins… all of them are incredibly loving and sincere.
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is:
It’s not a ploy to get attention. It’s worse that it looks.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because:
Awareness is most the battle for those of us with invisible illnesses. People need to support the spouses and children too.
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is
It has made my husband the most patient man on earth. This pain doesn’t punish just me, but my while family. I am a pitiful excuse for a wife and mother during my attacks, and they are affected as much or more than I am. I wish people would help him/them when I’m down.
Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.