This is a reader-submitted story.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell my story!
1. My diagnosis is: Chronic Intractable Migraines
2. My migraine attack frequency is: Daily
3. I was diagnosed in: Regular Migraines: 1980; Chronic Migraines: 2012
4. My comorbid conditions include: Severe Clinical Depression, Osteoarthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, testing for possible Lupus
5. I take __8__ medications/supplements each day for prevention and __10__ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: 11 yrs. old (1979)
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: Excruciating pain on the left side of my head around the temple area, vertigo, dizziness, nausea, light, sound, smell
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: Hands swelling, muscles twitching, joints aching
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: Barometric pressure changes, extreme heat, over-exertion, bright light, smells, loud noises, interrupted sleep/insomnia, certain foods
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: The right side of my head begins to tingle and my right eye twitches almost imperceptibly, hiccups for no reason, frequent yawning, frequent sighing, MAJOR mood swings
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: Knowing it’s going to last for days, but not knowing if it’s going to increase in severity
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: Being a burden on my caretakers and not being able to do ANYTHING for myself
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: When are they ever going to find something that will help with these? Are they ever going to?
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: “Oh, I’m sorry. I know those are painful! Hope you get to feeling better soon.”
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think: “I am so sorry! I understand!”
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: “I WISH it were that easy!!”
17. My best coping tools are: Extra dark room, cool/cold, QUIET, sleep (if I can)
18. I find comfort in: Prayer, talking to my mom till my meds kick in, my fur babies
19. I get angry when people say: “Oh, I know exactly how you are feeling…I used to get migraines too!” or “My cousin’s uncle’s wife’s sister’s niece’s mother-in-law used to get migraines and she took such-n-such and they just went away. Have you tried that?”
20. I like it when people say: I’m praying for you
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: Let me know you’re there, but just leave me alone. I’ll let you know if I need you.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: “I don’t pretend to know everything. If you find something you think will work, we’ll give it a shot.”
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: I’ll never be the same person I was before I became chronic
24. Migraine has taught me: Perseverance
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: If God brings me to it, He will bring me through it. He will never give me more than I can handle!
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: Yes, it really CAN get worse!!
27. The people who support me most are: My parents, my siblings, my roommate, and my best friend!
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: It’s SOOO much more than just a headache and when the pain finally dissipates to a tolerable level, we cannot just jump right up and start doing things like nothing happened.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: It helps justify the battle we go through daily and prove to others that we are not alone and we are not making up our symptoms
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is: IT SUCKS!! It’s definitely not for the faint of heart…you HAVE to be a fighter!!!
Reader-submitted stories solely 
represent 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.