I avoided a severe migraine from Thursday to Monday when I was in Phoenix for a wedding. I was extra careful to nap when I needed to (every afternoon!), use caffeine when necessary and take lots of Advil (it was for cramps, but I’m sure it settled my head down too). I’m convinced that the nap is the crucial part of the equation.
The routine was so successful that I have a renewed commitment to get on a schedule. My main goals are to rest, exercise daily, eat wholesome meals regularly, and not stay up too late mucking about on the computer. All of which should ease my migraines. Here’s the schedule I spent the last two hours making:
8:30 – 9:30: Wake up, shower, eat breakfast, 15-minute yoga practice or drive to class
9:30 – 11:00: Walk or yoga class
11:00 – 1:00: Errands and household chores
1:00 – 2:30: Lunch and work
2:30 – 4:00: Relax and nap
4:00 – 5:30: Work
5:30 – 6:30: Make dinner
6:30 – 10:00: Play — eat dinner, spend time with Hart, see friends and maybe some more work (computer off at 10!)
10:00 – 11:00: Get ready for bed, 30 minutes of relaxing yoga, read
I already see flaws. I’d like to spend four solid hours writing for the blog on Mondays. I often have lunch with my friend and yoga teacher after class on Thursdays. Afternoon rest periods usually last two hours. In fact, there’s no way I’ll make it to 2:30 before I need a nap today.
Rigid adherence to the schedule is counterproductive, but I hope to achieve some balance in my days. We’ll see how it goes.
HI: I am looking for support from anyone who has had cluster migraines for a long period of time.
I have had them for 17 years daily. With them growing increasingly worse. I had to quit my job as an office manager for a clinic about one year ago. Since then I have learned slowly how to relax a little but other then the hands full of medicaition I take daily I would like any information and advise others have to offer. In what I have I already read yoga and rest are a big part?? Does anyone have anyother ideas.
THANK YOU!!
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I’m not sure if you are referring to cluster headaches or migraines — they are two different headache disorders.
A cluster headache forum I recommend is the Worldwide Cluster Headache Support Group: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/newvisitors.html
For headache disorders in general, MigrainePage’s forums are awesome: http://www.migrainepage.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi
I wish you the best of luck. I’m happy to answer any other questions you have.
Kerrie
*laugh* Migraine can have a weird sense of humor in their timing sometimes. But I totally know what you mean about them not happening when you need them not to some times, sometimes when I’m under a lot of work stress that’s really important (as oppose to normal work stress) they are mysteriously absent until I get a weekend and then they try to crush me.
I switched careers from research to teaching to try to decrease the migraine frequency due to stress, so I have mid July to Sept off, and I occasionally get a migraine free August if the weather is perfect, I’m eating right and totally chilled out …. but its no guarantee. Yoga works well for me too, I’m not sure it improves my migraine issues, but it sure helps me keep coping. 🙂
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I’m with you on yoga helping with coping. If that’s all it does for me, I’m grateful!
Kerrie
Do you think the difference might be the climate? I’ve always loved Seattle when I’ve visited, but I’ve been afraid to move there because of the weather, since low pressure and rain is a big trigger for me, and an uncontrollable one. Is it possible that Phoenix was better because of the weather?
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I used to wonder if this was the problem, but it happens whenever I travel. When we still lived in Phoenix, I visited Seattle five times to find a house. I always felt better in Seattle than in Phoenix. Now that I live in Seattle, I feel better than I did in Phoenix.
I think this is partly because there is always more stress at home (even when my life doesn’t feel stressful) than on vacation. Also it feels like I sometimes my headaches are delayed when I absolutely need them to be, like when I’m supposed to be having fun on vacation. That seems strange, but it’s a consistent pattern.
Kerire
kerrie,
how on God’s great earth can you do YOGA!!!!??? When I worked; HA, now that in itself is hysterical; right keep going, Deb. When I worked at the Y, I attempted Yoga, and along with some other women who had MS and some pretty involved neuro problems. At the time, I was in pretty rough shape, worse than now actually. The second I’d try to bend – BAM – down I’d go. I just couldn’t do it. I persevered, went a few more times, tried to do a more modified position, but each time, I’d either lose my balance again, get dizzy, and always end up with a much worse migraine than I’d go in with. My instructor was very good, so it wasn’t her. (Did I forget to mention my nickname from childhood, “Grace” ??) How do you do IT??
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My teacher is attuned to what I need. If there’s something I can’t do, she’ll give me another pose to try. Part of it depends on the type of yoga class you take. Many styles are pretty rigid and modifications don’t work very well.
She wrote this post about the different types of yoga: http://www.thedailyheadache.com/2006/12/what_to_look_fo.html
P.S. I’m about as graceful as you are. I went to a dance class with my niece when she was three and couldn’t keep up with kids!