This is a reader-submitted story. Want to share your 30 Things? Here’s how: Migraine & Headache Disorders 30 Things Meme.
My diagnosis is: chronic daily headache and chronic migraine
2. My migraine attack frequency is: headache at least one per day, leading to a migraine as few times per week
3. I was diagnosed in:2008, with just having migraines, but have since been diagnosed with chronic problems.
4. My comorbid conditions include: light, sounds, and smell sensitivity, nausea, atm and leg weakness, inability to concentrate/form thoughts, depression.
5. I take 5 medications/supplements each day for prevention and 2+ medications/supplements to treat an acute attack
6. My first migraine attack was: when I was eight years old
7. My most disabling migraine symptoms are: light sensitivity and nausea, and well duh: head pain
8. My strangest migraine symptoms are: having a stuffy feeling head right before an attack
9. My biggest migraine triggers are: prolonged loud sounds, laughing too hard, not eating, and hydration. Laying in bed too long after I wake up also is a trigger.
10. I know a migraine attack is coming on when: my Hess gets stuffy and my forehead and neck start to get stiff.
11. The most frustrating part about having a migraine attack is: people think I am both overrating my own pain level, and people expect me to continue with work and responsibilities.
12. During a migraine attack, I worry most about: making it work, so I can pay rent.
13. When I think about migraine between attacks, I think: how nice it is to be almost pain free. (I usually always have a headache, even if it’s not a migraine)
14. When I tell someone I have migraine, the response is usually: either A: they don’t understand what that really means, or B: they have another possible solution that I’ve already tried.
15. When someone tells me they have migraine, I think:I wonder how much better/worse they have it, because you never really know their pain level compared to yours.
16. When I see commercials about migraine treatments, I think: ha. Works in 30 minutes, right, and then I’m back to work or play? Sure. I wish
17. My best coping tools are:sites that share others’ experiences and ice packs. Both used at different times.
18. I find comfort in: the dark.
19. I get angry when people say: you’re fine. Do some work instead of just sortisitting there.
20. I like it when people say:Hey, it’s ok, I get it and I’m here to help.
21. Something kind someone can do for me during a migraine attack is: be with me and get me whatever I need..? Like my boyfriend? But others could pick up my shift at work with understanding.
22. The best thing(s) a doctor has ever said to me about migraine is: they haven’t said anything good to me. I’ve had nothing but doctors giving up on my case.
23. The hardest thing to accept about having migraine is: there is no cure. Your best chance is maybe to outgrow it or to have it be less later in life.
24. Migraine has taught me: empathy, and how to step out without being apologetic.
25. The quotation, motto, mantra, or scripture that gets me through an attack is: nothing..
26. If I could go back to the early days of my diagnosis, I would tell myself: enjoy your time when you’re pain free, and rest yourself when you’re in pain.
27. The people who support me most are: my parents, my boyfriend.
28. The thing I most wish people understood about migraine is: it’s not the victims fault.they don’t want to be in pain either.
29. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is important to me because: people don’t understand
30. One more thing I’d like to say about life with migraine is:I wish it was gone.
Reader-submitted stories solely represent the personal point of view, experience, and opinion of the author, not of The Daily Headache or Kerrie Smyres.