From time to time we plan to post stories from fellow migraine sufferers to share our experiences and offer some advice. Here’s one now:
I suffer migraines and it pains me to think anyone else has to deal with this. Worse yet, I know that at 8-10 per year I’m on the “lucky” side of things.
Mine don’t creep up on me with any kind of warning; they hit me like a ton of bricks. Out of the blue. Sometimes I’m under stress, other times I’m having the time of my life. It’s the ultimate frustration to have an attack in the middle of a date with my wife, skiing with my kids, or reading on the back deck. Just when I would never expect it.
I would expect it if I were under some unusual stress. I have a stressful job in marketing, but I thrive when things get busy and it doesn’t seem to affect me on any predictable scale. I can’t point to “stress” as a specific trigger because I’ve plowed right through some of the most stressful times of my life without so much as a normal headache.
If I’m at work and I get an attack, it’s all I can do to dial my wife and ask for a ride home. Mine start in my eyes and within minutes I am unable to function visually. It takes a couple of hours before I can wander a darkened house with my sunglasses on. I’ve learned that if I don’t take immediate measures, it can be even worse. Worse means longer, harder pain, and a much longer recovery.
I’m grateful to have a sympathetic wife who will drop what she is doing to help me out. In the few times I have been out of reach during an attack, the circumstances were particularly dire. I felt particularly helpless and my struggle to compensate only made things worse.
My recovery can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. As I write this I am on my third day of lasting pain – it’s more than just a headache.
I started tracking my migraines to keep a record and search for patterns and triggers. I’ve learned a few things as a result and I keep adjusting to see if I can make a difference. As a result, I’m better prepared and know a little more about my condition.
Since then, I’ve channeled my extra time into a project with my son to see if we can’t help others in the same boat.
My son is a mobile app developer. One day while I was suffering a migraine he came into my room and asked “Is there anything I can do to help?” Off the cuff, I said, “Yeah, you could make me an app to track my migraine attacks.”
He took this request to heart and before long we were talking through my wish list. The result has been an app we called Simple Migraine Tracker. Tracking my attacks has given me a new level of understanding and I feel more prepared for the next attack.
In the meantime, I don’t dwell on the possibility of another attack. I stay busy and don’t let it bother me. Just in case, I keep a kit of medications and accessories to help wherever I’ll be. There’s one in my desk at work, in my car, and in my computer bag and suitcase. I’m never too far away from at least a few of the basics.
At home, I keep an ice pack in the freezer and I know just where to run when I get those sparkles. There isn’t much I can do once I get an attack, and I don’t let that get me down until I do. In the meantime, I don’t shy away from any activity, but I do wear sunglasses and try to protect against flashes of light.
Thanks for reading, and I sincerely hope you are doing well. I know how hard it can be.
The new version of Simple Migraine Tracker is almost ready. Stay tuned.