Migraine

i have been trying to explain migraines to my rents and friends. recently i have had more and more of them. They say "don't worry this is just a phase, it'll get better."

This isn't likely is it? Are migraines something that are just a phase or is it once the first one is triggered you have them for life?

Migraine is a very variable disease. Since there isn't a cure currently, that means that once you have migraine disease, you have it for life. However, that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to always trigger as much as you do at a given time, or even as little as you do at a given time. Patterns with migraine change over time in most of us. We could be hit very hard for awhile, and then find that they slack off later on. We can influence this by finding an effective preventative regimen and by making good lifestyle choices that help us to identify and avoid triggers.

Kate, Droolie is SO right! I probably had abdominal migraines as a child - those painful tummyaches "all over" with no other symptoms. Mama made me go to school anyway. That was 2nd through 5th grade.

7th through 9th grade, I had bad headaches. I was chewing asprin. Mama just hid the asprin from me.

I was OK until Jr. year of college, when I started having vision problems in my left eye. Went to my eye doctor over Christmas, & he found nothing wrong with my eye. The problems & pain disappeared.

Fast forward 20 years to when I was diagnosed with migraine disease. This time, it has stayed with me for 14 years.

So, I "grew into and out of" migraines. Sure wish I'd "grow out of" them again! Wish we all would!

Rebecca, The Island Mama

Hi,

Migraine is a genetic neurological chronic disease with flare ups; Migraine attacks themselves. Your parents and friends don't seem to understand this. I'm sure they are saying these things because they love you, but it really isn't doing you any good.

You see here's the thing, people with diabetes or epilepsey are not in "a phase" and don't outgrow these diseases. Have you tried printing out any material on Migraines for them to read? Anyone from your family gone with you to one of your doctor's appointments? Maybe these things would help them understand the "nature" of Migraine disease a better.

The other possibility is that some folks won't ever get it and that's why you have us!!