Migraine

Hi everyone,

I am getting my migraine diary together to talk to a representative at the Keeler Center regarding my migraines. And I have a really silly question. I was looking over my diary and I have migraines that last 3-4 days with breaks. Are they considered one migraine or 4.

Okay, let me clarify. 1st day: I have aura in morning, then headache, nausea, etc. I take my maxalt and it knocks it out. (but no postdrome)

Next day, I have aura, then headache, nausea, vomiting. (most times worse then day before). Then maxalt kicks it out.

Get the picture? So, would this be considered separate migraine or one migraine. Boy, I thought I knew so much and now am realizing I have so much to learn.

Thank you.

Dar

Was there more then a 4 hour break in the migraine, not including sleep time?

If so then it's a new migraine. If you are sucessfully aborting it, and then you are getting another one the next day - but you had pain free time in between - then it's a new migraine.

On the other hand - if it was less then 4 hour breaks and the migraine didn't fully abort - and it lasted 4 days - then it sounds more like status migrainous.

Do you note on your diary what time you start your migraine and what time the end? That is very helpful.

As long as the migraine's still there, to any degree, including a slight one, for more than 72 hours, then yes, it would be status. Whether or not you take your abortive doesn't have bearing on status, unless it aborts it COMPLETELY for more than four hours. Status is all about the TIME.

Thanks,

Eileen-I do keep a time when I start and stop a migraine but looking it over I really need to take better notes of time. Some entry say "All day" (Maybe I should do it when I'm not migraining LOL )

You really have cleared up ALOT. After looking over my diary some of them are new migraines, because the pain stopped for more then 4 hours (but I have to admit, I need to start writing down the times better). Some morning the pain would stop for four to 5 hours and I would just get the vertigo and aura again, then the head pain later. So that I assume would be a new migraine, right? Others I found in my diary I think were one migraine in status Migrainous

Droolie-You are so right, Nutcracker pointed out this weekend that status migrainous does NOT include sleeping. I must have read that article 10 times and did not see it. It just proves you never stop learning.

You are SUPER

Dar

Dar,

On my diary I put when it began, the meds I took, time of relief (if any) and then my possible triggers. I also add another line to it (mine is in Excel) if it comes back or if I take additional meds.

Example:

Onset: 6:00 a.m., Maxalt 10 mg: relief 7:00 a.m., Trigger: lack of sleep

then the next line will read for the same day

Onset: 2:00 p.m., Maxalt 10 mg: relief 3:00 p.m., Trigger: continued from this morning

Or it may read: Onset: 2:00 p.m., Maxalt 10 mg: relief none, Trigger: continued from this morning OR if it is the next day I cheat and put the same thing but just say: yesterday.

I also have a comment part where I can put any other info the doc and I may need. Of course, I took my diary from Teri LOL

Was that confusing enough

Hi Laura,

Okay, It's official...I am going to be a copycat I love how you write down your diary. That format will work for me and let me be able to keep track of exactly what is happening. I did take the diary from Terri too, but I was not writing down enough (just when it began and stopped)!! It sounds so easy when you first start doing a diary, then when you look back you realize how much you missed...Geez (I feel like I'm in school again LOL)

Thank you !!

Dar

Thanks for sharing your "secrets," Laura. I think many of us found them helpful.

Since I have multiple chronic ick, I use a spiral desk calendar for an ick log. Mainly I use the monthly pages, but then I have the weekly ones in between if I run out of room for notes in the boxes. I also color-code mine with highlighters. Migraine is yellow, fibro flare is orange, appointments and labs with jotted results or med changes are blue, thyroid is green. Etc. What's nice is at a glance I can see patterns or sudden changes.

Glad I could help

Droolie-I love your color coded idea...very, very organized! Just wish you didn't have to use so many colors

Ok Droolie, this one's for you--

How do you tell if it's fibro or thyroid? With multiple "icks" it is hard to define what is what and who is who?