Migraine

Well, this is a bit different, I know, but I couldn't resist sharing what I just found out. There is a series of historical mysteries by Ian Morson which feature a medieval Oxford don named William Falconer. I was reading a Falconer story in a composite mystery book (hard to explain) by the "Medieval Murderers," and I discovered that Falconer is a migraineur! He suffers from "megrim" headaches, unilateral headaches often focused behind one eye. Since there were no triptans in those days, he treated them by chewing khat leaves.

I am dying to know whether Ian Morson is a migraineur, but haven't found any information on that point.

Wow that's interesting! (I was going to say "cool" but even fictional migraines stink! )

I may have to check those out - seems like I've read other migraineur characters but i can't remember where... I'll post if I remember.

- Megs

DH has a LONG drive to work. He has become quite a fan of books on tape. We borrow them from the local library so he's got something other than talk radio to keep him awake during his commute!

He played part of Ken Follet's "Jackdaws" for me. It's a spy thriller sort of book--about WWII and the French resistance.

One of the characters (an officer of some sort--his name may have been Dieter Franck?) was a severe migraineur. The character treated his migraines with strong Morphine injections. In the story, he even experiences a rebound headache the morning after!!! (Those morphine shots must've packed a real punch!)

jenny

Megan,

I bet I know where you read about fictional characters before. We have had this discussion on Ronda's Migraine Page and I think you have been there before.

Mary

I recently read Atonement by Ian McEwan, and the mother in the story is a migraineur. He wrote her very, very well. If anything it hit too close to home for me, but I was grateful he was able to capture the experience of being a migraineur so accurately.

Diana

Yes, I actually didn't like the book Atonement very much, but I agree that the description of migraine was very well done.