Migraine

My brother saw this book, and it's authors featured on this morning's Today show. I wondered if anyone has read this and what they think of it?

Pat

Saw the interview, I wish Dr. Synderman would stop saying headaches. They did have a lot of good points, except the stress part...... good points about managing lifestyle and triggers and even at the end Dr. Synderman commented that it very well be a genetic disorder....

As far as the book goes....I haven't read it.......she had some good points on camera, I'll wait to say til I read it.

I ordered a copy earlier this week from Amazon.com, so I can't say for sure yet, but I have high hopes for it.

Coincidentally I wrote a little blurb about the book on my blog today, including a link to a Newsweek interview with the author Dr. Bernstein. If anyone is interested in reading my post:

http://somebodyhealme.dianalee.net/2008/09/article-indi...ne-brain-may-be.html

Diana

I watched the interview this morning as well, and am ordering the book as we speak. I really hope it has some new,good information. I feel like I have read all the good books on the subject and am often disappointed in books. I hope it is as good as it sounds.

I agree with you, Nancy, about the one Dr that kept saying headaches. I was pleased that the other one (the author) stated that migraines were not just bad headaches. I was happy to just see something on tv - to raise awareness - there are so few things on tv about migraine disease, at least that I have seen. I have a tivo and search for migraine and headache at least once a week and usually it is using headache in the form of a nuisance of some sort and irks me!!!

I will let you guys know what I think once I read it. I should get it within the next week I hope.

I'm reading the book now. I'm not too far into it, but I like what I'm reading so far. The author is not making the usual mistakes and is explaining migraine as a neurological disorder which is made up of many things besides headaches.

I think it's a worthy read for anyone with migraines at least at this point.

Tracie

I have a copy of it here to review. Now I just have to find the time to read it.

I just watched the interview and it brings up "controlling" your migraines. I have been struggling with this so much lately. As a migrainer for 30yrs I have been fortunate to have managed them fairly well until the past few years. I am on a preventative, seeing a specialist, and trying very hard to identify and avoid triggers.

Having said that, I still struggle with the fact that I should be able to "control" them. Especially the weeks that I have three, and I am worn out and emotionally low I still having horrible inner dialogues with myself. Like this is still something I am causing.

Maybe I should move this to another area but does anyone else struggle with this? I am trying so hard to tell myself that these words are not helpful and to be my own best friend but I still struggle when a migraine hits and I am hurting.

Know I went off topic but any thoughts?
lisa

Yeah, I have trouble with the word "control" too. Manage would be a much better option in my opinion.

How can we have "control" over a disease? What we can do is control, yes control, how much chocolate we eat, but we can't control weather changes.

We can manage and monitor our lifestyle to make Migraines have less of an impact on our lives. But control it,

I just got my copy in the mail yesterday and have read about 60 pages so far. I like most of what I have read, but disagree with parts. She has a list of myths and one of them is that migraine can be fatal, to which she says is false. She also states that status migrainous is not that serious. I was skimming through further along and she says if dust is a trigger, then keep your house in immaculate condition!! HELLO - is this possible for anyone on here? Not for me! I wish it were that easy. Maybe she has a maid?? I am anxious to get Teri's opinion on this book.
So, Teri, please let us know what you think when you have time to read it.

I had posted about the dust bunnies under triggers. I did end up buying the book this past weekend and there really isn't anything new in there for me. Also curious for Teri's take on it.

GO CUBS
lisa

Oops, also meant to reply and say thanks to Nancy for the support. I still have to say everytime I get a migraine I ask myself what did I miss or expose myself to. That negative self talk gets me nowhere but I am working on it. I know there are other triggers that I can't avoid and for many migraines I don't know why they hit. Sometimes I just have to talk it up to changing hormones....

but thanks for understanding, as always.
lisa

The idea of control just doesn't work for me. One of my mantras is that control is an illusion. I always thought I was in complete control of my life, but it only seemed that way because until about five years ago I lived a quite charmed life in which everything went mostly according to plan. That's definitely not the same thing as actually being in control.

Diana

I found the write-up for this book on MSNBC's website, along with the interview, if anyone's interested to check it out:
Doctor: There’s help for Migraine sufferers

Teri, I'm looking forward to seeing your review on this book. It looks very promising - hope it doesn't disappoint!

Boston Magazine published an interview with Dr Bernstein this week.

Boston Book Club: The Migraine Brain

I especially like the intro to the interview:

quote:

Thankfully, we don’t suffer from migraines. While we never dismissed people who do, we never realized how horrific the experience can be until we read Dr. Carolyn Bernstein’s The Migraine Brain.

I still haven't read this book, but I'm interested to see if anyone has. It sounds promising.

I am smack in the middle of this book...For the most part I like it.

But yes, on the "myths" page she does state that migraine itself is not fatal. Well, on one hand that's true, migraine in and of itself isn't fatal, but remaining in Status can POSSIBLY be fatal by inducing stroke. So I don't think the statement was incorrect, I just think she didn't take the opportunity to expound on Status. She does this another time in the book, neglecting to say why it's necessary for migraineurs to seek attention after the 72-hour mark. If migraine is not fatal, and pain can be controlled at home, why bother going to the ER at all while in Status? (rhetorical question there, lol)

The book is sometimes up on itself and condescending. While I like that the information is up to date and there are things in it that I think are useful, I think she really pushes this book as "THE" best migraine book that you can find. Take it with you to your doctor's appointments! Don't hesitate to wave it around when you need to use its magical powers! Maybe that is bad of me, but I prefer the straight, no-nonsense approach myself. Please do not fluff the text up to stroke your own ego kind of thing, you know? So the book is a little pretentious in parts.

I thought about highlighting some areas in the book to do further internet research but maybe later.

The "headache" thing bothers me as well. But I think it's a good tactic as sometimes people associate migraine with the pain phase most of all. But when you open the book, quite a few times she states our mantra, that migraine is not a headache but a neurological disease full of neural surprises for sufferers. So if "headache" captures you and you buy the book, but you're revealed to otherwise, it might be good. I don't know, I am conflicted about it as well.

That's my take so far. Not necessarily a bummer, but there's a bit too much interjection and back-patting on the part of the author/doctor.