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Precision Tinted – Especially to Fight Migraine

James — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:03:18 +0000

There has been an increasing interest in tinted glasses for migraine patients. Although tinted glasses are nothing new, research is beginning to bring us some decent science behind using tinted glasses to fight migraine symptoms (see for example this from USA Today: Special tinted glasses may stymie migraines).

There are a number of different approaches. Of course, quality sunglasses have helped a lot of people. There are also custom made precision tinted glasses, where a patient is tested and given a tint that seems to help them the most.

But even custom made precision tinting is an imprecise science, as we continue to learn more about how migraine impacts the brain. And such a service may not be readily available where you are, or within your price range.

However, there is another option. There is increasing interest in precision tinted non-prescription glasses that can be produced at a lower cost in higher quantities. This can be done because certain tints seem to help migraineurs in general, and so lenses can be produced for migraine patients in general instead of being custom made.

Now Available: A New Lens Designed to Fight Migraine

(These are all the same pair of TheraSpecs – it’s the pictures that are tinted differently!)

There’s a new precision tinted therapeutic lens – and the good news is, it wasn’t developed by some engineer in a office building who doesn’t know anything about migraine. These glasses were developed by Hart Shafer and his wife Kerrie Smyres. Many of you will know Kerrie from her blog, The Daily Headache.

This means that the glasses were tried and tested over time by someone dealing with real migraine attacks. (I’ve followed and communicated with Kerrie for many years – I know she’s the real deal)

For example, here’s Hart explaining how they had found some lenses that worked well, but…

But they were far from perfect. When she wore them she also always put on a baseball cap and often held her hands up beside her eyes to block light from the sides and reflections behind. The glasses simply let in too much light from around the lenses, especially from above. That’s when we started talking about the ideal glasses for people who suffer like she does.

Once Hart and Kerrie had come up with a design they liked, they sent them out to various other migraineurs, myself includes. The reports that came back were good.

I’m still experimenting with the ones I have – Indoor TheraSpecs – but I did know right away that I liked them. Here are some of the reasons why:

They are light weight. What migraineur wants something heavy pulling on their face?
They have a wrap-around design. That means that they block out light from the sides, while still giving you a good field of vision.
They’re flexible and strong. They’re not going to break easily – they’re built to last, as an investment in your health.

There’s more. There are indoor and outdoor versions, meaning that the indoor ones are lighter (great for under flourescent lights you can’t escape or in front of a computer screen) and the outdoor ones are polarized, which cuts down glare (seriously, if you’ve never tried polarized sunglasses, you’ll be amazed at the difference).

If you have migraine, and especially if you’ve found that fluorescent lights or computer screens bother you (either when you have a migraine attack or when you don’t), this is an excellent option to consider. Many people have been very surprised at the different that can be made with precision tinted glasses such as the TheraSpecs.

I won’t go into any more detail, because the TheraSpecs have an excellent website of their own with lots of information. If it helps, though, I will say that I am not being paid or given a commission to promote these glasses. I have seen the product, and I’ve been watching the research over the past few years, and I believe that the evidence is there. Take a look and see what you think.

If you’ve tried the TheraSpecs, leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Precision Tinted – Especially to Fight Migraine

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Lily’s Mom Review: Follow-up from Dr. Messina

James — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:45:43 +0000

After I posted the review of Lily’s Mom last month, I received an email by the writer, producer, and director – Dr. Edmund Messina. I thought you might like to hear his comments on my review:

James

Nicely written review.

One comment: The "natural therapist" actually was a real story that a patient told me. It was a neurologist who she had seen in Texas… I get to hear a lot of stories in my line of work and, as you already know, there are lots of people who like to take advantage of people suffering with painful conditions. Incidentally, all of the scenes in the movie were based on real-life experiences told to me by migraine people.

Keep up the good work.

Ed Messina

As you may recall, I had mentioned that the "natural therapist" was so far out there that he’s going to need a telescope to see reality.

My point was not that this person could not exist. Do I believe Dr. Messina’s patient? You bet. (But… he was a neurologist? Seriously?!)

My point was more that, since this is the moment in the movie for alternative therapy, maybe we should remember that there are many good alternative health practitioners out there.

Of course, you can’t cover the good and the bad and every aspect in one movie. And it’s very important to remember as a migraineur that there’s some crazy stuff out there. And it’s good for us all to remember the terrible things that many migraineurs have to go through – beyond the symptoms of their disease.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Lily’s Mom Review: Follow-up from Dr. Messina

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Lily’s Mom: A Review

James — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Considering the number of people who suffer from migraine, you would think that there would be more movies and music and theatre dedicated to struggling with the issue. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. And when migraine does appear in film, it’s often misportrayed.

So it’s good to see migraine being taken more seriously, as Dr. Edmund Messina takes the director’s chair again and brings us Lily’s Mom, a story of migraine and the impact it has on a woman and her family.

The Story

First, a brief introduction. The main character is, of course, Lily’s Mom – Mary Jones (played by Kimberly Harsch). She’s married, and has a daughter (Lily, of course – played by Jessica Butler) from a previous marriage.

Nearby live her Mom (who also has migraine) and her sister who cares for her.

Mary has a demanding job, a boss who doesn’t understand, and a friend who is worlds apart from her. She also has a therapist

The characters, generally speaking, are very believable and real. There are, in my opinion, a couple of exceptions.

First, there’s the "natural therapist". Now, trust me, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to various kinds of therapy. But in the movie, this guy is so far out there that he’s going to need a telescope to see reality. All right, I’m not going to promise that someone like that doesn’t exist – somewhere – but there are also some excellent alternative health care professionals who have helped many. There’s a danger that we write off everything that isn’t mainstream health a little too quickly.

The other character that I found a little unbelievable is Lily herself. She’s real cute and sweet – all the time – and although we hear a little about her struggles, we see very few of them. No wonder the movie is called Lily’s Mom – Lily is a saint. (By the way, this isn’t the fault of actress Jessica Butler, who played the part very well. It’s just missing from the script.)

Other characters are pretty well done. Dr. Messina has a small role as – well, a doctor! And he’s very likeable on the screen, and no doubt in real life as well. The therapist is also likeable, but sometimes says some things I wonder if a therapist would say. Do they really tell you that you have "a lot of issues" so early in therapy?

The Reality and the Message

There’s a lot packed in to Lily’s Mom. And as with Messina’s former film, it’s harsh. And as in real life, everything isn’t perfect once we get the end of the film. I won’t give everything away, but let’s just say that, as the credits roll, I’m wondering if a thug is coming to break Mary’s knees, if her husband is at the door with a gun, and her other friends and family are ending up either in jail or in some other unpleasant institution!

And this is one of the challenges of addressing migraine. Yes, there are some people dealing with things like Mary – and worse. Others deal with various aspects that she deals with. So you always risk making things worse than most people’s reality or making life with migraine seem too easy.

So don’t expect a light uplifting story. Expect to be pushed to think about various aspects of life with migraine.

The story actually focuses less on the symptoms of migraine, and more on the impact it has on a woman’s already challenging life. And that is a story that needs to be told.

It brings up the reality of migraine in ways many of us will relate to. For example, every time someone asks a question about migraine to Mary, and she struggles to answer, I feel it. Do you still get those headaches? How are the headaches doing? How’s you’re head? I take it you’re feeling better, right?

And there’s the whole story of watching other peoples’ lives – lives that maybe you secretly wish you had.

Or the issue of comparing yourself with other migraineurs or others in general – and the temptation to judge them too harshly.

Bringing the issues forward for discussion is maybe one of the biggest strengths of the movie. In other words, asking questions rather than answering them.

But there is a message as well. And that message is – learning to become your own advocate.

The idea is featured in a conversation between Mary and Lily:

Lily: Mom, what are you reading?
Mary: Um, just some research I did on the internet about headaches.
Lily: Why do you have to learn this stuff? Is it like homework?
Mary: Oh, well – the best way to get healthy is to help yourself, right?
Lily: I thought the doctor was helping you.
Mary: He is. He’s the one who told me I had to be my own advocate.
Lily: What’s that?
Mary: An advocate is a person who helps themselves. Or, someone who helps someone else.

It’s a bumpy road – that road toward being your own advocate. Life doesn’t slow down for you, or start being predictible. You don’t always say or do the right thing. But your family and friends don’t know what you need the way you do. It’s essential.

If there’s anything that I felt was missing from the movie, it’s finding the other advocates – those who help others – who help you. Sure, Mary has a doctor, and a therapist. Eventually a lawyer. But she’s going to need more than that. She will probably need other health professionals. And what about friends? And God?

All right, some of my readers would balk at that last one, but this movie shows real life to such a degree that there’s no doubt Mary is going to need more than just a few visits to various offices to solve her problems.

Should I watch it? Why?

In the end, I would recommend Lily’s Mom. In some ways, I think I liked Life and Migraine better (a previous docudrama directed by Daniel Messina and Dr. Edmund Messina), which told more stories of various migraine and cluster headache sufferers.

But this movie plays a different role. It shows us that migraine disease does not occur in a vaccuum. Sure, it would be a lot easier to deal with migraine if that’s all we were dealing with. Why don’t you just see a doctor? Why don’t you just take a day off? Easy to say – but what if you’ve been looking for a good doctor for months? What if that day off means you can’t afford the next doctor’s visit? What if you have children to raise? Friends in crisis? What if you’re sick in other ways?

This would be an excellent movie to watch with close family members and close friends. It might help them see life a little more through your eyes, if you’re a migraineur.

So let’s give a thank you to Dr. Messina and the cast and crew of Lily’s Mom – for thinking outside the box to find new ways to help migraineurs – help us become our own advocates, to understand ourselves better, and to help others understand a friend or family member with migraine just a little more.

Lily’s Mom is on sale here. Lily’s Mom is also available to download, purchase or rent here.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Lily’s Mom: A Review

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Are You an Empowered Patient?

James — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:59:35 +0000

There are some great doctors out there. But doctors are not infallible – and the system is far from perfect. And sometimes, says Elizabeth Cohen, you have to make a fuss.

Elizabeth Cohen is senior medical correspondent for CNN’s Health, Medical and Wellness unit. She is constantly trying to help people to get good care in spite of the reality of medical errors, problems with the system, and pressure to rush through decisions.

She has authored a book in which she shares her experience in order to help you, particularly if you are in the USA. Here’s a CBS interview where she talked about her book The Empowered Patient: How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time:

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Are You an Empowered Patient?

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Project Migraine Hope gives Migraineurs a Face and a Voice

James — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:13:17 +0000

There’s no doubt that migraine is a misunderstood disease. That means migraineurs, migraine sufferers, are themselves misunderstood – in their relationships, workplaces, and social activities. But a new website aims to give migraineurs a chance to speak.

Blogger Kelly from Fly with Hope has just launched Project Migraine Hope. Project Migraine Hope gives people who are dealing with migraine a chance to speak out and let the world know how serious migraine really is.

It’s also an opportunity for family and friends of migraineurs to share.

Kelly writes:

So many of us have been in a place with our Migraines where we have felt depressed, devastated and lost: when nothing is helping and you are lying alone in a dark room with excruciating symptoms; after another medication trial failed; when insurance did not cover a treatment; when the doctor said "I don’t know what else to do" and/or "It is all in your head"…

We need to share with each other how we hold onto hope and to talk about what keeps us going amidst the struggle during dark times.

There IS hope for the area of more funding for Migraine research. And there IS hope for each individual Migraineur.

Though the focus of the site is to give migraineurs a face and a voice through video, written submissions will also be accepted.

Let’s hear Kelly explain Project Migraine Hope in her own words:

To get you started with ideas, here’s the first part of Kelly’s own story:

Find out how to participate in Project Migraine Hope here.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Project Migraine Hope gives Migraineurs a Face and a Voice

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Hobbies: Helping or Hindering?

James — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:53:43 +0000

We’ve talked before about the importance of having a hobby. Of course this is not just important for migraine or cluster patients, but for anyone with chronic illness – well, for anyone at all.

But the fact is, it can be harder for someone with headache or migraine to do. Maybe because of the symptoms. Maybe because of the fear of when symptoms will strike. But perhaps one of the biggest reasons is because someone with a condition like migraine thinks they’re already not "contributing" enough. They’re not able to do "enough" when it comes to "normal" family and community activities.

Of course, the best kinds of hobbies are a contribution to the community. But that aside, it also seems that we’re more able to contribute in our jobs or in our family when we have a hobby.

Some of these thoughts were echoed in a recent article published at AHDA HeadNotes. Take some time to read A Third Space for Migraine Patients.

Are you having trouble seeing how this could really fit in your life? Not sure why it’s important (and it can be more than just important – it can be revolutionary)?

I suggest you take a look at a book called The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson Ph.D. Although I don’t agree with the author’s approach on everything, he does demonstrate with real, practical examples how and why we’ve been doing a poor job helping people – and ourselves – really find our passions in life.

Here’s the book description:

The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the Element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions that enable us to find ourselves in the Element and those that stifle that possibility. Drawing on the stories of a wide range of people, including Paul McCartney, Matt Groening, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and Bart Conner, he shows that age and occupation are no barrier and that this is the essential strategy for transforming education, business, and communities in the twenty-first century.

Take the time to develop a hobby, and to delve into what you can be passionate about. It has far more value that you may realize at first.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Hobbies: Helping or Hindering?

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Win a Free Migraine Barometer!

James — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:00:17 +0000

Alas, the Migraine Barometer is sold out. Or… is it??

Well, yes it is. But I have a confession to make. I hid one up my sleeve … just one … so that I could give it away for free.

I know there are many of you who are waiting for it to be available again. Well, who knows? You could be the one to win this one!

To clarify – this is the new edition of the Migraine Barometer, featured here. It will be shipped to you (if you win, of course), after the closing of the contest.

We’re doing a special contest this time, where you’ll have multiple chances to win – by doing things like "Liking" the Headache and Migraine News Facebook page, by tweeting, and by leaving a comment. Just follow the instructions below!

This time, due to the nature of the contest, it’s only open to US residents. Don’t worry – we’ll have another contest for everyone!

The contest closes 2 weeks from today, on the 24th of October.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Win a Free Migraine Barometer!

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Lily’s Mom

James — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:39:46 +0000

Dr. Edmund Messina is back – once again wanting to spread the word about headache, migraine, and the situations that people have to deal with in the midst of chronic illness.

You might remember the previous work of Dr. Messina and his team – Life and Migraine. The goal of this first film was to give us a glimpse into the life of someone with migraine, and to help us see what they had to go through to get help.

I just received an email from Dr. Messina about his new movie (he wrote, produced, and directed), "Lily’s Mom", starring Kimberly Harsch. I’m hoping to review it in a few weeks time.

Meanwhile, here’s a brief synopsis:

Mary is a mother who comes from a dysfunctional background. She struggles to be a good role model for her 8 year-old daughter, Lily, in the midst of crippling headaches, loss of job, deteriorating marriage and abuse.

The story is told through her conversations with her therapist as she learns to become her own advocate and overcome what seem to be insurmountable obstacles, including deaths, poor health-care and being thwarted by bizarre people in her life.

Mary’s struggles and eventual triumph are driven by her need to give little Lily the ‘normal’ life she herself never had. The that the personality disorders and psychiatric characteristics of the characters are medically accurate, making this very touching drama ring true to the viewer.

If you want to see the trailer, click the image below to go to YouTube:

For more, visit the official Lily’s Mom website. Now that Dr. Messina is done with this project, he’s looking forward to other similar works to highlight the struggles people have dealing with headache and migraine.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Lily’s Mom

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August 2011 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

James — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 03:00:09 +0000

The new Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been posted by Nancy over at Migraine and Other Headache Disorders. Thanks, Nancy!

It was hard to choose favourites this time, so I’ll let you just wander over and check them out for yourself. There’s everything from general posts about dealing with migraine, posts about attitude, and even a post about suicide (and why is that so rare?).

Yes, I even managed to be organized enough to get a post in there. Click through to see what it is.

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

August 2011 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

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Headache Specialists: USA (and a hint of Canada)

James — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 05:23:24 +0000

If you’re looking for a headache or migraine specialist, there’s an updated resource available to you.

The Migraine Research Foundation provides an updated list of specialists listed by state in the USA (with a few in Canada too). Recently, they updated their list to include patient ages. So if you’re looking for a specialist for a child or teen, this is now a very helpful resource.

I recommend you get to a specialist as early as possible in headache and migraine treatment – it can save you a lot of headaches (no pun intended) down the road.

How are the specialists chosen? The document states:

The United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties is an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization that certifies competency in physicians who have passed a special headache subspecialty examination.

To download the list, visit this resource page and click on Doctors certified in headache medicine. You will be accessing a pdf document.

More about the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Headache Specialists: USA (and a hint of Canada)