1% Thursday

4 February 2010

1% Thursday: Be Prepared

This week, think about how prepared you are for your next attack, and adjust accordingly.

"Why do you always have that backpack with you?"

I was asked that recently. All right, so I like to be prepared for things – there are lots of reasons I carry a backpack with me.

But some of the things in that backpack are migraine-related. I’ve got my Klean Kanteen with me, with fresh water to keep me hydrated, and to take medication with if necessary.

Obviously, I have whatever medication I need with me. For my purposes I have a tiny container with various medications I might possibly need, though usually I only take one type (and hopefully none!). It’s important to be ready to hit a migraine attack early.

I also have a small amount of food. Not much. But if all of a sudden I realize the blood sugar is getting low, I don’t want to stand in line under the bright lights and bright smells of a convenience store if I can help it.

Your schedule is different from mine. Sometimes I walk, sometimes I ride, sometimes I drive – you may be almost always in your car or at home or at the office. Fine – make sure you have "emergency packs" in those locations.

Whatever your situation is, be prepared. Not so that you can take more medication – most of us want less! But sometimes taking less earlier, or catching a quick snack, or staying hydrated – whatever – even stopping life for 10 minutes to read your favourite book – may mean less drugs in the long run.

And at least 1% fewer attacks.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

28 January 2010

1% Thursday: Outside the Lines

James Tips 2

This week: Take the time to learn about a different type of headache.

I’m blessed with a very unusual point of view. Because of this site, I don’t just focus on my own symptoms, and my own condition, but a wide variety of conditions and diseases that are related to headache.

A few weeks ago, I was researching a rare type of migraine. I was reading through some technical medical information that one would never choose to read on a rainy night with a hot cup of cocoa, unless you had a very good reason.

Suddenly, I noticed something – a connection with a disorder that another member of my family has – this disorder possibly connected with my migraine disease.

It’s a long shot, but that little bit of information in a rare medical text might just tell me something about my disease that will bring me a whole lot closer to understanding what’s going on.

So for the sake of finding those connections, and for the sake of looking outward and discovering the struggles of other people – I challenge you to learn about another type of headache or migraine today. Here are some possible places to start:

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

21 January 2010

1% Thursday: Flowers

James News, Tips 3

This week: Buy yourself some flowers.

… and wait, men, don’t tune me out on this one. This is for you too.

There’s more than one reason why flowers can be therapeutic for someone prone to headaches or migraine attacks. For example, there’s the scent of flowers. Good old fashioned nice smelling 100% natural flowers, whether fresh cut or potted or growing outdoors. We’ve talked a lot about aromatherapy, and I believe you can get a lot of the same benefit from flowers.

Also, as we talked about in The Forgotten Therapy, natural beauty itself has an incredible power that is little appreciated. Sometimes we put beauty in the category of "things we don’t need". That’s a serious mistake – we all need beauty, maybe more than we need some of the pills we take.

This is actually a coincidence, but this post comes at an interesting time – when there’s some debate going on in the UK regarding whether or not to allow flowers in hospital wards. Some of the concerns may be valid (for example flowers in an emergency ward that are just getting in the way), but some seem to be based on bad "science" – the belief that flowers are depleting the room of oxygen, or adding dangerous gases or bacteria. And yet no one can seem to produce any evidence that flowers (or the water they’re in) pose any real risk to the patient.

I’d have to suggest that the real benefits far far outweigh any imagined problems.

But here are a couple tips to help you get the most out of the flowers you’re going to buy this week (you are going to do it, right?):

First, avoid "grocery store" flowers (including potted plants). I know they seem like a great deal, and they’re oh-so-convenient. But in my experience they don’t last nearly as long and don’t compare to the quality of those found in the market or flower shop.

Second, here’s what I do with fresh cut flowers. This will keep the water fresher, and the flowers will last longer. First, re-cut the flower stems at an angle under water. If your flowers came with special "food" from the florist, use that in the water as per instructions. Otherwise, try a vinegar/sugar mix – 3 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per quart (about 1 litre) of water. I’ve found it makes a big difference.

Now go buy a bouquet of your favourites! (And please, don’t ban flowers from the hospital rooms!)

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

14 January 2010

1% Thursday: Relaxing Music

James Tips 6

This week, buy a new CD, or download some new music, that is calming and relaxing.

When we asked our visitors about getting to sleep with migraine, Kim from the USA said this:

What I do to get to sleep is play a CD of relaxing instrumental music very very softly. If I haven’t fallen asleep by the end of the CD I know it is time to try something different.

Good idea! Now, during some migraine attacks you may not want sound of any kind. But at other times, the music seems to help – a LOT.

And I suspect it’s not just the calming effect, but the way music influences us neurologically and biologically. A recent study even suggested a difference between “happy” and “sad” music. Finding the right music really can make a difference.

Some calming instrumental favourites of mine include:

Dan Gibson’s Rocky Mountain Suite (also in MP3) (amazon UK – CD
and MP3)
Dino’s Classical Peace (amazon UK CD)
Emile Pandolfi’s By Request (also available at amazon UK)

Of course there are many, many other classic easy listening type artists – such as Kenny G (in the UK), Liona Boyd (in the UK)
– well, you get the idea.

Get something new to enjoy, make your own mix if you like, and have it handy on your MP3 player or by your CD player for the next time you need to rest.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

7 January 2010

1% Thursday: Make the call – find a new doctor.

James Uncategorized 0

This week, make the call you know you’ve needed to make for a long time. Find a new doctor.

There are a lot of reasons why people put up with a doctor or specialist. I mean that doctor that you’ve been seeing for a while – but you know you’re not happy with them. They don’t listen, maybe. Or all they want to do is try the latest drug on you – they’re not willing to explore other options. Or maybe they’re even too nice – they’re not willing to tell you what you know you really need to hear.

Why do we put up with it? Well, sometimes we’re just not aware of someone near our area who is better, and time and/or financial constraints are keeping us from making the switch (of course, imagine the financial benefits of getting those migraine or cluster attacks under control!).

But a lot of the time we just don’t want to take the risk. What if the next doctor is worse? Or we just don’t want to bother – all the same questions all over again, getting to know someone new, explaining again…

I understand your hesitation. But putting up with a doctor who is not moving your treatment forward is simply not worth it. Why wait 5 more years to change? Yes, you may need to do a little research. Maybe even try a specialist or two before you’re happy. But the long term benefits are enormous.

"I just don’t have the emotional stamina to do it right now!" – all right, explain your situation to a friend. Have them do some research for you. But take the step. It’s the beginning of the new year, this is your week to make a change that will make a big difference in the months to come. Don’t put it off. Make the call.

For more resources, read Finding a Good Migraine Specialist

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!