migraine diary

15 October 2010

8 Things I Find Helpful (related to Migraine)

I wasn’t exactly sure what to title this post, but I decided to sit down and think of 8 of the most useful things I have used either to prevent an attack or to survive an attack (migraine, that is).

I don’t usually post personal things like this – partly because I’m aware that everyone is so different. I especially hesitate to promote medications or supplements based on my experience – I’d rather have scientific data to draw from.

However, these 8 things may have wider appeal.

I’m not listing life style things or schedule changes or those kinds of tips – only specific items I’ve used a lot. I’m sure you have items that have helped you – leave a comment and let’s make the list bigger!

Flax seed silk eye pillow: It blocks out the light, blocks out unpleasant smells, and cools my face around my eyes. I use one like this eye pillow from Celestial Dreams, though mine has a strap (which I don’t think I’ve ever used). More on eye pillows here.
Buckwheat Pillow: Yes, I sleep with one every night. Similar to the benefits of the eye pillow, but it also helps support my neck and doesn’t feel like it’s "smothering" me. More about buckwheat pillows here.
Oatmeal: I was always told oatmeal will "stick to your ribs". The truth is, oatmeal provides great long lasting slow-release energy. A bowl at night may help you feel better in the morning, and a bowl in the morning will help you last longer throughout the day.
Klean Kanteen: Pure, cool water always available, to keep me hydrated or to take medication with on time. Read more about why I love mine here.
MP3 Player: I still have the old iriver clix, which is a beauty but hard to find. However, many of you already have an MP3 player built into a cell phone or you have an iPod or many of the other players. It’s always handy and I can listen to it when I really can’t do anything else. Here are some more thoughts.
Dehydrator: This is still a fairly new one for me, but I really have appreciated the dried fruit and fruit leather that is so easy to make, and then so easy to carry with you. Travelling, it’s fantastic to have a quick healthy snack always on hand. After a fair amount of research I settled on this one.
Sunglasses: I wrote this post before actually getting my new pair of sunglasses. Now that I’ve had the new pair for a while, I wonder why I waited so long. They are amazing. I settled on a pair of Smith Optics polarized sunglasses. The difference is truly amazing, and has saved me a lot of discomfort.
Migraine/Headache Diary: Having a record of what medication I’ve taken when, and what my symptoms have been, has been invaluable. For a diary to download and print, and instructions on how to use it, see this migraine diary article.

What about you? What odd or ordinary things have you found helpful?

1 April 2010

1% Thursday: Warning Signs

James Tips 0

Make it a habit to watch for warning signs.

Even for those of us that try to keep track of migraine, cluster headache or whatever-kind-of-headache symptoms from day to day still miss these. It’s usually not hard to miss the main symptoms – headache, dizziness, nausea – whatever it is for you. And quite often we can point to one or two possible triggers in each attack (oh, it was that glass of wine – or I skipped breakfast).

Learning to recognize the warning signs are a little trickier, especially when they’re quickly overshadowed by a wave of incredible pain. But it’s worth paying attention.

In migraine, we call these premonitory symptoms (formerly prodrome). They can arrive right before the major part of the attack, or even a day or more earlier. Some common symptoms? You feel unusually tired. Your neck feels stiff. You have trouble focusing, even trouble speaking. You look pale. Or you start yawning a lot.

What’s the use of noticing these symptoms? First, it may help you correctly recognize your triggers, if you know when the migraine chain-of-events started. Second, it often helps to take medication earlier in the attack. The premonitory phase may be too early, but it will put you on the alert. Talk to your doctor about when to take your medication.

And we’re not just talking about medication – avoiding further triggers, perhaps getting hydrated, or going for a walk, or getting some rest – there may be things you can do to minimize your coming attack.

If you don’t have a migraine or headache diary, print one out and start watching for those early symptoms.

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!

1 October 2009

1% Thursday: Back to the Headache/Migraine Diary

James Resources, Tips 4

It’s been 14 weeks – did you keep up with your headache/migraine diary?

If so, time to pull out the 14 sheets of paper and take a look. What kinds of symptoms are common. Is there a pattern? How often are you having attacks? Does it look like there are different types of attacks (maybe showing different kinds of headaches from different causes)? What about triggers? Are you taking too much medication? Are there other treatments that have worked?

I encourage you to keep up with the diary (and if you haven’t started, now is a great time!). Also, it would be great to talk to your doctor about what you’ve found. Show her the diaries and talk to her about the patterns you’re seeing. It just may lead to a break-through!

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!

18 August 2009

More Headache Technology (for iPhone and iPhone Touch)

James Resources 2

Blakely Long from BetterQOL (Better Quality of Life) recently gave me a heads up about a new app for your iPhone that is basically another headache diary. BetterQOL, Inc provides web based resources and tools related to the health industry.

I said it’s "basically another headache diary", but that’s probably a disservice. This is actually a pretty slick app, and I think it could help a lot of patients if they’re willing to use it.

iHeadache was developed by neurologist and headache specialist Dr. Brian D. Loftus (I’ve read some of Dr. Loftus’ work before, such as what he’s written on orgasm headache). The nice thing about iHeadache is that it goes far beyond just telling you how many headaches you’ve had in a month.

For example, it uses International Headache Society criteria to give you an idea what type of headache or migraine you’re having (not every type, but some of the more common ones). It does this by checking the quick, yes or no questions you answer and other easy information you enter at the time of the attack.

Also, it uses the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS scale) to give you an idea just how disabled you are. Using these well recognized systems will help you and your doctor get started on recognizing where you’re at and starting treatment – much better than coming to your doctor and simply saying,"Um, I’ve been getting some headaches doc…"

There’s much more. You list the medications you take, and so are able to see if they’re helping or if you’re getting in the danger zone of taking too many. You can even enter medications that are being taken for other conditions, but may also impact your migraine attacks.

I won’t go into all the details of the app. I haven’t tried it myself, though I have gone through the website and help manual to get an idea how it works.

I’ll say this – I’m impressed with the flexibility and depth of what is still a fairly simple, easy to use application. Of course, nothing is every quite comprehensive and flexible enough. But as long as you realize that every diary, electronic or paper, has its limitations, and will never replace a talk with your doctor, I think this could really help a lot of people at least start getting a handle on where their symptoms are at.

The beauty of it really is that, in the end, it generates reports so that you can see summaries of what’s going on, which will give you overviews that are much more objective than you would get otherwise.

You can read more about the iHeadache app here, or you can purchase it for yourself at the Apple app store.

By the way, if you’ve already used the iHeadache app, please leave a comment and tell us your impressions.

25 June 2009

1% Thursday: Start a Headache Diary (Migraine Diary)

James Resources, Tips 0

Start or restart a headache diary (and stick with it for 14 weeks).

Maybe you started one before, or maybe you’ve always meant to start one, but it just seemed like too much work. Well, now’s your day to start. Download a headache diary from here, print out 14 copies, and put them somewhere where you’ll be reminded to fill them in. Have someone else in the household remind you.

Filling out a diary doesn’t have to be torture. Take a look at A Migraine Diary: The Lazy Way, and see just how easy it can be. And 14 weeks – about 3 months – will give you a great baseline to compare how things change in the future, even if you go for periods without filling it in.

Dairies can help you track down other types of headaches that may be hidden behind what your doctor is just calling "migraine" or "tension-type headache". They can show you patterns and triggers that can be avoided, and show just how much good or harm medication and supplements are doing.

Give it a try. 14 weeks. It’s not as hard as you think!

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!