Holistic Health and Migraines

Technically, the tagline for “That M Word” is “Because sometimes just saying the word “migraine” is painful. Isn’t it true? Sometimes just talking about “migraines” and “migraines” and “migraines” can be overwhelming and emotionally difficult.

The response to the USA Today article has been interesting, with a few people suggesting I champion the cause for a drug-free approach to migraines. While I believe that different approaches work for different people, I very much believe in the idea of another tagline: “a holistic approach to migraine.”

For me this includes:

• Regular exercise, including yoga
• Sticking to a diet that suits my needs, for me this is vegan
• Keeping a regular migraine journal to record my symptoms
• Not consuming ANY caffeine or alcohol
• Participating in regular psychotherapy sessions
• Using natural supplements approved by my doctor

Is this the end-all be-all cure for migraines? No, of course not; there is no such thing. But since we M Worders live lives of prevention, a holistic approach to prevention certainly can’t hurt.  For a migraineur that considers 10 migraines in 30 days to be a good month, I have only had ONE so far in the month of April. I guess it is working so far!

(This post was prompted by the WEGO Health instructions for today: Health tagline. Give yourself, your blog, your condition, or some aspect of your health a tagline.)

This Month in Review

My time blogging the WEGO Health Activist 30 Day Challenge has come to an end so let’s take a look back on the M Word highs and lows of April…

• I got to write a ton of fun posts and get great answers from others on the Facebook page and in the comments. My favorites are “Keep Calm and Carry Imitrex,” the migraine theme song, and “24 Hours of Migraine.”
• I was in USA Today raising awareness of migraine and migraine medications!
• I had ONE debilitating migraine this calendar month. ONE. I survived this rainy, crazy month. The last time I had one migraine in a 30 day period was at least 6 years ago. Such an exciting milestone for me!

What was the best part of your month? How have your migraines been?

"And then a throb hits you on the left side of the head so hard that your head bobs to the right...."

“And then a throb hits you on the left side of the head so hard that your head bobs to the right. There’s no way that came from inside your head, you think. That’s no metaphysical crisis. God just punched you in the face.”

- Andrew Levy, A Brain Wider Than the Sky: A Migraine Diary

A New Type of Pain Scale

A New Type of Pain Scale:

Isn’t it frustrating when you go to the ER with a horrible migraine attack and the only way the doctor can measure your pain is through an ambiguous pain scale? Or when you go to your neurologist and they want to know your average pain number for that month?

Victoria Saxton from Migraine Monologues found this great new pain scale that I wanted to share with you. Because of the helpful descriptions, I really think I can use this to jot down my headache and migraine attack pain.

Do you use a pain scale to track your migraines or chronic pain?

I’ve lost count of how many emotional breakdowns...

I’ve lost count of how many emotional breakdowns I’ve had due solely to health insurance. In the past two years, I’ve had four different insurance plans, and each new plan is worse and worse. I am so tired of not being able to buy a cheap insurance plan like the rest of the world because of migraines being a “pre-existing” condition.

Anyone else fed up? How do you deal with insurance issues (on top of your chronic pain)?

3 Things You Need to Consider Before Choosing a Doctor for your Migraines

Over 60% of migraineurs have had a negative experience with doctors with regard to treating their migraines, myself included. How can you tell what kind of doctor will be best for you and your migraines? 

1. Did you know that there is a difference between neurologists and migraine specialists?

• Neurologists: Known as the “general physicians” of neurology, these doctors treat a wide range of head injuries, diseases, conditions, and illnesses. Migraine is just one aspect of that.
• Migraine Specialists: These doctors see only patients with migraines and headaches every day. They are not necessarily neurologists; instead, they are doctors with specific training and expertise in migraines.

2. You may want to consider the treatment options suggested by each doctor before becoming a patient with them.:

• Variety of treatments: My first neurologist prescribed one type of preventative medicine regardless of each patient’s medical history and diagnosis (cluster, migraine, or tension). Make sure your doctor works WITH you to find the best possible approach to your condition.
• Holistic approaches: This is just a personal preference for me, but I would have preferred a doctor that suggested diet/lifestyle changes and alternative therapies before jumping straight to an invasive daily drug.

3. You may need to pay out of pocket or travel to find the right doctor for you:

Sometimes insurance doesn’t cover part or all of your visit to a migraine specialist, and since there are less than 300 in the U.S., they may not be conveniently located to you. Luckily, the Migraine Research Foundation created this list of migraine specialists to help! Be sure to do your own research too; I found a general physician specializing in migraines in my town who is not on this list.

Don’tbe afraid to switch from one type of doctor to the other if you find it’s not working for you. Your health comes first!

Works Cited:

1. MAGNUM: Misdiagnosis and Misconceptions about Migraine
2. Help for Migraines: Find a Migraine Doctor
3. Migraine.Com: How are Migraine Specialists Different?
4. Migraine is a Disease, Not a Death Sentence
5. Consumer Story: Teri Robert

Running and Migraines

I’ve been told that daily exercise is crucial to preventing migraines but OVER exercising can trigger migraines. Now, add to this the fact that for the years I took Topamax I was unable to sweat. Add further the fact that my neuro insisted that I exercise when I had a severe migraine (now THAT’S a joke). Because of all this, I am so confused about the interaction between exercise and migraine.

The day I took my last Topamax pill, I started this Couch to 5K running plan. This plan is based on time as opposed to distance. When I started, I was only able to run 1 minute intervals at a time, and now, 7 weeks later, I am up to running 27 minutes at a time. 

I’m not sure if I can attribute anything specific to my recent “success,” only one migraine since mid-March. I’ve done a few things:

• Kept a low tyramine diet (but re-introduced soy, bananas, and avocados in moderation)
• Switched from vegetarian to vegan (mostly because I found out that I was lactose intolerant)
• Consumed NO caffeine or alcohol, and
• Exercised almost every day. 

I have to wonder if exercising daily is part of the reason I’ve felt better? Because this plan is so gradual, I’m not overexerting myself which could lead to a migraine. Ladies, my migraines are always worse during that time of the month, and regular exercise has actually caused that time to be not quite as terrible. I’m also running my first 5K next Sunday - wish me luck!

Have you found that running or regular exercise affects your migraines? What’s your exercise routine? Can you exercise when you have a migraine (I DEFINITELY cannot)?