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migraine educational session

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This week, I attended an information session on enduring with migraines, which I've been doing for 40 years.

Four fellows and 15 women (two of whom appeared to be sisters) attended the session; about the usual ratio of male to female you'd expect from a group of migraineurs. And wow was the migraine stamp on every one of those faces. Not a cheerful looking person in the lot. I took it from some of the comments that we're among the group the nurse spoke of at one point, where the meds and everything else aren't keeping the headaches under control. That is, the migraines have tended to take over our lives.

Anyway, I learned some directly applicable things that my mum has been telling me all my life, but I'll try again:

1. That ol' chestnut about 2L of water every day.

2. Eating 12-15g of protein within 30-60 minutes of waking.

3. Keeping a headache journal. It's been a real shit-show so far as I've had two full blown migraines and today's not particularly great.

I've scanned the literature they handed out; nothing here looks particularly proprietary. Hopefully the links will help some reader.

I had to work with three doctors over eleven to land this information session, and apparently it'll be another 14 months before I start to work with a doctor who specializes in the area. I expect it'll be worth it, however.