migraine Archives - Page 3 of 3

A Crown for the Worst Headache or Migraine – Medical Marketing Gone Wrong

Published on April 25, 2013

2627 views

As if battling the stigma that surrounds migraine and headache disorders isn’t difficult enough, we can thank Excedrin for continuing it. Excedrin is currently running a sweepstakes called “Who Deserves Excedrin The Most – Help Decide Who Wears the Crown.” In this sweepstakes the idea is to vote on a collection of people or “headache sufferers” who are matched in a daily, “head-to-head” video format, enacting a story and/or situation. The idea is to vote for who deserves to wear “the crown.” E-gift cards are given out every day and your vote is then entered into the pool for the grand prize, a seven day trip for two to Jamaica.

Each of these 16 videos depicts a short story of a particular situation, event or everyday occurrence that in Excedrin’s mind, will give you a “headache.” Some of the videos include rambunctious children in the back seat of a car, the frustration of being on hold for a lengthy amount of time, horrendous flying experiences, raising children, difficult bosses, and completing your taxes at the last minute, to name just a few.

Really. Excedrin wants the public to “crown” someone the Headache King or Queen – celebrate it with a crown, what, like the Burger King? Comedian Molly Shannon is the spokesperson for the sweepstakes and recently said she is a “headache sufferer.” Ms. Shannon can be quite funny and may simply be trying to bring levity to a serious topic. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a good laugh (even at my own expense) and believe humor plays an important role in our lives. But because the stigma is so high in headache and migraine, I think the slightest amount of banter may increase that stigma, it certainly doesn’t do anything to decrease it.

With over 300 different types of migraine and headache disorders and no test, tool or machine to diagnose them, shouldn’t we be concentrating on more important things than a “crown?” Does anyone ever want to be named the MS King or Breast Cancer Queen in a sweepstakes? Of course not, because the public would never allow that to happen. Here’s the thing – because “it’s just a headache” doesn’t mean we get a “crown” to wear. We all know headache and migraine are so much more than simply a “headache.” What do you think about Excedrin’s marketing idea?

Menopause, Migraines and My Empty Nest

by Nancy Bonk

Published on April 10, 2013

2344 views

While growing up three things I never thought about were migraines, menopause and having an ’empty nest.’ What I did think about were the clothes I wore to school, whether or not I had the “in” purse, how not to get my period in school and how my hair looked. When I had a migraine it was around my period and I was able to tend to it with over-the- counter medications. As I got older, my thoughts turned to my education and career goals. At some point I assumed I would get married, but only after I was set in my career. Nowhere in my ‘plan’ were children included – I just wasn’t going to have any. After high school I went to college to pursue a degree in music education. But as I’ve come to find out, life rarely goes according to any plans I’ve set.

In the middle of my sophomore in college as a music education major, I discovered I didn’t have the patience to teach music to a classroom full of squiggly little children. This confirmed my feelings that motherhood wasn’t for me. My new major in music business would be a great start in become a manager of an orchestra, or at least that was the plan. My college internship at ICM Artists (now Opus 3 Artists) in New York City was an amazing experience and my plan was set in action. But somewhere along the line I met Michael and my world turned upside down. We fell in love, graduated from college and got married. After my internship I came right home and got married – what was I thinking?

Anyways, as we settled into our lives and careers life was very good. Michael was a math teacher and I was in music administration. Suddenly after four years of marriage, my biological clock starting ticking and I wanted a baby. Soon after our beautiful daughter Sarah was born and motherhood became my new career path and passion – I was now a stay-at-home-mom. Five and a half years later, our wonderful son Samuel was came along and our nest was complete and together we raised our two gems. Motherhood and migraines seemed to be manageable during this time.

But once again, my life abruptly changed when I sustained a traumatic brain injury or TBI. You can read more about my history here. Somehow my family muddled through the chronic pain I battled and still do but no without the support of a husband. It was too much for him, so after nearly 25 years of marriage my role as a wife was over. Two things that remained constant in my life were migraines (which increased dramatically since I fell) and motherhood.

Motherhood is something I took (and still do) very seriously and went about in a “traditional” manner. My job was not to be best friends with my children, rather their mother who went about setting limits and boundaries with patience and love – most of the time. My children often heard “I’m not interested in what Bobby and the rest of your friends are doing, YOU aren’t allowed to do that.” Difficult decisions were made on a daily basis they didn’t like. For example, no PG-14 rated movies until they turned 14; no sleep over’s unless I’d already been to the house and knew the parents; shorter curfews compared to their friends, you get the picture – I was pretty strict. When my 18-year-old comes home at his assigned curfew I always get a good night kiss no matter what time it is. This way I can “see” and “smell” any signs if he has made any poor choices. So far, so good.

But the thing is Sam graduates from high school this June and is off to college in the fall. Even in chronic pain, motherhood has always been my primary function. I felt it’s important to raise children who would become respectful, independent, loyal, compassionate and loving adults, which they both are. When Sam leaves for college this fall, is my role of mother finished? I feel like I’ve been working on a ‘project’ for 23 years and its coming to an end. It feels like I’m about to make the final presentation for this project, and then, it’s over. Is this what an ’empty nest’ feels like? A glorious ‘project’ that is done? Within the last three years my role as a mother and a wife feel like they have been ripped from me. I’m thrilled that my children have made it through and turned out “OK” after surviving a crummy divorce and elated they are both starting new chapters in their lives. But this emptiness I am starting to feel is totally unexpected.

So here’s the thing – how do I fill my nest and figure out who am I now? Where to start -how does a disabled woman in chronic pain redefine themselves after being a stay-at-home-mom for 23 years? There are plenty of mothers who go back to school and find a new full time career or go back into the career they had before they became mother, but that’s not me. Battling chronic pain each day and taking it one day at a time may be the path to stay on for the moment. Because other than that, I really have no clue where to go from here.

Thyroid Disease Plus Migraines

by Nancy Bonk

Published on January 29, 2013

3157 views

Thyroid and Migraine: Which Comes First?

Many people suffer from migraine and thyroid disease, but don’t realize they can be comorbid. This means the two can occur at the same time but are not necessarily caused by one another. There are over 37 million Americans with migraine disease and close to 27 million Americans who have thyroid disease, half of whom are undiagnosed. Because the thyroid gland plays such an important role in the body, when thyroid disease is present, it is reasonable to suspect that thyroid symptoms might trigger migraines. Interestingly, although the message boards and blogs are filled with discussions of migraineurs who come to find they also have a thyroid disorder, there is very little research connecting the two.

Let’s explore the connection between migraine and thyroid

First let’s talk about Migraines. Migraine is a neurological condition with a complex and not yet fully understood, genetic component. It is thought to be caused by overactive neurons in our brains. Researchers are not exactly sure how or why the brain of a person with migraine is unlike those without migraine but they do know a migraine attack is typically triggered by stimuli. Fluctuating hormones, changes in the barometric pressure, dehydration, certain foods and changes in sleeping patterns are a few stimuli that will trigger a migraine for some people; however the list is quite extensive.

Phases of a Migraine

There are four phases of a migraine attack the first of which is called prodrome. Its symptoms include but are not limited to – frequent yawning and urination, feeling anxious and cranky, being tired and some people have food cravings.

The next phase is called aura – symptoms in this phase include blinking and/or flashing lights, squiggly lines, blurred vision, smelling and/or hearing things that aren’t there, feeling dizzy, confused, neck pain and being oversensitive to touch (called allodynia) – your scalp may hurt when you brush your hair – to name just a few.

The headache phase has been considered the most incapacitating because not only does our head fiercely hurt, but we may feel pain in other parts of our body. Migraine pain is often one sided but can change sides or be on both sides of the head. Our neck, jaw, teeth, eyes and cheeks may be painful in addition to nausea, dizziness, light, smell and sound sensitivity. There can also be gastrointestinal issues and horrible anxiety as well as depression during this phase.

Postdrome, the last phase can take a few hours or even days to recuperate from. Some may feel a sense of wellness during postdrome but many report feeling “wrung out.” In addition to these symptoms others include, but are not limited to feelings of depression, excessive tiredness, reduced emotion and an inability to concentrate.

Risk Factors for Migraine

Those who are obese have a five times greater risk of developing migraine and people with depression are at a three times greater risk. Other risk factors include head injury, too much caffeine consumption and being a woman. Similarly, thyroid disease predominantly affects women, often is associated with weight gain and depression (hypothyroid). Other risk factors for thyroid disease include: being over the age of 50 for men and women, a family history of thyroid disease, smoking, being exposed to certain chemicals and medications, being exposed to iodine, or being iodine deficient, radiation, neck injury, certain medications.

If you have migraine plus thyroid issues, what does this mean for you?

The first thing to consider is getting an accurate diagnosis on both fronts – migraine and thyroid. This is no easy task, especially on the thyroid front, as many women go undiagnosed for years. Visit our friends at ThyroidChange for more information.

You must have a complete exam with your doctor, having him/her go over you and your family’s medical history and discuss your symptoms in detail. While blood work is used as a diagnostic tool for thyroid disease, there are no tests at this point for migraine disease. It is diagnosed by meeting criteria, having a complete neurological exam, reviewing you and your family’s medical history and discussing your symptoms.

Having multiple diseases can be a challenge, especially when first diagnosed. No need to panic, get as much information and education as you can and learn about your diseases. If you do have migraine and thyroid disease, getting your thyroid hormones under control may help reduce the susceptibility to some of migraine triggers, thus reducing attacks.

And who doesn’t want fewer migraine attacks?

About the Author

Nancy Bonk is a patient advocate for living with migraine, a regular contributor to Hormones Matter and other online journals.

____________

Resources:

Blackwell J. “Evaluation and treatment of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.” Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.” 2004;16:422–425.

EMedicine Health. “Thyroid Problems.” WebMD LLC. January 4, 2013.

Shoman, M. “What is the Thyroid?” About.Com. January 3, 20123

Shoman, M. “Risk Factors for Thyroid Disease.” About.Com. January 3, 2013.

Press Release. “News from the 31st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society: Risk Factor Management Helps Prevent Migraine Attacks.” Honolulu. Hawaii. May 17, 2012. http://www.americanpainsociety.org/about-aps/content/aps-risk-factor-management-helps-prevent-migraine-attacks.html

Migraines More Common in Women with Endometriosis

by Chandler Marrs, PhD

Published on January 3, 2013

3985 views

Endometriosis affects upwards of 176 million women worldwide – approximately 10% of the menstruating population. It is one of the more commonly reported diseases among followers of Hormones Matter, with most women reporting over 10 years of pain and suffering before a proper diagnosis.

Data suggest that at least a third of women with endometriosis may also suffer from migraines. Researchers from Italy found a significantly higher frequency of migraine (38.3%) in women with confirmed endometriosis versus healthy women (15.1%). The onset of migraine was five years earlier (16.4 years versus 21.9) in women with endometriosis and more likely to be a migraine with aura.

The co-occurrence of migraine and endometriosis has only recently begun to be investigated and clues to potential common causes are poorly articulated. There is speculation that migraines cause endometriosis or that endometriosis elicits migraine. Neither has sufficient supporting evidence. The search for clear genetic linkages between migraine and endometriosis is promising but remains in its infancy.

Perhaps we’re looking in the wrong places. As we reported in Endometriosis and Neuropathy, rodent models of endometriosis, suggest a clear neural-uterine connection that initiates endometriotic pain in some but not all. Specifically, some endometriotic tissue sprouts nerve fibers capable of sending pain signals to the brain. Regardless of the cause of the initial endometriotic implants, it is certain that the dynamic hormone biochemistry of the female body would regulate or dysregulate neural firing and pain signaling. The pain of endometriosis though regionally different, could be mechanistically similar to migraine pain. Just a thought.

Personal Perspective – Hormones, Mood and Endometriosis

by Angela Wice

Published on November 29, 2012

2010 views

When I think back to when I was 10, that is when I started to get chronic headaches. This must be when my hormones started to kick in. I got my period at 13 and from then on things for me have never really been the same.

Hormones, Menstruation and Mood: Was there a Connection?

I had emotional outbursts as a teenager but I couldn’t connect them to my periods at the time because my periods were all over the place. My period could come every 15 days or 45 days. I never knew when it would come. There was no consistency and I was never one to check it off on a calendar, or worry about it.

I remember my teenage years as being dark and depressing. I couldn’t seem to get out of a funk. It only got worse after I graduated from high school. To me that was the beginning of the end, with excruciating abdominal pain, migraines and mood swings. In the 10 years since leaving school, I was diagnosed with multiple co-morbid diseases such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Restless Leg Syndrome, Depression, complicated migraines and finally endometriosis when I turned 27.

Doctors made me feel so crazy in my head and were quick to tell me I was depressed. I was once told by a doctor that he couldn’t see me anymore because I cried too much. After seeing at least 40 doctors, I was starting to really breakdown mentally. Why was everyone ignoring what I was saying? No one seemed to listen. They just pricked me with needles and said I was fine. I knew I wasn’t fine.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Hormones

I had my daughter when I was 25 and from that point on, the hormones went through the roof. I thought I was losing my bloody mind. I started to get more and more migraines to the point I had no choice but to go to the hospital to get medicated. Nothing seemed to work because of how sudden they would come on. I didn’t know at the time that my hormones were so out of whack. All I knew was that my mental state started to deteriorate and I no longer felt safe in my own apartment. I was seeing demons in my room. I was freaking out on my daughter. She was only two years old at the time. I knew I was suffering from depression now, but this was too long after postpartum wasn’t it?

Could it be Postpartum Depression?

I was watching TV one day and saw a show about postpartum depression. I decided then and there that I was going to bring myself to the hospital and just pray they wouldn’t take my kid away from me. I ended up talking to some man that didn’t even get what I was saying. He just threw me some sleeping pills and told me I was just tired.

Hormones, Mood and Endometriosis: Maybe There was a Connection

Soon after being sent home with sleeping pills, for what was likely postpartum depression, I received the results from a recent ultrasound. The 10cm cyst that would eventually lead to my diagnosis with endometriosis, was found. I was put on Marvelon21, a form of hormonal birth control. From the first week, I swear on my life, I felt like my world was full of rainbows and butterflies. I didn’t have the depression or the horrible thoughts. I started to really calm down. To this day, it is rare for me to get really angry and yell. I really think my hormones had me trapped for far too long. It is probably the main reason why I don’t ever feel that I could stop taking Marvelon ever. It saved my life. One little white pill, a very low dose birth control pill worked for me. Although, I know it doesn’t work for everyone.

I definitely feel that there are more than just hormones that affected my state of mind. I don’t feel that my body has ever been normal. I was an object of wonder when it came to doctors and their students. I was treated like a piece of dirt by every doctor. Most acted like I was making this all up. The few that were actually nice, didn’t really tell me to do anything further with treatments. They just told me what diseases I had and sent me home. No follow-ups just more confusion.

I try not to focus on the co-morbid diseases like I once did. I take one problem at a time. I refuse to believe that I actually have some of these diseases. Either way, I am not going to let my ill-health steal my life or my mind another day.

Summertime Migraine Survival

by Nancy Bonk

Published on July 9, 2012

2017 views

Living with Migraine disease can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Getting Migraines during the summer can be especially draining because this is typically a time when families take vacations, relax and have fun. Summer is time for pools, picnics and party’s; three things that can trigger a Migraine attack in a snap. So here are some survival skills to help with the three big summer “P’s”

Spending time by a pool can be very problematic for many Migraineurs. As we cover ourselves up with sunscreen, wear lightweight protective clothing and put hats our heads, our eyes need to be shielded too. When we sit around a pool, care needs to be taken with our eyes, because the sun may not be the only Migraine trigger. Any glare that may reflect from the pools surface and from other objects around the pool can also be problematic. Wearing good sunglasses is a must when around any pool. The Center for Disease Control recommends (however untrendy they may be) wearing wraparound sunglasses with as much UVA and UVB ray protection as you can buy. This type of protective sunglasses may also help reduce the risk of cataracts and protect the fragile skin around our eyes. Shade may be the only option for some people with lupus, MS and other chronic diseases. Being prepared is important when managing these conditions, so packing a big beach umbrella, or cabana in case you are unable to find shade, is a good idea. Moderation here is important too.

If you plan a picnic this summer, whether a family outing or romantic rendezvous, here are a few things to consideration before you go:

Plan your event for the time of the day that is “normally” good for you. Maybe a lunch time picnic would be better than a dinner one, or vice versa.
Pack items that are trigger “safe” foods – ones you currently know won’t trigger a Migraine.
If it’s a family affair, have your family members help plan the foods they want to eat.
Picking your picnic location is important too. With a little effort, you will be able to find a spot that has both a quiet peaceful area for you and some fun for the family.
When invited to a picnic, pre-planning is essential. Eating a light trigger free snack (if you are unsure of the menu) is not a bad idea. If you don’t think there will be anything for you to eat so you won’t trigger a Migraine, bring you own and have fun!
Make sure you have enough water to stay hydrated – bring along an extra bottle if need be.

Summer parties are fun, but not when you have a Migraine. To ensure you make the most of you party try maintaining a regular sleep schedule, especially on weekends. Sleep plays a vital role in our Migraine management plan. Consider these things when trying to maintain your sleeping schedule:

Keep the time you go to bed and time you wake the same each day.
Make sure your bedroom is restful and relaxing; a place you want to sleep not read or watch TV.
Try to limit any drinks a couple hours before bedtime.
Eat your last meal four hours before you go to bed.
Try to stop napping during the day – if you must – only take a 30 minute nap before 3 pm.
Use visualization and relaxation techniques to aid with sleep.

There you have it. These simple, easy to do “survival” tips may help us have a better, less Migraine-filled summer. Don’t forget about keeping a Migraine diary too!

To read other fabulous information on “Summertime Survival Skills for Migraineurs” check out the July 2011 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

Thanks for reading and feel well,

Nancy

About the Author

Nancy Bonk is a patient advocate for living with migraine, a regular contributor to Hormones Matter and other online journals. To read her story click HERE.

More posts by Nancy

Menstruation and Migraines

Treating Menstrually Related Migraines

Hormones Matter

Where health, hormones, and a whole bunch of other stuff, make sense.