migraine resources

There are many great migraine resources that organisations and communities have created for migraines, but these are what have worked for me.

join a community

screenshot of r/migraine community on reddit What helped me the most was joining a community to talk about my migraines. From small things like memes and how a can of coke can speed up the effects of triptans, to more significant conversations like how to come to terms with the idea that my migraines might never get better, knowing there are others out there that have similar experiences has helped me a lot. View r/migraine community on reddit.

track migraines, triggers, and what helps

sreenshot of excel spreadsheet Tracking migraines can help figure out triggers (what doesn't work) and find out what makes things better. Tracking triggers can be helpful to learning about your migraines and advocating with a doctor, but can be emotionally and physically draining, especially after an attack. Be kind to yourself. Try the Migraine Buddy app (or M-sense app in Germany) or create your own way to track. The Migraine Log template, created by the r/migraine community, is a good alternative.

advocate for treatment

medication zomig box Advocate for your treatment. Be direct and do not minimize your pain or symptoms. Write things down if it is hard to talk about with your doctor about your experiences. Bring someone you trust to help you get the care you need. Do research about possible treatments and medications. This is a labour, but it has helped me get the treatment and medication I needed. Here is the Common Migraine Medicine and Treatment List from the r/migraine community.

learn more about migraines

screenshot of webpage explain what migraines are Knowing my body, what works and what does not work, has helped me get better treatment for myself, learn how to manage my symptoms better, and plan ahead. For example, I was terrified before I knew I had visual auras, and nobody understood what I was experiencing. Now that I know I get auras, I am calmer even though I don't understand why they happen. After talking with family, and other people who get migraines, I learned even more. Here are some great resources to start reading: