Migraines & The Writing Life #IWSG #MHAM #Migraines

June is here!

Here in North Dakota, though it’s still on the cool side.

Summer will get here – eventually.

🙂

I recently learned that June is Migraine & Headache Awareness Month. This piqued my interest since I also suffer from chronic migraines.

For many people, they believe that a migraine is just another form of headache, but on the more severe side.

Yes, and no.

Summa Health

Headache is only one symptom of migraines.

In fact, migraines are actually a neurological disease; and unfortunately, tend to be hereditary.

My dad and his dad both suffered from migraines.

My younger sister and I suffer from them.

And, now there are signs that our kids may have migraines.

Yuck.

Yeah, migraines can be quite disruptive – especially for a writer.

My migraines began around the onset of puberty, and seem to be triggered by my hormonal cycles.

Lucky me.

For me, each attack can last up to four days – regardless of any meds (at the time). And I’d have as many as five attacks each month.

Along with the intense throbbing pain, my other symptoms may include:

• nausea/vomiting
• dizziness/vertigo
• extreme sensitivity to light/smell/noise
• low-grade fever
• fatigue
• Speech/coordination Impairments (temporary)

During these attacks, it would be next to impossible to get any writing accomplished.

Thankfully, specialists are learning more about migraines, and there are more effective treatment options than there were even a decade ago.

However, misconceptions about migraines still persist. And there are still not enough headache specialist to help those who suffer from them.

I’ve suffered from migraines for nearly forty years and I’ve yet to meet with a true headache specialist.

From time to time, I wondered if there were other writers who suffered from this disease and through research I learned that I am most certainly not alone.

Emily Dickinson, Virginia Wolf, Lewis Carroll are a few I found to have suffered with migraines.

What about you? Do you suffer from migraines?