Hi. My name is Anthony. I am a 35 year old male living with migraine. I had my first episode at age 23. Back then I would only have an episode every 6 months or so. Then, they became more and more frequent. By the time I turned 30 it became at least a weekly issue. I have tried many, many medications, both prophylactic and abortive, with little, if any, help. I have not held a regular job for any length of time for over ten years. Previous to migraine I had issues with anxiety and depression dating back to childhood. Now, my anxiety and depression feed on my migraine episodes making me less and less productive. The only assistance I have found requires that I either have a dependent child or be disabled. I feel that I simply lack adequate medical care.
I was a standout student in high school and I feel I have a great deal of potential; I have been told so time and time again by many teachers and scentists. I have a strong aptitude for science and would love to finish college and even a graduate degree. I crave an active, productive life and I would love to have a family. Yet, here I am in my mid 30's watching the rest of the world go by, begging for menial jobs to make ends meet and wondering if I might soon have to sink to the level of stealing just to survive and pay my bills. I would love to hear from anyone who might have a suggestion on how to get out of this bottomless pit.
Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!
Having a chronic illness like Migraine disease can be very frustrating. It may feel like you have tried every medication available to treat your attacks, but try not to lose hope. With the help of the right doctor, you can live well with Migraine disease.
Did you know there are over 100 medications that can be used for Migraine prevention? This article Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options To Give Up! will give you all the details.
People often wonder why it is so important to see a Migraine specialist rather than a neurologist. Think of it like this. If a pipe in your house breaks you call a plumber, the expert who fixes this problem, not a carpenter. Now, a carpenter (or handyman) could fix your broken pipe, but he could also fix the woodwork, paint the trim and a few other odd jobs. He fixes lots of different things and isn't an expert in any one area like the plumber is. So, when we have Migraines and headache disorders we need to see the expert. Here is another great article on why we should see them: Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special?
Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.
We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.
Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information on the main page of our site, MyMigraineConnection.com. We have a free newsletter that will help you stay current about all things related to Migraine disease and headache disorders. You can sign up for that on the home page in the green box, Free Newsletter.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.
Welcome again,
Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert