Marcia Cross on Navigating Holiday Parties with Migraines

Also from Marcia:

"If you experience frequent, bad headaches talk to your doctor about an effective plan to manage your headaches or Migraines."

"Understanding your Migraines is the first step to keeping them controlled!"

In discussing family, holiday Migraines, and what's really important, Ms. Cross said,

"... that’s the time of year when everybody stresses. Needlessly, I might add, because it’s really not the point of the holiday. You know, if you don’t have the perfect present or if the turkey’s a little overcooked... Your family wants you, and what good are you with a Migraine?"

Ms. Cross also wanted to make this point,

"I would just say not to be a victim and to be your own health advocate, and to take it into your own hands. You actually can affect the number of Migraines you have and your quality of life, and it’s worth the effort. It will increase your entire healthy lifestyle and reduce your Migraines, so it’s a win-win situation, I think."

Marcia Cross’s Migraine Story

Migraines have been a part of Marcia’s life for years. She had her first when she was in high school. At the time, the school nurse and her parents didn’t know what it was, and she was sent home to bed. She also got frequent bad headaches in college. She would have problems with her vision, and horrible head pain, making the simplest tasks difficult.

After talking to a doctor about her frequent, bad headaches, she learned that she had classic Migraine symptoms and was quickly diagnosed. Unfortunately, back then, the medications that were available didn’t help her pain. Then, about ten years ago, she got a Migraine at work. A woman on the set who also had Migraines told her about how she used a medicine specifically designed for the treatment of Migraines. She talked to her doctor again, and at the time he prescribed a Migraine-specific medicine for her.

When she was diagnosed with Migraines, she started keeping a food diary and learned that certain foods can fuel a Migraine. She also did some research on her own and found books that really explained what Migraines are, and how stress and certain foods can trigger them. Now, while Migraines are still part of her life, her emphasis is now on avoiding her triggers.

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Personal interview with Marcia Cross. December 13, 2006. (Thank you, Miss Cross, for your time and the wonderfully candid conversation!)