Conversation of the Week: Living with migraine disease and multiple chronic health issues

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I understand how complex it is to live with multiple health issues. I am happy to hear you beat cancer and are in remission with Crohn’s - that has to be a relief!
I love what you said - "NEVER take ANYTHING or ANYONE for granted" that's so important. We know our bodies, if only we were believed every time!
I hope today is a low pain day and I look forward to hearing more from you, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team

I am so sorry to hear that you have had to live with so much. It is great to hear that you beat cancer and your Crohn's is in remission. I am sure there is so much you could teach us after surviving what you have lived through. Your lesson above is such an important one. It really is easy to get complacent in our lives and begin to take people and things for granted. Some health conditions have a way of reminding us what is truly important. Best wishes - Amanda W (team member)

here again/another example

Thank you for sharing your feelings on this topic. It's a tricky one - as definitely, in an ideal world, we would be able to make adjustments utilizing natural approaches - or, as you said, employ chemicals only in the short term - in an attempt to kickstart and help the body get back into a more operational state, as it's intended to work. However, there are many instances in which we humans are born differently - and require interventions to survive and live as best we can.
We have such a beautiful and wide swath of people in our community who are on various paths - all doing our absolute best to carve out a semblance of a quality of life in the face of relentless pain and complex symptoms. I tend to apply compassion and understanding to all of us as we do our best to navigate this incredibly complex disease that sometimes stays with us for our lifetimes. As there is no cure- we each must find our way and do our best to find relief and manage the difficult symptoms and pain of migraine.
I, now 53, have been living with migraine since I was 6 - chronically for the past 20 years. Like most people in our community I've applied every strategy out there- from natural remedies to all that Western medicine has to offer- and still, I have migraine-related pain every day. Of course medications often come with side effects that can cause issues. Natural remedies can sometimes also trigger attacks. It therefore is up to us to seek out and experience the many solutions available to learn what works best for us. My treatment protocol includes bits and pieces of various strategies I've learned over the years - coupled together to provide me the best chance of relief that I've been able to achieve. We're all so different and it takes time to figure out our unique path - not just regarding treatment strategies- but also regarding how we view the role migraine plays in our lives (another major journey).
I'm grateful for your perspective that helps to further enrich our community. You raise an additional great point about doctors generally seeking to employ the faster solution rather than perhaps a more holistic one that might require more time and effort. Again, we must take the lead in researching available treatment options (and there are many!) to find what works for us. These resources may help those of you who are reading along to map out a comprehensive treatment plan for yourself: https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment and: https://migraine.com/treatment-options.
Warmly - Holly (team member)

OMG, you are describing me too! Also an RN, now disabled due to this curse of migraines! I have too many other conditions to list. I am 67, and frankly my life has been put on hold. Nothing works for my migraines which are a daily struggle. I woke up with a bad one today, treated it, but it just keeps rebounding. I know I shouldn’t take that extra pill, but get desperate. I am quite depressed at this point. I have lost my motivation for things. It’s rare that I get dinner on the table. My poor husband is left to pick up the slack. I feel so bad about this, as he works 6 days a week running his own business.
Meanwhile I have rarely left the house in a few years. The longer I stay in, the more difficult it is for me to go out.
Thanks for listening, this is the only place I know I am understood. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. Linda

hi there! I am so sorry that you had to stop working. I am sure that you loved being a nurse. I was going to pursue nursing after the military. I did go through a vocational rehab program, but I already had health issues and they would not approve nursing for me. I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant prior and did get a degree as a Medical Lab Tech. Unfortunately, after graduation, health took another turn downward. But...I have found pleasure in volunteering. I do this from home by writing letters and doing annual hygiene drives for the homeless. I know you wish you could do more for your husband, but, I am sure that he is glad he can come home and comfort you and have you to look at. Sending gentle hugs to you. (Tonya, team member).