How Do You Discuss Quality of Life Issues With Your Provider?

Those of us with migraine, know that migraine can cause many different symptoms. Those symptoms can impact our day-to-day life from, little to no impact, to severe disability. The way it affects us, is our quality of life. Many migraine providers use questionnaires to evaluate one’s quality of life (QOL). Some questions that may be on it are:

• How many days in the past month did you miss school, work, or social activities due to migraine?
• In the past month how often did you need abortive medication?
• In the past month did you go to the ER for treatment of your migraine symptoms? If so, how many ER trips?
• How many days during in the past month did you have a headache?
• Have your symptoms stayed the same, increased, or decreased, since your last visit?

Based on these answers, they can see how well the treatments are working.

Do I discuss my quality of life with migraine with my doctor?

It is easy, for me, to have these conversations with my provider. We have established a bond, over the years that we've had this doctor-patient relationship. He does not rush me during the appointment. My appointments are generally 20-30 minutes. He even tells me to make sure to book one of his longer appointments (60 minutes), if I have a lot I need to go over.

I know some providers rush in and out. They come in, look over notes the nurse collected in triage, fill a prescription based on it, and say, “see you in 6 months.” All this occurs in 5 to 10 minutes. Sometimes, you cannot get anything that has been going on, with your migraine disease, said in this little time!!

Tips for getting your provider to hear your issues

I will break this down in two groups and give you tips on things to try:

1. The first is for positive provider experiences. These are where your provider generally listens to you already. You have a good patient-doctor relationship.
2. The second is those with not so good experiences. These providers may not ask how you are doing, or, your thoughts on treatments.

For those with a doctor who listens:

• Always, always, come in with a positive attitude/smile!!!
• Bring a list of things that you need to address.
• Let them know how the current treatment is going: The positives, if any, and the negatives (especially intolerable side effects).
• Bring printed articles/pictures of things you want to try (my provider loves proof).
• Do not be afraid to ask for what you need.

For those talking to a doctor who is not very receptive:

• Again, smile!! Come in with a positive attitude.
• Break the ice: Ask how they are doing.
• Bring a support person with you. Someone who can back up what you say.
• Be specific, to the point, when discussing exactly how you are affected.
• If they will not discuss everything in office, call or email your concerns to them/their nurse.
• If you must use this provider, due to insurance, or military, speak to patient advocate about your concerns.

It's worth trying!

So, quality of life maters. You may not be able to have the quality of life that you had years back, but whatever enhances it, is worth trying. Hopefully, you and your team, can work together to improve your quality of life. If not, finding a combination of treatments, and/or medications, to decrease the symptoms, would help.