Migraine and Headache Awareness Month 2021: Every Story Counts

1 min read

June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month! Join us as we learn more from the community, work to raise awareness, and share community member stories. We know that not every journey is the same. We want this month to be a time when you can share your own personal story as well as read other community members' stories.

Keep reading to discover ways that you can join us this month in spreading migraine awareness, plus, we have an exciting announcement!

Migraine & headache awareness month

1. Join the discussion

Check out our new and improved forums section here. In our forums, you can see what others have been talking about and add your own thoughts, or you can even start a new topic.

2. Enter for a chance to win a prize!

We are super excited to announce that for Migraine Awareness Month we have partnered with TheraSpecs to bring you an exciting giveaway! Three lucky community members will have a chance to win a special prize! Find out how to enter!

3. Migraine and headache awareness days

Did you know there are many specific days within Migraine and Headache Awareness Month that are recognized each year to create more awareness around different aspects and types of migraine? We plan to post content throughout the month in recognition of these days:

Headache at Work

Veterans & Headache Diseases

Remembrance Day

Hemiplegic Migraine Awareness Day

Disparities in Headache Diseases

Father's Day - Men and Migraine

Chronic Migraine Awareness Day

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Opalheadache Member
I have been taking aimovig for over a year ,and I have been having severe charlie horse especially in both my thighs ,I did not no that was a side effect until yesterday when I looked it upit is terrible ,also another big problem is the constipation it is so bad I get sharp headache from straining to poop ,I finally had to go to the doctor had a ct scan because i got real bloated start having cramps in my stomach and was told I have significant amount of stool in my small intesting so I was placed on linzess 
1. karey Member
 <inline-mention username="Opalheadache" user-id="4171344"/> The weight gain is probably, at least in part, due to the severe constipation you suffer. Stool has a lot of weight. Even gas has weight. I'm not kidding. I also have constipation issues as I have IBS. Consequently I frequently have bloating which is a lot of air. I happened to weigh myself one morning prior to passing a large amount of gas. I had peformed an abdominal massage in hopes that it would help facilitate a movement eventually. However, about 10 minutes later I passed a rather long and loud amount of gas. Luckily it had no odor. However, I was curious since it was so long if it caused weight loss and to my surprise it did. That very long pass of gas weighed 3 lbs. Can you imagine if stool had been attached to it? I take the powder called "Calm" it is actually magnesium carbonate. If I take it at night it helps to facilitate a movement the next day. I take 525 mg. Which equals apprx 3 heaping tsp in an 8 oz glass of water. I don't have a picture of it on my computer so can't show it to you. But you can get it on amazon. If I use it every night it works really well. If I miss a night I begin to block up again. At first it takes a few nights of taking it before it starts working, but eventually it works and I don't get any negative side effects from it. Good luck. Karey Spirit 
2. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="karey" user-id="3783163"/> I was just about to chime in offering Natural Calm as a suggestion for <inline-mention username="Opalheadache" user-id="4171344"/> as well. I take a heaping tablespoon of that every night (it comes in powder form and now also in capsules). It really does help to offset the constipative side effects that accompany so many migraine medications. We're with you! Warmly, Holly (migraine.com team).
pambitterman Member
In this month of awareness, what I am most aware of is that there is still no cure for migraine. And no surefire prevention. In a world where science can whip up a vaccine in a year for a global pandemic, and when all sorts of groups are building spaceships and taking to the cosmos, etc., you get the picture, this fact seems striking. Is Big Pharma simply too invested in expensive treatments to help science and research eradicate these beasts. All of us sufferers know that cure and/or prevention is the holy grail of hope - that this syndrome will disappear once and for all, and that we will have a shot at getting our lives back. Oh well... just sayin'.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="pambitterman" user-id="3815822"/> Great point and well made, Pam. One has to wonder what's behind the lack of drive/funding to research migraine as there are nearly 40 million people in the US alone who have it. I'm hesitant to say my fear is that it may just have something to do with the majority of those people being women. It's not a sexy disease either- that would be exciting to cure in the same way that cancer is. And there is still the huge stigma that surrounds the condition that it's just a headache and/or is all in our minds. Very frustrating. With you on your thoughts. Thanks for sharing. Warmly, Holly (migraine.com team).
pambitterman Member
Yeah... was hesitant to play the girl card. But of course you are right. Damn.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="pambitterman" user-id="3815822"/> Hope I'm wrong on this, but it certainly is alignment with other trends. Here's an interesting piece on the trends and various ways funding has been allocated - you can see migraine is quite low on the list: <a href='https://report.nih.gov/funding/categorical-spending#/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://report.nih.gov/funding/categorical-spending#/</a> - Warmly, Holly (migraine.com team).

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