Climbing Mount Migraine: Plateaus and Lessons Learned

Well, it has been 5 years since I was first diagnosed with migraine. It has been just over a year that I have been working with a neurologist for migraine.

I’ve tried many medications, formularies, alternative treatments, avoided aggravating conditions, and altered my entire life to manage/reduce migraine flares.

My history with migraine

For the past six months, my journey with migraine has been a long plateau. I can see how far I have come. I also see a vast landscape ahead of me.

My migraine flares started with low frequency and high intensity. Then they occurred ever more frequently until near all my days were lost to flares, recovery, or fear. Now the flares are again reduced in number. And I have grown accustomed to the intensity. I’ve acclimated to the altitude of my migraine.

Finding acceptance

The neurologist recommends new or other therapies with each consult, and I consider them before passing. It may sound odd, but for now, I want to just walk this plateau. I know what leads to my flares. I know what therapies help. Five years ago, I wanted to be free from ever experiencing a migraine again. Now, I accept the few I have.

Except, of course, during the extreme pain. Once it passes, once I am striding slowly between migraines, I am in a place of acceptance. For now, I’ll take the migraine I know over experimenting with medications and who-knows-what side effects.

Managing with migraine

I’ve other health conditions to manage. Maybe even as I focus on them Mmgraine will improve (well, I am confident it will as I know flares in other conditions contribute to migraines). I do still have a little worry. Is there a hidden obstacle on the trail? Am I so accustomed to migraine that I may miss another health problem because I pass it off as Migraine?

Right now though, I know this trail. It’s challenging, it wears me down, but it’s manageable. And I’ll take that.

Thank you for reading.