My Sanity Saver During Attacks

Do you find it difficult to isolate yourself in a quiet dark room during a migraine attack? I sure do. I am an extrovert and I miss being with other people! Reading or watching a movie for company is not an option, because I get excruciating eye and headache pain in addition to severe light sensitivity (and numerous other symptoms).

My isolation solution

I would like to share what has saved my sanity on those days I simply have to retreat to my bed. I have been approved for a talking book library digital reading device that will read a book to me in my quiet dark room at a pace that my brain can understand and a pitch that my sensitized hearing can tolerate.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled is available in every state through the Library of Congress. See this link for each state’s contact info: https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/find-a-local-library/

Don’t let the title of the service turn you away. Many people with migraine find it impossible to read during an attack (and are therefore print disabled) whether due to headache pain, eye pain, blurring of vision, brain fog, the inability to sit upright, and/or be in the presence of adequate light for reading.

You'll need your doctor's sign-off

Download the simple application form and ask your doctor to sign it. A disk-reading device similar in size to an old cassette player will be shipped to you.

The device allows you to speed up or slow down the pace of the reader’s speech and adjust the pitch of the reader’s voice. I find I need a slower speed for my migraine brain fog and a lower/deeper voice pitch during migraine attacks because high pitches are overwhelming to me. You may select specific titles from a choice of thousands of books, magazines, etc. or you may select categories of interest and allow the service to choose books for you.

How it's helped me

This service has been a godsend to me since my episodic migraine became chronic. Having the sound of a person’s voice in the room with me keeps me from feeling so isolated. It has given me a sense of still being connected to the world when I have had to turn down so many social events and felt so isolated. It keeps my mind active and my spirit buoyed. I hope others find it helpful!