How do you live with migraines? Read all about my life with migraines here. With tips and tricks how I could reduce my migraine attacks in a natural way. Don't let migraine control your life and make it (almost) impossible. Living with migraines can be made bearable.
Migraine is more than just a headache and unfortunately there are still too many people who do not (want to) see the distinction. Incomprehension about migraine can cause a lot of frustration and that too can, you guessed it, trigger a new attack. There are approximately 3.5 million people in the Netherlands who are confronted with headaches.
Now one pain is not like another and there are different types of headaches. Think of the well-known tension headache or drug-dependent headache. More information about the different types of headaches can be found on the website of Allesoverhoofdpijn.nl. Here, migraine is referred to as a headache.
Unfortunately, migraines are not just any headache. It's an indescribable pain that you wouldn't wish on anyone. This is often accompanied by nausea (even vomiting!), irritation, problems with vision (light) and much more. In short:a short circuit in your head and body!
I have been living with migraines for over 26 years now. My life with migraines all started with an accident during my school trip. Whether this is actually the only cause is difficult to determine. Science is still a long way from deciding what actually is the medical cause of migraines.
In any case, my whole life and family is geared to living with migraines. Until a few years ago this was quite difficult, because my children were small then and because of the migraine they could not always receive optimal care from me as a mother.
Now that the children are older and my daughter (unfortunately now also a migraine patient herself) can sometimes take over things from me, it has become a little easier. Still, there are days when I wonder what I've done to my family (even though I didn't choose it).
What once started with moderate migraine attacks, where I really had the idea that my head would explode, gradually turned into very severe migraines. Vomiting until nothing came but bile, can't stand light and eventually lie in bed and get knocked out.
The latter was so bad that I once gave my father-in-law the fright of his life. Heavy machinery was being worked on our facade and it looked as if our house was about to collapse all afternoon. That very day I got a migraine and I asked my in-laws if they could come over to babysit the kids.
I would retreat to the bedroom (on the side where work was being done!) to try to recover. Once asleep, I couldn't be woken up! My father-in-law thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I was completely gone. I didn't get anything, really nothing.
Kind of scary if my kids wouldn't have anyone to look after them. After all, I couldn't even be woken up by facade work. Luckily my in-laws were there!
Suppose you are a small child of about 5-6 years old and you see your mother waddling through the house, moaning. Perhaps supported by your father. Your mother goes to the toilet where all kinds of unsavory noises come from. Then your mother stumbles past you, crying in pain, supporting her head and keeping her eyes closed. Food for you is improvised and your father has to divide his attention between you and your mother.
At this age you are still quite noisy, but your father tells you to keep as quiet as possible, because mom is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, after a few hours or a day, your mother will be better again, but it will take a few days before she is old.
This is what children face when their mother (or father) has migraines. Sometimes you have to cancel appointments or fun outings because your mom isn't able to. Or fun outings end in a new attack, making it feel like your mom is being punished for having a fun day.
Of course you don't give up, especially as a mother. So you visit the doctor regularly in the hope that he can help you further. You start with paracetamol, switch to ibuprofen and end up with stomach problems after 2 years of use. Back to square one.
Reading and paying attention to my own lifestyle has finally ensured that I have been trying to reduce my seizures for three years now. This didn't go away overnight, but it's getting much better. For example, I went from 1-2 heavy attacks per week to 1-3 attacks per month, which are often much less heavy.
My first change was changing my diet. Although it is often quoted, I did not really believe in it. Until I put it to the test and noticed changes. That was already a positive change.
I have also adjusted a number of things in my lifestyle:skipping food is not one of them. In fact:food has to be almost exactly matched to the clock. Drinking enough is also part of it. Going to bed on time and getting up on time (regularity is also a must here!) is also of paramount importance.
Stress and emotions still play a major role in the development of migraines in my life. As well as hormonal changes. As a perfectionist it is difficult to eliminate stress, although I increasingly try to put things off.
To keep my hormones in check (long live being a woman!) I haven't taken a pill for over 19 years. There are other contraceptives that do not disrupt the hormones. Yet I notice that I still lack balance, which often results in migraines halfway through the cycle and just before my period.
I'm still looking for the best use for this. If you have any tips, be sure to let me know in the comment!
In the meantime, I have also discovered two natural remedies that really help:fresh ginger and feverfew. Both not very tasty (although I have really come to appreciate ginger). My daughter takes a cup of feverfew tea from pit-pit.com every day and her seizures have dropped significantly. If she does have an attack, it is much less severe.
I have found that feverfew tea can also prevent an incipient attack. Works many times faster than paracetamol (although the taste is downright nasty!). Just like feverfew, ginger can be drunk every day and also has a preventive effect.
I make ginger tea fresh by taking a piece of root of about 4-5 cm, grate it or cut it into thin slices and put it in a cup. Here I pour boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Just strain and drink it unsweetened.
Until recently, nothing or hardly anything helped against the nausea. And to think that throwing up, skipping food and an empty stomach can trigger another attack. You understand:something had to be done about this.
My sister-in-law pointed out to me that peppermint essential oil is a natural remedy for nausea. Fortunately, I already had this at home (also read my review about essential oil) and I was able to get started right away the next time.
Unfortunately, you cannot just take essential peppermint oil. It really has to be fit for consumption. You also need honey to dissolve the oil. Take a teaspoon of honey, dissolve 1 drop of essential peppermint oil in it and stir it through a glass of hot water. Watch out:if the oil is not properly dissolved, you can get stomach problems. Drink this mixture calmly and slowly.
Incidentally, you can also just use the oil to lubricate your temples or the hairline of your forehead. Use a so-called carrier oil (olive or coconut oil). The peppermint oil is cooling and can reduce the pain.
Do you also have migraines yourself? How do you handle an attack? Let me know!
