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I find this to be the most interesting time of year for me to be writing this particular article. This is because of the spring flowers blooming outside right now. The flowers have special meaning to me when it comes to discussing long-awaited migraine medications. But I am getting ahead of myself… I wonder how…

Every June marks Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. Chronic Migraine Awareness, Inc. (CMA) spreads the call to action by distributing printed material, pens, bracelets, coloring books, magnets and pins. We also proudly wear our t-shirts, pins, bracelets and wave our rally flags with our mascot on it. These simple, but fun things draw people to…

The Migraine Combination Therapy Toolbox The complexity of migraine and headache diseases makes them hard to treat. With no cure, patients need to pursue management. There are many different tools people can add to their combination therapy toolbox. Preventative medication is recommended if a person has 4 or more headache days per month; attacks significantly interfere…

I have lived with migraine disease for more than 40 years; yet, it’s only recently that I’m beginning to be truly open about it, both personally and now publicly. Most people who know me know that I “get migraines,” but only those in my close circles know that I have migraine. There is a big…

I have lived with episodic migraine since puberty. However, after an accident six years ago, I have chronic intractable migraine disease. I’ve tried numerous migraine abortive options to try and break an acute attack — including different therapeutic drug classes (e.g., triptans, gepants, ditans, NSAIDs, dihydroergotamine and more) and modes of administration (e.g., pills, intranasal…

In 2009, I reluctantly joined Facebook. I had no idea how it would change my life and the lives of so many I had never met. In fact, it was a life saver. Looking for a Migraine Community I was diagnosed with chronic migraine in 2003 and started searching for information on a number of…

As the 2021 MHAM theme focuses on A New Era of Care, it’s important that we recognize what is taking place for all headache diseases. There is lots of attention on new and emerging treatments for migraine — and we’re happy for that! — but we’d also like to acknowledge the innovations and research for…

I wake up naturally these days and have time for coffee on the porch. I can listen to the birds, watch the breeze set the trees to swaying and dancing, muse and wonder about the day ahead. Unscheduled time is a gift for those with chronic migraine. We don’t have to pretend, answer uninformed questions,…

After living with chronic migraine for more than 25 years and trying more than five dozen medications, I didn’t have much expectation of finding an effective treatment. Then I got the gammaCore, a nerve stimulation device. And it changed my life. Here’s my experience with gammaCore. It was excellent overall, but getting started on it…

From a young age, we learn not to judge a book by its cover, yet inherently it’s something most of us do (even if we don’t realize it). For people with migraine, our “covers” rarely reflect what’s happening on the inside. Dark circles, somber expressions and exhausted bodies often are misinterpreted for a bad night’s…