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Getting the Support you Need

May 8th, 2009

If there’s anything that makes me want to throw up my hands and give up, it’s how complex Migraine disease is. Migraine disease has multiple triggers, can take multiple forms with different symptoms and effects on our lives, and has multiple treatment possibilities. I could not manage all of this without support. It’s lonely dealing with a disease that eats away days and weeks of our lives, and isolates us where the sound and the light won’t bother us. Treating Migraine takes managing multiple aspects of our lives and health - that takes support. The people who support me remind me that every day will not be so bad, that life is still worth living, that there is hope. The things that support me give a structure to my life that I can count on when I am not functioning at my best.

We need to cultivate our support systems - building them up when we feel well so they will be there when we need them. We need to do what we can for the people who support us, when we can. In other words, we need to build our stock of resources.

What kinds of support are there? Consider these:

• Professional support - this includes:
  • Doctors - you need a good medical doctor to track and coordinate your care and help you find appropriate medication.
  • Complementary practitioners - chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, bio-feedback practitioners, and nutritionists, among others, can help you relax, rechannel your energy, maintain your general health, manage and reduce pain.
  • Therapists - migraine is not a psychological disorder! But supportive therapy can help us deal with the emotions our illness causes.
  • Coaches - a coach can help you create a plan to manage your life with Migraine and help you generate the energy and enthusiasm to move ahead with your plan. That’s what I do - contact me to hear more about it. Both coaches and therapists can be a great help in picking you up when you are down.
• Personal Support:
  • Friends, family members, neighbors, even bosses or co-workers. You will need to make sure that they have some basic information about Migraine and that they know you have a disease. You’ll need to be clear about what kind of support or help you need from them.
  • Another great form of personal support comes from other migraineurs, whether you join an online community or group such as my personal favorite, the forum at My Migraine Connection; chat with other Migraineurs on Twitter; join or start a face to face Migraine support group; or get on the phone with other Migraineurs in a relaxation teleclass; or join one of our Managing Life with Migraine teleconferences.
• Medication support - you need medication choices to support you in preventing migraines and stopping them when they occur.
• Tool-kit support - Whatever you use to comfort yourself when you do get a migraine - comfy pillows or blankets, ice packs, hot baths, cups of tea, essential oils, soft music, soft lights, whatever you use to help you to feel better.
• Structure & routine support - this is what you do regularly to make the most of your well time and stay as well as you can. It will include your medications and nutrition, your exercise routine, relaxation routine, sleep routine.

Where is support missing in your life? Sometimes making a list of the pieces that are missing and taking just one step at a time can make a big difference. Like finding one person to talk to, or scheduling one doctor’s appointment.  Giving a teleclass a try, or stocking up on comfort supplies.

What can you do to build your support system?

- Megan

Hands together image courtesy of Maria Angelie.

Tags: managing life with migraine, migraine support, Migraine treatment, migraine treatment plan
Posted in Managing, Medicine, Tips & Techniques | Comments (4)

4 Responses to “Getting the Support you Need”

1. Mary Kay Says:
   May 13th, 2009 at 10:51 am

   Hi Megan,
   Wonderful post. I especially like the “tool kit”. I think I will start recommending that concept to my patients. Ususally address the sleep, quiet and neck support but putting it all together would give patients a sense of empowerment.

   Thanks!
   Mary Kay

2. admin Says:
   May 18th, 2009 at 11:36 am

   Thanks Mary Kay. Yes I think it always helps to do what we can to be prepared - though we cannot ultimately control the Migraines themselves, we do have some power over their impact on us!

   Good to see you!
   - Megan

3. Janice Says:
   May 20th, 2009 at 7:38 pm

   Megan,

   You are like a breath of fresh air to a topic that seems centuries old! I have a 20 year old daughter that has complex migraines and we can’t seem to get any help anywhere!!! The last medicine she was given “proplananol” is giving her daily headaches but she is still having the “drop/sleepy spells” that come weekly to monthly along with stomach pain now. Hopefully i will be able to learn/find something new to help her. I liked your may18 blog about the rest and sleep which she definitely does not get enough of.
   She has other medical problems which doesn’t help.
   I have signed up for the RSS and newsletter. I am determined to find her some relief.
   thanks, Janice

4. admin Says:
   May 21st, 2009 at 8:53 am

   Thanks Janice! Good luck to you and your daughter. Contact me if I can be of assistance.

   Best, Megan

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