Week 2 of Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

#day3

 of 

#mham17

 is about comorbid disorders and migraines! Migraines often come with other health problems, including mental health issues as well. Feelings of guilt and shame about having migraines and headache disorders often compound the hardships of chronic illness, and may people feel scared to reach out for help when they need it. If you know someone with a chronic and/or invisible illness,

 take a second and think about how you react when they tell you about their pain/medical problems/doctor's appointments. Try to put yourself in their shoes, and remember that it's often hard and difficult for many sufferers to talk about their experiences with other people. Even asking a simple question, like "what can I do to help you during a migraine?" will go a long way and I know it makes me feel much more supported. So take a minute today and just think about how you can be an ally and be supportive of your loved one or friend.

#day4

 of 

#mham2017

 is about support systems. I would not be where I am without my friends and family. They are there for me during both good and bad times. Having amazing people beside you makes chronic illness a bit easier to deal with, and makes to good times even better. So much love for my Wes family 

❤️

#day6

 of 

#mham2017

 is about chronic fatigue and energy problems! I'm going to be doing a post on spoon theory later this month, but I thought that this was too funny to not post! Just a bit of insight into the difficulties of having energy problems with a chronic illness.

Did you know that migraines can cause central sensitivity? I do, because this has happened to me. The best way to describe it is when the central nervous system becomes unnaturally sensitized due to ongoing stimulation. Basically, the neurons develop a "memory" of the pain signals that are present during migraines and changes to make pain signals travel more easily. This can be related to neurotra

nsmitters, like glutamate and GABA. For me, I needed to go onto a medication that upped my glutamate levels, as well as stopping all abortive triptans to break my central sensitization. Thanks 

migraine.com

 for the definition! I posted this last year, but it's an important topic so I wanted to repost it! 

#mham

#day7

#day8

 of 

#mham2017

 is a 

#tbt

 to Headache on the Hill 2017! It was an amazing experience to be a patient advocate for migraines and chronic pain. Read more about my experience lobbying in DC on my blog! 

https://www.chronicmigraineellie.com/blog/2017/02/headache-on-hill-2017.html