I came across an article on Somebody Heal Me by Diana Lee titled Migraines Cause Lost Productivity Whether Employees Come to Work or Stay Home which talked about an article about Going To Work With A Migraine? New Study Says Work Productivity Is The Same As Staying Home. This study was presented at this year's International Headache Congress in Philadelphia.
I found these statistics in the article from the study very interesting: The prospective study of 509 Migraineurs resulting in 1,527 Migraine attacks found that 28% of workday Migraines resulted in absenteeism while 11% resulted in a full day of work lost, 5% led to a late arrival, and 12% led to leaving work early. Presenteeism, staying at work with a Migraine, was observed in 62% of workday Migraines.
First of all, I will admit that I am usually a presenteeist. This is something I have struggled with almost everyday. Even before I realized that my just headaches were Migraines, I knew there were times I just couldn't function as well as I should. What was I supposed to do? Call out for just a headache and almost everyday? And because I had always worked through my just headaches, could I really change my patterns now?
I'm sure this is one of the roots of my Migraines, but given my situation, I find it hard to make another choice on a consistent basis especially since I bring in the only income for my family while I have two children in college. I am trying to work on doing what is best for me and my family. I have called out a little more, but it scares me every time I do and still makes me wonder if I would have been better going into work. Some days probably yes, other days definitely not.
Part of my perpetual cycle is because I am sort of part of the presenteeism statistic because when I know I am not putting in a full day of work on some days, I don't feel like I can leave until I have put in my honest day's work. How can I leave until I have worked a real day for my employer? It's also easier to work later because it gets much quieter and my head actually feels like it gets cooler or is not on fire and settles down more. I don't want to do the wrong thing for my employer and I don't want to do the wrong thing for me.
Do I go to work or stay home?
This is why I work so hard to find the right doctor so we can work together to find the right preventatives. We will get there. We have to. At least I wouldn't be asking myself this question as often.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Another Medication Change
When I saw my doctor last month, we had another really nice visit. I ended up changing my meds again because the side effects became too much and actually became worse after I started titrating down from the beta blocker before it got better.
In the beginning of my visit, I caught my doctor off guard. I bluntly asked her how often she got Migraines. I think she was anticipating my next question and answered both at the same time. She said she gets them about three times a week and doesn't currently take a preventative. She said she will typically get them when her stress level is high and only got a Migraine one time because of a food. My doctor spoke about how she was on Topamax at one time and how much she likes her maxalt.
We continued to talk about when to take our triptans. I confessed that I often have "the struggle" about whether or not I really need to take a triptan this time or as Megan from Free My Brain wrote about the Second-Guessing Game. My doctor said she understood, but that the sooner we take it the less side effects we experience, the quicker the relief and the better off we are. She even confessed that she has had this internal struggle in the past and knows from experience that the sooner we take it, the better off we will be.
At the end of my visit, I didn't mean to say anything, but as she was writing my six scripts, I held them up and said something to the effect of how sad it was that there were so many from this visit. She put on this empathetic face and said something to that effect. I told her it really wasn't that bad.
I went on to tell her that to me these represented ideas, hope and a new path to try. She smiled because she was happy when she thought of the new medication to try after I needed to stop the beta blocker. I just thought she was cute (not really the way I ever anticipated I would be describing a doctor of mine).
I still feel like she is full of ideas and will continue to have them for a while longer. I also know that she knows what we go through which can only help. I am still so glad I found her. Such a big difference from every other doctor I have gone to for Migraines!
In the beginning of my visit, I caught my doctor off guard. I bluntly asked her how often she got Migraines. I think she was anticipating my next question and answered both at the same time. She said she gets them about three times a week and doesn't currently take a preventative. She said she will typically get them when her stress level is high and only got a Migraine one time because of a food. My doctor spoke about how she was on Topamax at one time and how much she likes her maxalt.
We continued to talk about when to take our triptans. I confessed that I often have "the struggle" about whether or not I really need to take a triptan this time or as Megan from Free My Brain wrote about the Second-Guessing Game. My doctor said she understood, but that the sooner we take it the less side effects we experience, the quicker the relief and the better off we are. She even confessed that she has had this internal struggle in the past and knows from experience that the sooner we take it, the better off we will be.
At the end of my visit, I didn't mean to say anything, but as she was writing my six scripts, I held them up and said something to the effect of how sad it was that there were so many from this visit. She put on this empathetic face and said something to that effect. I told her it really wasn't that bad.
I went on to tell her that to me these represented ideas, hope and a new path to try. She smiled because she was happy when she thought of the new medication to try after I needed to stop the beta blocker. I just thought she was cute (not really the way I ever anticipated I would be describing a doctor of mine).
I still feel like she is full of ideas and will continue to have them for a while longer. I also know that she knows what we go through which can only help. I am still so glad I found her. Such a big difference from every other doctor I have gone to for Migraines!
AHDA HeadNotes blog
There's a new blog in town. The AHDA HeadNotes blog has been brought to us by the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA).
This blog will provide us Migraineurs a place we can go to get the latest information on legislative issues and share our thoughts about advocacy issues.
Migraines and Healthcare Reform
The National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) has been working hard to stay on top of what's going on with health care reform legislation. Did you know that currently the Senate Finance legislation will be slowly phasing in the insurance reforms?
Teri Robert wrote a nice article on Migraines and Health Care Reform which explains how this phase in period won't even begin for some groups until 2017 and can take five years from then to be fully implemented. Under this current structure, preexisting conditions and annual and lifetime limits on coverages will not be completely eliminated until 2022. That's 13 years from now!
How can you help?
You can write your Senators telling them what we need from them. There is a letter already written for us which we can send as it, edit at will or just add a little bit to it. The system will automatically send it to your Senators and it only takes minutes. It can be found on the NPAF Website.
I personally don't know what needs to be done with health care, but I know something needs to be changed. When my son when to the ER to get three simple stitches (it was off hours and no where else to go) put into his chin and our out of pocket expense was over a thousand dollars, I knew something needed to be changed. With Migraines, things aren't as clear cut or as simple as with stitches.
Teri Robert wrote a nice article on Migraines and Health Care Reform which explains how this phase in period won't even begin for some groups until 2017 and can take five years from then to be fully implemented. Under this current structure, preexisting conditions and annual and lifetime limits on coverages will not be completely eliminated until 2022. That's 13 years from now!
How can you help?
You can write your Senators telling them what we need from them. There is a letter already written for us which we can send as it, edit at will or just add a little bit to it. The system will automatically send it to your Senators and it only takes minutes. It can be found on the NPAF Website.
I personally don't know what needs to be done with health care, but I know something needs to be changed. When my son when to the ER to get three simple stitches (it was off hours and no where else to go) put into his chin and our out of pocket expense was over a thousand dollars, I knew something needed to be changed. With Migraines, things aren't as clear cut or as simple as with stitches.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Email about Light Sensitivity
I recently heard back from my cousin who I met up with at our family reunion over the summer. I had sent her an email for a friend of hers who is having a really tough time at work where her employer is not giving her any accommodations at all. Basically, they are giving her an ultimatum of deal with it or leave. Can you see my lowered blood pressure go up? Ugh!
Her friend is a lawyer and has become very sensitive to light. The light sensitivity issue is right up my alley! I told her about what my employer has done for me and where her friend could find additional information which may help her and at least give her direction to get started with.
The feedback she gave me when we met up again was that her friend and her friend's mother were beyond thrilled with the information they received. I am hoping this also means that her employer will be willing to work with her now.
I also explained to my cousin that my employer happily made light accommodations for me that were reasonable. Even though I have problems with other lighting on my floor and in other people's offices, it would be unreasonable for me to ask for light accommodations all over my floor. She laughed and understood my point about reasonable accommodations under ADA.
I also explained to her that there are at least two lawyers on the site I listed in my email who are no longer practicing full time because of their Migraines so her friend may benefit by reaching out to the MyMigraineConnection site.
I have included the email I sent to my cousin below, which is mostly intact. I thought it might be helpful to others if you needed to send some type of similar information to someone you know who is in a like situation.
Dear Friend,
It was really nice talking with you at the lake. I wanted to give you some links and information for your friend with Migraines. I know how hard it can be when you don't know where to go or what to do with something that sounds so normal in everyday life yet nobody, including yourself, seems to understand what is really going on.
Please feel free to give my email addresses to your friend if she would like to reach out to me or even if you would like to ask any questions. I don't check my personal email everyday, so if there is anything that you would like answered quicker, please use my work email address.
Here is a link to the Migraine forum I mentioned MyMigraineConnection. I really trust the Migraine information here. They are very serious about Migraines and the information they pass along.
The head moderator is a well know patient advocate by the name of Teri Robert. She even wrote a book a few years back that I would strongly recommend. Here is the name and a review of that book "Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches". My biggest problem with the book is that I have bought it a few times and have ended up giving it away to someone else who has needed it. I feel it is a very good reference book and nice to have on hand.
If you go out to the site, you'll get to know the look and feel of the it. Here is the homepage of the site MMC Homepage. I'd also like to give you some links to get started.
Understanding Migraines:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/understanding-migraine-29375-5.html
Check the Lighting:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers-160927-5.html
Migraine and Headache Diary:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers-160927-5.html
If you keep a daily diary, it may help you identify some additional triggers or patterns to help you manage your Migraines.
Did you know that Migraines are a recognized ADA disability? Of course you still have to be able to do your job, but if there are any reasonable accommodations your workplace can make for you, they really should. The site has a lawyer who writes some articles (SharePosts) about different types of legal issues we run into without giving us actual legal advice. Here is a link to some of her SharePosts: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/c/11175.
I am also very light sensitive. I do have workplace accommodations with my lights. I have sleeves that go over the fluorescent light bulbs that are in my office. The sleeves slip right over the fluorescent bulbs, right down the length of them. About a third of the sleeve is solid colored and then it transitions to a clear color which can be twisted around the bulb to allow different amounts of light to pass through. I don't know where my employer got them from, but here is a website I found which sells something that looks similar Misc Light Sleeve Link. I thought this would at least give you a visual. Without these sleeves, I don't think I could work in the office. The lights affect me horribly where I don't like to go into other offices and when I need to go into conference rooms, the first thing I do is look at where the lights are to determine where I will sit. I notice I also do that in other places as well.
There is a lot of other information on the website. I thought this would give any light sensitive Migraineur enough tools to get started. I do understand how lost, lonely and confusing this whole thing can be; I still feel this way at times! Please feel free to give your friend my cell number if she wants it. I know I don't know all of the answers, but I can listen and understand what someone is going through while sharing some of my own experiences. My workplace has really been great to me. This forum is also another place to go out and see others experiences and ask questions of them. Some people have had a tougher time with their workplace.
Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Thanks,
Puppet
Her friend is a lawyer and has become very sensitive to light. The light sensitivity issue is right up my alley! I told her about what my employer has done for me and where her friend could find additional information which may help her and at least give her direction to get started with.
The feedback she gave me when we met up again was that her friend and her friend's mother were beyond thrilled with the information they received. I am hoping this also means that her employer will be willing to work with her now.
I also explained to my cousin that my employer happily made light accommodations for me that were reasonable. Even though I have problems with other lighting on my floor and in other people's offices, it would be unreasonable for me to ask for light accommodations all over my floor. She laughed and understood my point about reasonable accommodations under ADA.
I also explained to her that there are at least two lawyers on the site I listed in my email who are no longer practicing full time because of their Migraines so her friend may benefit by reaching out to the MyMigraineConnection site.
I have included the email I sent to my cousin below, which is mostly intact. I thought it might be helpful to others if you needed to send some type of similar information to someone you know who is in a like situation.
Dear Friend,
It was really nice talking with you at the lake. I wanted to give you some links and information for your friend with Migraines. I know how hard it can be when you don't know where to go or what to do with something that sounds so normal in everyday life yet nobody, including yourself, seems to understand what is really going on.
Please feel free to give my email addresses to your friend if she would like to reach out to me or even if you would like to ask any questions. I don't check my personal email everyday, so if there is anything that you would like answered quicker, please use my work email address.
Here is a link to the Migraine forum I mentioned MyMigraineConnection. I really trust the Migraine information here. They are very serious about Migraines and the information they pass along.
The head moderator is a well know patient advocate by the name of Teri Robert. She even wrote a book a few years back that I would strongly recommend. Here is the name and a review of that book "Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches". My biggest problem with the book is that I have bought it a few times and have ended up giving it away to someone else who has needed it. I feel it is a very good reference book and nice to have on hand.
If you go out to the site, you'll get to know the look and feel of the it. Here is the homepage of the site MMC Homepage. I'd also like to give you some links to get started.
Understanding Migraines:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/understanding-migraine-29375-5.html
Check the Lighting:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers-160927-5.html
Migraine and Headache Diary:
http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers-160927-5.html
If you keep a daily diary, it may help you identify some additional triggers or patterns to help you manage your Migraines.
Did you know that Migraines are a recognized ADA disability? Of course you still have to be able to do your job, but if there are any reasonable accommodations your workplace can make for you, they really should. The site has a lawyer who writes some articles (SharePosts) about different types of legal issues we run into without giving us actual legal advice. Here is a link to some of her SharePosts: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/c/11175.
I am also very light sensitive. I do have workplace accommodations with my lights. I have sleeves that go over the fluorescent light bulbs that are in my office. The sleeves slip right over the fluorescent bulbs, right down the length of them. About a third of the sleeve is solid colored and then it transitions to a clear color which can be twisted around the bulb to allow different amounts of light to pass through. I don't know where my employer got them from, but here is a website I found which sells something that looks similar Misc Light Sleeve Link. I thought this would at least give you a visual. Without these sleeves, I don't think I could work in the office. The lights affect me horribly where I don't like to go into other offices and when I need to go into conference rooms, the first thing I do is look at where the lights are to determine where I will sit. I notice I also do that in other places as well.
There is a lot of other information on the website. I thought this would give any light sensitive Migraineur enough tools to get started. I do understand how lost, lonely and confusing this whole thing can be; I still feel this way at times! Please feel free to give your friend my cell number if she wants it. I know I don't know all of the answers, but I can listen and understand what someone is going through while sharing some of my own experiences. My workplace has really been great to me. This forum is also another place to go out and see others experiences and ask questions of them. Some people have had a tougher time with their workplace.
Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Thanks,
Puppet
Friday, September 11, 2009
New Theories about Chocolate as a Migraine Trigger
Is chocolate no longer considered a Migraine trigger?
At the International Headache Congress (IHC) conference in Philadelphia, they introduced new studies on chocolate as a Migraine trigger. It basically goes back and looks at previous findings that chocolate triggers Migraines as a new study suggested that cocoa could heal inflamed cells related to Migraines in rats.
Here is an article which goes into more depth about the study: Why Chocolate Studies Are a Headache. The article goes into the benefits of chocolate including how it is one of the richest sources of bioflavonoid antioxidants which counteracts cell damage.
I used to be a chocoholic so I also found it interesting when they talked about having chocolate after craving it before getting a Migraine and how this may be misconstrued by some people into thinking it is a trigger when they were already bound to get one. Since I had to be really sure it was a trigger for me, I had tested chocolate at many different times and still found it best that I stay away from it. I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones when it comes to chocolate.
I hope you find the article as interesting as I did.
At the International Headache Congress (IHC) conference in Philadelphia, they introduced new studies on chocolate as a Migraine trigger. It basically goes back and looks at previous findings that chocolate triggers Migraines as a new study suggested that cocoa could heal inflamed cells related to Migraines in rats.
Here is an article which goes into more depth about the study: Why Chocolate Studies Are a Headache. The article goes into the benefits of chocolate including how it is one of the richest sources of bioflavonoid antioxidants which counteracts cell damage.
I used to be a chocoholic so I also found it interesting when they talked about having chocolate after craving it before getting a Migraine and how this may be misconstrued by some people into thinking it is a trigger when they were already bound to get one. Since I had to be really sure it was a trigger for me, I had tested chocolate at many different times and still found it best that I stay away from it. I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones when it comes to chocolate.
I hope you find the article as interesting as I did.
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