I seem to always be going back to the other end of the country to see my family at the moment. Being sick seems to make me homesick. I’m also always missing the dog whose very much at the end of her life and will take any opportunity to see her.
But now I’m back from my latest trip (yes the dog did have lots of goodbye cuddles the night I was home) I thought I’d share some tips for travelling with migraine.
Make sure you have all of your medication. Painkillers and anti-sickness and anything else you may need.
If you have any ginger sweets or acupressure bands for sickness bring them
Caffeine and electrolytes can help to manage any dizziness, especially if it is associated with low blood pressure.
Bring headphones or earplugs
Sunglasses or migraine glasses are essential for dealing with potentially harsh train lighting. A sun cap may also help.
It’s okay to ask for help. Lifts to or from stations or airports to save energy and if you can’t do that try to spare some money on taxis.
If travelling by train try to make sure you have reserved seats.
Remember to plan in rest around the travel if you can, especially if you find travel can trigger bad migraines.
Use all the pain management strategies you can, even if it is just listening to music and thinking about climbing. Yes, that’s my favourite on-the-go pain management strategy.
Bring adhesive heat pads or any other pain patches you use to help with pain. I bring heat pads if I’m going on a long journey to help with back and shoulder pain, which can trigger or come with migraine, but you can get a range of different pads and patches to help with pain so bring what works for you!
Less than a year later and I am being seen by neurology again and yes this was equally traumatic.
This wasn’t just trauamtic because of the feeling of being fobbed off. Being potentially sent back to the GP to try more treatments even though if three preventatives have failed that should warrent referral to a headache clinic. But also because we are still no further forward and there is still no plan as to what to do next until an MRI of my brain, with and without contrast is done.
It had already been a difficult week. I’ve been significantly disabled with Migraine and positional occipital headache for 2 months now. And not worked for three weeks. I’d had sick leave before these three weeks too. Which is obviously an issue. And a stress. Whilst work are being wonderful right now there’s still a part of me that is scared that things won’t get better and my dad trying to antagonise me saying what will you do if you can’t work or get fired really doesn’t help because it makes me feel if I need to go to the bank of mum and dad it will be my fault. When realistically it won’t be my fault.
I’m probably going to be diagnosed with chronic migraine, or I have low pressure. We’re not really sure. Maybe a chiari malformation was missed on my last MRI.
Things that help chronic migraine or high frequency episodic migraine or any chronic headache disorder with migraneous features are expensive.
I’ve just spent a lot on my Avulux lenses, which I know once I get my prescription in the frames I will love. I got the lulu with clip on and even before I took the frames to get my prescription in the clip on was some kind of magic. Just under two weeks and providing no breakages and I will have my magic back.
I’ve been spending a lot of the last two months in bed, in the dark, in agony, unable to watch TV. With vomit bags and ice packs. Curtains shut, sunglasses on. Headache halo over my eyes. Lying flat on my back is my preferred position. The best way to relive the dragging, pulling pressure at the base of my skull. I’ve been unable to go into buildings without agony, or getting so dizzy i’ve lost my vision and had to sit on the floor or almost vomiting because of light sensitivity. And avulux definitely pass the Tesco test. I’ve been barely able to eat real meals, cook, clean without passing out and climbing has been comedic and much reduced.
To say the least I’ve been significantly disabled. So as to my dad antagonising me. You could say Hannah save up just incase. But Migraine treatments are expensive and there’s a pay off between if I try this and it gives me my life back is it better than not spending it and saving and then not getting my life back. So actually it’s a really difficult one and not something I should ever feel guilt or stress over because this isn’t my fault, I still have my job, work are being supportive and I can’t control my dad being his problematic self.
That’s a real tangent but the point is the thought of being no further forward and kind of having to go this alone, atleast for the next few weeks is scary.
For that very reason of wanting to keep my dream job, actually earn money because SSP isn’t very kind on the bank balance. It doesn’t cover rent. And live again.
To look after myself, to be able to get on the metro without almost passing out, the bus without almost vomiting. To not be in agony or need to randomly sit on the hospital floor before I pass out. I want to live. I want to succeed. I want to feel a part of the world again. I’ve been so physically and cognitively out of it that I really haven’t felt like part of this world.
Yes I do now have “Part of Your World” in my head.
So it was scary, it was traumatising, it was stressful.
I know I need to stay in the present and not stress about that. But it is definitely hard to deal with. Especially when doctors don’t seem to realise the extent of the debilitation.
The problem is I was too dizzy and brain foggy to get across all of my symptoms, which didn’t help.
Neurology is draining.
Neurologists aren’t the kindest or most empathetic of people.
And right now we are no where. But hopefully in time we will get somewhere. And I will still have and be able to do my job at enough hours to make rent and food and climbing and medical expenses. Priorities obviously. Climbing is so beneficial to me both physically and mental.
Spoonielivingfree 