a new (to me) resource: an oldie but goodie

As you may know, plans are in the works for me to open up my own indie bookstore some time next year. This is a frightening prospect but--for the most part--gives me a sense of excitement and purpose unlike anything I've felt in the last few years, at least as far as work goes. Yeehaw!

Part of my self-assigned duties involves my going to established independent bookstores and taking a look around; if a manager or owner is on duty, I introduce myself and have a little chat. It's been fun as the information people are willing to provide me is, in short, priceless.

While in Pittsburgh in July, my dad led me to a cozy, well-staffed radical bookstore in Bloomfield where I browsed the aisles in the hopes of finding something inexpensive and interesting to buy. (Even the smallest purchase helps the independent bookstores of the world, so consider shopping at these places if you want to keep .... okay. I'll get down from the soapbox. You can guess how I feel about this.) I purchased Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag, a piece I read--at least in part--in college. I also discovered a little book called Headache Survival while browsing the health section; it was only a few bucks and I made the investment.

Let me just tell you how much I already love this book. The author, Ivker, has been at the helm for a few books of this type (another one in his collection is Arthritis Survival; still another talks about sinusitis), which initially made me skeptical. I started reading the book a few weeks after buying it and am consistently surprised at how UN-annoyed I am with his tone. Many books that proclaim themselves to be potential cures for Migraine & other headache take this obnoxious tone, a sort of holier-than-thou feel that patronizes the reader and often makes him/her feel as if he/she would be just plain stupid to ignore the author's advice. This book does not fit in that category. Ivker is personable, friendly, and seems to genuinely want to help. He assures us that there is probably a way out there to make headaches better, but that no one method works for everyone and that it's extraordinarily difficult to figure out what pattern of treatment works for you. Unlike some who believe in so-called "alternative medicine," Ivker does not eschew the possibility that pharmaceutical treatments can help Migraine. In fact, he wants you to keep your traditional doctor informed all the way and include your prescription drugs as part of the treatment plan if they help you.

I haven't finished the book yet--I may never complete it, as in order to do what he recommends I'll need to use it as resource for many years to come. But I am enjoying reading it. For the first time in years, I feel a sense of optimism as I'm reading about recommended diets, treatments, exercises, etc. that have been known to help other migraineurs. Of course I carry along that die-hard Geddis skepticism, but that is tempered with a not so small part of me that thinks there's weight to what is being said, that I could be on the brink of major improvement.

I'll keep you posted.

supporting the students

I recently found out that a young woman I tutor is a migraineur--her headaches keep her out of school for days at a time, and when she finally got some medication from a doctor last week, the side effects of that medication made her so fatigued and out of it that she still couldn't go to school. Her mom mentioned to me that they'd be attending a meeting at her high school this week, one in which the Powers That Be would decide if this migraine sufferer would be held back a grade due to her absences. (A concomitant problem? The declining grades on her report card, a problem exacerbated by her frequent absences.)

Below please find the letter I wrote to the school--I wrote it before asking her mom if they even wanted my take. I mentioned that of course she didn't have to include it at all during the meeting. To my happiness, she was grateful for any and all weapons she could put in her arsenal and was to present it to the school's administration in a Wednesday meeting. I've called her X and removed any identifying details to preserve anonymity.

After the letter you'll see the attached list of webpages I included for the family. They, like many who have just recently learned that migraine is affecting a loved one, are worried about the problem but aren't entirely familiar with its complexity.

If you all have any tips for me or the student involved, please throw 'em at me.

February 26, 2008

To whom it may concern:

My name is _______, and I have known X for ten months now. I am a tutor for the School District and have had the opportunity to work with X on her school work in addition to talking with her about her personal life.

A few weeks ago, I learned that X is a chronic migraineur. Immediately I empathized: you see, I am a severe chronic migraineur, and the disease sometimes debilitates me so much that I am unable to work, attend family functions, or spend time with friends.

It is my understanding that X may be on the cusp between ninth and tenth grade and that her frequent absences might cause the school to decide that she must repeat ninth grade. I’m writing today to reassure you that, when suffering from a migraine headache, it is next to impossible to stand up and walk around, let alone attend school. Her absences were far from desired, as she spends most of the time in her dark room feeling pretty awful whenever she takes off school. Even after seeing a doctor for her condition, she was very much under the weather, a combination of her migraines and the sleepy side effects of the medication.

Please keep in mind the severe disability incurred by migraine sufferers when thinking about X's case. She is a bright, enthusiastic, genuinely caring young woman who faces great adversity. She learns quickly with one-on-one instruction and I am more than willing to help her catch up on any work she’s missed during her absences.

Attached please find a list of resources on migraine disease, including descriptions of its effects and triggers. Approximately 28 million Americans have the disease and are dealing with it every day. Please do your part to make sure that X is able to live her life as healthily as she can and consider the attached information in making your decision. I recommend starting here first:
http://headaches.about.com/od/migrainedisease/a/what_is_mig.htm
Then you might want to do a search on “the impact of migraines” in order to see how devastating the disease can be to the sufferer and his/her family and friends. This page presents some information on that: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/16338.php

Again, I am able to work with X to help her improve the grades that may have slipped as a result of her absence. I can be reached at ______ with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
________ __________

Migraine Disease Resources

There exist thousands of informational pages on migraine, ranging from articles hosted by the National Headache Foundation to personal accounts of dealing with migraine disease written by sufferers, care givers, doctors, and friends of migraineurs. Below please find a selection of websites I have found helpful, sites that will help you if you take the necessary time to look through them and read them carefully. There is a great deal of information to learn, and the more you are able to educate yourself, the more control you’ll have over your disease.

http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/migraine.htm
What is a migraine? How is it treated? Why does the disease occur in the first place? These questions and more are answered on this Health & Human Services webpage.

http://www.migraines.org/
MAGNUM, the National Migraine Association’s headache support group page. This site features TONS of helpful information, links to other sites, recommendations for patients and healthcare providers, and much more. A good place to start your learning process.

http://headaches.org/consumer/educationindex.html#typehead
The National Headache Foundation has a LONG list of resources and helpful information for people wanting to learn more about Migraine. This particular page is entitled “Educational Resources” and will really come in handy and help you get a better understanding of the complex nature of migraine disease.

http://www.medicinenet.com/migraine_headache/article.htm
A comprehensive description of migraine disease, its effects, its cause, and what patients can do to improve quality of life.

http://www.medicinenet.com/headache/page9.htm#tocv
What are some common migraine triggers?

http://www.migraines.org/disability/index.htm
This section of the MAGNUM website explores the myriad issues faced by migraineurs. Migraine is a debilitating disease, not just a headache. This page has many articles and references that are good to cite when meeting with a school or workplace regarding special accommodations that should be made for migraine sufferers.

http://migraine.blogs.nytimes.com/
The New York Times has this blog written by several prestigious headache sufferers, all of whom approach the topic from a different perspective. I believe this site is only going to be updated in February 2008, though it will be kept online after that.

http://themigrainegirl.blogspot.com/
_____'s anonymous migraine blog, featuring helpful links and information on what does and does not help her cope with severe chronic migraine disease.

http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/understanding-migraine-000097_10-145.html
Lifestyle changes for preventing migraine disease, including shifts in diet.

http://www.nutrition4health.org/nohanews/NNS02DietMigraineHeadaches.htm
The role of diet in migraine headaches.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/migrainediet.htm
This About.com page discusses the relationship between migraine and diet. The importance of eating breakfast each day cannot be emphasized enough, as keeping a regular eating schedule will prevent many migraines. (Skipping meals is one of the most common and controllable triggers.)

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/food-diary-helping-uncover-food-allergy-triggers
This WebMD.com page is a good jump-off point for migraineurs who want to figure out what, if any, food items are triggering their headaches. Keeping a general headache diary can help you and your healthcare provider figure out some of even the most elusive migraine triggers so you can improve your well-being. Making a diary of your own in a little notebook will probably be more helpful than using the chart on this page, but be sure to look at the elements they include on the headache diary chart so you can be sure to add those to your chart.

http://www.fpnotebook.com/ENT/Allergy/ElmntnDt.htm
This website features a guide for an elimination diet. When followed properly, a well-designed elimination diet like this one can help migraineurs figure out what foods are triggering their headaches and which ones are “safe” for them. Remember to consult with a doctor before beginning any major dietary change in order to learn of the best methods possible.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=diet&dbid=7
Another page that helps those who want to effectively identify headache triggers.

http://www.fpnotebook.com/Pharm/Nutrition/TyrmnVsctvAmns.htm
A partner site with the one above, this page is a headache-specific elimination diet and has a list of common foods that are found to trigger migraine in many sufferers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainManagement/Story?id=4170218&page=7
An ABC News article that gives a broad yet informative view of seven of the most common headache triggers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=505571&in_page_id=1965
This article is one of many news items out there describing the link between compact fluorescent lighting and migraine headaches.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/22/business/22light.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The New York Times article on fluorescent lighting’s effect on migraineurs.

http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers-160927-5.html
Another article focusing on the link between fluorescent lighting (both the old-fashioned long bulbs and compact fluorescents) and migraine.

http://www.needymeds.com/
This site helps people with limited resources get the medication prescribed by their doctors. A social worker will be well-suited to help with this and see if it can assist you in particular.

You ARE out there!

After a stressful little while there, I finally was able to log into my blog again. Not sure what the problem was, but I was getting rejected again and again and tonight the mysterious "incorrect" password let me into my account after all.

And look what I found! Some wonderful feedback from some of you thoughtful people, people I didn't know were even reading this. To my chagrin, my local library's copy of Jeffrey Bland's 20 Day Rejuvenation Diet is checked out, so I have a hold placed on it. The more I read about it and other not-so-stellar-sounding diets online, though, the less sold I was on the idea.

But I feel, to be redundant, rejuvenated by some of your feedback, and I think that the books you mentioned may be more up my alley than the one I had recommended to me. Perhaps the next trip to the library--which is actually tomorrow afternoon for me--will entail my checking out some or all of those books to see which ones work for me. If the library doesn't have it, I'll have to see what the bank account can afford me right now.

Again, thank you, thank you.

My massage therapist/cranial-sacral therapist is quite well-versed in the innerworkings of the body and says that this is the perfect time of year to try doing an elimination diet, so if any of you are in my same boat and are thinking of doing it, maybe this is your time!

Now I must get to bed...there's a long work day ahead.

Thanks again for invigorating me and give me such great feedback. I hope to do the same for you in an upcoming post.

the elimination diet

Has anyone ever tried this to see if he/she can better identify Migraine triggers? Did it work for you? I'm thinking of trying this but am not sure I'm sold on this approach. Feedback would be really useful if you've got a chance to give me some. Relevant websites would also be most helpful.

Thank you!