Somebody Heal Me

February Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival: Finding a Headache / Migraine Specialist

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the February 2012 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been created to provide both headache patients and people who blog about headaches with opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us.

The theme of the February carnival is "Tales from the Trenches: Experiences (good & bad) on the road to finding the right migraine doctor." Please keep reading for the submissions on this topic.

Most people who experience migraine attacks with any frequency learn it takes some work to find a headache or migraine specialist who can help them. Unfortunately, not every doctor or even every neurologist knows enough about our disease to treat us. And not every headache or migraine specialist is the right fit for every migraine patient. This month's carnival submissions reflect the difficulty of the journey to finding the right migraine specialist.

Sarah Hackley shared Tales from the Trenches: The Ever Elusive 'Right' Migraine Doctor posted at The Migraine Chronicles.

Teri Robert shared The Twisted Road to Help for My Migraines posted at Putting Our Heads Together.

Migraine Puppet shared Migraine Doctor Journey posted at Migraine Puppet.

Migrainista shared One Woman's Journey to Find a Good Doc posted at Migrainista.

Nancy Harris Bonk shared February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival posted at Migraine & Other Headache Disorders.

James Cottrill shared The Case of the Missing Studies: Patients Missing Critical Information posted at Headache & Migraine News Blog.

Thank you for all your submissions and ongoing support of the carnival. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to sign the Alliance for Headache Disorders petition asking Congress to hold hearings on the burden of migraine disease: AHDA Petition.

Submit your blog post to the March 2012 edition of the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival by sending your submissions to me by email. (Unfortunately some of us have had problems with the submission form on the blogcarnival.com site from time to time, so I suggest you just avoid it. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.)

The theme will be: "How do you build & maintain hope when your life is dominated by migraine disease or another headache disorder?" Submissions are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, March 9. The March carnival will be published right here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, March 12.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Last Call: February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Tomorrow (Friday, February 10, 2012) is the deadline for submissions to the February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

Submit your blog post to the February 2012 edition of the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival by e-mailing your submissions to me directly (somebodyhealme AT dianalee DOT net). The theme is: "Tales from the Trenches: Experiences (good & bad) on the road to finding the right migraine doctor. " As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome.

Entries are due by midnight (the end of the day), tomorrow, Friday, February 10, and the carnival will be posted at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, February 13.

Additional information about the carnival can be found at this link: http://somebodyhealme.dianalee.net/p/headache-blog-carnival.html.

If you are interested in hosting a future edition, please let me know so we can talk details. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog! As always, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, suggestions or ideas for themes.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Judgement, Paula Deen & Type 2 Diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Much more so than other diseases, type 2 diabetes is one more likely to be thought of as something you brought on yourself. True, there are many important lifestyle factors that make you more susceptible, but there are also incredibly unhealthy, overweight people who eat foods that aren't good for them who never develop it. It's just not that simple. It's actually because of this judgment that I think I can relate to why Paula Deen chose to wait to make her type 2 diabetes diagnosis public.

This is one article about her announcement. I tried to pick one that wasn't especially inflammatory or hateful toward her situation.

Paula Deen Says She Has Type 2 Diabetes

There is usually a period of grief after we learn about our type 2 diabetes diagnosis. It's scary news, and for many of us that fear is compounded by the shame of believing we brought it on ourselves. If this is true for the average joes and janes among us, can you imagine the fear and shame someone in Paula Deen's situation might experience? She's made her career and fortune cooking food that is incompatible with the day-to-day safe management of type 2 diabetes. And if outsiders were quick to blame her for her own diagnosis, you can bet she was the first to blame herself. We're so often harder on ourselves than we are on other people.

It's hard enough to get up to speed on blood glucose testing, A1C testing, what to eat, what to avoid, medications, etc., when you're first diagnosed. Knowing this would likely lead to a necessary change in the recipes that have made you famous and are so closely aligned with your identity must be even harder.

So, yes, it's easy for people who've never been through this process to harshly judge Paula Deen and to blame her for her own problems and her apparent contribution to the American obesity and diabetes epidemics. But let's be real: Paula is probably like the rest of us. She knows what she should be eating, that she's carrying at least a little more weight than she should and that the foods she most enjoys aren't very good for her. Making changes is hard and sometimes it takes a serious wake up call to start to make those changes.

Hopefully she'll get there as she grows more comfortable with her new-ish identity as a type 2 diabetic. How awesome would it be if she was able to use her notoriety to inspire and educate others about how to live a satisfying life as a person who loves rich, buttery, sugary, indulgent food and has to adapt to a new way of living? Pretty great, I think. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and see what happens.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Simplify Life with Migraines & Chronic Illness: Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

We all know how important it is to eat breakfast, but it's hard enough to get everything going in the morning when you don't have to wonder if you'll be able to get out of bed. It's all about planning ahead and making it easy, while still making healthy choices. If you have food-related migraine triggers, remember to adjust recipes accordingly.

Crustless Mini Quiches

There are a few different recipes floating around the Web for these easy little egg quiches that skip the unnecessary carbs and calories of a crust. They're easy to make easy and freeze extremely well. Feel free to use the main recipe and add what you like and skip what you don't. These are just examples.

Egg & Spinach Quiche Cups

Crustless Mini Quiches

Breakfast Cookies, Muffins & Bars

These are nice for days when you don't even feel well enough to use the microwave. You can be ready to eat immediately and still have something pretty good for you, especially when paired with a banana and some yogurt.

Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Muffins

Ellie Krieger's Breakfast Cookies

Healthified Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Monkey Bars

Banana Cranberry Oat Bars

Carrot Ginger Muffins

Healthified Blueberry Orange Muffins

Fresh Takes on Oatmeal

Some really creative food bloggers have shared recipes for awesome twists on traditional (sometimes boring) oatmeal. Here are some examples:

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Chocolatey Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Gingerbread Oatmeal

Crisp Apple Pie Oatmeal (in photo)

Salted Caramel Cocoa Oatmeal Bowl

Other options to keep on hand

Anything can be breakfast. It doesn't have to be bacon and eggs. These are good foods to have on hand as healthy options for breakfast or a meal or snack any time of day.

string cheese
Greek yogurt
low fat cottage cheese
frozen berries
fresh fruit
whole grain, fiber rich cereal
whole grain tortillas
canned fruit (in it's own juice)
peanut butter
egg substitute
lean ham or turkey
whole grain english muffins
multigrain frozen waffles
nuts

What ideas can you share of healthy, fast, easy breakfasts that you rely on as a person with a chronic condition to cope with?

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraine Warrior Merchandise

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

This project is in its infancy, but I've designed some Migraine Warrior merchandise that you can purchase through Cafe Press to show your spirit of determination and hope. I think you'll like what I have to offer!

Migraine Warrior Merchandise

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Project Better Me: Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Like so many of us do at the beginning of the year, I've started some new practices to try to improve my overall health, lose weight, improve my fitness and make the most of my fertility. I might have thought to do this at the beginning of the year anyway, but for some reason an early January appointment with my awesome new gynecologist provided the catalyst. I'm calling it: Project Better Me.

I'm tracking my food and drinks on the free Spark People website (which also has a fantastic mobile app), drinking more water (at least 9 glasses a day), checking my blood sugar and exercising.

These changes have been an excellent opportunity for me to work on my pacing technique, which is something I've always struggled with (I'll be sharing what works for me & wasn't doesn't in an upcoming post). I'm totally the type who could sit on my butt for years, then go at exercising like I'm killing snakes. Unfortunately, exercise and exertion are migraine triggers for me. That's basically the polar opposite of pacing.

My initial exercise goal was smart: to do my physical therapy stretching exercises and a daily set of jumping jacks and situps, starting with a very small number and slowly working up. Then maybe do 5 minutes of Just Dance or Zumba or a YouTube workout, but only 5 minutes. Even on a good day.

It was an awesome plan, I think. If I'd followed it. Instead I dove into forty minutes of Tracy Anderson's exercises, Zumba and some other cardio jumping routine. And of course, a monster migraine. I'd also be so tired I could barely even stay awake long enough to spend time with C in the evening. Not cool.

So I'm going back to what I'd set as a goal for myself and keeping the concept of pacing at the forefront of my mind. Hopefully if I'm smart about my choices now I'll eventually work up to the point where I can dance my butt off and have an awesome time and not have to worry so much about it knocking me out with a killer migraine attack.

A key technique I'm using to encourage myself to meet the daily goals I've set for myself is a big calendar (see photo). I love to check things off and track things, so it's right up my alley. And it's not that I want to make myself feel guilty when I see blank spaces, but it's definitely more fun when I can check everything off. I'm tracking times I've taken my blood sugar, water, tracking on Spark People, doing PT exercises and working out. It's a great reminder to have it laid out in front of me, too.

For fun I also made a sort of motivational vision board on Pinterest. I've collected lots of inspiring ideas, tips and tricks and images that make me happy: Motivation, Inspiration & Good Thoughts and another with more practical stuff: Healthy Ideas, Tips & Tricks. My super long term goal is to feel good enough about my figure to do a pinup photo shoot, so you'll see that reflected in my choice of images.

By the way, if you use Spark People be my friend. My username is: whatwouldruthdo.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Reminder: February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival Deadline

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Just a little reminder that submissions for the February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, February 10, 2012. Email submissions to somebodyhealme@dianalee.net by midnight on the deadline day.

The theme of the February 2012 edition is: "Tales from the Trenches: Experiences (good & bad) on the road to finding the right migraine doctor." As always, please feel free to submit any post you feel may be particularly useful, educational or inspirational to other headache and migraine patients and bloggers.

The Carnival will be posted here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, February 13, 2012.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Announcing February 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Submissions for the February 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival are due by midnight Friday, February 10, 2012. The topic is "Tales from the Trenches: Experiences (good & bad) on the road to finding the right migraine doctor." As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome. Email submissions to somebodyhealme@dianalee.net by midnight on the deadline day.

The January carnival will be posted here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, February 13, 2012.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Narrowing the Search for a Local Migraine Specialist

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Since 2008 my best migraine care and treatment has come from Dr. Krusz in Dallas. While traveling seven hours each way for that high level of care has been more than worth it, the goal all along has been to find and build a relationship with a migraine specialist in my geographic area.

I've been working with a neurologist in my hometown, but he's not a migraine specialist and he's well past the limit of what he can do for me. The relationship is still worthwhile because he can get me in to the infusion center at the local hospital for IV treatments to break intractable migraines. But I'm still trying to find a true specialist in my area.

A while back a doctor who practices at the University of Kansas Medical Center spoke at a migraine support group meeting I attended, and I really liked her. She's knowledgeable and seemed like she would have an excellent bedside manner. Just the fact that she was willing to come to a support group to educate and encourage patients speaks volumes to me.

For a long time I was under the impression that she only sees children because she's also on staff at Children's Mercy Hospital. But I don't see any reason not to try to get a referral to see her. I saw a doctor for a while at KU Med right before I went to Dallas for the first time, but I grew discouraged because they only saw me once every three months and I was suffering so profoundly that I needed more intensive care like what I got at Dr. Krusz's clnic. I think this doctor may be the answer I've been looking for. And if I can't get in to see her I think a trip back to Dallas will be in my not so distant future. I would imagine Dr. K has new ideas for me because he always does.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraine Management in 2012: January Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Welcome to the January 2012 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been created to provide both headache patients and people who blog about headaches with opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us.

The theme of the January carnival is "What will you do differently to better manage your migraines in 2012?" Please keep reading for the submissions on this topic.

Teri Robert shared Migraines or Not - Best Wishes for 2012 posted at Putting Our Heads Together.

Jamie Valendy shared I Will...In 2012 posted at Chronic Migraine Warrior.

Gretchen Rautman shared 2012's Migraine Resolutions posted at There Be Migraines Here.

Nancy Harris Bonk shared What is Your Migraine Plan for 2012? posted at Migraine & Other Headache Disorders.

Kelly Wahle shared AHDA Petition Signing Brainstorm posted at Fly With Hope.

Thank you for all your submissions and ongoing support of the carnival. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to sign the Alliance for Headache Disorders petition asking Congress to hold hearings on the burden of migraine disease: AHDA Petition.

Submit your blog post to the February 2012 edition of the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival by sending your submissions to me by email. (Unfortunately some of us have had problems with the submission form on the blogcarnival.com site from time to time, so I suggest you just avoid it. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.)

The theme will be: "Tales from the Trenches: Experiences (good & bad) on the road to finding the right migraine doctor." Submissions are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, February 10. The February carnival will be published right here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, February 13.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Last Call: January 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Today (Friday, January 13, 2012) is the deadline for submissions to the January 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

Submit your blog post to the January 2012 edition of the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival by e-mailing your submissions to me directly (somebodyhealme AT dianalee DOT net). The theme is: "What do you resolve to do in 2012 to better manage your migraines?" As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome.

Entries are due by midnight (the end of the day), today, Friday, January 13, and the carnival will be posted at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, January 16.

Additional information about the carnival can be found at this link: http://somebodyhealme.dianalee.net/p/headache-blog-carnival.html.

If you are interested in hosting a future edition, please let me know so we can talk details. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog! As always, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, suggestions or ideas for themes.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Two Safety Alerts for Chronic Pain Patients

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Two drug companies have reported safety alerts in the past few days on products frequently used by people with chronic pain. Both recalls arise out of incidents that occurred in the same Nebraska manufacturing plant.

The FDA warns that specific opioid products packaged by Endo Pharmaceuticals for Novartis may have been mixed up and packaged with incorrect labeling. The FDA chose not to issue a recall on these medications because of the need for patients to have continuous access to these medications and a low likelihood of mix-ups.

Additionally, Novartis issued a recall of over the counter medications Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas-X. As part of an internal review process the company discovered broken and chipped pills and improper labeling. They issued the recall voluntarily to be sure no customers are exposed to anything they may be allergic to or that may cause them problems when mixed with other medications.

The FDA believes both issues were caused by improper clearing of packaging machinery in the packing plant between handling of different products.

Tips:

The opioid medications affected include: Percocet, Opana ER CII, Opana CII, Percodan CII, Oxymorphone hydrochloride CII, Endocet CII, Endodan CII, Morphine sulfate ER CII and Zydone CIII.

Be aware of pills that look different than the pill you're used to receiving. Ask your pharmacist if you're unsure.

The over the counter medications affected include: Excedrin and NoDoz products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, or earlier; and Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier.

Contact Novartis for a refund if you purchased one of the recalled over the counter medications. Call the company at 1-888-477-2403 Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET or visit their website: Novartis Drug Recall

Sources:
Excedrin, Bufferin OTC Drugs Recalled
Why Excedrin, NoDoz Bottles are Being Recalled
FDA Warns of Opioid Drug Mix-Up

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Announcing January 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Submissions for the January 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival are due by midnight this Friday, January 13, 2012. The topic is "What do you resolve to do in 2012 to better manage your migraines?" As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome.

The January carnival will be posted here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, January 16, 2012. I've adjusted the date of the carnival because I neglected to make the appropriate announcements in time to post it on the second Monday of the month as we usually schedule it. Thanks in advance for your understanding and flexibility!

Email submissions to somebodyhealme@dianalee.net by midnight on Friday, January 13, 2012.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Most Popular Posts of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

The impending end of the calendar year seems like the perfect time to revisit the most popular Somebody Heal Me posts of 2011.

10. Why Are Pills Hard for Migraineurs to Use?

9. Your Chronic Pain Toolbox: Personalized Pain Management

8. Pain Tolerance: How Your Behavior Increases or Decreases It

7. Migraine 101: What is Serotonin Syndrome?

7. Pain Management Drug Testing: Demoralizing Mistrust

6. Migraine Medications 101: Nausea & Vomiting

5. Spreading Migraine Awareness: 5 Things You Can Do

4. Charlie Sheen & Mental Illness: Not a Joke

3. Sootheaway Advanced Cold & Heat Therapy for Migraine, Chronic Pain

2. Why Does My Head Hurt? Primary Headache Disorders

1. How I Manage My Health Using iPhone Apps

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraineur Friendly Gifts for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

If you're the loved one of a migraineur or a migraineur putting together a holiday wish list, consider these ideas for migraineur-friendly holiday gifts this season.

Donate to the Migraine Research Foundation. A donation of any amount (the higher the better, of course) to the Migraine Research Foundation in the name of your favorite migraineur is a wonderful and special gift. After all, our hope is that there should one day be a cure. If we had a cure for migraine disease everything else would be gravy. All of the MRF's costs are underwritten, so 100% of your donation goes directly to migraine-related research.

Choose an essential book. I always recommend people who have recently been diagnosed or who are just starting the journey of taking control of their migraine disease start with Teri Robert's book, Living Well with Migraine Disease & Headaches. It's an essential for every migraineur. Other good options include:

The Migraine Brain by Carolyn Bernstein & Elaine McArdle
The Woman's Migraine Toolkit by Dawn Marcus
10 Simple Solutions to Migraines by Dawn Marcus
Migraine Expressions edited by Betsy Blondin

Tools for exploring mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction are awesome tools for managing life with chronic illness and pain. Here are some suggestions of great gift ideas any migraineur interesting in exploring this topic would appreciate:

Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
How to Be Sick by Toni Bernhard
Break Through Pain by Shinzen Young
Relaxation Body Scan & Guided Imagery for Well-Being by Carolyn McManus
Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach

Grab some awareness apparel. Migraineur Cat Charrett-Dykes designed a ribbon for chronic migraine awareness (a purple ribbon with a red stripe on it). She has set up a Cafe Press shop to allow us to purchase merchandise featuring the awareness ribbon. Any profits she makes from the sale of these items will be donated to the National Headache Foundation. The "Fuck Migraines" cap is a personal favorite! Teri Robert has a Help for Headaches Cafe Press shop you should check out, too.

Avoid food gifts. Most migraineurs have specific food triggers they must avoid at all costs. Unless you are intimately familiar with a migraineur's triggers (ie you have prepared meals for her/him), skip the food gifts.

Avoid fragrances. While some migraineurs aren't bothered by distinctive scents, many are. It is impossible to predict which ones will be unbearable for which people. Unless the migraineur in your life specifically requests perfume, bath products or home fragrances, skip these items.

Offer your help. Most migraineurs would appreciate your offer of accompaniment to a doctor's appointment, a ride, a meal, child care, etc. when dealing with a migraine. Give the migraineur in your life a homemade gift certificate for a favor they can redeem next time migraine puts him/her in a bind. Most of us would love someone to offer their help even though we don't feel comfortable asking for it.

What gift suggestions do you have to add? What would you like to receive? Please share in the comments.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Support Migraine Research: Sign the Petition!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:23:00 +0000

2,132 people have signed the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy petition. Are you one of them? Why not? It only takes a few seconds to sign and post it to your Facebook wall to encourage your friends and family to do the same. We desperately need more research funding!

Urge Congressional Hearings on the Impact of Migraine & Headache Disorders

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

December 2011 Migraine Carnival Posted

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:06:00 +0000

The December 2011 edition of the Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival has been posted by Kelly Wahle at Fly With Hope:

Fly With Hope: December 2011 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival

Please check out all the great submissions and leave Kelly some feedback. She did a wonderful job hosting for us this month!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Spreading Migraine Awareness: 5 Things YOU Can Do

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Here are some ideas of the simplest things you can do to support migraine awareness and research.

(1) Sign the AHDA petition calling on Congress to hold hearings into the burden of migraine and other headache disorders. Despite the fact that millions of Americans are affected by migraine disease, we only have about 1,600 signatures. We can do better and you can help with that. Urge Congressional Hearings on the Impact of Migraine & Headache Disorders.

(2) Pass along information about the current AHDA petition to your friends and family and encourage them to sign up for action alerts for future calls to action.

(3) Donate to the Migraine Research Foundation. MRF's operational costs are completely underwritten, so your donation goes entirely to migraine-related research. Migraine Research Foundation Donations Page.

(4) Educate your loved ones generally about the reality of migraine disease, how it impacts our lives and what they can do to support us. Check out Teri Robert's Migraine.com post for some ideas of things you might want to share: 10 Things I Want to Share About Migraines.

(5) Follow organizations and advocates through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to stay abreast of the latest information and calls to action for migraine awareness. You can follow Somebody Heal Me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/somebodyhealme and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/somebodyhealme. You can follow Migraine.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/migrainedotcom and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/migrainedotcom.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Last Call: December Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Don't forget that submissions for the December 2011 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival are due by midnight on Friday, December 9, 2011. The topic is "Reducing Holiday-Related Migraine Triggers: Share your best advice, tips & tricks for minimizing triggers while still fully enjoying the holiday season." As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome.

The December carnival will be posted by Kelly at Fly With Hope on Monday, December 12, 2011.

Email submissions to somebodyhealme@dianalee.net by midnight on Friday, December 9, 2011.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

WEGO Health's Health Activist Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

This December, the online health community and WEGO Health are celebrating all the awesome achievements made in health leadership and patient advocacy in 2011 with WEGO Health's Health Activist Awards.

WEGO Health is a different kind of social media company. It's dedicated to empowering Health Activists and has just launched the first-ever Health Activist Awards program to recognize Health Activists (both new and established) for all of their great work over the course of the past year.

This interactive program lets everyone get involved by nominating their favorite Health Activists and sharing what has inspired them, moved them and made a difference in the online health community. I’ve already nominated some of my favorite Health Activists and I'm looking forward to nominating more of them in the coming days and weeks. I hope you’ll take some time to recognize your favorites, too.

You can check out WEGO Health’s Health Activist Awards 2011 homepage for details on the 10 different awards, how to join the Health Activists Awards Jury to help select the Award winners and to find out what Health Activists will win if they’re chosen. Health Activist Awards 2011.

Nominations began December 1, 2011, and winners will be selected in early 2012. So get your nominations in now and celebrate the Health Activists that have made the biggest difference to you in 2011.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Announcing December 2011 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:02:00 +0000

Submissions for the December 2011 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival are due by midnight on Friday, December 9, 2011. The topic is "Reducing Holiday-Related Migraine Triggers: Share your best advice, tips & tricks for minimizing triggers while still fully enjoying the holiday season." As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome.

The December carnival will be posted by Kelly at Fly With Hope on Monday, December 12, 2011.

Email submissions to somebodyhealme@dianalee.net by midnight on Friday, December 9, 2011.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Action Alert: Sign the New AHDA Migraine Petition

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Have you signed the new Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy petition calling for Congress to hold hearings investigating the burden of migraine and other headache disorders? It will take just a few second of your time, and your participation will make a big difference.

Please check out Teri Robert's article about the reasons for the petition and follow the link to sign it. Please also pass the link on to family and friends. Since it's the holiday season we'll all be seeing more of our loved ones, so this is a great chance to get them on board. I know we can do better than the mere 1,000+ signatures we have now considering how many millions of Americans are impacted by migraine and other headache disorders.

Take Action for Better Migraine Treatment and Awareness

Urge Congressional Hearings on the Impact of Migraine and Headache Disorders

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraine 101: What is Serotonin Syndrome?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Migraine patients often use medications in the triptan category, such as Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt, etc. to abort their migraine attacks. They also often take antidepressants for either treatment of co-morbid depression or prevention of migraines. Both of these types of medication affect serotonin levels and can lead to development of a condition called serotonin syndrome.

Serotonin syndrome can occur when the body is exposed to medications that cause it to produce too much serotonin, a substance produced by nerve cells. It most often occurs when someone takes more than one medication that increases serotonin levels at the same time. The FDA requires drug manufacturers to include warnings about serotonin syndrome on all medications that increase serotonin levels, including triptans and antidepressants.

This condition is extremely rare, but serious for patients affected by it and potentially fatal. You should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of serotonin syndrome if you ever take both of these kinds of medications and immediately notify your doctor if you suspect you have developed it. You should consider suspicion of serotonin syndrome an emergency.

Symptoms of serotonin syndrome can include:

Restlessness or agitation
Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Hallucinations
Increased body temperature
Loss of coordination
Overactive reflexes
Rapid changes in blood pressure
Rapid heart beat

Sources:
Serotonin Syndrome
Prevention, Recognition and Management of Serotonin Syndrome

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraine 101: 5 Guidelines for Medication Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Most of us who live with migraine disease use at least one kind of medication, whether over the counter or prescription. It is extremely important that we take care in how we store these medications to ensure our medications are available to us when we need them and also inaccessible to children.

Although safety is most often what comes to mind when we think of our medications, the reality is that you should also make it difficult for someone who might want to steal your medications to do so. No one wants to think a family member or friend would do this, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Here are five basic guidelines for safe storage of your medications:

(1) Follow temperature guidelines: Refrigerate medications as directed. Otherwise, store medications in a dry, cool place. Bathrooms are not usually a good option because they tend to be humid.

(2) Consider purchasing a lock box: Using a lock box will keep your medications safely out of reach of children (whether you live with them or simply have periodic child visitors) and safe from people who might be tempted to steal your meds. (A Google search for "medication lock box will turn up lots of affordable options.)

(3) Check expiration dates: Safely dispose of any over the counter or prescription medications that have passed their expiration dates so you or a family member doesn't inadvertently use something that has already expired. If a medication's appearance, smell or taste has changed, get rid of it.

(4) Keep original packaging: Whenever possible, it is best to keep your medication in its original pharmacy packaging. This packaging has important information about how and when to take the medication and who is it for that you want to be able to access at any time.

(5) Keep medications belonging to different family members separate: To prevent someone accidentally taking another family member's medications, keep them apart. A separate lock box for each household member is a convenient, safe way to do this.

For information about safe disposal of medications, please read: Safe Disposal of Medication.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Wishing each and every one of you a very happy Thanksgiving!

I'm truly grateful for your support of Somebody Heal Me and projects like the Migraine Chat and Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival.

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail. Follow me on Twitter @somebodyhealme.

Content by Diana E. Lee.