This is my second time trying to type this up (accidentally closed the tab before saving, and now have to start over). Hopefully, that means this one will be more concise? Or not. Lol.
Between appointments, lesson planning, and migraines...this week has been rough.
For those that are unaware, I am trying to get approved for disability benefits. The primary reason is because I have chronic migraines. I used to get 5-6 migraines a week; that was prior to receiving Botox injections once every 3 months. Many people do not realize that the Botox injections, for migraines, is a set of 30 injections all in one sitting. They are very painful and would give me major anxiety attacks. Recently, my neurologist switched me to Emgality, which is a montly injection I give myself in my abdomen. Sounds worse than it is.
However, even with this medication, I still get 2-3 migraines a week. Sometimes, my migraines are not super painful, but I'll still have the nausea and light and sound sensitivity. But usually, they include the very painful headache most associate with migraines. Unfortunately, my insurance company stopped covering the cost of the pills I take when I get a migraine. Furthermore, I'm not supposed to take ibuprofen or aspirin, because of other health issues. This leaves me with acetominophine (aka paracetamol aka tylenol) as my only option, which is not really effective usually.
For me, I have multiple triggers for my migraines; they include (but not limited to):
- Flashing lights
- Bright lights or fluorescent lights
- Sirens
- Too much chocolate (especially dark chocolate)
- Being dehydrated
- Missing a meal
- Lack of sleep or poor sleep
- Strong smells
- Stress
Most of these triggers I can control, in the home. However, when I have to leave the house, I cannot control my evironment enough to never trigger a migraine. For example, I once had a migraine triggered by the smell of citrus in the produce section of the grocery store.
Additionally, stress is another huge trigger for me. While I still deal with stress at home, in a work environment, the stress is understandably worse. Not to mention I have ADHD, and with that comes "time blindness." For me, this makes estimating how long things will take (or how much time has passed) difficult, which makes being on time for a job challenging and also makes deadlines difficult. The stress of trying to manage time blindness in a work environment is massive, for me (especially since most workplaces do not understand adult ADHD; people who struggle with timeliness are often just seen as lazy or apathetic). More stress means increased chance of migraines.
So, while I get only 2-3 migraines a week, that is in a relatively controlled environment. And even so, 2-3 migraines a week is not really conducive to maintaining a regular job.
Basically, I just wanted to write this up so you have an idea of why I have this "buy me a coffee" page. Also, since I know not everyone experiences migraines, I wanted to share with you a little about my experiences with them.
If there's anything in particular you'd like me to talk about, or you're interested in hearing more about, do let me know. I often am at a loss as to what to write for these posts (and not even sure if people bother to read them, ahah).
Hope you have a great week!