Category Archives: Living with chronic migraine

What am I here for?

Posted on February 5, 2019 by migrainefreeme

I found it both humbling and terrifying to lose all the things that had previously given my life meaning and purpose. For me this came through illness but many people might experience something similar for a whole range of reasons. … Continue reading →

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A lament

Posted on March 8, 2017 by migrainefreeme

Here is a post I wrote back in June 2015 but didn’t feel able to publish – now I do. It’s strange reading it how relevant it still seems, though a little less raw now as I’m becoming more adjusted … Continue reading →

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What does migraine mean to me?

Posted on September 10, 2015 by migrainefreeme

It’s migraine awareness week and The Migraine Trust have suggested that people share what migraine means to them, so here goes… Migraine means regularly experiencing pain that made a broken foot seem so insignificant I didn’t even notice, but also … Continue reading →

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When choice gets taken away

Posted on May 19, 2015 by migrainefreeme

Health warning: moaning post – though there is a Gandalf quote to make it all ok if you manage to get through to the end (or just skip straight to that if you like, no-one will know!) One of the … Continue reading →

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Post poach – secrets of successful chronic migraineurs

Posted on April 2, 2015 by migrainefreeme

A post on migraine.com caught my eye today. It made some interesting points so I thought I’d share it. You can read it here if you’re interested: 10 secrets of successful chronic migraineurs If you don’t want to read the … Continue reading →

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The Code

Posted on March 11, 2015 by migrainefreeme

After the Mystery Option C and Dilemma posts, my friend Tony had an idea – if I found it difficult to talk about how I was actually feeling, perhaps I could use some kind of visual symbol or code, like … Continue reading →

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Mystery Option C

Posted on February 21, 2015 by migrainefreeme

Thank you so much to everyone who responded to the previous post Dilemma, either in person or online. I’ve really appreciated your honesty on how you talk about (or more often don’t talk about) invisible illnesses with friends and family. … Continue reading →

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Dilemma

Posted on January 30, 2015 by migrainefreeme

Migraines are invisible. Which means no-one can see just how much devastation they cause. On the inside, it’s like a big-budget disaster movie. Tornados wreak havoc, tsunamis broil out of control, volcanos erupt sky-high. Everywhere you look the landscape has … Continue reading →

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Spoons

Posted on January 27, 2015 by migrainefreeme

I tried to explain Christine Miserandino’s spoon theory to some friends the other day but it didn’t go so well. My explanation went something like this: “It’s about spoons… …well not really spoons, but yeah, spoons… …so you have these … Continue reading →

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My chronic migraine dictionary

Posted on January 3, 2015 by migrainefreeme

We British are very good at responding to the “How are you?” question with a vague and general “I’m fine.” Usually it’s all that’s needed, but for those who’ve recently asked for more info, I’ve realised my response hasn’t really … Continue reading →

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The choice

Posted on October 29, 2014 by migrainefreeme

I want to build a dark room with soft floors, padded walls and no chinks of light. I would spend all day in my room and I would be blissfully happy. But it wouldn’t be a life. I would have no … Continue reading →

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Giving in, but not giving up (my story, part 3 of 3)

Posted on October 25, 2014 by migrainefreeme

The last few months I think I’ve cried more than I ever have in my life. Not the usual snotty snivvles or temporary hormonal outbursts I can be quite partial to, but full-on, gut-wrenching, soul-tearing, heart-breaking cries that originate somewhere … Continue reading →

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London, Baby! (my story, part 2 of 3)

Posted on October 23, 2014 by migrainefreeme

Earlier this year I decided enough was enough. So I made a referral to the National Migraine Centre in London (http://www.migraineclinic.org.uk), a charity that’s at the forefront of research and treatment and accepts patients from all over the UK. I was given an appointment … Continue reading →

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Have you tried…? (my story, part 1 of 3)

Posted on October 20, 2014 by migrainefreeme

It seems I inherited a ‘migraine brain’ from my Mum and Dad – both of whom get migraines that I remember wiping them out at various points when we were growing up. You’ve got to love genetics – my brother … Continue reading →

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