Found on Facebook :

How do you manage your time when you are not having a headache ? Kay D . - There never seems to be much time when my head is not hurting , starting to hurt , or feeling the after-effects of migraine or migraine meds . Living with migraine pain begins to take over everything , so when there is a moment of peace , it ’ s often hard to take advantage of it . I feel “ lazy ” because all I want to do at that point is take it easy before the next wave rolls in .

Trent M . - Spend time doing fun things with my kids !!! They are so good to be quiet and let mommy rest when I have a really bad headache !

Danielle K . - I enjoy it . Go with the flow .

What frustrates you the most about living with a headache disorder or migraines ? Kevin C . - What frustrates me most is 1 ) I never know when and where an attack will occur , and 2 ) I feel like a drug addict because pain medicine is the thing that gives me relief , and then I get the third degree every time I go in for a refill .

Jenna S . - I miss my life . I miss freedom in my daily activities and diet . Being able to smell the roses . Not taking pills every night . I miss me , and that is what is most frustrating .

Becky S . - Living with new daily persistent headaches , there is no cure and there is no medicine for relief — whether it is over the counter or prescription . I don ’ t want to live on pain meds for the rest of my life . And I don ’ t want to live life with a daily headache as I have since 2006 .

Do you tend to overdo it on your pain-free days ? What do you like to do when you ’ re pain free ? Ashley M . - I ’ m more productive at home and work . Play more with my son . Talk more with my husband . And as odd as it sounds , I worry about the next attack . You only have so many good days before the bad ones strike , but those good ones are worth every minute every time !!

Chris G . - Yes , I overdo it . When you only function one to two days per month , there ’ s a lot to catch up on .

Overheard on Twitter at # Headaches # Migraines :

@ Jo _ shKaye I swear Muhammad Ali is inside my skull right now ! # headaches

@ jamiedavinci It stopped raining outside . Temp beginning to rise again . Times like this , it sucks to have a barometer for a head . # migraines

Which treatment method do you find most effective for managing your migraines ?

Medication ( 78 votes ) Managing Stress ( 6 votes )

Avoiding Food Triggers ( 12 votes ) Deep Breathing / Meditation ( 3 votes ) Yoga / Exercise ( 2 votes ) Creating a Sleep Routine ( 2 votes )

Alternative Medicine ( 6 votes )

How many days of work or school have you missed in the last year due to headaches or migraines ?

TOO MANY TO COUNT ( 47 %)

10-20 ( 10 %)

5-10 ( 17 %)

1-5 ( 26 %)

Source : NHF Facebook survey , April 2011

www . headwisemag . org | National Headache Foundation 7