are available for reference and / or download . Readers can go online to find resources , such as a medical checklist , an emergency room visit form , and a letter to give to your family and friends to educate them about your disease . As simple as these resources seem , they can be a lifesaver for someone in the throes of a migraine attack .
In the interest of full disclosure , I can relate to Robert ’ s experiences because I have suffered from migraine disease and other headache disorders since I was 8 years old . I remember when I went to a local ER for the first time , they needed all of my information . Having to look for my insurance card and driver ’ s license and write down my medical history all while having a severe migraine attack was unbearable . Robert provides treatment registration information documents in her book and on the corresponding website . You and your doctor can fill out all of the necessary information when you ’ re feeling good , so you have it ready if you ever have to go to the ER .
Of course , as with any book bold enough to include Web links , several of the items referenced in the text are now out of date . For example , in one of the resource appendices , she mentions that you can purchase migraine awareness wristbands , but they are no longer available .
Like most migraineurs , I have a bookshelf full of treatises on migraine and headache , but this is the only one I keep returning to . I check in with it when I have questions . I refer back to it for advice . I check the online resource guide and go to the complementary website . In fact , my copy looks more like a college textbook , complete with dog-ears , scribbled notes and yellow streaks of highlighter .
But as in-depth as this book is , it is far from a textbook . Writing a compelling book about pain is no easy task , but Robert rises to the occasion . The majority of the books I ’ ve read on this topic are extremely dense , cold and
ON THE SHELF
If you ’ re looking to read more about migraine and headache disorders , try these other helpful works .
A Brain Wider Than the Sky , By Andrew Levy
Levy , who has suffered from debilitating migraines for much of his life , eloquently shares his personal struggle and delves into the history of the disease .
The Migraine Cookbook , By Michele Sharp
This NHF-approved book offers more than 100 healthy and delicious recipes — from appetizers to main courses — that avoid common migraine food triggers .
The more you educate yourself about your disease , the better you will be at managing it .
clinical . Although Robert covers a wide range of information , her text is still user-friendly . She provides all of the necessary tools and information you need to start tackling this disease head on , but she also personalizes the book by sharing her own stories and letters from other migraine sufferers .
Many of these letters are touching , sad or horrifying , but they provide information migraine and headache sufferers need to know . By demonstrating the absolute worst risks of migraine disease , Robert makes readers aware of the responsibility they have when using medications and treatments .
I finished this book feeling truly empowered and inspired to take my migraine disease into my own hands . I ’ ve had migraine and headaches for 18 years and can honestly say I learned more in this book than I ever have in a doctor ’ s office . HW
The Migraine Brain , By Carolyn Bernstein , MD , and Elaine McArdle
Dr . Bernstein , founder of the Women ’ s Headache Center near Boston , offers advice on mitigating migraine ’ s effect on every aspect of life .
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