hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn October 2017 | Page 14

Migraines and Me I was eleven when I got my first migraine. This is my story about migraines and me. I explained to you last month that August was my worst for migraines in a while. Luckily, I made it through and have felt my same old usual self with just a daily headache every now and then. I’ve had moments where I have a mini heart attack because I think my vision is going, but then realise it’s only a bright light in the room or head rush causing it. I’m pleased to say that although I have changed jobs recently my head is still okay (so far). You wouldn’t think it if you don’t suffer with migraines but this is something that goes through my mind daily. I worry about being ill when at work. I don’t like letting people down. You know when you arrive at work and are told someone has phoned in sick? You have that moment of heartache realising it means on top of all the work you have to do, you have even more. It may be that you don’t even get out on time, or have your break. Have you ever heard colleagues talking amongst themselves, or with you, about how the ill person may be faking it, or they may be over exaggerating, or maybe even ill but still well enough to come in and help you out? Those people are the reason I hate phoning in sick. I believe the only person who can really see on my face Migraines and Me 14 | hiyabucks.com that I have a migraine is my Mum! It’s so hard to explain to someone how bad your head hurts when they can’t physically see anything wrong with you. I recently heard someone saying they went to work having had a migraine the night before and explained how unwell they felt. Their manager didn’t even ask how they were feeling now. The hardest part about all this is that some people aren’t truthful, they use migraines as an excuse to call in sick. Unfortunately for the people who are genuinely sick we are often not taken seriously. I have personally worked through migraines. If I have one in the evening, or overnight, I hope sleep will help. I eat some food and try to wait it out. Trust me when I say though that none of these work. Often I have to get a lift to and from work as I can’t see because of my migraine but I always try not to let my work colleagues down. I write this article in the hope of reaching out to people who use migraines as an excuse for being sick at work. Please don’t. It gives us migraine sufferers a bad name. I also write this to let people know it’s okay to call in sick when you have an actual migraine and do take a few days rest to recover. I know my migraines usually last at least 3 days until I feel okay again. If you suffer from migraines I would love to hear from you. [email protected]