Limitations exist for everyone. I’m only 5 feet, 6 inches tall, so I can’t reach the top shelf in the closet without a step stool. My singing voice is not awesome, and my athleticism doesn’t go far beyond simple hiking. Migraines place limitations on my life as well.
I figured out my triggers years ago. Working to avoid exposure to those triggers has been a part of my life ever since. Avoiding triggers means adapting or eliminating foods, habits, and activities in the name of what’s good for me. Migraine is bossy, always telling me what I can and can’t do.
Don’t Eat That!
I wish I could pick my food triggers. I would choose cauliflower and liver. Migraine has selected bananas, raisins, hard cheese, and barrel-aged beer. I can eat a handful of raisins and about half a banana, but no more. A little bit of hard cheese is fine, but too much is a problem. Absolutely no barrel-aged beer is acceptable to my migraine illness though. Not even a couple of sips. There is one positive when it comes to food triggers. My migraine illness allows me to eat chocolate!
Don’t Look at Glaring Lights!
Migraine tells me I must wear sunglasses when I’m outside in the bright sunlight and I can’t lounge in the sun reading a magazine. The sun glaring off the glossy pages of a magazine can trigger an episode after only a few articles. Glossy menus at restaurants are a problem for me, too. I make my food selection as quickly as possible.
Don’t Go There!
I can’t go to outdoor concert venues. There is usually a designated smoking section with no barriers to contain the smoke. No matter where I stand, the swirling wind brings cigarette smoke to my nose. Within about 20 minutes, I’m starting a migraine attack and heading home. Concerts aren’t cheap, so I don’t waste my money even if one of my favorite bands is playing.
Don’t Go There Either!
I have a few relatives who smoke. I love them but hate their dangerous habits. I can’t visit them at their homes or go to family gatherings that they host. I feel like I’m being rude, but it isn’t my decision. Migraine forces me to stay away from anything that smells like an ashtray, or an ashtray covered by home fragrance products. When my husband gets home from visiting them, his clothes go straight into the washing machine.
Don’t Vary From the Routine!
Discipline is important in avoiding migraine episodes. I can’t sleep too little or too much. I don’t stay up too late or sleep in. I can’t eat too little or too much. I must eat three meals a day at certain times whether I’m hungry or not. When friends and family want to have lunch at 1 p.m. or later, I must eat a substantial snack before I leave the house or there will be a painful price to pay.
Don’t Forget to Think About Migraine Today!
Migraine disease has rules. Lots of rules. Disobeying the rules has painful consequences. I don’t go through a single day without thinking about migraine. What I eat, where I go, and what I do must consider the element of migraine. This is part of my migraine management plan. I try to follow the rules as closely as I can so that I don’t have to put my life on a shelf very often.
Photo Credit: Alvaro Medina Jurado / Moment / Getty Images
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