Migraine and disability

[tsheehan13]

I see so many of you have the chronic daily migraines such as myself. We do not have a pain clinic anywhere around us. My question.....is everyone still working a full time job with these headaches? There are so many days it hurts to get out of bed due to the nausea and vertigo. Has anyone ever filed for disability due to migraines? My neurologist asked me at my last appointment if these affect my work. That was about 5 months ago when the headaches were not daily so I said it did not. But I am at the point of hurting so bad it makes it so difficult to go to work. I suffer from fibromyalgia as well and hurt so bad. It is very difficult to get disability for fibromyalgia so I don't know what else to do and would appreciate any feedback possible.

[MaryF]

Hi, please check out that you do not have Hughes Syndrome, the tests are easy for the GP to do, get the GP to do them, otherwise known as Antiphopholipid Syndrome, often with this goes Sjogrens and also Thyroid disorders, Thyroid often wrongly labelled as Fibro... due to how very crappy and unreliable the tests are. MaryF

[Carolegberts]

Hi there I have been suffering daily migraines (Nueroligists calls it chronic migraines) and I have been unable to work for the last 12 months . I tried returning to work but.... It was just too hard. I was able to go on sickness benefits whilst my husband was working a low income, although I didn't get much in the way of $$$$$$$ but at least I was able to get all my medication cheaper. I am still off work and just had my first lot of Botox , so I am hoping I get some relief soon. Before I started having migraines I was an outgoing, happy get up and go type of person, but unfortunately all that has changed .its hard to believe this day and age we cannot get relief. I wish you all the best. This forum really really helps me, as it makes you realise you are not alone .good luck

[Carolegberts]

Hi there I have been suffering daily migraines (Nueroligists calls it chronic migraines) and I have been unable to work for the last 12 months . I tried returning to work but.... It was just too hard. I was able to go on sickness benefits whilst my husband was working a low income, although I didn't get much in the way of $$$$$$$ but at least I was able to get all my medication cheaper. I am still off work and just had my first lot of Botox , so I am hoping I get some relief soon. Before I started having migraines I was an outgoing, happy get up and go type of person, but unfortunately all that has changed .its hard to believe this day and age we cannot get relief. I wish you all the best. This forum really really helps me, as it makes you realise you are not alone .good luck

[NickieD]

Hi, I have been suffering from Chronic Migraine for nearly 10 years now. I do still work but that is because I have adapted what I do and I have made my employer aware of my migraines. I am lucky that I can vary my workload and work around my migraines and the variety in severity.

It is not easy but as my migraines get worse I can see it becoming harder and harder to work with them being as they are.

The only thing I can suggest is investigating whether or not you would qualify but it is definitely worth investigating!

[Whynoexercise]

I now work part time to accommodate my migraine . Makes it easier. More probabability migraine will be in time off as now working 20 hours a weeks. Even if migraine starts at work - will soon be home to lie down again . Short shifts spread over week make it easier than the 12 hour days in fluorescent light environment I send to work. Reasonable adjustments under 2010 EQA. Fingers cross I can sustain attendance with this and meds .

[Whynoexercise]

Sorry that should read " I used to work "

[Hidden]

Hi tsheehan13 - I don't know where you live, but I have suffered from migraines for the past 20 years, and no, I cannot get any medical benefits. For the past 5 years or so, since I became pregnant with my second son, I began having chronic daily migraines. Not able to work even a day and my teeth have significantly deteriorated from vomiting so much, and I wasn't able to care for my children. The depression really set in as well. Before that, it was more or less once per month, for 4-7 days long, with constant vomiting, having to get shots of demerol or hydromorphone to ease the pain for a few hours. I have tried Botox to no effect. I think that I have tried just about every medication out there, but my body even became desensitized to the triptans and DHE, so they no longer helped. I think that I had 1 good day per month. This year I have been trying out Fentanyl for the pain. Since I reached an appropriate dosage, the pain has gone, the vomiting is gone! This is the first three months, migraine free that I have had in 20 years! I now have to work on my depression, and then hopefully I can either stay home with my youngest son before he starts school, or find a job again. It has been very difficult on me and my family and I don't know if my marriage will survive long enough to see me well. Regardless, I am happy to have my life back, even if my memory doesn't return to what it should be and hopefully will be able to support myself once again. I don't have any other medical conditions, so I don't know how this would effect you, however. There are no pain doctors where I live either, and my neurologist was a bit shy of using many medications, but when I was admitted to hospital once, I asked to speak to a doctor who deals with the terminally ill, and that doctor knew a lot more about pain medications. So, just a thought..

While Fentanyl is an opiate, it is man-made and thus it's side effects are a lot less evident than other pain killers. It doesn't put me to sleep, I can think rationally and can drive, now that my body has adjusted to it. I don't suggest this for everyone, but if you, like I, have lived a life of non-stop migraine and unable to work or even get out of bed everyday, not able to even enjoy your family, then this has been a lifesaver. I really don't know where I would have ended up if this carried on much further. Best of luck! I know your pain and struggle. <hugs>