Migraines!! :(

[MigraineGirl]

I'm 18 and I've suffered from migraines since i was 8,the last three and a half years have been the worst so far, within 185 days i had 15 pain free days, and although i didn't have the migraine for those on and off days i was exhausted and aching-which yes i know is what happens after a migraine.

Last year i did my level 2 health and social care course at my local college, my migraines increased dramatically and it ended up with me missing 75% of the year but i still passed, when i went in to sign up for the next year the head of the course told me she wasn't going to let me come to college because my attendance was to low last year and i was to ill.

which leads me to now, i'm to ill to be in college or get a job, i'm currently filling in PIP claim forms and was wondering if i have much chance?

if anyone has any advice please comment.

[Bailey13]

Hi migraine girl, I suffer with chronic migraine. The pain is so bad I just go to bed in a dark room and I'm there for up to 3 days. Then I'm absolutely shattered for a couple of days. This happens on a wkly basis so I'm not able to hold a job down. I have just been turned down for PIP. I have fibromyalgia as well but didn't get a single point .I have been on ESA for a year, still waiting to be assessed. Hope you have better luck x

[MigraineGirl in reply to Bailey13]

Thank you for replying, i'm the same the days where i'm shattered are my only pain free days most of the time before it starts all over again. thank you i'll look into it.

[SJblue]

I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau and they advised me I wouldn't qualify for PIP but they helped me apply for ESA. They did such a good job on my application that I was assessed (without being seen by DWP) as having limited capacity for work so I don't have to job seek. Been on ESA for two years now, no let up in the pain but at least I have no anxiety about letting employers down.

Would definitely recommend CAB, also ask your GP for a referral to a neurologist as I'm sure his report was also instrumental in my good result.

Best of luck

[MigraineGirl in reply to SJblue]

Thankyou,

I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau in August they helped so much they actually pushed me towards PIP, i hope i have a good response but if not i'll look into ESA.

Thanks again.

[Hidden]

Hi Migraine girl I feel for you with your migraines. I've been in a continuous migraine since Aug 2013(status migrainosus) without a pain free day so can appreciate what you go through but well done on the course that's a credit to you.

I have got pip but i have Post concussion syndrome too but i got my points on the mobility section strangely enough. On the following an unfamiliar journey section because my mum has to come with me in the car if its somewhere i haven't been before as i need her help with directions and reassurance.That gave me ten points which was enough for pip.Its a strange set up..

Good luck

x

[MigraineGirl in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much!

I received the second lot of forms yesterday. i agree there;s so much confusion for people because they don't know where they stand with the forms, hopefully i'll be ok, i can't go out without a family member or friend due to being so ill that i need people around me who understand my condition so i hope thats enough for them.

[jenim]

My daughter is 19 and was in exactly the same position. She could not go to college any more and had to be home schooled. After trying every pill and homeopathy we eventually tried hypnotherapy (we were at the point of trying anything) but it's worked. Since starting 5 weeks a go she has gone from chronic daily migraine and living her life in bed to completely migraine free. It's worth a try it has been amazing for my daughter and transformed her life. By the way your college are discriminating as migraine is a disability.

[MigraineGirl in reply to jenim]

that's incredible! i really hope it stays that way. i'll definitely look into it thank you. I didn't realize at the time what she had done was so wrong, to be honest i was in a pretty low mood and had a migraine when i spoke to her, my mom did put up a fight but she was adamant that i wasn't well enough to be in college- which was a sudden change seems she didn't believe i was ill most of the yr to begin with. A few days ago i read the Equality act 2010 and realized what she had done was discrimination ,i'll be demanding a letter from her stating why she stopped me ,after all i'm in this situation because of her lack of help.

[LindaPhoenix in reply to jenim]

Hi Jenim, sorry to jump in here, but I've been reading through & am fascinated by the hypnotherapy working! I'm very open to alternative treatments, I rattle with the supplements I take! How does hypnotherapy work for migraines though? I think mine are hormonal/neck related so I'm not sure it could help that type - presumably it's more tension type migraine? x

[jenim in reply to LindaPhoenix]

Hi there. Yes my daughter was rattling with supplements. We tried hypnotherapy as a last resort. The way it was explained to us is that everyone has a weakness for instance for some it's the kidneys or others asthma etc. in my daughters case it is migraines. For some reason the sub conscious part of your brain sends you to migraine as a means of coping as once you have one you are in bed and unable to do much. From session one my daughter was encouraged and started to feel much more energised. They basically retrain your mind sub conscious to not default to migraine. It's amazing . You say yours are hormonal but we always thought my daughters were as they started during puberty. Today she got accepted on her uni course something that would not have been possible a couple ofonths a go. Good luck and let me know how you get on

[LindaPhoenix in reply to jenim]

That sounds great and does kind of make sense! I wonder if some hypnotherapists have more of an interest in migraines and are more able to tackle them. I'll try anything, but it's quite expensive to keep trying different things. I'm currently looking up Reiki, osteopathy and chiropractors as I have such a bad neck, my arms are tingling and I've noticed my wrists have slightly swollen - goodness knows what that's all about! I know so many people who have horrendous migraines, there should be more research done. I'm really pleased your daughter's got on to her uni course, hopefully she can now get on with her life and not live under the cloud of migraine. x

[jenim in reply to LindaPhoenix]

Sounds awful but the mind is a funny thing. We are in Gloucestershire and this lady also does things by Skype. It's £60 per session and you she says about five sessions. If u want details at any time just let me know

[LindaPhoenix in reply to jenim]

Ok thanks, I've managed to get an appointment with an osteopath this afternoon so I'll see how that goes. Annoyingly I haven't got a migraine today & didn't have one yesterday, it's just pain in my neck, back, shoulders & arms. I feel like my body is falling apart! Oh to be fit & well! x

[skullsandponies in reply to jenim]

I'd love the details please. Always worth putting on my 'to try' list!

[jenim in reply to skullsandponies]

Hi there. Her name is liane and she works at Nailsworth Natural Health Clinic in Nailsworth near Stroud, Gloucestershire. I don't have the number to hand but you could google it but if you can't find it let me know and I will get it for you.v

It's really amazing so good luck x

[skullsandponies in reply to jenim]

Thank you!

[troy04 in reply to jenim]

Hi jenim This is such a great news to hear. Many congratulations to your daughter and wish her all the best at Uni !

Can I ask you why you opted for Liane particularly? Her profile page does not mention headache / migraine, so just wanted to know if you were referred by someone else or you just tried 'any' Hypnotherapist ?

nailsworthnaturalhealth.co....

Many thanks in advance.

[jenim in reply to troy04]

Hi Troy I was desperate and after trying pretty much everything else I saw a leaflet for hypnotherapy and decided to call the next day. I left the leaflet at home but that morning Leanne’s brochure came through my office door. We had little hope but anything was worth a try. Within the first few weeks my daughters migraine went from daily to four times a week and just kept improving . We started in September 2015 and by Christmas that year she was free of migraine ( she suffered from age 13 to 20). She has been migraine free two years this Christmas. I don’t know how it works but it did.

Best wishes

Jeni

[troy04 in reply to jenim]

Thanks Jeni for these additional info. It is amazing that it worked which is most important.

I might give it a try. I live in South East, so I am thinking to try someone nearby.

I have searched and found below Hypnotherapist has listed "Migraine and Headaches" - I have no idea if she is good but I shall see !

hypnotherapy-lewes.co.uk/

[jenim in reply to troy04]

Good luck Troy. X

[Magicnean in reply to jenim]

Hi Jeni, that’s so great that has worked so well for her! I just was wondering how frequently she was having the hypnotherapy sessions,and has she continued to have them ever since? Or did she stop needing to do it once they improved so much? I’d never heard of hypnotherapy for migraines, I will have to look into it more!

[jenim in reply to Magicnean]

Hi She had them once a week for about 3 or 4 months. She is clear 2 years now and no she has not needed any more sessions. Sounds like there may be a medical cure coming our way next year 😁

[Magicnean in reply to jenim]

Thank you!

[babs1234]

This country is an absolute disgrace They don't realise how debilitating migraines are. If you can dress yourself and wash yourself apparently you are fit for work. I'm so sorry for you. Hopefully yours could be hormonal which. Mine stopped at about 18. Had a couple after the babies were born then stopped again till the menopause. Let us know how you get on

[sosspain]

Hi I've had daily debilitating migraines for the last 11 years I am now 46 so I understand your pain. I've tried everything including going to America (I live in the UK) to have operations that haven't helped. However I have just read some very interesting things about Vitamin b12 deficiency linked to migraines, this may be useful for you to look into you never know? Also the 'World Health Organisation' accepts that migraines are a disability, just letting you know for the pips. I haven't applied for pip yet as I always thought as disability as something you could see but I'm wrong. Good luck hope all goes well

[sosspain in reply to sosspain]

ooh also meant to say also ask your dr to check your vit d levels as low vit d isn't good for migraines.

[hmbuss]

WHAT IS PIP

[troy04 in reply to hmbuss]

You can read it here: gov.uk/pip