Marta and Shelby share their migraine stories

Summary

This video script shares the personal experiences of individuals like Marta and Shelby, who live with migraine disease, a condition affecting over a billion people worldwide. It highlights the invisible and disabling nature of migraines, which are often misunderstood as 'just headaches.' The script discusses the emotional impact, including fear and frustration, and the challenges of finding effective treatments. It introduces CGRP treatments as a promising new approach and emphasizes the importance of raising awareness to combat the stigma and support those suffering from migraines.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Migraines are more than just headaches; they are a brain disorder that can cause various symptoms including neck and shoulder pain, nausea, and sensitivity to touch.
• 😣 The pain of a migraine can be debilitating, often described as a vice squeezing the head, and it affects every aspect of a person's life.
• 🏥 Migraines are common, affecting one in seven people worldwide, which equates to over a billion individuals.
• 🌐 People with migraines often face misunderstanding and stigma, as the disorder is invisible and not well-understood by the general public.
• 🧬 Historically, migraine treatments were not specifically designed for the condition, leading to a reliance on borrowed treatments from other medical fields.
• 💊 The overuse of acute migraine medications can result in medication overuse headaches or rebound headaches, exacerbating the problem.
• 🆕 CGRP treatments represent a new and exciting class of migraine treatments that are specifically targeted towards migraines.
• 🔍 It's important for migraine patients to try different treatments because there's no surefire way to predict which treatment will work for a given individual.
• 💭 The fear of treatments becoming ineffective and the impact of migraines on future life events, such as having a family, are significant concerns for those living with migraines.
• 🌟 Despite the challenges, there is hope for a better understanding and management of migraines, allowing those affected to live more authentically.

Q & A

What are the initial symptoms Marta experiences when a migraine attack begins?

Marta starts feeling more neck pain and shoulder pain, experiences really bad pain behind one of her eyes, and becomes nauseous. Her head feels sensitive to touch as if a vice was squeezing it, and she starts having issues speaking due to the unimaginable pain.

How does migraine affect Marta's daily life and hobbies?

Migraine affects every aspect of Marta's life, including her passion for traveling, reading, walking with her dog, spending time with friends and family, enjoying sports, especially baseball, and attending concerts.

What was Shelby's first experience with migraines and when was she diagnosed?

Shelby first started experiencing migraines around grade two or three and thought it was just part of her. She was officially diagnosed with migraine when her family immigrated to Canada at the age of 15.

What is the prevalence of migraine disease worldwide?

One in seven people in the world, which is more than a billion, have migraine disease.

How does migraine present differently in different people, and what are the common features?

Migraine is a brain disorder that presents differently in different people. The most common feature associated with migraines is the headache, but other things like sensitivities to light, sound, and smell can also come with migraines.

What is the historical stigma associated with migraines?

Historically, there has been stigma around people who have headaches, often seen as just complaining. Headache hasn't been as studied or recognized, and it's an invisible disorder, making it hard for others to understand its impact.

What is the duration of a migraine attack for Shelby, and how does it vary?

Shelby's migraine attacks can last from three to six hours, but there have been times, like last month, where she had a migraine for 10 days straight.

How did Shelby react when she first found out she had migraines?

Shelby's first reaction was anger, as she felt she had a disease and a weakness that she had to live with. She also had a fear about another migraine attack coming up and was frustrated about how it affected her social life.

What complications can arise from using acute treatments for migraines?

Using many short-acting medications to treat headache attacks can lead to medication overuse or rebound headaches, which can make the headache problem worse.

What are CGRP treatments and why are they significant in migraine management?

CGRP treatments are the newest family of migraine treatments and are exciting because they are the first treatment that is actually migraine-targeted, meaning they are specifically designed to address migraines.

How has treatment with CGRP medications affected Marta's experience with migraines?

After trying CGRP medications, Marta is no longer afraid of her migraine attacks and is not angry anymore. The treatment has helped her manage her episodic migraine attacks.

What are the concerns and hopes Shelby has for her future with migraine disease?

Shelby is concerned about the future and how migraine will affect her life, especially when considering having a family. She hopes more people learn about the debilitating nature of migraines and that she can enjoy life without hiding behind a mask.