In this article, Kimberley B. of Alberta shares her story of living with vestibular migraine. Kimberley’s experience is complex and multifaceted, with aura and cervicogenic headaches. Here’s a glimpse into her life as she struggles with a debilitating condition that impacts not only her physical health, but also her social and professional way of life. 

Symptoms and Daily Challenges

For Kimberley, her migraine attacks are much more than just the stereotypical notion of a “bad headache.” Dizziness, she says, is the most persistent and disabling symptom. She lives with constant dizziness that varies in degree from day to day. Her other symptoms include visual disturbances like flashing lights or tunnel vision, neck pain, and numbness in the arms, hands, and face. Ringing in her left ear often heralds the onset of a vestibular migraine. The most exhausting part of her migraine attacks is the debilitating exhaustion that can persist throughout the following day during the postdrome phase of the migraine attack. “The headache is probably the least of my problems,” as Kimberley noted. Her case underlines how complex a migraine can be, and most people do not understand her condition. 

Triggers and Attempts at Management

Kimberley pins her major triggers as stress, lack of sleep, busy environments (even a trip to the grocery store), and changes in the weather-especially those brought on by Alberta’s notorious Chinooks when there are big shifts in barometric pressure. The worst part is that much of this is outside her control, so prevention is one big ongoing battle. Finding effective treatments has been equally challenging. Kimberley has tried a range of medications to alleviate symptoms. Most problematic for her is that the one symptom that causes most problems-dizziness- is complicated to treat or prevent. Subtle early signs of an attack permit her to take quick action to help control an attack from escalating, but there is absolutely no way to stop an attack from occurring altogether. 

Impact on Work and Relationships

Kimbery’s migraines have eminently intruded upon her capacity to work. She is currently on long-term disability and works a single six-hour shift per week, a schedule that her doctor has approved. Even this small quantity of work requires scrupulous planning. For example, she has learned there is a medication that temporarily diminishes the vertigo enough to allow her to work, but this medication cannot be taken daily. Kimberley’s condition has also caused social alienation.  The unpredictability of her symptoms results in Kimberley often canceling her plans with family and friends. For some time now, this has drastically reduced her social life. As she puts it, “I feel like a burden when I have to ask for help or explain my condition to others.” 

Barriers to Treatment

Like many others with chronic migraine, the barriers to proper care are onerous for Kimberley: Newer treatments are out of her financial reach, and other options that may be indicated require long travel to a clinic, which she avoids because of her dizziness. Here lies the call for easier access and affordability in migraine treatment. 

A Message of Hope

Despite her challenges, Kimberley is resilient, even hopeful. Her message to others living with migraine is simple: “Don’t give up hope.” She would encourage readers to keep their spirits high, do what the doctor orders, and be ready for treatments and other strategies that may help. Kimberley stresses that one should never face their problems in solitude, even if their condition is poorly understood by others. “There are so many people dealing with this. Don’t be ashamed or be an outcast.” Through contact with support networks and updated information on emerging treatments, Kimberley knows everyone can find their way toward better days. 

Kimberley’s story brings into real-life perspective the amount of resilience and strength it takes to live with migraine. It emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and access to care, so that no one has to face this condition alone.