Meet Steven Smith, a 58-year-old salesman from North Vancouver, British Columbia, who shares his struggles with episodic migraine. Steven heard about Migraine Canada™ on the radio and reached out to share his story. Diagnosed in his 40s, Steven battles migraine attacks about five days a month, impacting his work, relationships, and mental health. Despite regular checkups and his family’s hopes for Aimovig, his condition remains challenging. Steven’s story highlights the profound effects of migraine and the feelings of guilt and impostor syndrome that often accompany it. Read more about Steven’s journey and the impact of migraine on his life below.
Early Misdiagnosis and Diagnosis
When Steven’s migraine attacks first began, he believed they were severe headaches caused by a blocked nasal passage. He visited an ENT specialist who then referred him to a neurologist. After a few MRIs, Steven was diagnosed with episodic migraine. Episodic migraine is diagnosed when a person has up to 14 migraine days per month, and chronic migraine is 15 days or more. Since his diagnosis, he visits his neurologist every six months for a checkup. Steven stressed that his experience with his neurologist has been fantastic, but he also felt that the appointments were pointless. There is no magic cure for migraine. Each appointment is a source of guilt for Steven, who feels that he is taking up the neurologist’s time to complain.
Disappointment with Aimovig
Steven’s family was excited when they heard about Aimovig, believing it would immensely improve his condition. However, much to their disappointment, because Steven does not have chronic migraine, he was not eligible for Aimovig injections, which were incredibly expensive anyway.
The Random Nature of Steven’s Attacks
Steven experiences migraine attacks about five days a month. They are not continuous and seem to happen randomly. Like many individuals, he feels strange for a few days following the migraine and may have a headache that lasts 2-3 days. He is unsure of the triggers of his migraine, but he suspects lack of sleep and the weather are potential contributors.
Impact on Work and Relationships
When Steven has a migraine, he is too nauseous to work properly. On top of that, migraine makes it impossible for Steven to find motivation, a necessity for a salesman. Migraine has greatly affected Steven’s relationship with his wife. It is more difficult for him to be present and happy. Many people around him do not acknowledge his suffering during a migraine attack because his pain cannot be seen. He finds that his friends and family struggle with recognizing the recovery period that follows a migraine attack and expect him to be completely fine after a nap. Steven is not very open about his experience with migraine because previous interactions with others have been less than sympathetic.
Feeling Like a Fraud
Unlike other people with migraine, Steven began having migraine attacks in his 40s. He also does not have aura or other characteristic symptoms of migraine, such as sensitivity to light. These factors have led Steven to feel like “a fraud.” Steven has not reached out to other people with migraine online because he feels his condition is not as severe as others who have chronic migraine. He expressed that feeling like an imposter furthers his guilt and depression. Because of his episodic migraine status, he believes that he does not deserve the neurologist’s time. He feels as though he complains too much and feels hopeless about the outcomes of his visits.
Steven wakes up and hopes that he won’t have a migraine and remains helpless to it, resulting in a cycle of anxiety and depression.
The Validity of Every Migraine Experience
Steven’s story highlights the immense impact that migraine can have on an individual’s life. Although he does not have chronic migraine, migraine has affected every aspect of his life. His mental well-being has suffered because of the psychological stress of this condition. His experience reminds us that every person’s experience with migraine is valid and feeling like a fraud can discourage reaching out for support.
