Some of you may know that I have NLD, but I also have a chronic migraine condition. I’ve had it for eight years. I can’t remember when was the last time I didn’t wake up with, go to bed with, or try to sleep with one. I also can’t remember the last time I was able to keep my hands warm all day. I can handle having NLD except for when I have a meltdown. But it’s more difficult for me to handle having my head hurt every day with varying degrees of pain.
Here’s a good way to know the difference between migraine and headache from Medical News Today: “Headaches cause pain in the head, face, or upper neck, and can vary in frequency and intensity. A migraine is a severe primary headache disorder. Migraines usually produce symptoms that are more intense and debilitating than headaches. Some types of migraines do not cause head pain, however.” When my migraine condition started in college, I thought they were just headaches. I thought they would end when I graduated. But they didn’t.
When I graduated in May of 2018 and realized that they weren’t going to stop, I went to a neurologist after having an MRI. I got on prescriptions to helping me manage the pain and nausea on rainy, cloudy days. I also started to work part-time because I couldn’t handle full-time until my migraines were under more control. Fast forward to now, I’ve probably tried about 50 different treatments, both natural and medical. But nothing seems to get rid of them for more than a couple of hours or a day.
I’ve had a migraine for over a month now, and it’s been miserable. Yes, some days are better than others, but there doesn’t seem to be any relief. The treatments that help are acupuncture, hot showers, CBD gummies, and my monthly self-injection. I also sometimes get anxious from my migraine because it can worsen if I have to wait to eat or fall asleep with it. I take a prescription to assist with this.
Also, my family and friends are enormous assistance with my migraine condition. My parents drive me to work because I often can’t drive due to my migraines. They deal with my tone sometimes being affected by them. My migraine can sometimes make me sound snappy or on edge; this is because I’m so frustrated with having them. They also try to make me laugh more. My dog is a huge help too. I try to have fun with my friends monthly and myself daily.
I know they’re connected to NLD because they started after I was diagnosed. Unfortunately, there’s not much research about comorbid diagnoses. It also doesn’t help that NVLD isn’t on the DSM, but I know that The NVLD Project is trying to change that. I have done episodes about NLD and migraine on my podcast “Living With An Invisible Learning Challenge.”
I try to remind myself that I should be grateful for the assistance I can get due to my insurance. I recently read a book that helped me learn more about my condition. It was titled “Migraine: Inside A World Of Invisible Pain” by Maria Konnikova. She experiences migraine herself and includes stories from others as well. I also try to remember that I’m young. Hopefully, I won’t be living this way for the rest of my life. Please let me know if you would like to chat with me about the challenges you live with.
Jennifer
I am 24 and have NVLD. I work with my parents as an administrative assistant and have been learning a lot about myself this past year. I’ve been learning that I can do more techy work than I thought I could. I can also do more design work because I’m starting to develop an eye for it. I have gotten better at doing things on social media, marketing, and advertising events. My hobbies are knitting, downhill skiing, running, hiking, making new friends, learning, challenging myself, and helping others. I also have a podcast called Living With an Invisible Learning Challenge: livingwithnld.com.
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