Migraines and The Holiday Season

The holiday season can play havoc with your migraines. All the bright lights and music and stress just doesn't equate with jolly headache-free fun. But by planning ahead you can make the holiday season a little more bearable and maybe even more fun.

Make lists and check them twice. Dealing with migraines is all about organization. If you properly organize your life, you can avoid a lot of migraine misery. When organizing for the holidays, start early and play ahead as far as you can. Write down what should be done and allow for easy editing and updating. Make lists of what needs to be done. Keep these lists on your computer so you can update them and use them again next year. Print new copies as you update them, and put them in an obvious place such as on the refrigerator. Pain fog makes it too easy to forget where we put the list we made. Ugh! As soon after an event or holiday, make notes in your list files to help you make them better for the next time you need them.

Know what triggers your migraine make others deal with it.

If you're lucky enough to know what is going to set your migraine off and you know that the holiday season is going to bring you into close proximity with those triggers, don't give in just to keep the peace. Let your family, friends and co-workers know that getting near that stuff will make your head explode. Many of us know our head pain triggers, and many of us try to just put up with it "for the sake of the family." Our families enjoy holidays more if we're with them and well. Be honest with those around you and urge them to help you in avoiding them rather than making you feel guilty for ruining the fun.

Get your shopping done early.

The stress involved in holiday shopping is usually too much even for those who don't suffer from migraines. The crowds, the lights, all those Christmas-related fragrances. By shopping in advance all those things can be avoided.

Shop online.

Heck, why bother going to the mall or stores at all?  Just sit at your computer and order anything you want for anybody you want no matter where they live. Even if you forget something or else find a great bargain at the last minute it will still probably get there on time.

Eat sensibly.

Well, you know how the holidays are. If you aren't eating big fatty foods then you're eating fast foods that you know contain migraine triggers up the wazoo. If you know you're going to be away from home, then plan to eat somewhere not so crowded and that serves food that you don't have to worry will trigger the headache. If you have food triggers, holiday meals prepared by others can be a problem. Offer to bring a dish with you. Make something you know you can eat, then select carefully from other dishes. Explain the situation to your host or hostess in advance. Some of those trigger foods are going to be tempting, so consider the consequences when you make your choices.

Be anal-retentive when planning for holiday travel.

If you are going to be out of town during the holidays, cover every possible emergency that could arise. As previously noted, make sure you don't forget your medicine. Keep the medication in containers in which you got them so there will be no mistakes.

Check your medications.

Trying to get a refill on a dwindling supply of medication can be quite difficult. Either the doctor isn't in or the pharmacy closes early. Make sure ahead of time that you can get a refill if you are running low and make sure to take it with you if go out of town.

Stick to your schedule.

Two of the biggest triggers for head pain can be improper sleep and not eating at regular times. Try to keep as close to your regular schedule as possible. Carry non-trigger snacks with you so you can have a snack if a meal isn't going to be available when you need to eat.