Somebody Heal Me

2012 Migraine Awareness Month Chats, Blog Prompts, Giveaways & Much More! #NMAM

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Creating an easily recognized, uniform presence is an important aspect of promoting awareness of a cause like migraine disease. As we approach the start of the National Headache Foundation's 2012 Migraine Awareness Month, I have gathered a few ideas for creating continuity in our efforts. I'd also like to share some exciting events being planned especially for the promotion of migraine awareness in June. Make sure you're following Somebody Heal Me so you don't miss out on anything!

Graphics, Twitter Hashtags & Purple

First, we have an awesome graphic especially for Migraine Awareness Month. You should feel free to use it on your blog sidebars, blog posts, Facebook walls and anywhere else you can think of to promote Migraine Awareness Month.

You can save the image to your desktop by right clicking on it. If you have any problems, please let me know. I'd be glad to send the image to you by email, if necessary. I can also send you the purple ribbon image on its own if you want it.

On a similar note, the gals coordinating the Migraine Awareness Month Blog Prompts, Teri Robert and Ellen Schnakenberg, have proposed using the following hashtag on Twitter to promote our tweets about Migraine Awareness Month: #NMAM. Uniting behind a single hashtag will help us create greater awareness during this 2012 Migraine Awareness Month.

Finally, since purple is our newly established migraine awareness color, it would be great if everyone working on promotions for Migraine Awareness Month used some purple or added the purple ribbon to them, too. And if you don't already own some purple clothing, it's time to get something so you can represent for migraine awareness!

If anyone has similar ideas for unifying our efforts, please let me know and I'll be happy to spread the word.

Blog Challenge Prompts

As I mentioned above, mIgraineurs and patient advocates Teri Robert and Ellen Scnakenberg came up with a great idea for increasing migraine awareness this month through blogging: Migraine Awareness Month Blog Challenge Prompts.

If you've never been part of a blogging challenge like this before, the basic idea is to blog about a topic every single day using the blog challenge prompts as your inspiration. There is a writing prompt for every day of the month and a few extras to substitute in case you intensely dislike one of the topics or find it impossible to write about.

When / if you share your blog challenge posts on Twitter, please use the hashtags #NMAM and #NMAMBC to identify them. You'll be able to find other blog challenge posts by clicking on those hashtags. When you come across blog challenge posts by other participants, please retweet them to your followers.

If you don't have your own blog, you can always participate by putting your thoughts in a public Facebook note and sharing the link to that. So please don't feel like you can't be part of this if you don't ordinarily blog. Also, please participate even if you have a different headache disorder than migraine, such as cluster or tension type.

Find the prompts at this link: Migraine Awareness Month Blog Prompts and more information about the challenge here: Migraine Awareness Month Blogging Challenge.

Chronic Migraine Awareness Day

Friday, June 29, 2012, has been designated Chronic Migraine Awareness day by the National Headache Foundation. In recognition of the burden of and to increase awareness of chronic migraine you are encouraged to wear purple and red that day. This is a simple, but powerful way to show your support.

Migraine Chat Sessions

Even though I've had to stop holding the weekly Migraine Chat for patients on Wednesday evenings because I've been far too overextended in trying to manage all my projects and life with chronic migraine, I've planned two exciting Migraine Chats for June to coincide with Migraine Awareness Month.

I've scheduled one afternoon and one evening session, so hopefully one or both will work for your schedule. Migraine Chat is like a support group full of other migraine patients who understand what you're going through and can help point you in the direction of accurate information to address your questions.

No registration or advance sign up is required. Just follow the chat room link, enter the password, select a username and start chatting. For more information visit: How to Participate in Migraine Chat.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 3 pm CDT: Migraine Awareness Month Chat: What do you wish people better understood about living with migraine disease?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 6 pm CDT: Migraine Awareness Month Chat Pt 2: What do you need in order to live well with migraine disease that you currently don't have in your life. Tangible or intangible. It's all fair game!

NHF Chats

The National Headache Foundation holds chats on various subjects throughout the year, but they are planning four special chats in June with headache and migraine experts in celebration of Migraine Awareness Month.

June 5 - Dr. Edmund J. Messina, MD - Migraine: How to Communicate with your Physician
June 12 - Dr. Vincent Martin, MD - Sinus & Allergy Headache
June 19 - Dr. Robert G. Kaniecki, MD - Tension Headache
June 26 - Dr. Sheena K. Aurora, MD - Hormone & Headache

You'll want to register in advance to make sure you secure yourself a spot in any of the chats that interest you. You can sign up at the NHF's website: NHF Chat Room.

Giveaways

Finally, I'm planning to give away some of my favorite migraine-related products and books in honor of Migraine Awareness Month. I'll be sharing more about the items I'm giving away and how you can enter the giveaway next week. Stay posted and make sure you're following Somebody Heal Me.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

June 2012 Headache & MIgraine Blog Carnival Call for Submissions at Migraine.com: True Migraine Confessions

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Check out the June 2012 Headache & Migraine Carnival call for submissions posted at Migraine.com: June 2012 Headache & Migraine Carnival Call for Submissions.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Torturing Myself as a Possible Coping Mechanism

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Realizing there are parts of my personality (or at least habits or tendencies) that allows me to torture myself over things outside my control has been eye opening. Why in the world do I try to take on karmic responsibility for every bad thing that happens to someone I love, especially things that were especially disappointing to them?

I'd never really noticed I did this until the past few years in thinking about my relationship with my husband. When I can't get him something he really wants or replace something he cares about that has broken, the most horrible feeling of guilt and shame comes over me. I feel inexplicably both responsible and helpless to fix the situation. It's how I feel when we talk about times he didn't get the same kinds of opportunities and experiences I had as a child despite his obvious interest in activities like sports and desire to hang out with other kids. But that isn't even the weirdest part.

The weirdest part has been my realization that this is exactly how I felt as a child (and still feel, honestly) when my mom told me about disappointments she had experienced or we went through events in her part of our extended family that hurt my mother emotionally. I don't want to get into it because those are her stories to tell, but we've been through some really difficult times and experienced some horribly painful losses.

I'm tired of feeling this way. I don't understand where this comes from or how to stop doing it. Part of me wonders if it isn't a little girl's way of trying to explain why I've always had to deal with migraine disease. When I started experiencing it I was only about six years old, and I've always been convinced that migraines were my punishment for doing something wrong. Obviously that's not how it works, and as an adult I full well know that. But somewhere deep down that little girl is still in me and finds it hard to let go of those old ways of relating to migraine disease. In general I'm all about whatever coping skills help get you by, but in this case coping this way causes more harm than good, and I need to move toward change.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

5 Tips for Following a Migraine Elimination Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In an attempt to reduce the frequency of their migraine attacks most people will at some point in their lives attempt a migraine elimination diet. A migraine elimination diet is exactly what it sounds like: avoiding foods that commonly trigger migraine attacks to see if you experience fewer migraine attacks when no longer exposed to those potential triggers.

Migraine elimination diets are a bit controversial because there really aren't any research studies to date that have established a statistically significant correlation between consumption of these supposed triggers and an increase in frequency of migraine attacks. However, some patients will find their migraines dramatically better when they avoid food triggers they've been able to identify. For this reason and that trying to avoid trigger foods is cheap and carries no risk of side effects, it is still considered a worthwhile pursuit.

One important caveat: It is important to be aware that migraine triggers are stackable. This means that one possible trigger in isolation may not trigger your brain to experience a migraine attack, but when exposed to a few triggers at the same time, something that doesn't usually cause you problems may do so.

The prospect of starting a migraine elimination diet can be overwhelming. Many patients look at lists of common triggers and wonder what in the world is left for them to eat. But there are a few key things you can do to make the process easier and more useful.

5 Tips for Following a Migraine Elimination Diet:

(1) Familiarize yourself with the most common food-related migraine triggers.

The most commonly reported food-related migraine triggers are alcohol and chocolate. Other commonly cited triggers include aspartame sweeteners, monosodium glutamate (MSG), caffeine, beans, cheeses and yogurt, nuts, citrus fruits, bananas and processed meats that contain sulfites, such as bacon and salami.

(2) Explore recipes free of common migraine triggers and develop a plan.

Heidi's Migraine-Free Cooking blog and cookbook are great sources of recipes free of the most common migraine food triggers. Focusing on resources that support eating mostly whole, real food with few preservatives and chemicals can also be helpful in identifying recipes and ideas of what to consume during a migraine elimination diet. Developing a plan for what you'll eat for meals and snacks before you start is a key to being able to sustain a migraine elimination diet for long enough to see if it makes any difference.

(3) Commit to maintain the diet for long enough to evaluate your response.

You'll want to eliminate possible trigger foods from your diet for at least four weeks to have any idea if your attacks improve absent exposure to those foods. If you see some improvement, slowly reintroduce each food and leave enough time between reintroduction of foods to determine which items are problematic for you.

(4) Pay as much attention to eating regularly as you do to avoiding certain foods.

One key aspect of good headache hygiene is to avoid skipping meals and eat regularly throughout the day. For many migraineurs eating five small meals throughout the day or three meals and two snacks can be helpful in avoiding low blood glucose levels, which may trigger migraine attacks. This principle is just as important as avoiding trigger foods, if not more so. Always remember: the migraine brain does not like change.

(5) Keep food and headache diaries / journals.

While you're doing a migraine elimination diet keeping a food diary is a good idea because it allows you to review your diet and match what you've eaten against the occurrence of migraine attacks. This way you can spot any patterns that seem to suggest particular foods are problematic for you and should be avoided. You can read more about headache diaries / journals here: Migraine Journals.

Sources:
- Migraine and Diet
- Controversies in Headache Medicine: Migraine Elimination Diets
- Comparison of the Effects of Dietary Factors in the Management and Prophylaxis of Migraine

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

DBSA Positive 6 Campaign: Feeding Kindness in May

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In a recent blog post (DBSA Positive 6 Campaign: The Challenge) I shared that I plan to participate in the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance's (DBSA) Positive 6 campaign. The Positive 6 campaign challenges people living with mental health conditions to focus on making small changes in their lives that help them connect to their health and communities. In May the challenge is focused on Feeding Kindness, and I've been thinking about how I'd like to meet this challenge in my own life.

DBSA helpfully provides a list of ideas each month to help you figure out what you'd most like to do to address that month's challenge: May: Feeding Kindness. The ideas that resonate with me are to make a donation of money and goods to a local food bank (it's been too long since our last donation as it is!) and to share some recipes with friends that I'd long ago promised to pass along.

How will you address May's Feeding Kindness challenge?

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

May 2012 Migraine Chat Update

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:06:00 +0000

I wanted to let you guys know why there hasn't been a weekly Migraine Chat on Wednesdays for the past six weeks or so. As all of you with chronic migraine know full well, it's easy to overextend yourself and often hard to meet all the goals we have for our time. Migraine Chat has fallen prey to this in my life.

It has become clear to me that I can't possibly keep up with a weekly commitment to host a chat, so I'm once again rethinking the format and frequency. I'd love to be able to host it weekly, but since that's not realistic for me right now, I'm going to host it on a more infrequent basis, but with plenty of advertising and notice via Somebody Heal Me, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email to allow you guys to get it on your calendars and join me as you're able to do so.

I'm also going to try changing it up and host some afternoon sessions in addition to the traditional evening sessions to allow myself more flexibility. A big part of the challenge is that the evening is a time when I'm often busy figuring out dinner and spending time with my husband. As much as I adore you guys, and I truly do, I can't give up with quality time with my man!

To get us back on track, our next upcoming Migraine Chats will be in honor of Migraine Awareness Month:

Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 3 pm CDT: Migraine Awareness Month Chat: What do you wish people better understood about living with migraine disease?
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 6 pm CDT: Migraine Awareness Month Chat Pt 2: What do you need in order to live well with migraine disease that you currently don't have in your life. Tangible or intangible. It's all fair game!

For more information about how to participate, please visit: Migraine Chat. And "like" the new Migraine Chat Facebook page: Migraine Chat on FB.

If you have suggestions for topics / themes for future chats, please share your ideas in the comments.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Factors for Migraine Chronification: Lifestyle Factors

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today I'm breaking down the second of five modifiable factors thought to lead to the transformation of episodic to chronic migraine: Lifestyle factors.

(I covered the first factor, obesity, in a recent post: Factors for Migraine Chronification: Obesity).

The two major factors are caffeine consumption and sleep.

Caffeine Consumption

Not only is caffeine consumption in the form of food and drink at issue in the development of chronic migraine, some prescription and over the counter migraine treatment medications contain caffeine, too, such as Fioricet or Excedrin Migraine.

A 2004 study of people with chronic migraines found those people consumed a high level of caffeine when they were experiencing episodic migraine when compared to people whose migraines did not transform into chronic status. However, no association between current level of caffeine consumption and chronic migraine status was observed. High caffeine exposure was defined in this study as using a caffeine-containing medication as the patient's preferred treatment medication or dietary caffeine consumption matching the 25% of the population consuming the most caffeine.

The lesson here is that if you're someone experiencing episodic migraine who consumes a lot of caffeine, you'd be well advised to cut back. However, if you are a chronic migraineur who consumes a lot of caffeine, cutting back now will probably not reverse the course of your disease. Some people are very sensitive to caffeine, so if you decide to cut back, taper off slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Sleep

Disordered sleep patterns have been observed as a factor contributing to the development of chronic migraine.

Snoring is known to be a factor associated with the presence of any type of headache disorder. Even after controlling for characteristics of people known to be more likely to snore, a 2003 study found that people with chronic headaches were more likely to be daily snorers than the control group. Unfortunately, the snoring was self-reported, which is not considered the most reliable method of gathering data. Regardless, there is definitely good reason to think there is a correlation between snoring and transformation to chronic migraine.

Sleep apnea is also thought to be related to chronic migraine. The relationship between the two is not clear, but researchers believe it may be related to pressure fluctuations in the head and arteries in people susceptible to migraines.

If you think you may snore or have sleep apnea, it's definitely something to talk to your doctors about and work on changing. CPAP machines provide an effective treatment for sleep apnea and the machines available now and much more comfortable and quiet than they used to be.

Related Posts:
- What Causes Episodic Migraine to Become Chronic? 5 Modifiable Factors
- Factors for Migraine Chronification: Obesity

Sources:
- What Predicts the Change from Episodic to Chronic Migraine?
- Modifiable Risk Factors for Migraine Progression

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Migraine Advocacy: May 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the May 2012 edition of the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival. This month our theme is: "How to create awareness about migraine disease and headache disorders as a regular patient with a life full of other obligations."

The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been created to provide both headache patients and people who blog about headaches with opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us. This month's theme is something many of us can relate to as headache and migraine bloggers. We want to do our part to increase awareness, but it's easy for life to get in the way.

The idea of advocacy work when you're a busy person with migraine disease and a job, family, home, social life, etc. seems overwhelming and next to impossible. But the reality is that there are lots of things we can do to create awareness about migraine and headache disorders as regular patients that don't require great effort or expense. That's the focus of this month's carnival.

By the way, if you haven't already done so, please take a moment to sign the Alliance for Headache Disorders petition asking Congress to hold hearings on the burden of migraine disease: AHDA Petition. Pass it along to your friends and family. Anyone in the United States can sign the petition. It's a small thing to do to increase migraine awareness, but can have a big impact!

* * *

Gretchen Rautman shared a post about how she uses Christine Miserando's Spoon Theory to subtly educate people about what it's like to live with chronic migraine in Creating Awareness in a Non-Aggressive Way at There Be Migraines Here.

Teri Robert wisely points out that little education and advocacy efforts can add up to make a big difference and achieve significant goals in her submission Everyone Can Help Create Migraine Awareness posted at Putting Our Heads Together.

Cyn Jordan's migraine awareness focus is all about cultivating hope, as she describes in her post When Life Sucks Make Suckers posted at Grace for the Storm.

Migrainista shared Right Now about how the demands of day-to-day life make it difficult for her to do as much advocacy as she'd like.

I'm sharing a blog post I wrote on this topic: Spreading Migraine Awareness: 5 Things YOU Can Do.

We had some great off-topic submissions this month, too.

Katia wrote a post about balancing everything she has going in her life despite living with migraine disease in Balance at her blog Healing My Migraines.

Kellie R. Stone also wrote about creating balance and promoting productivity in her life despite living with the everyday challenges of migraine disease in her submission Balancing the Migraine Teeter-Totter.

Nancy Bonk shared a post about a new line of FL-41 glasses for people with migraine in Theraspecs for Migraine Treatment at Migraine and Other Headache Disorders. Though she wasn't able to try them herself because she needs regular glasses to be able to see, she is excited to share other people's experiences with them in her post.

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Thank you for your generous support of the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival. It would be nothing without your participation and promotion.

The theme for the June 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival will be: "True migraine confessions: In honor of Migraine Awareness Month, give us your most personal, embarrassing or secret stories of living with migraine disease. Be as open as you dare." Submit your blog post to the June 2012 edition of the Carnival by sending the link to your blog post directly to me by email at somebodyhealme AT dianalee DOT net. Submissions are due by the end of the day on Friday, June 8, 2012, and the Carnival will be published on Monday, June 11, 2012.

Most of the frequently asked questions about the Carnival are addressed here: Headache Blog Carnival FAQ. But please feel free to contact me any time with questions or concerns. Also keep in mind I'm always looking for headache & migraine bloggers willing to volunteer to host an edition of the Carnival. Not only is it a great way to support the Carnival, it's also likely to increase traffic to your blog. Now that's a win/win situation.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Last Call: May 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Don't forget we're nearing the deadline for submissions to the May 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

Submit your blog post to the May 2012 edition of the carnival by e-mailing the link to your submission to me directly (somebodyhealme AT dianalee DOT net).

The theme is: "How to create awareness about migraine disease and headache disorders as a regular patient with a life full of other obligations." As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome. However, be aware that on-topic submissions will be given priority by being placed before off-topic submissions in the carnival blog post.

In your email submission please include:

(1) Your name as you would like it to appear in the carnival.
(2) The title of your blog post.
(3) The URL of your blog post.
(4) The name of your blog.
(5) The URL of your blog.

Entries are due by midnight (the end of the day), tomorrow, Friday, May 11, and the carnival will be posted at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, May 14.

Additional information about the carnival can be found at this link: http://somebodyhealme.dianalee.net/p/headache-blog-carnival.html.

If you are interested in hosting a future edition, please let me know so we can talk details. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

As always, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, suggestions or ideas for themes.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Factors for Migraine Chronification: Obesity

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I recently introduced a series of articles about factors thought to contribute to the transformation of episodic migraine to chronic migraine (15 or more days a month). Today I'm breaking down one of the factors, obesity.

The precise relationship between body mass index (BMI) and transformation to chronic migraine is not clear, but multiple studies have demonstrated that people with BMIs in the overweight and obese ranges are more likely to experience chronic migraine than their average weight counterparts who live with migraine disease.

Researchers speculate the inflammatory state present in obese individuals may be a key factor in the relationship between high BMI and migraine chronification. Additionally, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels are often elevated in obese patients. This may be significant because CGRP is released in the brain during a migraine attack and release of higher amounts of this substance could be a cause of the transformation from episodic to chronic migraine among patients with higher BMIs.

Although obesity is considered a modifiable risk factor because it can be improved through diet and exercise, we do not know at this time whether weight loss leads to a reduction in migraine frequency once a patient has started experiencing chronic migraine. Given that maintaining a healthy body weight is important for so many reasons, however, patients are encouraged to do their best to work toward weight loss if they are overweight or to maintain a healthy weight if they currently have an average BMI.

Researchers also encourage doctors to avoid prescribing preventive medications known to often cause weight gain for patients who are already overweight or obese.

Sources:
Modifiable Risk Factors for Migraine Progression
Defining the Difference Between Episodic and Chronic Migraine
Tracing Transformation: Chronic MIgraine Classification, Progression and Epidemiology
Possible Genetic Explanation for Migraine

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Music as Makeshift Therapy: Fitness Edition + RIP MCA

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

For me one of the biggest keys to actually enjoying exercise is to listen to music that makes me want to move. The right playlist can make a workout fly by, even a boring workout like walking and running intervals on a treadmill. Listening to upbeat, fun music was especially helpful when I was only able to do a few minutes of exercise at a time unless I wanted a massive, debilitating migraine attack to close on me immediately. It's not very much fun to have to reign yourself in sometimes, so the music made that process more enjoyable and tolerable.

This is my current workout playlist:

whatwouldruthdo's Workout Playlist by whatwouldruthdo on Grooveshark

In case you are wondering, yes, I am a huge Beastie Boys fan and I'm broken up at the passing of MCA (Adam Yauch). He was an amazing rapper and humanitarian and part of music that shaped so much of my life. Cancer sucks and this time it stole a hip hop legend.

If you're interested in what other music I listen to, find me on Spotify or Last.fm.

What do you like to listen to when you're exercising or walking your dog or whatever you do to move your body?

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Pacing: Learning My Limits, Honoring Them

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I have a history of finding myself spending days alone, doing next to nothing, constantly worrying about what's going to trip my brain and make things worse. Or making plans and wanting to pack everything in, completely overextending myself. Slowly, but surely, I'm doing less of both. I'm getting better with the idea of pacing, though I still have room for great improvement.

Before I talk about what has been working for me specifically, let's refresh ourselves about the concept of pacing and how it fits into an overarching personalized behavioral pain management program.

The idea of pacing is to stay within a reasonable range of pain and exertion at any given moment so you don't drive yourself toward a crash. The way The Lemons Center illustrates this is by an idea they refer to as "checking your gauges." Just like when you're driving a car and monitoring the gauges on the dashboard for speed, fuel, oil and other messages the car gives you, pay attention to the messages your body gives you. Pacing involves adopting a mindset of not allowing yourself to become overwhelmed and stressed out by your limitations, instead respecting them and consciously living within them.

Pacing on Vacation

In September you might remember that my husband and I went on a vacation to San Diego. I did a good job pacing on our vacation. We didn't make it to see everything on our list of ideas, but we did everything we felt was a must. Even better, I didn't kill myself trying to fit everything in and go, go, go.

I took naps in between activities and gave my husband the okay to do things without me. Our hotel was on the beach, so it was a perfect set up for allowing him to go enjoy the ocean and beach and people watch while I got the rest I needed to enjoy myself on the trip.

Pacing at the Holidays

We were lucky enough to host two gatherings during the 2011 holidays. I love entertaining, but know it drains my energy quickly, so planning ahead was extremely important.

In November my husband and I hosted his family for a Thanksgiving meal. I made the potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pies completely ahead. My husband took lead on the turkey, and almost everything else was heating and mixing. It was great. I really enjoyed the meal, but I was also able to enjoy time with everyone after we ate rather than immediately crashing the way I did last time we hosted them for Thanksgiving.

I handled it largely the same way when we had some college friends over right after Christmas. My mom helped me with some things, and I spent the week before the party making something every day so I wouldn't be too overextended the day of the party. I could have done a better job with not bustling around like a madwoman the day of the party, but overall it was great. Lots of good food and catching up.

Pacing with Physical Fitness

I'd come to believe a few years ago that I just wasn't able to exercise anymore because of my chronic migraine attacks. I used to be an athletic person and was always fit despite being a larger girl. Unfortunately the worse my migraines got, the less I could do. And because I stopped doing anything I felt like I was stuck there, doing nothing.

I had to start out very, very slow and do only a little at a time, but I'm pleased to report that I can do some of the things I used to do. I have to listen to my body, and I can't get ahead of myself by thinking that because I can tolerate 20 minutes means I should push myself to 40 minutes. But it's better and I feel good about being able to move my body some.

Related Posts:
Pacing: An Important Tool for Coping with Chronic Illness
Your Chronic Pain Toolbox: Personalized Pain Management

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

PCOS, Fertility, Sugar & A Major Reality Check

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

If the idea of kicking something out of your day-to-day life stresses you out and scares you to death, I'm pretty sure that means you're addicted to it. That's how I feel about sugar.

I don't really eat that bad. After all, I recently lost more than 25 pounds, and I didn't do it by eating a ton of fake food. Just a little fake food. But seriously, ask my family. I've been eating a lot of whole foods. Nevertheless, I do eat processed foods and (gasp) I do drink soda. High fructose corn syrup, caffeine. The whole nine yards. Judge away. Believe me, I'm judging myself.

We discovered my sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels were out of the normal range in the blood work my gyno (Dr. B.) did earlier this year. Low, to be specific. SHBG is a type of protein produced mostly in the liver that attaches to sex hormones. Lower than normal levels of SHBG is often associated with conditions like (surprise, surprise) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), type 2 diabetes and hypothyroidism.

Although I've told a few people close to us, I was trying to be casual about coming out and saying so here on Somebody Heal Me or on Facebook, but the timing of this conversation and decision won't make much sense otherwise: We're officially trying to have a baby. So all these ways that my reproductive health is jacked up are seriously important to get straight ASAP. Now is the time. The sugar has got to go.

From the research I've been doing it has become crystal clear to me that the SHBG deficiency, PCOS and diabetes (and the fact that I'm not ovulating) are all tied in together and caused by the same issues. I can't keep ignoring the truth.

I recommend two key resources for a nice summary of how this all fits together:

This blog post by Sweet Poison author David Gillespie for a nice summary: Why eating super impairs your ability to conceive.

#32 of the Balanced Bites Podcat: Women's Wellness (Part 2) discusses sugar and fertility.

So I'm moving past the point of reading about what's going on with my body and taking that next step to planning how I'm going to make the necessary changes in my behavior.

I've been reading this book on my Kindle FIre to get me started. I like that it takes a practical, supportive and nonjudgmental approach to the issue.

Overcoming Sugar Addiction: How I Kicked My Sugar Habit and Created a Joyful Sugar Free Life by Karly Randolph Pitman

These websites have been helpful sources of information, too:

Naturally Knocked Up

Balanced Bites

The Weston A Price Foundation

First Ourselves

Summer Tomato

I'm not going paleo/primal, but I am finding sources about that lifestyle incredibly helpfu as it eschews processed foods. Anything about eating real, whole foods is right up my alley right now.

For now it's about making simple choices: Water over soda and scrambled eggs over protein bars. And continuing to learn as much as I can and find ideas to help me develop new habits. Reaching for a protein bar in the morning and considering that a healthy choice is pretty deeply ingrained. These changes are going to be hard.

Do any of you have suggestions for resources I should be exploring that focus on fertility and/or eliminating sugar/processed foods? I'm all ears!

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Botox for Chronic Migraine: What Does the Research Say?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Does hearing something different every time there is a headline about the use of Botox injections for migraine disease have you thoroughly confused? You're not alone if you feel like there is contradictory information available about whether Botox is a good option for patients living with chronic migraine. Not to mention the reality that some of the headlines can be very misleading. Let me set the record straight about what the research says and what experts recommend.

Back in 2008 Botox injections (botulinum toxin A) were being used off-label for prevention in people with chronic migraine disease. Allergan, the manufacturer of Botox, was working hard to get Botox FDA approved for use in people with chronic migraines. Research funded by Allergan to establish the efficacy of the treatment showed a greater reduction in days of headache in patients treated with Botox than placebo. This was after Allergan changed the way it measured the drug's effectiveness by looking at days of headache rather than number of migraine attacks in patients.

Meanwhile, in 2008 the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) released guidelines that did not recommend Botox as a treatment for people with chronic migraines. The researchers who developed the guidelines reviewed all research available at that time and concluded Botox was no more effective than placebo in relieving migraines or chronic tension-type headaches and said it was not recommended for those purposes.

Despite the conflicting research, in October 2010, the FDA approved Botox injections for prevention of migraines in patients with chronic migraine disease. Coincidentally, this was just a month or so after Allergan had agreed to pay a $600 million dollar fine for illegally marketing Botox for unapproved uses like migraines for many years.

A study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reviewed 31 trials that evaluated the effectiveness of Botox in reducing migraine attacks. Studies comparing Botox to placebo showed a slight reduction in migraine frequency among patients treated with Botox injections. On average patients experienced about two less migraine attacks a month.

While it's probably true that researchers, practitioners and patients all hoped for a more profound improvement in patients treated with Botox injections, two less migraine attacks a month gives patients more time with their families and friends and less missed days of work. It's nothing to turn our noses up at. Furthermore, it may be possible to give patients who respond to Botox even greater relief by combining Botox with other medications and therapies, such as Valproic Acid, Topamirate, Propanolol or acupuncture.

The AAN and American Headache Society (AHS) recently released updated joint guidelines on treatments for people with migraine disease. However, they declined to address Botox in those guidelines, referring back to the 2008 guidelines on Botox for now. They said they are currently working on updating the 2008 Botox guidelines.

Any questions about Botox or the research? Please ask in the comments.

Related Posts:
- Botox for Chronic Migraine FDA Approved
- Manufacturer Claims Botox Effective in Preventing Migraines
- Botox Not Recommended for Migraine, Tension Headaches

Sources:
- Botox Treatments Not So Effective for Migraine Headache Relief
- Botulinum Toxin A for Prophylactic Treatment of Migraine and Tension Headaches in Adults
- New Guidelines: Treatments Can Help Prevent Migraine
- FDA Approves Botox to Treat Chronic Migraine
- Botox Wins FDA Approval
- Allergan Says Botox Works on Chronic Migraines
- Botox Works on Muscle Disorders But Not Migraines

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Announcing May 2012 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival: Creating Awareness

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Can you believe it's already the end of April and time to start thinking about the May Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival?

Submissions for the May 2012 Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival are due by midnight on Friday, May 11, 2012. The topic is "How to create awareness about migraine disease and headache disorders as a regular patient with a life full of other obligations." This month's theme is all about the little ways we can make a difference even though we're busy with our lives and don't necessarily work as advocates for a living.

As always, posts on any topic related to migraine disease or other headache disorders are also welcome. However, be aware that on-topic submissions will be given priority by being placed before off-topic submissions in the carnival blog post.

The May Carnival will be published here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, May 14, 2012.

Email submissions to somebodyhealme AT dianalee DOT net (spelled out to thwart spammers) by midnight on Friday, May 11, 2012.

For more information about the carnival visit the overview page here: Migraine Blog Carnival.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or are interesting in hosting a future edition. I'm always looking for participants who are willing to volunteer as hosts. It's not only a great way to support the carnival, but also to drive new traffic to your blog!

Thanks for your ongoing support of the carnival.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Found: Theraspecs FL-41 Glasses for Migraines

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Migraine brains are incredibly sensitive to all kinds of light. The light and flicker from computers, fluorescent lights, CFLS and the sun can be absolutely brutal and debilitating.

Research has shown that precision-tinted FL-41 lenses can filter the types of light that cause migraineurs problems. I wrote an article about this research at Migraine.com: Precision Tinted Lenses Help Reduce Migraine-Related Visual Disturbance. But until recently, it's been difficult to find an easy, reasonably priced way to access these lenses. Enter Theraspecs.

Theraspecs is the new venture of migraine and headache blogger Kerrie Smyres of The Daily Headache (and migraine.com) and her husband, Hart. The glasses came about because Kerrie was increasingly debilitated by light and computer sensitivity. So her awesome husband designed a pair of glasses to combat this, tested different tints until they found the right one and had them manufactured. They worked so well for Kerrie that she and Hart decided to make them available to migraineurs everywhere.

Kerrie and Hart were awesome enough to send me a pair to try, and I love them. The best way I can describe the feeling of sliding them on is to say that my eyes and brain exhaled. I honestly hadn't realized how much strain I was dealing with all the time until I felt it melt away in an instant.

To learn more about Theraspecs visit: Theraspecs.com.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

DBSA Positive 6 Campaign: The Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

In May the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) will kick off a really cool campaign called Positive 6 that challenges people living with mood disorders to focus on making small, positive changes in their lives for the next six months to help us connect to our health and our communities.

For each month from May through October the campaign has a specific focus and suggestions of things to do to help you concentrate on that month's topic. For instance, May is the Feeding Kindness Challenge. For the May theme the DSMA suggests things like starting a community garden, sharing a favorite recipe with a friend or donating to a local food pantry. Some of the ideas are big, while others are small and easy. It's entirely up to you how to want to address the challenge of making a positive change each month.

I'm challenging myself to do something every month during the campaign to focus on that month's challenge theme, and I'm hoping you'll do the same. The first challenge starts on May 1. I'll be posting about my actions each month and invite you to share yours in the comments of each blog post.

Who's with me?

For more information visit the Positive 6 webpage: DSMA's Positive 6 Campaign and join the event page on Facebook: Positive 6 Facebook Event Page.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

2012 National Prescription Take-Back Day: Safely Discard Old Medication

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Trying to figure out what to do with unneeded and out of date medication is a hassle for anyone, but particularly for those of us who use medication to manage our chronic health conditions. One great option for safe disposal is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Take-Back Day.

This year's National Prescription Take-Back Day is set for Saturday, April 28, 2012. Though the event is a national effort, is is carried out by local law enforcement agencies that sign up to participate and carry out the actual collection efforts.

To find a collection site in your area visit: National Take Back Initiative Collection Site Search.

The program is free and the officers do not require you to provide any personal information to participate.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Reminder: 2012 Putting Our Heads Together Migraine Poetry Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Don't miss out on submitting your original poetry to the 2012 edition of the annual Putting Our Heads Together Poetry Contest sponsored by Help for Headaches and Migraines.

Submissions are due by midnight, Friday, May 4, 2012. Winners will be announced Friday, June 1, 2012, in observance of National Migraine Awareness Month. You must use this link to submit your poetry: Entry Form.

Submissions will be judged by the Migraine Research Foundation and headache disorders advocate Teri Robert.

To learn more about the submission requirements, please visit:

2012 Putting Our Heads Together Migraine Poetry Contest

Best of luck!

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

What Causes Episodic Migraine to Become Chronic? 5 Modifiable Factors

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:57:00 +0000

Many of us currently living with chronic migraines know from first-hand experience what it's like to go from infrequent, episodic migraines to the more frequent, unrelenting form of migraine disease known as chronic migraine (aka transformed migraine).

Although preventive medications help some chronic migraine patients, are there risk factors we can identify that explain how or why this happens or help us reverse the course of migraine disease? Researchers are working to answer these questions. Here's what we currently know.

Episodic migraine and chronic migraine are considered two different spectrums of the same disorder. The International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II revised), the Bible of headache disorders, treats chronic migraine as a complication of episodic migraine.

Patients experiencing episodic migraine have between 0 and 14 migraine attacks a month. Patients experiencing chronic migraine have more than 15 migraine attacks a month. (The ICHD-II revised attaches additional factors to the definition of Chronic Migraine.) Most migraine patients have the episodic version of the disorder. Those who have chronic migraines are significantly more disabled by migraine disease because their version dominates most aspects of their lives and has a greater impact on their quality of life.

While doctors and researchers can identify patterns among patients whose migraine shift from episodic to chronic, it is hard to establish a cause and effect relationship between that process and any factor. This is one of the biggest problems in trying to identify risk factors for transformed migraine. Further, some of the factor researchers have identified are not modifiable.

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors include:

Age
Lack of education
Low socioeconomic status
Head injury

In contrast, familiarity with the modifiable factors associated with chronification can give patients and doctors some control. It allows us to direct our efforts at working on improving these factors whenever possible. But there are still limitations. Here are some cautions to consider:

Some patients will do their best to address as many factors as possible and still see limited improvement.
Some or all of the modifiable factors we think are causes may simply be correlations.
Certain modifiable factors are probably more significant than others.

We need more information about all of these factors and migraine disease itself. The important thing to keep in mind is that improving most of these factors can improve your overall health and quality of life, which is in itself a good reason to try to make changes.

Modifiable Risk Factors include:

Obesity.
Other lifestyle factors: caffeine, sleep apnea / snoring.
Depression & anxiety.
Central sensitization.
Medication Overuse Headache (overuse of acute treatment medications for migraine).

In the coming weeks and months I will break each of these possible risk factors down into individual posts to talk about what we know about it and how it can be addressed. You'll be able to find them under the label: chronic migraine.

Questions or thoughts? Please share them in the comments.

Sources:
Modifiable Risk Factors for Migraine Progression
Defining the Difference Between Episodic and Chronic Migraine
Tracing Transformation: Chronic MIgraine Classification, Progression and Epidemiology

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

How to Access Midrin Equivalents for Migraine

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

If you're a patient who has used Midrin as a migraine treatment medication, you may have been concerned that your pharmacy has been unable to fill your prescription. Headache disorders advocate Teri Robert has done some great reporting on this issue at Migraine.com and shared some good options for you to investigate so you have access to a medication with the same ingredients as Midrin.

(1) Ask your doctor to write you a prescription you can take to a compounding pharmacy.
A compounding pharmacy prepares a prescription medication for an individual patient that isn't otherwise available for purchase. A compounded medication is prepared specifically for you. It doesn't exist until you take your prescription to the compounding pharmacy to have it filled. They can prepare pills for you with the same ingredients as Midrin. They are overseen by the state pharmacy board and the FDA, so you should feel just as safe using their services as you would any other pharmacy.

To find a compounding pharmacy in your area visit: Find a PCAB Pharmacy, do a Google search or check the local phone book.

(2) Ask your pharmacist about the Midrin-equivalent Isometh/Dich/Apap capsules produced by Macoven Pharmaceuticals based in Magnolia, Texas.
While all other manufacturers of Midrin and its equivalents have stopped making their products, Macoven has assured Teri Robert, who has been closely following this issue, they intend to do what it takes to continue making their product available to patients.

(3) Try a similar medication called Prodrin.

While Midrin and its equivalents contain isometheptene mucate, acetaminophen and dichloralphenazone, Prodin contains isometheptene mucate, acetaminophen and caffeine. So while they are not identical, they are close enough to serve as an acceptable substitute for some patients.

--------------------------

I encourage those of you who use Midrin to keep up to date by following Teri's reporting on this issue at http://migraine.com/teri-robert.

Sources:

Midrin for Migraine, October 2011 Update

Update: Migraine Abortive Midrin and Equivalents, 3/31/11

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Researchers Investigate Migraine Relief via Mouth-Based Implant: Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I've written in the past about a device called an occipital nerve stimulator, which is being researched as an option for treating chronic migraines. A different kind of implanted stimulator, which is placed in the patient's gum, is being tested in trials in the United States and Europe.

The device is known as a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) stimulator. The SPG is a small collection of nerve cells located at the base of both sides of the nose. A tiny electrode is surgically implanted over the patient's SPG and connected to a stimulator. An electrical current is delivered to the stimulator device by a small generator implanted in the patient's chest. Once installed, the system is controlled with a wireless remote.

In a small clinical trial of the device in migraineurs, the results were largely inconclusive. Some patients were helped, while others were not. Confusingly, a patient was helped by a sham version of the stimulator device. Accurate placement of the parts of the stimulator seemed to be the most important factor in the device's success in the clinical trial. The device has been successfully used to treat cluster headaches in a few patients. As with migraine, further studies are needed.

More elaborate clinical trials are currently recruiting patients to test the device, such as this study at the Cleveland Clinic: Electrical Stimulation of the Sphenopalatine Ganglion for Treatment of Migraine Headaches. You can find other studies by searching for "sphenopalatine ganglion stimulator" at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Because the device is still in the early stages of clinical trials, it is not FDA approved for any purpose and therefore not readily available to patients to try. Becoming accepted to a clinical trial would be the best way to try the stimulator if you're interested in it at this time. Please be aware the SPG stimulator has not been studied nearly as much as the occipital nerve stimulator, which is FDA approved for occipital neuralgia, but not migraine.

Sources:
Electrical Stimulation of the Sphenopalatine Ganglion for Treatment of Migraine Headaches
Neurostimulation for Primary Headache Disorders: Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation
Mouth Tingler Implanted in Gum to Beat Pain of Migraine
The Cleveland Clinic Manual of Headache Therapy
BrainsGate's Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulator

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival: Who Are You Without Your Disease?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The goal of the Patients for a Moment (PFAM) Blog Carnival is to "build connections within the community of people who blog about illness, disease and disability." As the host this month I asked my fellow bloggers to write on this theme: "Who are you without (aside from) your disease? What makes you more than just your disease? How have you adapted these aspects of your life so they're not completely overcome by your illnesses?"

The responses were wonderfully varied and personal. I found it especially fun to learn more about those of you I've known mainly as peers with chronic illnesses. You guys are so much more than that! Please keep reading to see how this month's PFAM Blog Carnival participants responded.

* * *

Iris Carden at Sometimes It's Just Lupus shared a wonderful post about the process of trying to find out who she is after her lupus diagnoses, Who Am I With Lupus? Because so much of her life involves lupus, she wonders what identity she has other than that of lupus patient.

Migrainista wrote about the modifications that have allowed her to continue doing some of the things she especially loves, such as exercising and reading, in I Am.

In her submission Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light at her blog Not Your Teachable Moment, That Word Grrl says she will never accept that just because she can't do something she loves today that means she can't do it ever again. It's a very empowering message.

In Dear Doctors, THIS Is Who I Am, Shruti at Lifestyles of the Ill and (Mostly) Blameless approached this month's topic by writing a letter to her doctors about who she really is for those who make the mistake of seeing her in a one dimensional fashion as nothing more than a person with lupus.

Duncan Cross discusses feeling as though his only identity is in fighting his illness after medical and career setbacks in his post PFAM: Who Are You Without Your Disease?

As someone who has never really known life without chronic migraine disease, Gretchen Rautman says her disease makes her the accepting, loyal and loving person she is today in her submission Who Am I? from her blog There Be Migraines Here.

Jamie of Chronic Migraine Warrior says in her blog post Who Am I? that she is working to rebuild the confidence and contentment she had established before she was diagnosed with chronic migraine and other debilitating conditions following a car accident in fall 2008.

In More Than My Chronic Illness, Aviva at Sick Momma says learning not to dwell on the more difficult aspects of life with a chronic illness has allowed her to enjoy the small things and appreciate the things she can still engage in, such as motherhood, crafting, reading and blogging.

Teri Robert at Putting Our Heads Together says living with migraine disease since childhood has shaped most aspects of her life, including her personality, family life and career in Who Am I Without Migraine DIsease?

Rosemary Lee of Seeking Equilibrium wants to be the same vibrant person she was before chronic illness and pain, but says in More Than a Feeling that her body frequently reminds her of her limitations.

Ken Jaques says putting his energy toward helping other people and working on his own negative behaviors allows him to avoid concentrating too much on his status as a person with Rheumatoid Arthritis in his post Who Are You Without Your Disease? I suspect many of us can relate to his belief that helping people in similar situations is a much more rewarding way to live our chronic lives than wallowing in our misfortune.

Like Iris, Sharlene Ramsey also writes about struggling to find a new identity now that her autoimmune diseases have changed her day-to-day capabilities in her post What Has Become of Me?

And finally, a submission from Rachael at Offbeat Follies with More Than Your Disease.

I'm absolutely blown away by the number of thoughtful, heartfelt responses I received, and I can't thank all of you enough for supporting my edition of the carnival. The May 2012 PFAM Blog Carnival will be hosted by Jenni Prokopy at Chronic Babe. Let's help her make it another great one!

To keep up with the monthly PFAM Blog Carnival, "like" the Facebook page: Patients for a Moment on Facebook and follow the PFAM blog: Patients for a Moment: A Patient Centered Blog Carnival.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Last Call: April 2012 Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

We're approaching the deadline for submissions to the April 2012 Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival, which I have the pleasure of hosting this month.

Submissions are due by the end of the day tomorrow, Saturday, April 14, 2012. If for some reason you want to participate, but can't meet that deadline, please email me or reply to this post so we can make arrangements.

The theme of the April Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival is: "Who are you without your disease? What makes you more than just your disease? How have you adapted these aspects of your life so they're not completely overcome by your illnesses?" Feel free to address your hobbies, career, family life, volunteer work, friendships, blogging or anything else you feel makes you the unique person you are.

The goal of the PFAM Blog Carnival is to "build connections within the community of people who blog about illness, disease and disability." I hope you'll all join me in supporting this important, patient-centered blog carnival that provides us with opportunities to share ideas with patients from all different backgrounds and experiences. The carnival is certainly not limited to patients, though. Anyone with an interest or background in disease or illness is encouraged to participate, including doctors, nurses, patient advocates, researchers and caregivers.

Submissions are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Please publish your thoughts on your blog and send the following details to me by email at somebodyhealme at dianalee dot net:

Your Name (as you would like it to appear in the carnival)
Blog Name
Blog URL
Post Title
Post URL

If you don't have your own blog consider posting your thoughts to a public Facebook note so you can participate.

The April edition of the PFAM Blog Carnival will be posted here at Somebody Heal Me on Sunday, April 15, 2012.

To keep up with the monthly PFAM Blog Carnival, "like" the PFAM Facebook page: Patients for a Moment.

If you have any questions please post a comment or send me an email. I'm happy to answer questions or address concerns.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.

Three Month Update: Project Better Me

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Lee) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

In the time since mid-January 2012, when I started focusing on eating a much healthier, lower carb, higher protein and fiber diet and making other important lifestyle changes, I'm proud to report I've lost 25 pounds!

Living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 2 diabetes can make weight loss extremely difficult, if not next to impossible. So I'm thrilled my lifestyle changes and focus on nutrition has led to such awesome results. It's extremely encouraging.

Unfortunately I've fallen off the wagon a little bit in the exercise department. I'd worked my way up to the ability to tolerate up to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise without a surefire migraine attack. I'm probably able to do less than that now because I've only been working out about once a week for the past month. A lot of that is simply the struggle with migraine attacks and not feeling well enough to exercise. I've been able to keep up my healthy eating habits despite these difficulties simply because we've gotten into the habit of stocking the house with healthy choices and not buying very many unhealthy choices.

The good news is that every single day I wake up with the possibility of getting back into the habit. Hopefully my migraine brain will be more cooperative with that.

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Content by Diana E. Lee.