Taking Supplement Use Seriously

Please take some time to read this important article by Teri Robert on My Migraine Connection about supplements for migraine treatment and prevention.

Supplements for Migraine - They ARE Drugs

It is incredibly important to discuss their use with your doctor before taking them, but there are other things to keep in mind, too. Teri does a great job pointing out and explaining the other potential issues.

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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.

Patients for a Moment Carnival at Six Until Me

The new edition of the Patients for a Moment blog carnival is posted at Six Until Me. This patient-centric blog carnival features tons of great content.

Patients for a Moment: SUM Edition

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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.

Chronic Daily Headache Common Among Soldiers Experiencing Head Trauma

According to a study presented at the International Headache Congress a few weeks ago many soldiers who experience head trauma are living with chronic daily headache.

Chronic Daily Headache is Prevalent Among Soldiers with Mild Head Trauma

The study, conducted at the Traumatic Brain Injury Program at Fort Lewis, Washington, identified soldiers who had been diagnosed with concussion, head injury or blast exposure after returning from Iraq or Afghanistan in the past three months. These soldiers were asked to complete a 13 question survey, which was reviewed in addition to their medical records.

The study authors learned those with chronic daily headache experienced an average of 23 days of headache a month while those without chronic daily headache experience about five days of headache a month. The patients with chronic daily headache most often experienced migraines as opposed to other types of headaches. They were almost twice as likely to begin experiencing headaches within one week of concussion or blast exposure and to experience concussions resulting in loss of consciousness. They were also significantly more likely to experience post traumatic stress disorder and to have been exposed to blasts within 60 feet.

Since chronic headaches can result in impaired functioning, the study authors hope bringing attention to this problem will help doctors know which of their patients may be dealing with chronic headaches due to head trauma.

Related Posts:
US House Supports Brain Trauma Research
Call to Action: Pain Care for Veterans

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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.

Reminder: Take Action on Proposed FDA Ban on Prescription Narcotics

Please sign the American Pain Foundation (APF) petition calling for education rather than a change in regulation of acetaminophen-related products before Sunday, September 27:

Acetaminophen: Educate, Do Not Regulate

Please check out the blog post I wrote last week for more detailed information, including my objections to these proposed changes:

FDA Ban on Prescription Pain Meds: Take Action Now

Please spread the word to everyone you possibly can. We only have until Sunday to sign on to this petition and help the APF meet its goal of 5,000 supporters.

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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.

Depression & Pregnancy: ACOG & APA Issue Treatment Guidelines

Despite nearly one in four pregnant women experiencing depression and 13% of them taking antidepressants at some point during their pregnancies, pregnant women and their physicians have had little information to guide them in making decisions about how to treat the condition. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association have issued jointly developed guidelines to assist doctors and patients in making decisions about treating depression during pregnancy.

Treatment Guidelines Issued on Depression During Pregnancy

The guidelines say that for many pregnant women talk therapy alone may be adequate and should be offered as an option. However, for women with serious, recurring depression or suicidal tendencies, the risks associated with taking antidepressants are outweighed by the potential for harm to the mother and fetus if her depression remains under treated.

The treatment recommendations reflect the traditional worries about the effects of antidepressants on developing fetuses, but also acknowledge a less common concern about the potential negative effects of untreated depression for both the mother and baby. According to the LA Times article:

Many studies suggest that the depression of a pregnant woman can result in poorer nutrition and prenatal care, earlier birth and a heightened risk that her child will also develop depression.

The guidelines also call on physicians to look for signs of depression in women of childbearing age, which is the population most likely to experience it. Depression can be difficult to spot in pregnant women because many of the symptoms mimic pregnancy-related symptoms, such as changes in mood and appetite and fatigue. The guidelines also direct doctors to offer the range of treatment options up as possibilities rather than relying solely on prescribing antidepressants.

Related Posts:
SSRIs Pose Little Risk to Unborn
Pregnant Migraineurs at Increased Risk for Stroke
Migraines in Pregnancy Increase Risk of Stroke, Preeclampsia

Sources:
Depression During Pregnancy: Treatment Recommendations
Treatment Guidelines Issued on Depression During Pregnancy

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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.

Announcing October 2009 Headache Blog Carnival

The theme for the October 2009 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival is "Alternative therapies - your experiences (good or bad), thoughts about trying them or any other take on the subject."

Submissions are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, October 9.

Posts may be submitted through the form on the carnival website or directly to me by e-mail.

The October carnival will be posted on Monday, October 12th right here at Somebody Heal Me.

For more information about the carnival visit this link: Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival.

Please spread the word to any migraine or headache bloggers you know and consider posting an announcement to your own blog if you have one.

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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.

Oh, Boy, Can I Relate: Mr. Poopy Pants & Ally's Law

Duncan Cross's recent post Mr. Poopy Pants strongly resonated with me. I have so been there, more than once, and it is one of the most demoralizing things I have ever had to deal with. My IBS and migraines seem to conspire to make this problem very difficult to manage and I resent it more than I can say. I don't know that I would have had the courage to admit this publicly if he hadn't written about it first. So thanks, Duncan.

Mr. Poopy Pants

More importantly, Duncan's post informed me about a movement to force businesses to make their bathrooms available to people with medical conditions called Ally's Law. What a brave young woman Ally Bain must be to take on this issue and get the law passed in her home state of Illinois.

Check out the Ally's Law tracker to see whether the legislation has been introducted in your state and to find out its status. You can also write to your representatives to encourage adoption of this important law through this link.

Ally's Law Tracker

Sources:
Need for Restroom Access Leads to Ally's Law
Crohn's & Me: Ally's Law
Illinois General Assembly: Restroom Access Act


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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.

Managing Life with Migraine Teleconferences

Megan Oltman of Free My Brain From Migraine Pain hosts a fantastic, free monthly teleconference on the last Sunday of every month on topics of unique interest to migraineurs. All you need to do to participate is to sign up on her website.

Managing Life with Migraine Teleconference Series

Once you've signed up for the e-mail list at the above link you need to dial in at the scheduled time. If you end up not being able to call in for a particular teleconference you can access an archive of the call on the Free My Brain From Migraine Pain website. You can also access previous teleconferences on the website, too.

The next call, scheduled for Sunday, September 27, is with Christina Peterson, MD, of the Oregon Headache Clinic and author of The Women's Migraine Survival Guide
on “Integrative Medicine & Migraine.” Don't miss this fantastic opportunity!

UPDATE: Megan has announced a change in the schedule. There will be no talk in September. October's talk (October 25) will be with Dr. Elizabeth Loder, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, to talk about new advances in migraine treatment. Dr. Peterson's talk has been moved to November.

Megan offers some other great services for migraineurs, such as a coaching group. Please check her website for more information about this and other opportunities.

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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.

Nice Piece on Cindy McCain & Migraines in The New Yorker

The New Yorker published a very nice article Monday on its website about Cindy McCain's experiences living with migraines and her advocacy efforts. Rather than relying on stereotypes and glib characterizations like some media outlets, the author of this piece did a great job treating Cindy and migraine disease with the respect they both deserve.

Head First

Related Posts:
Teri Robert's Interview with Cindy McCain, Migraineur & New Celebrity Advocate
Are Migraines Like Torture? Cindy McCain Has Us Talking
Cindy McCain Calls for Increased Funding for Migraine Research

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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.

Hilarious 'Protect Insurance Companies' PSA

This PSA courtesy of MoveOn.org and Will Farrell's Funny or Die is too funny to be missed. Even if you're not completely down with the President's reform proposals you'll probably find this quite funny.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

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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.

Migraines & Depression: Migraines Associated with Increased Risk of Major Depressive Episodes

A research study presented at the International Headache Congress earlier this month found a relationship between migraines and an increased risk of major depressive episodes.

News: Migraine Increases Risk for Major Depressive Episodes

A major depressive episode is a marked decrease in mood and loss of interest in activities that represents a change from the person's normal mood and social, occupational or educational functioning for at least a two week period plus five or more of the following symptoms:

• Depressed mood for most of every day

• Insomnia

• Significant weight loss or gain

• Fatigue

• Restlessness or slow movement due to mental tension and anxiety

• Indecisiveness or diminished concentration

• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation

Study participants with migraines had a 22% risk of experiencing a major depressive episode. The study author Geeta Modgill said these results could indicate the two conditions have shared causes or that migraines contribute to development of depression.

Related Posts:
News: Migraine Disease and Mental Illness
Making Sense of Migraine Disease and Depression

Sources:
PsychCentral: Major Depressive Episode Symptoms
Psychomotor Agitation
News: Migraine Increases Risk for Major Depressive Episodes

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Emmy Winner Kristin Chenoweth Treated for Migraine

Cute as a button actress Kristin Chenoweth, who won an Emmy Sunday night for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work in Pushing Daisies, had a bit of a damper put on her triumphant evening when she realized she was getting a migraine attack.

Kristin Chenoweth Treated for Migraine at Emmys

Luckily Kristin was treated by paramedics on location and felt well enough to continue on with the parties and other post-Emmy festivities, according to her publicist. I know I speak for all migraineurs when I say I hope she was able to celebrate her win at least a little. We all know how much it stinks to have an accomplishment or special event compromised by a migraine attack.

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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.

Teri Robert's Interview with Cindy McCain, Migraineur & New Celebrity Advocate

In case you haven't already seen it I want to make sure all my readers have the opportunity to read Teri Robert's fantastic interview with our newest celebrity migraine advocate Cindy McCain at My Migraine Connection. Teri had the opportunity to interview Cindy at the International Headache Congress where Cindy gave the keynote address.

Interview with Cindy McCain: Migraine Sufferer, Advocate

Color me insanely jealous that Teri had the opportunity to do this interview, but also incredibly grateful. She did a wonderful job, as always. Although Cindy lives a different lifestyle than most of us, Teri did a fabulous job illustrating how much she's like every single one of us who lives with migraines.

Mrs. McCain's main Migraine triggers include changes in barometric pressure, odors such as strong fragrances, and disturbed sleep and meal schedules. In addition to her wouldn't-be-caught-dead-without sunglasses, a couple of comfort items she takes with her are ice packs and a gift from a woman in Virginia - a hand-made warming item that she can warm in the microwave and drape around the back of her neck.

It must have been incredibly difficult to be out there on the campaign trail with little sleep, irregular meals and those bright lights and loud crowds at events. I can't even imagine!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.0 License.

Related Posts:
Are Migraines Like Torture? Cindy McCain Has Us Talking
Cindy McCain Calls for Increased Funding for Migraine Research

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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.

Migraines Cause Lost Productivity Whether Employees Come to Work or Stay Home

According to studies presented at the International Headache Congress last week in Philadelphia, employees who try to work through a migraine attack may be so much less productive on the job that their employers would lose less money if they stayed home. Further, employees with chronic migraines were four times less productive than employees with episodic migraines.

Going to Work With a Migraine? New Study Says Productivity is Same as Staying Home

The pressure to show up at work regardless of how you feel is enormous for anyone with a chronic illness, but I think it is even worse for those of us with misunderstood conditions like migraine disease. Who knew we were doing more harm than good by showing up rather than just staying home? Unfortunately most employers don't know this and would be reluctant to acknowledge it.

Businesses lose somewhere between $20 and $31 billion a year to lost productivity, absenteeism and medical expenses. The real cost of migraines is most likely higher than estimated because so many people go undiagnosed. Obviously this is nothing compared to the pain and disability experienced by individual migraineurs, but by drawing attention to the costs borne by society as a whole we may have better luck trying to increase funding for research of migraine and headache disorders.

Sources:
Facts About Migraine
Migraines Reduce Workplace Productivity
Going to Work With a Migraine? New Study Says Productivity is Same as Staying Home

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Migraines Can Make It Difficult to Make Your Own Treatment Decisions

At an appointment with my local neurologist a few weeks ago I showed up feeling bone tired and mentally drained. Next thing I knew I was going back on a medication I had deliberately chosen to stop taking just because a doctor told me I should be taking something.

When the doctor finally came into my exam room he looked over the list of medications I was taking and declared that Lyrica alone is insufficient as a migraine preventative because it only works on the nerves and doesn't stop the brain from triggering migraines. He said he wanted me to go back on Depakote, even though I reminded him I'd been on it twice before with no results. It was as though he wasn't even listening to me. Of course I need an effective preventative, no argument there. But I've been on everything under the sun with no results. Depakote ER has not worked for me at all, ever. Not in 2004, not earlier this year. Wishing for a different result will not create one. Sadly, I'm pretty sure he suggested this course of action because he has no idea what to do with me and isn't willing to admit it.

"Here, take this," he said, handing me a prescription slip. "I want to see you back in three months." No registration of my concerns; no plan for titrating up. Just an order to come back in three months.

"But wait, I'm not sure I want to go back on that. What's the point?" I'm thinking as he exits through the doorway. He disappeared around the corner, no doubt heading for his next patient since he is chronically behind schedule, while I stood there feeling like I'd been run over by a steamroller.

Why did I let this happen? Unfortunately the perfect storm of factors conspired to keep me from insisting he listen to my concerns.

• Lack of energy/stamina/fortitude to stick to my decision because I was feeling so beaten down by constant pain.

• Lack of sleep the night before.

• Intimidation - This doctor has a gift for making it clear he doesn't really listen to you.

• I don't want to displease doctors, who I view as authority figures.

• The belief I need to keep up this relationship in case I need an IV in a pinch to break a migraine.

• How in the world can you be an assertive patient in a ten minute appointment? That time frame is completely inadequate.
  

In consultation with my other neurologist I decided my instincts were right that I didn't need a third trial of this medication. My other neurologist also reinforced my belief that it makes no sense to give me that medication at a low dose with no plan for increasing the dose until three months have passed, if at all. It felt good to have someone listen to my concerns and give his perspective without raming it down my throat. I wish I lived closer to Dr. Krusz so I didn't even have to bother with this other guy.

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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.

Cindy McCain Calls for Increased Funding for Migraine Research

New migraine advocate Cindy McCain, migraineur and wife of US Senator John McCain, wrote a nice opinion piece for Forbes.com last week about the need for increased funding for migraine research.

More Funding to End Migraine

As a nation, we spend very little on research into the causes and treatments of migraines. It is estimated that the National Institutes of Health spends less than $13 million a year for migraine research. Dr. Todd Schwedt of the Washington University Headache Center says that based on the burden migraine exacts from society, funding should be closer to $260 million.

The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy has been working extremely hard to lobby for increased funding for research related to headache disorders. But someone with the kind of access to lawmakers and notoriety Cindy McCain has can help the cause in a way very few other people can.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.0 License.

Related Posts:
Are Migraines Like Torture? Cindy McCain Has Us Talking

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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.

FDA Ban on Prescription Pain Meds: Take Action Now

In July I told you about an FDA advisory panel recommendation that the FDA remove from the market prescription combination products containing acetaminophen (such as Lortab, Percocet and Darvocet) and make the extra strength dose of over the counter acetaminophen available by prescription only. Research has raised concerns about liver damage and overdoses experienced by patients who exceed the recommended doses of these products. Those of us who feel passionately about this issue have only a brief window of time within which to submit comments before the FDA makes a decision on the issue.

These are some of my main concerns about the advisory panel's recommendations:

• Products containing acetaminophen are safe when used as directed. It is a mistake to set public policy by focusing on misuse or abuse of a product.

• Liver damage is seen with overdoses. How will reducing the maximum dosage of acetaminophen have any effect on liver damage? The current limits are perfectly appropriate when followed. If people are going to misuse a product or ignore warnings, they will continue to do so.

• According to the Consumer Health Care Products Association (a drug industry group), 80% of the deaths associated with acetaminophen and acetaminophen combination products are suicides, not accidents.

• Educational efforts could more precisely target the concerns raised by products containing acetaminophen without causing unnecessary suffering for people with acute and chronic pain.

• These changes would make it very difficult for doctors to treat their patients' acute pain after surgery or an acute injury.

• At a time when undertreatment of pain is widely acknowledged as a huge problem, banning one existing option being used to treat pain is bound to make this problem even worse.

• People suffering from chronic pain conditions know better than anyone the importance of finding an effective strategy for preventing their pain. But we all live in the real world and know just how difficult this can be for some patients. Banning combination products containing acetaminophen will increase the suffering of chronic pain patients.
  

The American Pain Foundation (APF) believes, as do I, the concerns about these drugs can be more properly addressed through education than through banning some products and increasing regulation of others. If you agree, please sign the APF petition before Sunday, September 27:

Acetaminophen: Educate, Do Not Regulate

If you feel inclined to do so, you can also submit comments directly to the FDA. Comments are due by Wednesday, September 30.

Regulations.gov: FDA Comment

If you'd like to do some additional reading to help you compose your comments to the FDA, the APF has provided links to some of its excellent resources:

• Click here to read APF’s position statement on the FDA recommendations for acetaminophen combined medications and over-the-counter acetaminophen medications.

• Click here to read the task force’s concerns about the FDA’s recommendations regarding prescription acetaminophen combined medications.

• Click here to read the task force’s concerns about the FDA’s recommendations regarding over-the-counter acetaminophen medications.

• Click here to read APF’s Question & Answer sheet on acetaminophen and opioids.

This is an important issue. Please make your voice heard.

Related Posts:
FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Removing Certain Prescription Painkillers From Market
Hint of Good News Regarding Possible FDA Ban of Certain Prescription Pain Medications

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Invisible Illness Week Starts Today

Invisible Illness Week starts today! To listen to the seminars log on to the Blog Talk Radio site: Invisible Illness Conference on Blog Talk Radio. Check out this link for a list of seminar times and speakers: 2009 Seminars & Speakers. All the programs will archived so you can listen to them anytime if you aren't able to tune in and listen live.

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Evaluating Treatments, Medications & Procedures: September 2009 Headache Blog Carnival

Welcome to the September 2009 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

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.

The theme of the September carnival is "Evaluating treatments, medications & procedures - how to gather information & make decisions."

Please keep reading for the September 2009 collection of posts.

Emily Field presents a post detailing where she looks for information about treatments online, Double Checking Info: How I Research, posted at No Extended Warranty.

Chrissy presents a post about crazy treatments and the times when we find ourselves considering or trying them, CRAZY...Try This Offers, posted at Through the Words of Chronic Pain.

Rosalind Joffe presents a post about her decision to come out about how her chronic illnesses have affected her marriage, When Chronic Illness and Marriage Collide, posted at Working with Chronic Illness.

Stephanie presents a great two-part post about the search for a headache specialist, The Interviews Have Begun and The Interviews Have Begun II, posted at Head Wise.

I would like to share one of my own posts related to this month's theme, Deciding Whether to Gamble on Botox for Migraine Prevention. I ultimately decided to try the Botox injections, but these were the ways in which I evaluated my options. Unfortunately the Botox only gave me very temporary relief, but it was worth trying.

Submit your blog post to the October 2009 edition of the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival using our carnival submission form or by e-mailing your submissions to me directly. The theme will be "Alternative therapies - your experiences (good or bad), thoughts about trying them or any other take on the subject." Entries are due by midnight on Friday, October 9, and the carnival will be posted right here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, October 12.

Past posts and more information about the carnival can be found on our Headache Blog Carnival information page.

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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.

Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival at Getting Closer to Myself

The seventh edition of the clever new patient blog carnival, Patients for a Moment, is posted at Getting Closer to Myself. This is a fabulous carnival focused entirely on the perspectives of patients. Leslie organized the carnival by grouping submissions to fit within Michael Jackson song titles. Pretty funny if you ask me.

Patients for a Moment: Seventh Edition

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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.

A Migraine Patient Classic: Teri Robert's 'Living Well with Migraine Disease & Headaches'

It's completely crazy to me that such an important book should be in the virtual bargain bin, but when I read on the My Migraine Connection Forums that Teri Robert's book Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know is available for only $5.98 from Amazon.com I wanted to let all of you know. It is an excellent resource for all headache and migraine patients and one I highly recommend you add to your library, particularly when it's available at such a great price. This is too good to pass up.

Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know by Teri Robert

I have compiled a list of other recommended books, which you can access by clicking on the Essential Reading tab at the top of the page. You can also visit the Somebody Heal Me Amazon Store for other recommended books, music, movies and products.

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Reminder: Invisible Illness Week Starts Monday

While you're getting ready to enjoy your weekend don't forget Invisible Illness Week starts on Monday. Event founder Lisa Copen recommends testing your speakers at the Blog Talk Radio site ahead of time to make sure you are able to access the content when you log on.

Get Ready By Testing Your Computer Speakers

Next week you'll log on to the Blog Talk Radio site: Invisible Illness Conference on Blog Talk Radio to listen to each seminar live. Here is a link to the list of times and speakers: 2009 Seminars & Speakers. But don't forget that all the programs will archived and available to listen to online at your leisure, so don't panic if you aren't able to tune in live to something you're interested in hearing.

Don't miss this awesome opportunity to receive information about topics that uniquely affect all of us with chronic invisible illnesses.

Technorati Tags: depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, 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.

Last Call: September 2009 Headache Blog Carnival

Announcing last call for submissions to the September 2009 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival. The theme for the September carnival is "Evaluating treatments, medications & procedures - how to gather information & make decisions."

Submissions are due by the end of the day today, Friday, September 11th.

Posts may be submitted through the form on the carnival website or directly to me by e-mail.

The carnival will be posted on Monday, September 14th right here at Somebody Heal Me.

Technorati Tags: headache & migraine blog carnival, blog carnival, depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, 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.

Invisible Illness Week: 30 Things You May Not Know About My Invisible Illnesses

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know
 
1. The illnesses I live with are: Chronic migraines, depression, diabetes and occipital neuralgia.

2. I was diagnosed in the year: Migraines (1983); depression (1997); diabetes (2008); occipital neuralgia (2009).

3. But I had symptoms since: I can remember.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not being able to work. I certainly never dreamed all the hard work I put in getting my law degree and passing the bar would lead me to this place in life.

5. Most people assume: I don't need as much help as I really do.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Waking up in pain every single day.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey's Anatomy. But for the drama and sex, not the medicine. ;)

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My Macbook.

9. The hardest part about nights are: Loneliness.

10. Each day I take (at least) 19 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) And four injections.

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Have tried most of them and believe in some of them, especially for coping with the pain and other symptoms I deal with day to day.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: This is hard. I guess I'll say invisible because it's all I know and because I like that I have more control over who knows about my health issues since no one can really see them.

13. Regarding working and career: I hope I'll be able to return to mine someday, but I'm not counting on it.

14. People would be surprised to know: That I'm pretty darned happy considering everything.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Trying to redefine/discover my identity.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Help people who are filing for disability.

17. The commercials about my illness: Vastly oversimplify the debilitating nature of migraines and make them seem much easier to treat than they are for some of us.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Practicing law.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: Working and earning money.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Knitting.

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go to an amusement park.

22. My illness has taught me: That control is an illusion.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: X thing worked for my cousin/best friend/sister-in-law/wife. You should try that.

24. But I love it when people: Spend time with me and check in to see how I'm doing.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: It isn't the things that happen to us in our lives that cause us to suffer, it's how we relate to the things that happen to us that causes us to suffer. - Pema Chödrön

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: To get Teri Robert's book, find a good headache specialist and become educated about migraine disease.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That I can be happy even though I'm in a lot of pain.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Helping me clean my house.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I feel it's an extremely important event and a wonderful opportunity to gather information about issues people with invisible illnesses have to consider that other people do not.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Grateful.

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com
Photo courtesy of ABC.com.

Related Posts:
Interview with Invisible Illness Week Founder Lisa Copen

Technorati Tags: depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed:
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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.

Obama Challenges Lies, But Lies Seem to Persist

How can naysayers like Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), who gave the Republican response to President Obama's address, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), who heckled the President by yelling "You lie" during his remarks, just close their ears to the truth and keep right on spreading lies? I don't get it.

I especially take issue with Rep. Boustany's assertion the President's proposed reforms would force each and every one of us into a government-run program. President Obama directly addressed this in his speech, saying:

First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. (Applause.) Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.

Furthermore, independent group FactCheck.org has said the claim that citizens will be forced into a government-run health program is simply not true:

The legislation wouldn’t require anyone to switch health insurance – though, in most cases, plans would eventually have to meet minimum benefit standards. The bills don’t require anyone to join the federal plan. Keep Your Insurance? Not Everyone

Rep. Boustany also asserted that Medicare will be gutted by the President's reform proposals.

And, it cuts Medicare by $500 billion, while doing virtually nothing to make the program better for our seniors.

Protecting Medicare is important not only for seniors, but also for all of us who receive Social Security Disability benefits and get our health care through Medicare. As someone who hopes to go on Medicare next spring and has seen how much it helps our seniors, the program is very important to me. I would not support any proposal that did anything to damage this program or its stability.

President Obama has proposed certain changes in Medicare that would save the program money without reducing benefits for program participants or cutting payments to doctors. FactCheck.org agrees with this characterization:

The claim that Obama and Congress are cutting seniors’ Medicare benefits to pay for the health care overhaul is outright false, though that doesn’t keep it from being repeated ad infinitum.

The truth is that the pending House bill extracts $500 billion from projected Medicare spending over 10 years, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office, by doing such things as trimming projected increases in the program’s payments for medical services, not including physicians. Increases in other areas, such as payments to doctors, bring the net savings down to less than half that amount. But none of the predicted savings – or cuts, depending on one’s perspective – come from reducing current or future benefits for seniors. Seven Falsehoods about Health Care

A misguided outburst from Rep. Joe Wilson during the Presidential address suggests he believes President Obama was lying when he said nothing in the proposed reforms would provide any kind of health benefits for illegal immigrants.

FactCheck.org has addressed this assertion, too, dismissing it as clearly false:

One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that "5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare," and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage Seven Falsehoods about Health Care

Of course, Rep. Joe Wilson is the same man who recently wrote an opinion piece for South Carolina's The State newspaper promoting the existence of so-called "death panels." What President Obama has facetiously called the plot to "pull the plug on grandma."

These include the end of life counseling program, which has been correctly highlighted by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a program which could lead to seniors being encouraged to seek less care in order to protect the government’s bottom line. Wilson: Active Citizenry Can Make a Difference

This whole "death panels" claim is one of the most insulting lies being spread about proposed health care reforms. End of life planning is incredibly important and empowering. It puts the decisions about what will happen to you in your own hands so those wishes can be carried out even after you're able to express your wishes. That is all these proposed reforms call for: paying for the cost of an end of life planning session with a health care provider. There is nothing in the language requiring such sessions to be offered by doctors or participated in by patients. The provision simply modifies existing Medicare language describing what the program will pay for. End of life planning has absolutely nothing to do with the costs associated with your care. To spin such a helpful provision into something negative and scary is downright despicable.

Needless to say, these are just a few specific instances of claims that have raised my ire. The bottom line is we all agree there are problems with the way things currently operate in the health care system and far too many people going bankrupt to pay for care or dying for lack of access to care. If you don't agree with the proposals currently being discussed share your own ideas with everyone you possibly can. But don't resort to lies and distortions. It's lazy and we're all tired of being lied to.

Sources:
Full Text of Rep. Charles Boustany's Republican Response
Remarks by the President to a Joint Session of Congress on Health Care
The President's Remarks and a Letter from Ted
A Voice on the Floor on Illegal Immigrants: 'You lie'
Seven Falsehoods about Health Care
Wilson: Active Citizenry Can Make a Difference
Keep Your Insurance? Not Everyone
Palin vs. Obama: Death Panels

Technorati Tags: depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed:
Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

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.