Me, too. And my CLIENTS have supported me! They are an amazing group of people. Once, when I was in the middle of a brainstem aura and stupidly answered the phone anyway, one of my clients offered to drive 45 minutes to my house to pick me up and drive me to the ER. She made me promise to go and then checked to make sure I did. They have been so amazingly understanding, patient and loving. Most people really are good and do care, if youāre honest, sincere and dedicated to serving them to the best of your ability.
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Thanks everyone for these replies; I didnāt expect all that many. It seems that we all struggle and have to adapt our lives in a way to allow for this dreadful condition. Many of you have mentioned medications and how thereās no need to suffer if one takes them. The trouble with that is that there is not one medication that suits everyone is there? The condition is so weird that so many solutions are cited. I myself use COQ10, Magnesium, B-vits (previously as they make me feel worse so I stopped), Manuka honey, etcā¦ but Iāve not tried the ānormalā migraine solutions like Nort, Ami, Propranolol, or tranquilizers. Why? Because I know their addictive propensities and I donāt want a host of other problems to deal with as well as the MAV.
But my question was really about adapting to work and what kind of work people do. There are so many occupations that would be impossible with this condition so itās comforting to hear that many of us have been able to work round it. Thanks again. Anthony
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Physical work would be undoubtedly more difficult. Everything is going well then BANG it hits you!
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Emily, I forgot to mention that I too have such incredible supportive customers! They have been so caring. One thing I can say that has been a positive from this MAV experience is the kindness of others, itās been so humbling to know how many really good people surround me every day that otherwise I may have taken for granted. 
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Thank you so much for sharing your stories. They give me so much hope. I have been dealing with VM and VN for the last 9 months and have not been able to return to work. At the moment fighting with my employers disability insurance to extend my leave until I give birth to my baby. Apparently me not taking meds due to pregnancy tells them that I am well, which is not true, I so wish that was the case. They are making my life more stressful and making my symptoms worse. Reading all your stories is so inspiring and makes me believe that I too will be able to return to work, even if it is part time work, ill be happy, as long as I can keep doing it until I can retire, 27 yrs left sighs 
. Maybe theyāll find a cure by then. 
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You are all so very lucky to have this support in your work life! I absolutely do not, and it really makes it more stressful. I will most likely be transitioning to a different group in the next month. I am stressed about learning a new role, but I do know the people are very supportive, nice people in general.
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Weāre here for you. We understand. Weāre your tribe.
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Gosh Ant. I think you just did me The World of Good. I feel twenty - or more - years younger. Itās years since Iāve felt this angry. In fact Iād completely forgotten how I can become so angry, my fingertips vibrate! Iām positively bouncing with indignation.
Like you I thoroughly understand addiction. I worked with drug addicts and seen withdrawal. I even watched my own mother going through terrible withdrawal from prescribed drugs but I wouldnāt be prepared to suffer indefinitely from MAV or any other chronic condition for that matter in order to avoid taking something that might control it.
That, as Granny would have said, is āputting the cart before the horseā every time.
I cannot imagine having been able to continue long-term in any of my previous, and very varied, employments whilst living with MAV. Whereas many individuals/other employees are kind and helpful businesses exist to make money not support the sick. So @naejohn you arenāt alone. In tough working environments itās much a case of ādog eats dogā and sick dogs get eaten all the quicker. Law of Nature. Iām really glad I havenāt had to try working and living with MAV simultaneously. Hence my comments about trying to gain control over MAV rather than struggle on with it. I know my symptoms would have totally precluded me from either retraining or adapting to any alternative type of employment except, Got It, perhaps testing mattresses, providing of course I could do it at home. Helen
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Wishing you the best in your new role @napagirl! Itās amazing how sometimes the changes we are most anxious about end up being a real blessingā¦ I hope that is true for you! Keep us updated 
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@Naejohn thank you!
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@AntofBlackpool that is something I wonder as well! At least for the purpose of planning my next career into retirement. Something, at least most of the time, that could be done from home- something part time- something that one can flex their schedule around. The problem is, most of us were just fine before this condition struck us. We were established in our careers, have specific degrees- itās not so easy to just jump into a whole other thing when youāre suddenly struck with a disabling condition. Obviously, had I known back when I was in college that this would strike me at age 45, I wouldāve perhaps studied accounting or something allowing work from home.
None of us, of course, could know ahead of time if we were to become disabled by any disease or affliction. Here in the US, that is what disability is for- we pay into it. But with conditions like MAV, itās not so easy to qualify. Thatās my rant! I saw that the Migraine Summit was going to address this on one of the last days. I didnāt purchase the series to watch, but Iām thinking about itā¦
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I was lucky in the respect that I was struck down with MAV when I had just gone from full-time to part-time work. I work at an Art & Design specialist University as a careers adviser which involves 1-1 interviews, lectures, lecture preparation and resources, admin, etc. I was unable to function in this role and went off sick for 1 month then tried to go back and realised that I couldnāt hack it after attempting to deliver two lectures. I went back off sick and saw Dr S who signed me off sick for a further 4 months . I was fortunate that I was eligible for full sick pay during this time as I was able to concentrate on getting better without the worry of no income. I went back to work in September 18 and continue to improve - Pizotifen is working well for me and the 6 C ā s diet.
It was this forum that helped me find the road to recovery as I Googled my symptoms and found 'Gemās story which matched my own. That and the encouragement from current members especially from @Onandon03 and @Jojo65. Jan
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Jan
You are a credit to others. You were terribly ill and followed advice from Dr S and took your meds as prescribed even though they had awful side effects each time you titrated upā¦but you stuck it out. And its fair to say you still struggle with ear problems but continue to crack onā¦well done youā¤
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Kind words Jo - thank you! Jan x
You certainly got to the crux of the matter with those words Jo .
. Jan did well thereā¦ She certainly hit in The Right Formula.
What would have helped her most too I think is she got a quick diagnosis and access to treatment AND
UK does have some really good employers. Trying to get through MAV, or any chronic condition, without being able to make such changes as are necessary to assist recovery. Helen
Hi Jan. Glad youāve done so well on Pizotifen. Hope thereās still time for you to get around to writing up your story under personal Diaries particularly as
It would stand as an inspiration to others struggling on. Helen
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Absolutely Helen!!!
Još
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11 posts were merged into an existing topic: Migraine World Summit coming March 20, 2019.
What a good ending.
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