because of these sensory processing complications, people with migraines can take a lot longer to comprehend things, which is exacerbated by brain fog.

brain fog is a symptom of a number of conditions and again is something that people experience differently. for me, my train of thought feels more like a children's toy train with some gross sticky kid stuff all over it preventing the wheels from turning.

i can't think straight, i lose words, i forget what day it is, i get memories & people confused, i walk into stuff. it's kind of like only being semi conscious & semi present. my vision goes blurry & i get tunnel vision. it's hard to hold my head up & i can't speak loud enough

brain fog also makes involuntary bodily processes take a lot more effort. i'm aware of every time i blink and my breathing often becomes shaky.

people with migraines often dissociate - the feeling semi conscious/present are symptoms of dissociation as well as the blurred vision. sometimes i feel like i'm in a dream and have amnesia before and during the episode.

other symptoms include shaking, fatigue, insomnia, aura (visual disturbances, often compared to CD glare), loss of speech, phantom strokes (occur in hemiplegic migraines), anxiety, emotional dysregulation + sensitivity, reduced hearing, feeling too hot/cold, the list goes on.

the migraine cycle isn't just the headache either - migraines are preceded and followed by the prodrome and postdrome

migraine prodrome can last from hours to days and happens before an attack. symptoms include:
- depression
- irritability
- difficulty concentrating
- fatigue
- constipation or diarrhea
- muscle stiffness
- yawning
- food cravings
- frequent urination

the postdrome is basically a migraine hangover and occurs once the pain has gone. symptoms include:
- fatigue
- body aches
- trouble concentrating
- dizziness
- comprehension issues (still brain fog basically)
- intense hunger (toddler tummy back from nap time)

sometimes people have mirroring symptoms in the postdrome as they did during the prodrome - i am extremely irritable and sleepy before a migraine, but i often feel euphoric & alert afterwards, but also somehow still very delicate and fragile

migraines often occur alongside other conditions. we are more likely to: have a stroke, be neurodivergent, be mentally/chronically ill, have profound trauma, among other conditions (i am currently in a postdrome and can't remember anything else rn)

all sorts of things can trigger migraines & sometimes they just turn up. some common triggers include:
- extreme weather
- air pressure changes
- stress
- dehydration
- food (often dairy)
- poor sleep
- not enough exercise
- too much exercise
- menstruation
- puberty/menopause

there are a ton of treatments used for migraines, but a lot of them are only minimally or temporarily effective. i've never had medical intervention that has helped much but i will share some things you can do/get at the supermarket to take the edge off so you can nap it away

- coke (sip it)
- red apples (old wives tale, but kind of works?)
- 4head
- anadin extra (aspirin,paracetamol,caffeine)
- peppermint (tea/diffuser but dilute it first. great for nausea)
- eye patch
- lucozade/gatorade
- blue light glasses
- showering in the dark (be careful)

i'd recommend carrying a little migraine survival kit around with painkillers, sunglasses, ear plugs or anything else you may need if you get an attack in public. i have painkillers in every jacket and every bag and i carry water everywhere.

highly advise having a designated migraine outfit, something comfy and easy to change that you won't get too hot/cold in. here's mine: velvet leggings, t-shirt + polo (remove one if too warm), sunglasses/patch, hairband. as u can see, i look dope & am still cozy af. win-win.

another good thing to do is have a visible migraine action plan that tells you where your migraine stuff is because you'll probably (definitely) forget. stay comfy & surround yourself with soft things. here is another rad example.

on that note: end of thread. peace out homies

adding some stuff that i missed bc brain fog lmao:
- this isn't a comprehensive list, its largely my experience. i started getting migraines when i was about 10, i'm 21 now. for me they were most severe 13-16 and were terrifying.
- auras are also their own stage but not universal

my personal big triggers are barometric changes (summer thunderstorms are perfect migraine conditions), my menstrual cycle, stress, not eating enough or not getting enough sleep

after a migraine i really recommend plain foods or carbs. i always have a bowl of cheesy pasta once my appetite returns, or a couple of slices of buttered toast. i drink a lot of tea during an episode because water is too cold and somehow too watery?

sometimes when i've got a migraine from not eating properly, eating something will make it go away. this is pretty hit and miss though. did not help yesterday - i did feel slightly less shaky after eating some pitta bread but it had no affect on my head

postdromes are risky and if i'm not careful i'll land myself back in bed from thinking i've recovered and trying to do too much (sometimes just standing up is too much).

when mine are at their worst and i can't move, i tend to listen to Stephen Fry reading the harry potter audiobooks - they're comforting and i know them well enough that i don't have to pay attention or worry about missing stuff if/when i fall asleep

i also sometimes put on a show i know well and just listen to it in the background. if i'm just in silence i sometimes risk getting bored and going on my phone which is a recipe for disaster. screens are awful.

it's when i have a migraine that i miss my mum the most - i'm so lucky that she never questioned my migraines and she remembers how terrified i was when i had my first one. i live at uni now and miss her bringing me tea/painkillers/toast no questions asked

migraines are also often genetic (mine aren't ) so its likely that if you get them, you'll have a family member to blame hehehe. it's now been more than 24 hours since my migraine started and i still feel hella weird so i'm going back to sleep now, l8rs