Not Scaring People at Work

Hi,

So I had to go home from work last week with a really bad migraine. Thing is, I've been getting migraines without the headache. I know it sounds like it would be a relief, but instead I'm lightheaded, have some neck pain, and am nauseous. Oh yes, and like usual have trouble talking/thinking. The trouble thinking is bad. I can't function really, but when I told them I had to go home because I had a migraine, they asked me how bad my headache was. I said I didn't have a headache. I said I was having trouble talking. This is normal for me, and I'm on preventives and they're working pretty well (as in no head pain), but I get crazy auras. I don't think there is much that can change that.

Do you guys have any suggestions about how I can tell them I can't work, without scaring them with my specific symptoms? What do you all say?

Thanks!

Angel

Try to explain to them the process of an aura, and how you know when a migraine is coming on.
Your not lying by saying that your getting an aura and are not sure if pain is on the way.

Good luck!

It's also not lying to say that you have a seriouse complicated neurological condition that causes episodes where you become disoriented and need to rest or it could get worse!

But I say .... Forget what others think. Easier said than done I know. But at some point... You do what's best for you, and if they judge you .. F ' em ( f as in forget, of course ... Lol )

good luck. Sorry your having a tough time!!

Don't know about you guys but I feel really disabled when I tell people I have a serious neurological
condition. My husband just looks at me and laughs. What support, right?

I think it was Richard maybe, or possibly someone else on the forum who suggested I tell
people that because they will take it more seriously. I got way blown off for that. It was like
"Yeah. Okay. Right. Why don't you go take your serious neurological conditioned butt back to bed."

I know its true, my god I feel it every day but nobody else gets it unless they've been there. Just
look at the crazy meds we go on to control this. My med makes me stupid and I used to be
pretty smart. I guess I still am smart but it takes me a whole lot longer to grasp things and
I can't remember anything anymore. If that isn't a drug someone with a serious neurological
disease would take, please...someone tell me what is?

Hey guys,

Thanks for the support! I asked my friend who has seizures what she says, and she said that she tells people at work things like she's having trouble concentrating. However, this to me seems to downplay the problem too. It's like yes this impairs me, but yes I also have enough sense to know when too much is enough, and it's time to go home. But I guess that makes people nervous.

I'm feeling a bit better now because after paying attention this week, I am getting more of the aura and headache than I thought, or at least jsut enough to know when to take my medication. So this week was pretty good. Then I'm trying to pay attention to what foods seem to bother me. What a pain! And as I keep saying, if lentils are on the list I don't know...because I really like lentils!

Angel

I use to have exactly the same problem - I'd say I was sick with a migraine and they'd ask if I had taken some aspirin for the headache.

One time, I went down to our little nurses station to lie down and she asked what was wrong - I made the mistake of telling her the truth - I was dizzy, extremely nauseous, was having trouble seeing, trouble talking without slurring and had a numb leg from a migraine; she sent me to the ER!

So over time I started telling people I had a mild to moderate non-progressing neurological condition that flares up occasionally but is nothing to worry about.

I did the same thing when it looked like I had a non-progressing form of MS. One size fits all.

Not scaring? NOT scaring? woman, you should milk it to the heavens!!!!!
finally someone is taking us seriously!!!



Risa

LOL. . Yes I want to be taken seriously. But I don't need to go to the ER. And I don't want them to think I can't do my job if I have these "trouble thinking" episodes frequently. Good point though...

In the end I think it was O.K. I came back to work the next day, and no one made a big deal out of it. I also have switched jobs so that I live a few minutes away, so that I can drive myself home unless it's wicked bad.

Angel

Be real careful Angel. I don't want anything bad to happen to you when you drive home.
If you have trouble thinking it means you'll have trouble reacting in a situation when your driving.
Most accidents happen just a few minutes away from home statistically. Please keep this in mind.

So over time I started telling people I had a mild to moderate non-progressing neurological condition that flares up occasionally but is nothing to worry about.

This is a smart idea. It kind of stinks you told them you get migraines already, but I think
it would still work. Not many people actually associate migraines with neurological disease
so they probably wouldn't put two and two together on that one. It's the truth and yet
doesn't involve the preconceptions of migraines. God, what i'd give for the whole world to understand what we all know about this.

Hey though, at least we have each other!