Whats been the worst thing to give up?

I've been reading in a lot of posts lately about people having to cancel plans, cut out on friends during outs and what not, etc. it got me to thinking about some of the things I've had to give up and I'll have to think about in the near future as a migraineur.
As a 17 year old raised in what I like to call a good cultured house, I used to love going to Billy Joel concerts, dances, and other such fun events. Once my migraines started though they really became pure torture for me. I was on a ferry in hong kong a week ago with 40 other theater kids (another of my passions) when the group started singing at the top of their lungs. Once upon a time I would've joined in, perhaps even been the loudest, but that time is far gone now. That trip to a cultural seafood restaurant became the worst migraine I have ever experienced; there was nothing I could do about it. I was literally trapped in my worst trigger, loud chaotic noise. Besides the migraine I became terrified.

So I've had to give up going to dances, something I used to love. I have to give up going on big outings with people, something I used to love. I can't go to concerts anymore because they literally paralyze me.

I'm wondering what sort of specific things youve had to give up in your life, or avoid. Especially things you used to love/enjoy. I think we'll find similar things among all of us.
What are some things, specifically,

You mention all the things that you had to give up - well one of the things that I had to give up long time ago, was all Chinese food.
Chinese food is the worst trigger for many, many migraneurs due to the fact that not only they have so many chemical additives like MSG, but the fact that the soy sauce iself is everywhere in chenese cooking and soy sauces itself a very bad migraine trigger.

All this also made me wonder if the fact that your migraines are getting much much worse is not caused by eating chinese food. Liveing in China you are probably eating these kinds of foods quite often. Perhaps you might get some relief if you test if chinese food is causing worsening your migraines, and if eliminating it will give you much needed relief from more attacks.

I would have a guaranteed migraine after eating in chinese restaurant, so maybe it is a good idea for you to try and to eat as much "european" food as possible.

Start observing if it is often that you gte bad migraine after eating in chinese restaurant - as you did in this case and if so you will need to try to eliminate all chinese food from your diet, as far aspossible. I know this might not be easy if you live in China.
But in this case try eating only chinese food which is plain, like simple grilled fish, with plain rice, and steamed vegetables making sure that they do not add any sauces etc instead.

I do like chinese food, but if giving it up means eliminating many migraines, I do not mind giving it up and no longer miss it remembering what it does to my head.

Energy and oportunity to see how far I could have gone. Migraines means a sacrifice of opportunity because of the time that it consumes.

For me, and active person, it has restricted the longer hikes, the concept of marathons, and stopped an art instructing job I loved. It squashed intriguing careers I couldn't consider because of shiftwork/irregular and long hours. Worst of all, it took away my earning power so that I could do what I am most talented and skilled to do, because I am bascially sick half of my days.

I always felt that I had to 'settle for mundane' in order to function financially in society and this has made me resentful sometimes. I tried to find greatness in something closer to 'home' and that being art, but by living in mediocre, you have to work harder to make ends-meet and at the end of the day, there is no quality time for creativeness. I now have to wait for retirement to let that reimerge.

It seems with migraines disease " one door closes and another opens just a crack to see what you are missing".

Wait and hurt is the migraine theme. Spare time is spent enjoying not hurting or searching for ways to not hurt next time.

What we call Chinese food and what Chinese people eat on a daily basis may not be the same. In some ways the diet may be better than a western diet, ie less sugar , no cereal etc. I'm curious about what constitutes a usual Chinese diet.
I did miss out on a lot when my migraines were really bad, but I really appreciated it when I was at a special event and migraine free. I really learned to enjoy the good times.

Two things I forgot to mention - one that it is not Chinese food that I miss most, in fact I hardly think of it at all. I mention it mainly becasue it has occured to me that this might contribute to Gopher's bad migraines.
And whilst on the subject, it is quite true that Chinese cuisine is endlessly varied and much of it is very healthy, and that "our" western Chinese food is nothing like people in China eat.
However, the soy sauce, no matter where it originates, is a product of fermentation process and therefore it contains MSG, as part of the process.
I am also sensitive to all soy, and soy products which feature a lot in the original Chinese cuisine.

What I miss most? The list would be too long, and would have to go back all the way to my childhood.
But mostlyly I miss "my life as it could have been" ( if I did not have migraines).
Even if my life has been, and still isl extremely rich and varied, it has been such a battle that it has it has left me exhausted and much worse off in every sense, then it would have been if I did not have migraines.

since i wasn't really an adventurous person anyway, giving up travel hasn't been so hard for me. i am GUARANTEED a hideous 2-day migraine from flying. driving anywhere is also very hard on my fibromyalgia body but especially my head. and now that i'm officially OLD (71) life slows down anyway. i still work half-time, because i have to.

the hardest to give up for me was food, in general. i have found, by years and years of trial and error, that i can not get away with ANY food chemicals. none whatsoever.

this severely limits my ability to eat out or with friends and family. either i have to bring my own, unadulterated food, or try to find out from the chef at a restaurant if there is any REAL food available. often there isn't. i'm not gonna starve; hungry all the time, so i eat before and after i go! still, not very fun to watch everyone else eat yummy dishes i dare not touch. dianne

I gave up going to college. I tried going back three different times but each time the migraines made it too difficult. I was also raising two kids and working so adding college to the list was just too much.

I've also given up junk food, any processed foods, and alcohol. All huge triggers for me.

Hi,

The hardest thing for me to give up has been the ability to plan ahead. I have missed out on some great things due to migraine.

I have also had to give up my chosen career- the ordained ministry because the seminary did not like migraines.

The hardest thing by far has come from the fainting disorder- I have had to give up driving, living on my own, and my independence due to the confluence of two disorders.

Pain free days,
sailing

I miss my independence the most. Because of my migraines I stopped driving in 1992 and with that I lost a great deal of control over my life. With the migraine it is difficult to plan ahead and therefore difficult to schedule rides with my husband or friends so if I still was able to drive I could get up and go when my migraines were behaving.