Support
Don't suffer alone!
We are here to provide you with information and support that will help you effectively manage your migraine and cope with everyday life.
If you would you like to learn more about managing your migraine, visit the migraine information section of this website.
If you just want to talk or ask us a question about your migraine, please get in touch by clicking here.
How will I know if I have migraine?
Because there is no special test that says you have migraine, it can take time to diagnose. This may include many trips to your doctor and / or referrals to a paediatrician before your migraines are confirmed. This can be very frustrating as you don't know what is happening to you and what to expect next.
If you recognise any migraine symptoms before you are diagnosed then it is important that you fill out a migraine diary for at least 4 - 6 weeks to help your doctor make a diagnosis. You and your parents should think about your symptoms and write everything down so your doctor can decide for sure whether or not you have migraine and the best way to help you. Write down:
- If you have a headache that lasts between 1 hour and 3 days
- When you started to get headaches
- How often you get headaches
- Whether the headache comes and goes during the attack
- Whereabouts on your head that it hurts
- If your headache gets worse if you move around
- If you have stomach ache that lasts between 1 hour and 3 days - this might be abdominal migraine
- If you feel OK in between the attacks
- If the symptoms stop you going to school, swimming, dancing, playing on your computer, watching television or anything else you would normally take part in
- What the pain is like, for example throbbing or sharp
- If bright light, certain sounds or smells upset you
- If you sometimes have trouble seeing things
- If you sometimes see patterns that aren't really there
- If you feel sick or are sick
- If you feel very hot
- If you feel a little bit clumsy
- If you have trouble speaking
- If someone else in your family gets migraine
It may also be useful if you take some of our leaflets with you to your doctor and see what he / she thinks.
Your doctor may refer you on to a paediatrician at the hospital. A paediatrician will ask a lot of detailed questions which is why you should take your migraine diary along with you to the appointment. He / she may also decide to give you a brain scan to help with the diagnosis. Don't worry if you have a brain scan - this doesn't hurt!
You can ask your doctor to refer you to another doctor, a neurologist, who has more experience in treating migraine. Click here to see who your nearest specialist doctor is.
Once a diagnosis is made your doctor may be able to offer you advice and / or some treatments. We also have lots of information to help you understand more about your migraine; we can help you come up with a plan that could help reduce the pain and amount of attacks you have. Go to the migraine information section of the website to learn more about your migraine and the options available to you.