17-year-old girl
My name is Valentina, I’m 17 years old and I suffer from migraines. The pain is mostly on the left side of my head.
As I have noise, light and smell sensitivity, I have tried to lie down and relax in a quiet, dark room. During the migraine I don’t hear so well and have a sort of tunnel vision, which means that I don’t see to the left and right very clearly and so recognize almost nothing.
Many people didn’t know about my migraines, especially my friends, because it bothered me that many people viewed this chronic pain as harmless and laughed at it. But my family as well as those at school reacted positively. I was allowed to lie down at school and take my emergency pills. If I couldn’t manage at school any longer, I was allowed to go home. At home they were considerate with regards to noise when I lay down.
In Datteln I had regular appointments where my condition was discussed. Apart from that, we talked about the pain diary which I kept during that time and wrote down, for example, how bad my migraine was or how long the pain lasted. I found the time in Datteln to be positive. I learned a lot about migraines there, had my medication adjusted and got some tips and help.
I now have my migraines under control. I know how to tell a tension-type headache from a migraine. If I get a migraine, I try to relax, take a pill and lie down in a darkened room. It also helps me to put quiet music on. Mostly piano pieces, but at any rate quiet and slow music.
The time in Datteln is already seven years ago. I’m now doing my Abitur and can deal with my migraines.