Vemma diary: continuing in 2008

With a New Year, feelings of new hope, new beginnings, and a fresh, renewed outlook on things inevitably arise, and I am determined to keep positive and pro-active in my search for a migraine cure in 2008.

The dairy-free life
On my shopping list this week there is no regular milk, yogurt or margarine. Instead they have been replaced by Soya milk, Soya yogurt and Soya spread. And you know what – it tastes all right. As I have previously discussed (in week eleven), many people are sensitive and not allergic to diary and gluten. Therefore it has been recommended that migraine sufferers should try life without one or both, to see if it helps. I have considerably cut down on my dairy intake since the New Year and so far so good. Plus, with the Vemma and the decaf tea I have been drinking lots of (well I am English after all) I’m hoping my body responds well to all three.

A time to be thankful
There are certain times in my life when I am thankful that I did not get a migraine, like during my holiday in Vancouver last month. I did have a bad cold however. Yet, this just made me even more thankful that it was just a cold I was suffering from and not a migraine. The cruelness of migraines is that they can strike at any time and will often strike with little or no warning. It often feels unfair and it certainly always feels intrusive, and even though there is that initial feeling of shock, at the same time it comes as no surprise. It's the 'oh no not now' thought followed quickly by the thought: 'OK here we go again'. For instance, after my delight of not being ill with a migraine during my trip to Canada, a week or so later, a migraine did make a not so welcome visit on Christmas morning. I did feel that initial shock and yet at the same time I just thought this is so typical. I wanted to sulk, but how could I? It was Christmas day. So I got out of bed and got on with the festivities, which to be fair wasn't too difficult with presents waiting and my mum and dad looking after me. It's when you are at work or at an important meeting, that it is very hard.