<p>I hope that one of my ideas will work for your D. I think it is best to have the solution lined up in advance. My guess is that 95% of professors will be understanding and flexible. There might be a professor out there who won't be helpful to your DD. You know, your D might want to find that out early on (info for next semester) so that she could even consider changing professors after the first week if finds one who is not going to be understanding. This might be a reason to even read through the rate my professor site scanning for this type of warning.</p>
<p>When I was (much) younger, I had infrequent migrines with aura. When I turned 20, I started having them once or twice a month, sometimes with aura, sometimes without. I remember not being able to take a couple of exams in college due to this. My professors knew I was a good student and always let me make the exams up. (Most of the time, just looking at a person with a migraine can tell you they don't feel well.) One note about medications: recent pain research indicates that the more migraines a person gets, the more efficient their nueral pathways get at recognizng pain and so the pain gets worse and worse over time. (This a bad summary of pain research!) You may want to look at the options of preventing even occasional migraines with the new meds, which are non-narcotic and only work for migraines & nothing else so that your daughter's body doesn't have a chance to practice at having painful headaches. Good luck.</p>
<p>Weenie, I didn't mean to be sarcastic. Not at all.</p>
<p>Having all of you people to talk to is extremely helpful during those times when all a parent can do is listen to her kid cry over the phone. I may not be able to do much about my kid's frustration level, but you guys are helping with mine.</p>
<p>Anyway, after about 200 cell phone minutes worth of misery, my daughter decided to e-mail the professor who's giving the exam on Friday. She explained what her problem is and said that it was unlikely to occur during the exam, but she asked what he would want her to do if it did happen. She got an immediate, matter-of-fact reply telling her to tell a proctor if it happens and ask for extra time. She was very reassured by this (especially since the professor is very intimidating in lecture and she's scared to death of him). </p>
<p>Whether she will want to contact the two instructors for next Wednesday's exams depends on how things go in the migraine department in the next few days. In one class, I don't think it's necessary. There's already been one test in that class, and she got a 97. She also got high grades on several other assignments. I doubt the instructor would think she's faking illness to get out of a test in a class where she is obviously having no academic difficulty.</p>
<p>She will probably also go to her college's counseling center's drop-in hours tomorrow and talk to someone. She's upset enough that this would be a good idea, I think. (As I keep telling her and people on these boards, you're paying for these services, so why not use them?) If the counselor insists, she will make a doctor's appointment, but that isn't likely to accomplish much (except to establish the legitimacy of the problem). No ethical doctor is going to give preventives or strong abortive drugs to a kid with very infrequent migraines. The doctor will almost certainly tell her to continue doing what she's doing, which is to take a large dose of Motrin as soon as the migraine starts, in the hope of taking the edge off the eventual headache. (Sometimes this even works.)</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks again to everyone for all your thoughts and stories. You have made a difficult day easier.</p>
<p>Marian, I am glad that your D took action and got a positive response. I hope she can relax a bit more now. I would encourage her to see a doctor.</p>
<p>It would be smart to learn each prof's policy ahead of time- at a top public, my Ds surgery & recovery had to be scheduled so that she would not miss any Ochem or Calc exams, as huge weeder classes, they have strict policies of NO MAKE UPS, at all, no reason :eek: The Ochem prof had apparently been sued at another famous school for allowing make ups, somehow that was an unfair advantage. The kids could not even switch times for their section.</p>
<p>For me sleep deprivation has always been a trigger, so I had to learn that all-nighters simply were out of the question. But, my MD prescribed some migraine meds (I don't remember the name but they were several $ a pill even 15 years ago!) even though the headaches were infrequent and less severe than some (last 4-8 hours, then have a "hangover" feeling for a day or so). That helped, though as I've aged I get fewer and excedrin type stuff seems to work just as well. I bet some docs would let her try a few more specific migraine meds.</p>
<p>I have had migraines "all my life"--except it's not true. I had them at puberty, in college, at certain high-stress points during my 20s... and then they went away until menopause, when they came back with a huge bang. For a while, BC pills helped prevent them (college, my 20s), as they were cyclic. Then I took big doses of advil. The menopause ones, though, responded poorly to advil... but the latest post-menopause ones go away completely with a small dose of oxycodone (which I am taking for post-surgical pain). </p>
<p>Sumatriptin and the other fancy migraine meds always made my migraines WORSE. </p>
<p>A regular schedule and careful diet (watch excess caffeine OR too little caffeine if you're accustomed to it) can make a big difference in migraine management.</p>
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A regular schedule and careful diet (watch excess caffeine OR too little caffeine if you're accustomed to it) can make a big difference in migraine management.
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<p>My daughter and I have already talked about those things.</p>
<p>She said that recently, she has been very irregular in her caffeine consumption habits -- lots of it some days, none on others. She's going to make an effort to be more consistent; it's an easy thing to do.</p>
<p>As for a regular schedule, my daughter is one of the few college students who has one, at least for sleeping. She lives in a single and consistently goes to bed before midnight and sleeps about nine hours a night -- her earliest class is at 10. (Have I mentioned that she's an 18-going-on-40 personality type?) She doesn't pull all-nighters and rarely stays out late even on weekends because she just doesn't like feeling that tired. </p>
<p>At her campus, strangely enough, freshman can easily get singles because there are plenty in the dorm neighborhood reserved for freshmen. Sophomores, on the other hand, almost always live in doubles because they have the lowest priority in upperclass room selection. </p>
<p>One of the ways in which I plan to nudge my daughter into seeing a doctor about migraines is that a documented migraine problem might well be considered an adequate rationale for a medically justified request for a single for next year (something she would absolutely love to have anyway). Doctors almost always recommend consistent sleeping habits for people with migraine, and going to sleep at the onset of a migraine -- if the opportunity presents itself -- is one of the better ways of getting rid of it. Both of those things are far more easily accomplished in a single than a double.</p>
<p>Marian, I know how hard it is to manage migraines, and how difficult you must find it to try to help your daughter from a distance. It sounds like you're doing all the right things... and I think the plan for a single is a good one, too.</p>
<p>The problem I always run into with my own migraine management is that, when I have a bad migraine, I can't do anything about it... and when it's over, I just want to forget about it. You might ask your daughter if she'd like you to make the appointment to talk to a doctor about it.</p>
<p>dmd77 Are you my long, lost sister? I have the same history as you.</p>
<p>When I did get migraines when I was younger (they were at the worst from 18-24 when I could get 4 a week that put me to bed for the day or more each time). There weren't the drugs that are available today. So, as you can see, my college years were plagued by migraines.</p>
<p>I did what your daughter seems to be doing - contacted professors before a problem, asking about his or her policy in the event I couldn't come to class or take an exam. I found most were very understanding and, I found, that I didn't miss many exams (I tended to get migraines after the stressful situation was over - like after my wedding!!)</p>
<p>She should also consult the health service on campus so that they are prepared to help her if needed and there will be a documented history in the event she encounters an uncooperative professor. And it could help her get a single next year. It would be very hard to have a migraine with a roommate trying to live her own life in the same room. I know I need complete darkness and quiet when I have a bad one. (You might want to have her medical records from her regular doctor forwarded to the health center.)</p>
<p>She should also talk with the Disability Services office on campus. They are the ones who work with students and professors on accomodations (and often provide services for make-up exams, additional time for exams, etc.)</p>
<p>She should be fine. Good luck!</p>
<p>What bessie said about the more migraines you get, the more seem to develop is true. The OP mentioned that her daughter seemed to get more headaches during puberty, and migraines can be linked to fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone during the regular monthly cycle. If your D finds that she is, for instance, experiencing migraines more often in the days just before her period, doctors <em>can</em> and often <em>do</em> prescribe prophylactic doses of anti inflammatory meds to be taken then and only then. The idea is to ward off the headaches, not only because they hurt and are debilitating at the time, but because they breed more headaches. That's why it's important to treat them. Also, many physicians are wary of prescribing birth control pills to people suffering from migraines because of (as I understand it) their enhanced risk of stroke. Of course, only a doctor specializing in headache and pain management and/or neurology can make that decision. Migraines stink. I hate them. I sympathize with your D!</p>
<p>Another voice to the chorus suggesting that she see another doctor, preferably a neurologist, or internist or OB/GYN with a special interest in migraine. She may or may not need specific migraine meds, but it sounds as if she needs some sort of prophylactic treatment, particularly during her college years. She needs strategies to help her manage her symptoms.
While contacting the professor is great - and necessary at this point - what if she gets a cluster of headaches around exam time each year? Wouldn't it be easier to ward them off? Also, if they are stress related, they may interfere with employment in the future.</p>
<p>I sympathize with her, I had mild menstrual headaches as a teen, that got much worse on the pill and during the stress of medical school. They didn't quite meet the definition or the severity of migraines (and back in those days there weren't very many good treatments anyway), but a bad one really interfered with my ability to work. In fact, the headaches were a part of the reason I chose the specialty that I finally pursued - I was able to control my life a little better.</p>
<p>Most professors are understanding. She should go now and talk to each one and tell them that this has returned and how it effects her. The dean of Students can also be very helpful advocate for your D. </p>
<p>My d has had migraines for years...clusters also and so we asked for a private room to lessen the effect others would have on her and (she on them). She has only had two so far at college this year as opposed to two a week in hs. good luck and hugs to your d. they put my d on noratriptalene at night as a preventative and it worked wonderfully.</p>
<p>Atlmom, nortriptylene is a tricyclic, right?</p>
<p>It's my understanding that this category of drugs and beta-blockers are the most commonly prescribed migraine preventives. In my daughter's case, beta-blockers are out of the question because she has a history of asthma, so if they ever give her a preventive, it would probably be the kind of drug your daughter is taking.</p>
<p>May I ask whether she has had problems with weight gain while taking the drug? I have heard that this is an issue for some people with tricyclics.</p>
<p>I take Imitrex as soon as I become aware that a migraine is coming on. It does tend to make me a little sleepy, though. After about an hour, I usually notice an improvement. Waiting to take the medication is the worse thing you can do;migraines only get worse to the point of incapacition. I always keep a couple in my pocketbook, just in case.</p>
<p>I used to get migraines during finals week. It definitely is due to stress. I found maintaining my sleep pattern and eating well reduced the risk. The good news is I went on to get my BA, JD, and Masters. So, the problem can be dealt with. Tell her not to worry about the possibility of getting one. If she gets one just prior during an exam she will be allowed to make it up.</p>
<p>Marian can you pm me, I was going to reply to your post but i could not pm you....i wanted to discuss this issue privately if you are willing.</p>
<p>I am not set up for pm's. Thanks for the offer, Atlmom, but I don't feel the need to discuss this topic privately at the moment. As it happens, the situation has improved and seems to be under control right now. I will get back to all the very helpful people here, including you, if it recurs.</p>
That’s a great question. I’m a college student that’s been on the dean list every semester and that gets migraines every 2-3 months for a few years now. I get them so bad I cry for days and take sleeping pills. Honestly I have no idea what to say about college exams as I’m in the midst of a migraine and have to take two back to back exams. My consolation is that even if I bomb them they are only worth so much of my grade and hopefully o won’t have a migraine on the next one. The worst is trying to study with a migraine that’s like trying to shoot a 50 feet free throw with a 10 lb bowling ball. My advice is get her help to prevent it from happening with another exam.
You have a legal right to be able to do your best work at college, through the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. While you can sometimes rely on the goodwill of professors, some will not understand. You need to get documentation from an MD and take it to your school’s disability office. Have the doctor write a letter with the accommodations you might want (excused absences, postponed exams, extensions on papers, reduced courseload, single room etc.).
The Disabilities Office gives you a letter to give to each professor stating that you are registered for accommodations.
Some schools list the accommodations, others don’t. There still is a need for negotiating with professors but a dean or other administrator will get involved if you have problems, once you are registered with the disabilties office.
Migraines qualify. You should NOT be taking two back to back exams with a migraine, or for that matter, one exam. You should not be studying with a migraine- that will only make it worse and prolong the problem. Try to understand that this in not fair and not a “level playing field.” Other students are taking exams and studying without these challenges and the idea between the law is that you should have equal opportunity to perform at your best.
By all means keep an early bedtime, and try to have work done in advance as much as possible in case something happens. But there is really only so much you can do. (Stress is a trigger not a cause- which is an important distinction. Weather is a big trigger too.)
Medications can help reduce the number and intensity of migraines but there really is no treatment that completely addresses the problem.