Excedrin Winners Announced And My Migraine Triggers App Review

As you all may remember, I went to New York City last month to learn all about Excedrin Migraine's new app, "My Migraine Triggers". (And yeah, I got to eat dinner at a swanky wine bar, get a luxurious Swedish massage, and I even got to hang out with the beautiful and super-talented Jordin Sparks....Ahh, the life of a blogger!)

After I got home, it wasn't long before I got the opportunity to use My Migraine Triggers. Sadly, I get pretty bad migraines on occasion, and I have never been able to pinpoint why. I had a few ideas, but have never been able to identify the causes of my migraines before they happened. So of course, I'd end up curled in a fetal position in a dark, silent room, crying my eyes out because the pain was so severe at times. And if Mommy is out of commission for several hours, things just don't run smoothly in my household.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I felt a migraine coming on....I felt nauseated, I had sensitivity to light and sound, and I was incredibly cranky due to the stiffness of my neck and the throbbing pain that was slowly making its way around my entire head.

Since I learned that identifying and understanding triggers is key to managing this condition, I pulled out my iPhone and used the My Migraine Triggers App to help understand what may have triggered the episode.

Here's a brief walk-through of this app. It's very easy to use, and can help keep a record of your migraines and all potential triggers. It's also a great tool to open up a dialogue with your physician.

After installing the app to your mobile device, the instructions are very clear and easy to follow. There is even some great information about migraines that you may not have known before!

There is even a Migraine Diary so you can easily track the frequency and duration of your migraines. This comes in SO handy!

My favorite part of this app is that it allows you to easily identify your triggers. Take a look:

You can track your migraine symptoms using a simple checklist. I often experience nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and neck pain and stiffness. I also get an intense throbbing that may be isolated on one side of my head or wrap around like a vice.

This app even allows you to track dietary triggers. I almost never eat breakfast, and I didn't know that skipping meals could contribute to migraines. Another interesting thing to know is that certain foods like aged cheeses and chocolate can be a common culprit as well!

As a mom, I don't get nearly enough sleep. I also tend to stay pretty stressed out at times. Oh, and that caffeine habit I am trying to kick hasn't helped my migraines, either! (Caffeine withdrawl headaches are the absolute WORST, in my humble opinion!)

As you can see, the My Migraine Triggers app is very simple to use, and takes the guesswork out of identifying triggers.  As you experience the start of a migraine, you simply open this app and go through the checklist. This allows you to gauge level of pain as well as identify physical, emotional, and environmental factors that may have contributed to the migraine.

I highly recommend downloading the My Migraine Triggers app. It will allow you to keep accurate records of your migraine experiences and will help identify what your own personal triggers are. Of  course you should definitely discuss your results with your doctor and come up with your own personal treatment plan.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

• Download the My Migraine Triggers app
• Visit the Excedrin Facebook page
• Follow Excedrin on Twitter.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!!

My 2 winners for the Excedrin Migraine Relief Kits are:
Katie L.
Louis U.

Congrats! You've been contacted via e-mail, and as soon as you confirm, I will pass your info along to the sponsor!


***Disclosure: I am an Excedrin® Migraine brand ambassador. One iPod Touch to test the app was provided by Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., the makers of Excedrin® Migraine; my journey for a migraine-free experience is my own.***