Stop Flip-Flopping the Weather! I'm Getting Migraines!

***Disclosure: I am an Excedrin® Migraine brand ambassador. This post is in partnership with Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., the makers of Excedrin® Migraine; my journey for a migraine-free experience is my own.***

Come on, Ohio...It's supposed to be summer! (Or close enough to it, since the "official" start of summer isn't quite here yet.) It should be 80 degrees, sunny, and nice. Instead, our weather has been flip-flopping around from hot to freezing cold. Yesterday, it barely reached 60 degrees. And to add insult to injury, there was an arctic breeze thrown in for good measure. This, unfortunately, has been the norm for the past month or so.

Yesterday, while my husband was re-paving our patio and my kids played outside, I stayed indoors, with a blanket over my head to mask the light, because I felt a migraine coming on. So I quickly took some Excedrin Migraine, since it's the #1 Neurologist recommended OTC migraine treatment. In fact, it is the very first non-prescription medicine cleared by the FDA to treat all the symptoms of a migraine.

Thankfully, within about 30 minutes, I started to feel a bit better. So then I pulled out my iPhone to check the My Migraine Triggers app to see what may have caused this sudden throbbing in my head. When you can find the triggers, you can help to prevent future episodes.

The My Migraine Trigger app is incredibly helpful in identifying triggers for my migraines, and it also allows me to keep an accurate record of them to discuss with my doctor. I have never been one to write things down on little notepads, so the convenience of having this feature built into the app on my phone has been great!

Now on to triggers...Well, I knew I could rule out food, since I hadn't consumed anything to aggravate the situation that day. Chocolate is a known trigger of mine, so I tend to avoid it at all costs, even if people do look at me like I am crazy when I decline desserts!

I was also well-rested, so fatigue was out. I have not been overly stressed lately, either. So I am fairly certain that the barometric pressure changes due to the weather coupled with PMS were the culprits. (Yes, this is a deadly combination for me, and it's enough to make my whole family hide!) Sadly, I cannot control the weather or my monthly cycle, so it looks like it might just be a rough week for me this week.

Do you suffer from migraines like I do? Well, you're definitely one of many. Roughly 36 million people in the United States suffer from migraines, and  three out of four migraine sufferers are women typically ages 18 through 35. Yep. We ladies get all the "fun" stuff. Pregnancy, childbirth, PMS and periods, and migraines.

A migraine can be severe and debilitating.  Symptoms can include an intense pounding or throbbing.  Migraines are typically associated with nausea and sensitivity to light and  sound and the pain is usually felt on one side of the head. (However, migraines can be different for everyone, so discuss your symptoms with your physician.)

Also, be sure to check out the Excedrin My Migraine Triggers app for your mobile device. While you can't always control a migraine, you can make the condition manageable by educating yourself, learning your own personal triggers, and coming up with an effective treatment plan. This free app is a God-send in my life and has helped me tremendously!

How do you handle your migraines? I'd love to hear any tips or tricks!