Women’s International Hemiplegic Migraine Group

05/01/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how vulnerable it is to open up about what we’re going through.

I started to share more deeply in a new space, hoping to create connection—but I realized I’m not quite ready for that in the way I thought. And that’s okay.

Living with chronic pain and complex health issues is already so much to carry. Taking care of our mental health matters just as much, and having the right support—like a trusted therapist or counselor—can make a real difference.

I’m still here. I’ll continue sharing parts of my journey, in a way that feels right for me. And if you’re navigating your own challenges, I hope you find spaces and people where you feel safe enough to be seen.

You’re not alone in this.💚

04/28/2026

New research is reinforcing something many of us already experience: brain health and mental health are deeply connected.

This mind–body link is especially important in conditions like hemiplegic migraine, where neurological symptoms are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors.

Understanding this connection matters. It supports a more complete, holistic approach to prevention, care, and long-term brain health across the lifespan.

This kind of research isn’t just academic — it shapes how we recognize, treat, and support people living with complex neurological conditions.

Brain Health Across the Life Span: A Framework for Future Studies: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association | Stroke
https://doi.org/10.1161/STR.0000000000000518

04/28/2026

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEMIPLEGIC MIGRAINE?

Hemiplegia is a medical condition that causes weakness or paralysis on one side of the body. It is one of the defining symptoms of hemiplegic migraine.

Another common symptom is aura — a group of neurological symptoms that can happen before or during a migraine attack. Aura may include visual disturbances, sensory changes, or difficulty with speech.

Other symptoms can include dizziness, vertigo, confusion, tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Hemiplegic migraine is more than “just a headache.” It is a complex neurological condition that can be frightening and deeply disruptive.

We will continue to educate and advocate for HM! 💜

04/24/2026

Hemiplegic migraine is more than “just a headache.”

It is a rare and often misunderstood neurological condition that can mimic a stroke, causing symptoms such as one-sided weakness or paralysis, slurred speech, confusion, dizziness, vision changes, and severe head pain.

For many of us living with HM, the symptoms can be frightening, unpredictable, and life-disrupting.

Awareness matters. Education matters. Compassion matters. 💫

If you live with hemiplegic migraine, please know you are not alone. Your experience is real, valid, and deserves to be understood.💜

To those who do not live with this condition: please take the time to learn. What looks invisible can be incredibly debilitating.

Saving this post may help someone recognize symptoms, seek medical attention, or simply feel seen.✨

04/21/2026

I’ve decided to begin sharing more honestly about my mental health journey alongside living with chronic illness.

Writing has always been therapeutic for me, and I’m starting a space where I can share what healing looks like day by day.

The first piece is called “No Mud, No Lotus.” 🪷

If you’d like to follow along, the link is in my bio / Linktree.

04/14/2026

I first learned about Benadryl and how it can help with migraines during an ER visit.

It was given to me through an IV, and I remember asking the doctor why. That moment changed how I manage my attacks. Since then, I’ve used Benadryl alongside my migraine medication when symptoms hit.

So why does it help?

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine. It works by blocking two natural substances in the body:

• Histamine — a chemical involved in allergic
reactions that can also contribute to
inflammation and blood vessel changes

• Acetylcholine — a neurotransmitter involved
in things like secretions (runny nose,
watery eyes) and nervous system activity

Here’s how it may support migraine relief:
1️⃣ It blocks histamine, which may reduce
inflammation and help calm an
overactive nervous system. Histamine
also promotes wakefulness, so
blocking it can help your body settle.

2️⃣ It has a calming, sedating effect. For
many of us, sleep is essential to
breaking a migraine cycle—and
sometimes Benadryl helps make that
possible.

3️⃣ It can enhance the effectiveness of
other medications. That’s one reason
it’s often included in ER “migraine
cocktails” and even some nighttime
cold medicines.

For me, it became one more tool in my migraine toolkit—especially during more intense attacks.💫

Always talk to your doctor about what’s right for you, but this was a turning point in my own journey.🌼

Histamine

04/13/2026

I have learned how important it is to have something to look forward to in your life. It can be as big as a trip to someplace sunny and exotic or as simple as a coffee date with a close friend...

I recently signed up for this Photography and Mindfulness workshop! I'm really looking forward to it! I have always had an interest in photography. I have been practicing mindfulness in my daily life and am excited to combine the two creative disciplines.✨

About the class:
“In this class, you will learn to slow down, connect with the present moment, and train your visual perception-free from judgment and expectations. Photography becomes a tool for active meditation, allowing you to explore reality from a deeper, more conscious gaze-without the pressure to capture the
"perfect" image, but with the intention of fully experiencing the process."
For more information, please visit:
https://andanafoto.com/en/photography-and-mindfulness

Can't wait!




❤️

04/12/2026

There is a quiet strength in not reacting.

In Buddhism, we’re taught that not everything requires a response…
and not every moment is meant to be controlled.

Lately, I’ve been practicing presence.
Letting things rise… and pass.
Without grasping. Without pushing.

Not every season is for striving.
Some are for stillness.
For healing.
For simply being with what is.

Like gentle rain…
you can nourish without force.

Trust your timing.
Trust the pause.

Set your intention… and allow life to meet you there.✨

“What are you learning to let go of right now?”

🧘‍♀️

03/22/2026

“Chronic migraine patients who used GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat conditions like obesity or diabetes had fewer emergency department (ED) visits than those on topiramate (Topamax), a real-world data analysis showed.

Compared with topiramate users, GLP-1 drug initiators were 10% less likely to visit the ED over the following year (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.94), reported Hsiangkuo Yuan, MD, PhD, of Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, in an abstract released ahead of the American Academy of Neurologyopens in a new tab or window annual meeting.”

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aan/120103

03/21/2026

Happy Saturday!!🥳

03/19/2026

It always seems like right when I need a little lift, a quote from shows up in my feed. Sharing this for anyone else who could use some encouragement today. 💛

03/16/2026