One Can't-Miss Migraine Resource

At age 45, it's hard for me to remember a time when I didn't have migraine. As soon as I turned 12, I started getting attacks with and without aura. Over the years, the intensity, frequency and nature of my attacks have changed — and changed again. Migraine definitely keeps me on my toes.

My adolescence and 20s were fraught with many intense attacks, with fluctuating hormones always being my biggest trigger. Migraine attacks often brought visual auras, nausea and vomiting, and incredible pain — sometimes even numbness down one side of my face.

Once I was given triptans, the attacks didn't last quite as long, but they definitely disrupted way too many sunny days, important events and vacation memories. Birth control made things ever more complicated. Thankfully, almost miraculously, pregnancy and breastfeeding brought phenomenal relief.

As a young mom, I started getting silent migraine, or acephalgic migraine, which is basically aura symptoms without the headache. While the head pain with migraine attacks can be super intense, I'd say the accompanying symptoms are scarier, and more disabling. When words have always been your thing, and then you start having transient aphasia — or you can't see straight — it's unbelievably disrupting and alarming.

Around 2020, I saw an uptick in attacks and had so much light sensitivity on the regular that I went on a preventive for a while. That helped decrease the frequency and severity of attacks immensely, but it did a number on my digestive system, so I tapered off a couple years later. When Ubrelvy entered the scene, I was anxious to try it, and I couldn't believe the speed of relief it brought with no drowsiness, no nausea. Plus, with gepants like Ubrelvy, you don't have to worry about medication overuse headache, often called rebound headache, which can result from taking triptans or NSAIDs like Advil too often.

I don't want to jinx myself, but lately my attacks have been few and far between, but each attack still varies. Sometimes they're super intense with nausea; others are quickly relieved with Ubrelvy. Unfortunately, though, my youngest starting having migraine attacks this year at age 11. To say that I will never stop looking for answers on migraine and how to prevent or stop them, is a vast understatement.

What's more, I feel for people, especially children, who suffer in silence. My family was used to dealing with migraine, and my dad was a pediatrician. I was so lucky to have the care and support I did. I've had so many conversations with people who have migraine symptoms, but they've never seen a doctor about them. It breaks my heart to know the relief they may be missing.

Also, I will do everything I can to stop the stigma. Migraine is not just a headache. It is a neurological disorder with myriad symptoms and migraine types. Also, though migraine is an invisible disorder, it is 100% real. No two attacks are identical. And although we can do things to increase our migraine threshold by controlling what we can: staying hydrated, not skipping meals, getting consistent sleep, etc., sometimes things like hormonal and weather fluctuations can bring on a doozy. It is never the person with migraine's fault.

If you or someone you love experiences migraine attacks, or thinks they may, don't miss the 2025 Migraine World Summit, March 20-27. Each day of the Summit, you can view four FREE 30-minute expert interviews on all the latest migraine-related research, treatments, practices, recommendations and more.

Register today, and plan your calendar around the topics you cannot miss. Help may be so much closer thank you think. There are so many treatment options available today.

I cannot wait for this year's interview topics, especially:

Brain Fog: Understanding the Cognitive Impacts of Migraine

Non-Drug Treatments for Migraine Relief

Hormones & Migraine: Debunking the Myths of HRT

Understanding & Treating Migraine in Older Adults

From Research to Relief: New Migraine Treatments in the Pipeline

What We Know About the Biology of Migraine

How Sinuses, Allergies & Weather Affect Migraine

Migraine Relief Through Gut Health: Science & Solutions

Are People With Migraine Having More Strokes & Heart Attacks?

Fact or Fiction: The Truth About Popular At-Home Migraine Remedies

When the Doctor Becomes the Patient: Migraine Firsthand

Each 30-minute video interview is free to view for 24 hours. If you need more time or would like additional information, access passes are available for a fee, and provide extras like extended interviews, a treatment directory with over 300 treatments cataloged, and summary sheets that provide an overview of what's covered in each video.

I've watched the Summit for years, and each year have learned so much! I love having new things to ask my neurologist after it. I've been able to put the expert advice into action and have reaped the rewards of doing so. The Migraine World Summit has been a godsend for me. It has changed my life.

The brilliant physicians interviewed are world-renowned and so gifted in sharing complicated information in an easy-to-digest way. I can't believe how comprehensive the insight is. Just when I think a wacky symptom is only something I experience, the doctors talk about it and relieve my concerns. There is so much misinformation out there today. Migraine World Summit is a resource we can trust.

Here's a video that celebrates the impact of the Summit over the last decade. Having helped prevent an estimated 1.6 million migraine days, I'd say its mission of reducing the global burden of migraine is being fulfilled.

Cheers to knowledge, reassurance, community support and hope!

Natalie Kaar