Getting lots of migraines at work, what can I do?

[Watermelonices]

Really struggling at the moment, work in healthcare in a busy role.

Am suddenly for the last few weeks getting quite debilitating headaches/migraines which seem to be triggered by heat, the sun, screens and noise, which I can’t avoid at work. Oh and stress which is huge.

They are massively affecting my functioning and I’ve had to go home a few times.

Patience is wearing thin with management , I’ve had loads of tests but it points to stress/migraines. I have exhausted sickness absence and am getting worried about finances.

Does anyone have any advice? The only thing that has changed is work has become more target driven and demanding and I am struggling a bit, because I feel so bad.

thanks

I know exactly how you feel OP and you have my full sympathy.

Can your work do a risk assessment?

What medications have you trialled? Some help reduce the frequency of migraines but different ones work better for different people. Do you use an abortive when they come on. Also worth looking at common dietary triggers - migraines are generally multiply triggered and if you can avoid some triggers it gives you more capacity to deal with the triggers you can't avoid in the workplace. And of course easy to say but if you can do anything to reduce stress levels (exercise, yoga, meditation ) and sleep better it will also increase your tolerance for unavoidable triggers.

Really sorry to hear this and I can relate! For the past few weeks I have started to suffer migraines every day or every other day, which I've never experienced in my life. It could be the recent heat and humidity.
So I'm sure you know all this, check your diet, some additives trigger migraines so maybe avoid takeaways and packaged food for a bit or cut down.
Add celtic or pink hymalayan salt to your water and make sure your electrolytes are not being diluted by drinking too much water.
Stay out of the sun.
Sleep is so very important.
Go for walks when it's cooler.
Minimise computer, tv and phone screen time.
If it's not shifting need to ask gp for triptane or buy over the counter meds.
Good luck. Hope you get rid of these terrible migraines 😪

In terms of the screens/light, could you try blue light glasses? They really helped my migraines Madison Avenue Blue Light Blocking Glasses. It might also be worth going for an eye test to check that you are not straining. Loops also hugely help me, they're not noise cancelling, they just reduce noise to a lesser level. You can hear everything that is going on but they help hugely. Loop Engage 2 Ear Plugs. Neck ice rings are also great in keeping me cool. Neck Cooling Tube.
If you can reduce the migraine triggers you might find the stress is relieved, as part of the stress contribution is probably you being aware that you don't want another migraine because you don't want more time off. Have the doctors offered you any medication?

What are you taking to abort them? Also be aware that taking pain meds too frequently can cause rebound headaches, so really killing it properly the first time is important as just knocking it back a bit means you keep taking pain meds for longer which increases the chance of a rebound.

I’m not used to headaches really so just been taking a few paracetamol and ibuprofen

Give the Migraine Trust a call. If you have had migraines for over a year you are covered by the Equality Act. Sumatriptan changed by life after 20 years of suffering.

Still in the investigation process with gps, they have ruled out other things with tests but just said most likely migraines but offered no treatment. I do have some propranolol which I had prescribed previously, which I have tried a couple of times but not sure if it helps a lot.

i have had an eye test and have dry eyes too which are bad.

Ill take a look at the plugs and glasses thx

The Migraine Trust told me propanolol can be a trigger. Try triptans.

Thanks, it’s difficult because I have to drive to work in the sun and my window is in the sun, it’s boiling and am getting daily headaches from this when others seem unaffected!

thanks I’ll have a look

*my life not by life!
Can you get prescription sunglasses?

Thanks, not tried much other than paracetamol and ibuprofen and maybe a propranolol.

A lot of my stress relievers involve being outside, walking, gardening or screens/reading so I am struggling to manage stress

I'd ask your manager to swap your seat with someone, I'm sure someone else would be happy to be in the sun and that way you're not in direct heat.

I have mentioned the triggers for about 6 weeks now and that I am struggling, they keep trying to move me into busy noisy environments which are hot and bright. I think they think I’m being awkward. I just need somewhere cool quiet and dark to go and work but there’s no where like that, so then it just intensifies

Try Polaroid sunglasses they filter out the sun heaps! Use preservative free eye drops for the dry eye. There's an eye cream for nighttime, so it lubricates while you are asleep. Boots sell both of these.
Try triptane.
Ask for blinds where the window is at work or ask to move away from the window. This should be something your employer can do as part of your occupational health review.
Get all the filters on the computer and have the screen on low light etc.
Regularly moving away from screen and blinking is advised. Beat of luck.

It doesn’t make sense for them to put you in those situations as you're more likely to be off sick. This is a serious disability and employers need to make reasonable adjustments.

We are all in one big busy noisy room. I have a separate room (small, bright, hot) off the main room which I’m grateful for but it’s still noisy. Not as noisy as the main room though. There are a few separate offices with other staff in, but a reluctance to shift too many people around

Sumatriptan has changed my life. I keep some in my work bag and it can kill a migraine dead if I take it when I feel one coming on.

I haven't read the whole thread but I went through this awhile ago. Things that helped ever so slightly: limiting caffeine; using the 'night light' function on the computer (computer based job) and adjusting the intensity of it depending on the room lighting to whatever felt comfortable; wearing glasses instead of contact lenses; regular short screen breaks; room lighting not being overly bright and harsh (luckily my colleagues in the office all seem to be on the same page on that one and another colleague also struggles with migraines); getting as much sleep as possible (still rubbish often due to young kids night waking though).

All that being said, I was still suffering terribly until I started taking amitriptyline daily. I only ever took 10mg and never needed to increase the dose. The migraines literally just disappeared. I think it was probably more due to it helping me sleep better than anything else but whatever the cause of helped so much.

I don’t go anywhere without Sumatriptan.

have a read of the Migraine Trust pages especially the ones about work. they have a helpline you can call for advice and signposting whilst you get checked for migraine. Propanadol is the first preventative drug tried as it’s cheap and help many who have to use it. there are other options and yes it’s worth asking about preventative drugs if you are in an active migraine phase and migraine headaches keep happening. ( The green filter lenses for migraine are cheaper from the RNIB if you need them. they block most light so do not wear them if driving)

I have them already but it feels like I don’t have them on and feels like the sun burns my eyes they’re so sensitive

You say you've tried propranolol a couple of times? This needs to be taken daily over a long period, not as and when you have a migraine, it's used as a preventative but can take a few weeks to build up to full effect.

Thanks I didn’t know this, no one has ever told me when and how to take it. Once per day?

Years ago, pre equality act, I was facing disciplinary due to migraine sick leave. HR stepped up and arranging a medical assessment and OT at work assessment. The resulting report allowed HR to move me from a dark office next to a photocopier in a very busy office that ran all day to one with a desk by a window that opened in an office with two of us. they altered hours to very flexible and noted that days sick from migraine counted as disability as I was under a hospital migraine clinic. Once I had HR behind me doors opened.

Keep an in-depth headache diary as this will help your GP work out what type of migraine you could have and what drugs may help you. It will also give you a record if you have to go via a medical assessment for fitness to work.

I forgot to add the link for the Migraine Trust pages on work. See below.

migrainetrust.org/live-with-migraine/migraineandwork/managing-migraine-at-work/