It’s Migraine Awareness Week from Monday 23, to Sunday 29 September, and we’re raising awareness of our team and some of the support that is available if you are among the 1 in 7 people who live with migraine.
The Migraine service at the James Paget offers the latest medications but the team’s work goes above the medical to support patients and empower those with migraine to explore what works for them to ease the condition.
Neurology Specialist Nurse Sarah Mann, pictured above (left), says; “Patient empowerment is at the heart of all we do, and encouraging individuals to support each other is often the most effective way for people to understand how to improve their quality of life.
“We have a Peer Support Group that meets at the Louise Hamilton Centreon the third Thursday of each month, 6pm to 8pm, and this is open to anyone, regardless of whether they are seen by the Neurology team in our Migraine clinic or not.
“There is no need to book in advance and I attend on an ad-hoc basis or I’m happy for messages to be passed on if I’m not there. Information on treatments and support is always available and the group gives you the opportunity to meet others who recognise that Migraine affects quality of life, and who can give guidance on where to go for help. The peer support group is often a good way to find out where to start and what to ask your GP for.”
Patients can be referred to Neurology by their GP if they have been tried on three oral preventative tablets, which haven’t been effective in improving the symptoms. Patients referred to the service who meet the criteria will be considered by Consultant Neurologist Dr Carlo Canepa, also pictured above (right). The first appointment in clinic is often with Specialist Nurse Sarah and she will send information to you before a face-to-face meeting. During the clinic Sarah will work with you to understand what your Migraine journey has been like, what has and hasn’t worked for you and what you would like to happen next.
The next meeting of the Migraine Peer Support Group meeting is on Thursday 17 October from 6pm to 8pm in the Louise Hamilton Centre on the James Paget hospital site.
In the meantime you may find the resources on The Migraine Trust website helpful; https://migrainetrust.org/