The Best Way to Make Decisions

Our emotions can overwhelm us and we make decisions out of desperation – what is the best way to minimize this? This is what I think.

“The kinds of decisions people face in medical contexts are in so many ways different from the decisions they confront in other aspects of their lives. When I make my biannual trip to the mall to buy clothes, I can quickly peruse the shelves of shirts and find colors, fabrics and prices that suit my preferences. Occasionally, I purchase a shirt that falls apart on the fourth wearing, not altogether surprising given my proclivity for deeply discounted apparel. Rarely a shirt will shrink more than expected and my oldest son will gain another dad-me-down for his wardrobe. But I pretty much know what I like, shirt wise, after all these years, and the stakes of bad decisions are so low that it doesn’t really matter if I occasionally make a bad choice” Critical Decisions by Peter Ubel (2012) pg. 147-148.

Making the right decision for treating your migraines is a little more difficult. The margin for error and consequences is significantly greater than just buying some clothes or deciding what to have for dinner.

Actually deciding what to have for dinner needs to mean no migraine triggers.

Anyway I was trying to help you see that you must not give yourself a hard time, if you are finding it hard to make the right decision around your best treatment with your desired results. 100% migraine free of course!

Doctors aim for 50% reduction. I was devastated to hear that from a number of different doctors, when I wanted complete relief.

1. Make sure you have all the information you need before proceeding.

2. If you feel some anxiety, this is normal by the way, get some more information until you feel like this is the best way forward.

3. Sleep on it. Let the new information settle in.

4. Get a second opinion. Professional opinion, I mean. Ask some friends too if they have knowledge in this area. But you can see another doctor, or if you are seeing a specialist, go back to your general physician about what the specialist said.

This way you can check newly recommended medications with him or her. And then you can even see another specialist. But don't go overboard.

Talking to your pharmacist around medications is also a great idea. Make sure they know everything you are taking and for what.

5. Then you just have to trust your intuition. Trust that you are making the best decision with the information you have right now.

6. Remember this is an experiment. Trying different things to find what works for you. So let yourself make other choices once you have more experience, additional or new information.

Making the Right Treatment Decisions

Now the problem with getting more opinions is that if they differ greatly, you might become confused. So I always feel that 3 doctors or specialists are enough. If I feel confused, I often meditate on it for at least a week, and then let myself come to what feels right.

Easier said than done … but I just ask you to give yourself time to absorb all the new information and to make sure it feels right for you.

Name one way you have found to make the decision making process easier. Please click here to share your answer(s) in the Facebook comments box at the bottom of the home page.

Oh and just for your information, the best migraine treatment I have found to date is in this post How to Treat a Migraine with ice and heat.

Building resilience all starts with having a plan. A solid pain management plan. These are my four pillars of strength.

Pillar One - Information + Education = Options + Choices

Build Your Own Migraine Tool Kit - Here is my article with eleven steps on exactly how to do it yourself! It has all the forms you need to print out and step by step instructions to navigate your way through effective chronic pain management.

Pillar Two - Meditation and Biofeedback Training

I highly recommend reading Cynthia Perkin's Mindfulness Over Migraines e-book that explains the science behind mindfulness and why it helps migraines. And she explains the method step by step that she uses to eliminate her migraines in 15 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly ... eliminate in 15 minutes. It will be the best $6.99 you ever spend!

Timing is everything when aborting a migraine attack.

Wild Divine Biofeedback is an essential part of keeping my migraines at bay. Learning to control breath and body temperature could assist in reducing migraines or eliminating them all together if they are stress related. Meditation is proven to help reduce migraine attacks. This system will teach you all of that. I love mine.

Pillar Three - Eliminate Potential Food Triggers

Dr. Amy Myers Elimination Diet eCourse is much easier than doing it yourself - like I did. It is vital to find our migraine food triggers, and avoid them where ever possible. Dr. Myers is an autoimmune expert. Just what we need! This e-course will guide you every step of the way.

Pillar Four - Use Food As Medicine

Migraines and Food is so important to me, especially after spending four years studying Chinese medicine, and a few more studying nutrition. I can choose what I put in my mouth. I can be proactive and help my body with nutritious foods and staying hydrated. I have a whole migraine food section that I hope you enjoy.

As you know pain is very distracting. It is very hard to think straight with a migraine even if the pain phase is covered by your abortive, you may still experience confusion (or other migraine symptoms).

What do you struggle with most? Have a place to vent your anger and share your pain here at Migraine Savvy. Share your story with those of us who understand completely. The good, the bad and the ugly!

If you’ve missed an issue click here to read the back issues.

Please share this with your friends and family.

It’s time to spread the word about Migraines and educate our loved ones!