#chronic migraines with and without aura

[keplercryptids]

common myths about migraines (AKA if you get headaches regularly, please seek treatment for migraines)

"i don't have migraines because while i get them several times a week, it's only when i am hungry or dehydrated."

those are probably migraines. thirst, hunger, sleep disturbances, or any disruption to routine are common migraine triggers.

"my headaches are specifically barometric related, i get them when the weather/altitude changes."

those are probably migraines. barometric pressure is a common migraine trigger.

"i get headaches all the time but ibuprofen gets rid of them so they can't be migraines."

that's not true. ibuprofen works great at relieving migraine pain for many people.

"my consistent headaches are tension headaches. i feel them originate in my neck/shoulders."

those are probably migraines. muscle tension is a common migraine trigger.

if you are regularly getting headaches (once a week or more), you are likely getting migraines. in fact, a good rule of thumb if you're consistently getting headaches is to treat them as migraines until you can rule out migraines. that's how common "chronic headache = migraine" actually is.

migraines are a neurological disorder wherein pain is one symptom. pain is often the MAIN symptom, and the most noticeable symptom, which can make diagnosis tricky. other symptoms of migraine include:

fatigue

nausea/vomiting

digestive issues

visual disturbances (auras)

sensitivity to light and/or sound

mood changes

brain fog/cognitive changes

ringing in the ears

dizziness/vertigo

numbness/weakness on one side of the body

this list is NOT complete, but is a starting point. i really like the comparison to a hangover. if you generally feel hungover when you get a headache (without having consumed alcohol), that's a classic migraine presentation.

so many people suffer from migraine and don't even know it, so they aren't able to advocate for themselves to get treatment. there are great new migraine treatments on the market! if you're able, please seek treatment for your migraines. a better quality of life is possible.

[stuckinsanity]

Positivity is an uphill battle when the attacks just keep on coming.

[redsrooftopprincess]

Disability HCs

Not all mutations are going to be cool and hot, and let's face it, the world wasn't built for our boys. Here are some things they struggle with...

CW: Mental and physical disabilities, but thought that was obvious. 😅

Raphael:

Weight/Chronic Pain. The harness that he wears strapped across is chest isn't part of his battle gear. Being the biggest of his brothers, his shell is also the heaviest, and no one was ever meant to carry that much weight. Without support, he's likely to shatter bones jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Donnie designed a harness for him that distributes the weight evenly, but he's still in constant pain. He works out not just because he enjoys it, but because his muscles have to be able to carry him, and the more he can carry the less pain he's in.

Bipolar II. His highs are pretty chill, but his lows get DARK. Depending on where his head is when they hit, he'll either double his patrols or lock himself in his room. Violence or isolation are his go to. The only thing that seems to take the edge off is pressure therapy. He's a physical guy and the combination of physical touch, pressure, and being held by someone who isn't disgusted by or afraid of him, makes hugs the most effective and ready available option. Just don't ever point it out, he'll deny it forever. His brothers will plan a movie night that will inevitably end up in a turtle-pile (except for D, because "someone has to make sure you idiots don't knock over the popcorn").

Donatello:

Poor vision (duh). Degeneration from working in less-than-optimal lighting conditions and staring at screens for hours on end.

Hypermobility. He grew the fastest and the tallest of his brothers, which caused extreme hypermobility. His height, weight, and the addition of hundreds of pounds of gear means he's always in danger of dislocation. He wraps his joints tightly and meticulously before heading out, and wears flexible leg braces under his pants that he designed himself.

AuDHD as FUCK. Doesn't like to be touched, other than by his person, and even then only when he's expecting it. Has safe foods and will go without eating for days if they run out, but will completely forget to mention it to whoever is sending the grocery list to April. He's passed out more than once. Hyperfocus is an issue and the rage is real. His brothers have to sometimes force him out of the lab to eat or sleep. He can be very efficiently cruel when interrupted.

Michaelangelo:

Chronic Depression. Covers it well with being the "party guy," but once everyone else goes to bed, the smile fades. More than once he's had to drink or smoke himself to sleep. Cabin fever makes it worse. His brothers know it's getting really bad when he starts taking shots at himself, and plan something fun to do to get him out of the lair.

Cold intolerance. He's more sensitive to temperature than his brothers, and, being a reptile, hypothermia is a real concern. Keeps a (very stylish, tyvm) jacket or hoodie on him at all times, usually tied (very stylishly) around his (very stylish) waist. He forgot one night and almost fell off a building when he passed out. Since then, Donnie always carries a (not as stylish) spare.

Leonardo:

Migraines. Sudden and powerful. He knows that once he starts seeing auras he has about 15 minutes before they hit. Peace, quiet, and dim candlelit rooms are his best friend. Blue light makes them worse, so he tries to avoid Donnie's lab when he can. Nothing really helps, so mind-over-matter is really his only option, especially if they're in the middle of patrol.

OCD and it's a problem. NO ONE is allowed in his room. Everything has a place and everything is IN it's place and that is where it will STAY. Has daily rituals that must be adhered to or his anxiety his the roof. His anxiety exhibits as toxic control and the others know when he's in a bad place because he can be a REAL dick. Meditation is the only thing that really helps.

Everyone:

Lactose Intolerance. All are allergic to dairy, Mikey doesn't care. Everyone else does.

MBD. The lack of UV light means they're at risk for Metabolic Bone Disease. They take calcium and phosphorus supplements that Donnie mixes up for them

Hypothermia. While Mikey is the most at risk, hypothermia is a problem for all of them, especially in the colder months. Donnie invented a device that distributes heat across the inside of their shells after a near-fatal outing during a blizzard, but they still bundle up to keep the heat in.

Dehydration. As semi aquatic reptiles living on land, humidity levels are important. During the summer it's usually not an issue, but during the winter months Splinter is constantly reminding them to drink water, and they all have their own water bottles. Mikey's has stickers.

Shedding/Skin issues. Shedding is

U N C O M F O R T A B L E

They only shed their scutes once a year (and thankfully not at the same time), but they would rather land shell-first in an ant hill. For 2-3 weeks the unlucky one has a basically non-existent fuse, and more than once when they were younger the frustration and discomfort brought them to tears. Occasionally, it still does. Loading up on Vitamin E and keeping things a little more humid in the lair helps things move faster. They also have sensitive skin. The water at the lair is all UV filtered, but when they have to grab a quick shower at April and Casey's they're itchy for days.

.....

If you want to hear more HCs or anything that lmk! Love you! 💚

[oneshotnewbie]

Emily PrentissxJennifer JareauxReader:

The reader is working for the BAU and has a really bad migraine (She has chronic migraines but didn't tell anyone). She is really mad and distant toward her friends (you can include the boys too but make me girls main please) and they notice it and have a little intervention with her. After that a lot of fluff where Emily and JJ care for her

Authors note: Unfortunately I don´t have an Emily Prentiss x Daughter reader story, but I have added a new one to write. Until then, there is only one Emily Prentiss x Jennifer Jareau x Reader story from me today

ᕚ---ᕘ

You could say that you were a person with enormous stamina and a high tolerance level. Something that was a must for anyone who worked as a Supervisory Special Agent for the Behavioral Analysis Unit and under Aaron Hotch. Many people admired you for not jumping off the next cliff under the unbearable circumstances of this job.

And you yourself sometimes admired your own achievements. But everyone had their limits and it was a recurring thing that happened during your work hours. You ignored the first triggers. You exceeded your physical limits and your migraine appeared.

You could have guessed it when you got back on the plane from Oxford. The terrible serial killer and the panic it caused in the city, the fact that he had abused and murdered seven women. This case had taken more of a toll on you than you would have liked and you tried to deal with your problems in your own way. Which meant you threw yourself into the work, no matter how mundane every clue was and no matter what wall you hit.

“Y/n, maybe you should take a break?” begged Emily, noticing that you were doing everything you could to get Oxford out of your bones as quickly as possible. You, however, waved her off without saying a word and continued to stare at the white board on which every clue was hanging. "Do not need a break, I am fine." The black-haired went along with it, stayed by your side and tolerated your moods even when they drove her crazy.

Non-stop, without a break and with lack of sleep and malnutrition, you battled the nagging headaches and mild nausea. You became more and more tired, yawned and became increasingly sensitive to the loud noises of the office. Something you could tolerate skillfully. But Emily and your colleagues not.

You clearly knew you were on the verge of a migraine when you started seeing visual symptoms of a migraine aura. Your vision became distorted, sometimes weaker, sometimes sharper. For a few minutes you only saw white in your left eye, but you kept going, not giving yourself a break. You knew that no other woman could die because of you.

Hour after hour you were exhausted and just trudged from the office to the coffee machine. With a nasty headache and feeling like you might throw up, you swallowed it all and sat down on a chair while Penelope talked loudly to Derek. You felt like your head was going to explode at any moment from their voices. "Could you PLEASE shut up or at least go to another room to flirt with each other?" you huffed and massaged your temples, their sighs ringing like a hurricane in your ears. "Some people want to work here."

"Babygirl, are you okay?" he asked, surprised at your momentary outburst. He had never been allowed to see you like this, you had never snapped at him. A sharp pain shot through your temples and you hastily stood up. "Hey, cutie pie? What is going on?" the technical analyst also chimed in and waited for any kind of answer.

"I am fine, just leave me alone." your words came out of your mouth hastily and probably slurred, but you did not care. You had to go to the toilet immediately. Without turning around again, you quickly walked out of the office and stumbled in the direction you were heading. Every time you made contact with the ground, the headache got worse and you begged not to throw up on the way. You saw distorted vision in your right eye while small white flashes danced in front of it.

Rushing into the bathroom, you stood in front of the sink, panting and swallowing convulsively. Having migraines was terrible and right now you could not use one. You sighed in relief when you did not throw up, as long as you did not, it was not all that bad.

Loud footsteps sounded outside the door and a knock made your head explode. “Oh, y/n.” A rough voice spoke and you looked in the mirror. Emily and JJ had pushed through the door one after the other and were now standing with their backs to you, their arms crossed over their chests. Furthermore, you paid attention to your reflection in the mirror, which said that any idiot could see that a corpse in pathology looked healthier than you. So did the trained agents on your team. "What is wrong?"

You did not even hear half of the sentence, the second word was the end of it. You ran into one of the stables, fell to your knees and managed to bend over the toilet just in time. You squeezed your eyes shut as tears streamed down your cheeks and you threw up violently. “y/n?” the blondes voice had an worried undertone and you did not notice her standing strictly behind you. The next thing you felt were cool hands on your neck and shoulders.

Jerking away from the touch, leaning your head back against the wall as you pulled your knees into your body. You tried to block so many sounds and other sensations from your body, while only this crushing and throbbing pain existed in your head.

Once again you felt cold hands on your skin and everything in you protested as they helped him to his feet, an arm was placed around your shoulder and led you out of the bathroom and through the hallway. Soon your face made contact with a pillow and a relieved sigh rolled past your lips. You did not know where you were, just that it was quiet. Still, your currently oversensitive ears heard Hotch appearing to be talking to Emily, JJ, and the rest of the group. "No, we have no idea what is going on."

“Did you ask her?”

"We tried, but we got no response." at some point there was an angry snort at the blonde's answer and there were more footsteps in front of the door. The squeaking sound echoed through your head, pounding inside before the space on the couch shrank and a shadow appeared in front of you. "Sweetie, cards on the table. Tell us what is going on?"

The voice of the of the blonde was painful, yet it was strangely comforting to hear a familiar and loving voice. Still, you flinched violently as something cool was brushed onto your forehead. The nausea slowly subsided. "Chronic migraines since adolescence. But not so severe for a while."

Long fingers tugged at the disheveled and stray strands of hair on your face before she stood up again and walked to the windows. The room darkened, blinds closed and you moaned pleasantly. After making a trip to the door, she told the expected teammates what you had told her. You only heard a quiet "I will stay with her, but someone has to get me the medication out of my bag," before the door closed quietly and she sat down on the office chair, looking over you thoughtfully.

JJ waited for Emily to come back with some things and watched you laying there in pain, exhausted and completely distracted by the thunder in your head, trying to be as silent as she could. A few minutes later, the door opened again. You saw Emily through squinted eyes and spotted a bucket in her hand, a bowl of water, wipes under her arms and a large disposable syringe.

"What do you want to inject into me?" you asked surprised and a little frightened by the size of the abnormally large syringe. The blonde knelt down in front of you, pulling up your sweater and waiting for the black-haired one to hand it over. "Metoclopramide,"

"How do you know what to inject into me and where did you get it from?"

"You are not the only one who gets migraines. I used to get them often enough and since then I have always had an injection with me to protect myself from them in case they happen again." she frowned and laughed quietly. You nodded in acceptance and there was a moment of silence before a hot, stabbing pain shot through your lower torso and you cried out. "That hurts!"

Emily sat on the armrest and slipped her fingers between your own. You squeezed it tightly and she hoped to take the temporary pain away from you. "Why did not you tell us?" the black-haired asked sadly you huffed through gritted teeth. "I did not want to be a burden to you. I did not want to seem weak," you replied, shrugging.

"It was stupid of you not to say anything. At least to JJ or me." She paused briefly and you raised your head in confusion before nodding in understanding and looking over at the blonde. With a half-smile, she placed a band-aid on the wound and placed a thin blanket over your legs. "Okay. Next time I will let you know, I promise."

They both nodded and stood up. While JJ was putting away the trash, Emily leaned over and gave you a gentle kiss on the top of your head before she disappeared out of the door. "I will make you some tea,"

"You never make tea."

"I will do it today for a very special and stubborn person." She spoke in a whisper, winking at you. You laughed quietly and already felt a million times better than you did a few minutes ago. With a yawn, you sank deeper into the pillow and watched as the blonde turned on a small lamp at the desk in the dark room so she could continue working. "Thanks,"

[m4xgirlie]

A Surprising Invite

Chapter One - Raela’s POV

hello! this is the first real story piece i’m posting here, and i so hope you enjoy it! word count: 2,246

The lights surrounding the paddock and track of the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix were astounding at night. Soft mood lighting achieved by carefully placed LED and neon lights surrounded the paddock, tables and hospitality zones shrouded in soft purple tones. As “The Way I Are” by Timbaland blared over the speakers, Raela sat at one of the tables, taking careful sips of a Sea Blue Redbull to attempt at fixing an oncoming headache in hopes that it wasn’t a migraine with a slow onset. As the song shifts to Masove’s cover of “I Will Survive”, she noticed someone walking towards where she sat on a slightly raised patio. Her eyesight grew foggy as a man walked closer, an aura of an impending migraine which caused Raela to groan in annoyance as she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. As she did so, the man approaching chuckled.

“Well, I’ve aggravated people before but I don’t think it’s ever been upon approach.” A deep, slightly strained British accented voice said. Raela realized quickly that she had been staring straight at him as she was trying to right herself. She laughed nervously, offering the stranger a sheepish smile as she hesitantly pulled out one of her earplugs.

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry! I’m not aggravated at all, my eyesight was just doing something weird for a moment and usually when it does it’s kind of a sign of impending doom for me.” Raela laughed out, unsure of how else to explain it without just telling him that she had chronic migraines with aura. He laughed heartily in response, his shoulders visibly relaxing an inch.

“Well, I hate to hear that you’re facing impending doom, but I am glad to know you’re not mad at me for approaching you, especially considering I’m a strange man.” He smiled easily, giving Raela a reassuring feeling. She felt eased at his understanding, and nodded at him. He took that as her permission to continue and his grin widened. “I’m one of the pit stop crew over for Oracle Redbull, my name’s Josh. Myself and some of the other crew noticed your outfit and we wanted to ask if you wanted to take a chance at lookin’ at the chassis?” She stared at him in surprise, looking a bit hesitantly down at her outfit.

“Really…? My… outfit, is what convinced you to walk over here and ask?” Raela asked, a little confused. She noticed her outfit could very much be mistaken as sporting primarily Ferrari’s colors, with a golden yellow colored silk blouse type top, a well fitted red leather jacket, and black jeans with the occasional tear or two down the thighs. The only offset that could mark it as a Redbull themed outfit were the navy blue knee high suede boots that she wore. Josh offered her his own sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his head.

“Well, we were kind of hoping you’d take that as the most logical reason because none of the pit guys wanted to run the risk of embarrassing you in case that neat little specs and stats notebook you have is more of a personal hobby.” Raela immediately began to feel warmth blossom from her chest, creeping up her neck before coating her cheeks as she remembered the amount of people in Redbull uniforms or jackets who were walking behind her earlier as she furiously scribbled down new stats about Lance Stroll’s chassis after it failed during FP3 as well as the specs of the track and its ever evolving texture against the tyres due to public use during the daytime.

“Ah- So uh… One or two of you noticed all of that?” She laughed softly. He nodded and looked up at the woman, looking a little nervous suddenly.

“Actually, to be completely transparent, one or two of us noticed that you were in your own world so we stopped to watch all of that. It was fascinating, especially as you put in your own personal notes about the differences in the teams chassis.” He chuckled deeply, noting how he’d felt as he’d watched her scribble about the differences between Ferrari and Toro Rosso or between Alpine and Williams, but particularly about the difference between Redbull and McLaren, as they were the contending teams for the championship title. “We want to see what you think about the Redbull chassis in person, and if there’s anything you think we could tweak. Sometimes fans have wild ideas that turn out to be just what we need.” He explains further. Raela nibbled gently on her lower lip, reaching up to take the claw clip out from under her hair before absentmindedly scratching the back of her head where it had been sitting, then pulling her wavy blue-ish black hair back into the claw clip ponytail she sported, as using claw clips instead of ponytail holders was a way she had found to mitigate some of the migraines. As she finished this small process, she looked down at Josh.

“If I didn’t take this opportunity, I’d be genuinely insane.” Raela grinned, grabbing her notebook and the small purse she carried with her, gently standing from her chair and descending the few steps of the patio. She walked over to Josh, realizing she was much shorter than him than she originally thought. Standing at 5’7”, she only stood to Josh’s chin, making him well over 6’. As the pair walked to the Oracle Redbull pit zone, she wondered softly to herself if everyone on the pit team would be so tall. But once they approached, she noticed the pit and tech teams weren’t the only ones there.

Max Verstappen stood to the side, leaning against the wall with his head back and his eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest. As she observed, she was unsure if he was asleep standing up, or simply just trying to relax. As she came closer, she saw Sergio Checo Perez sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees as he stared out in front of him. Josh grinned and called out to the two racers.

“Max, Sergio! This lovely woman is invited to take a look at the chassis, but I need to go look at something right fast. Take care of her for a second, yeah?” Josh asked, causing Raela to squeak and look up at him suddenly, her heart rate rising as anxiety clawed at the vulnerable muscle. Facing a pit crew is easy, they don’t have their faces plastered everywhere. To face her two biggest heroes amongst the F1 circuit? She quickly schooled her features, slipping into the facade she carefully constructs during her day job as a paralegal. An easy smile slips into place, covering the shock that had flashed momentarily as she held out her hand for each man to shake.

“Raela Perenzi, most of my friends call me Rye, it’s a complete honor to meet both of you.” She gently quips, her tone surprisingly level as she tries to hide the shakiness of her hands. Max smiles gently at her, noticing the hesitance in her posture. He takes her outstretched hand, giving it a warm squeeze as he does so. If Raela wasn’t mistaken, she would swear he gasped slightly as their hands linked, his eyes widening slightly. She felt uncertain that she could tell as well as she usually would against the haze of a headache and anxiety, so she swiftly dropped the idea as she released Max’s hand. As Sergio grasped Raela’s hand, she could see the exhaustion coating his features.

“You look like you need something to drink. If you’d like, I can go grab you some water right quick?” She offered, her need to help people overpowering her anxiety. Sergio scoffed slightly, smiling warmly at the woman in front of him.

“You are a guest, you shouldn’t run errands for drivers. Enjoy your time here.” He said as their hands released. Raela grinned, seemingly to herself before walking purposefully to the back of the pit zone, grabbing a cup off of the side of a cooler, and filling it with water. She gently carried it back to Sergio before softly tapping his shoulder with it.

“This guest just had the random honor of meeting two of the greatest racers in the world. If I have a chance to run even simple errands for you two during downtime, it’s a chance I’ll take.” Raela spoke softly, pushing meaning into her voice. He smiled up at her and took the water, nodding at her in gratitude. Max started laughing softly, looking over at her.

“You’re a lot more level headed than most fans would be right now.” He smirked up at her, looking at Raela through his lashes, head at a slight tilt. This caused her to giggle lightly.

“Yeah, that’s courtesy of a great day job mask that forcibly blocks out even an ounce of social anxiety.” Max started laughing even harder, causing her to grin as he found the humor in her remark. Sergio and Max both noticed as she visibly relaxed even further, her stance seeming to become more fluid as one arm hung at her side, the other relaxing with a thumb looped into her pants pocket.

“So Raela, how long have you been watching F1?” Sergio piped in. She looked down at the man on the couch next to her as she smiled at him.

“Oh, for as long as I can remember honestly. I found it one day while my mom was scrolling channels looking for the morning cartoons I usually watched. When I heard the first zings of the engines passing the cameras and then the different pitches as the drivers dropped their clutch or switched gears, I was just enraptured. I wouldn’t let my mom change the channel again. I think I was maybe 3 or 4?” She recounted, remembering fondly the first F1 race she ever saw on television.

“I hate to be rude, but how old are you now?” Max asks her, his tone gentle. Raela could feel the warmth in her cheeks returning, hoping her answer doesn’t shock the two men in front of her.

“I’m 21, about to be 22 just before the start of the 2025 season.” She responds quietly, scratching at the nape of her neck. Max and Sergio look at each other with visible surprise, and almost something else in Max’s eyes. Raela looks between the two warily.

“Am I missing something?” The hesitance is heavy in her voice as her throat starts to feel tight.

“I genuinely thought you were only 16. You looked incredibly young.” Sergio responds immediately, looking back at Raela. Upon hearing this, she can’t seem contain the almost cackle like laughter that bursts from her chest.

“Oh, well thank you!! But no, I’m 21 and actually a single mother, so I will absolutely take 16 as a compliment right now.” She sighs, relaxing again. She looked around for a moment, starting to wonder where Josh had ran off to, slightly eager to look at the chassis. Max must have noticed, as she heard him speak up.

“Looking for Josh?” He asked. She could hear a soft smirk in his voice, wondering about it for a moment before responding.

“Yeah I am. He said he and some of the other crew members wanted me to take a look at and maybe offer suggestions about the chassis.” She mutters absentmindedly, starting to notice other details of the Oracle Redbull garage. The subtle navy blues with streaks of gold and red swiping their ways over the walls, the shelves with picture frames and water bottles, even the way the floor was impeccably clean.

“He actually asked you over here cause he was curious about you.” Sergio quips, pointing at Max upon the second ‘he’, smirking to himself. Max choked on the water he was drinking, glaring at his teammate as he coughed harshly. Raela snorted shortly, rolling her eyes at Sergio.

“Yeah right. Max Verstappen, 27 year old most badass dutchman who drives for Oracle Redbull Racing in Formula 1 asked for a member of his pit crew to invite me, Raela Perenzi, 21 year old kind of american who’s simply a single mom and paralegal to the pit zone so he could meet her. If that’s reality, I must be living in a Tumblr fan-fiction. Nice prank, Checo.” She sighs, a soft smile on her lips as she continues to look around. She could hear Max clear his throat behind her, a few moments passing before he speaks.

“He was telling the truth.” The seriousness in his voice made her pause in her careful examination of the room. Raela slowly turned to look at him, her eyes wide as she openly stared. She turned to look at Sergio, who nods at her.

“You mean that.” She says, her voice flat and blunt as she looks back over to Max. He seemed to hesitate for only a moment before he responded.

“I saw you and thought you looked extremely interesting, and found myself wanting to know you.” He says, his voice light. She paused, taken aback by his candor. He continued on after a moment. “Let me get your number? I’d like to get to know you.” He asks, a softness in his tone that sounded somewhat like hope. Raela took a moment to think on it, surprised that this was happening to her. After a moment, she begins to nod slowly to herself.

“You get my number.” She said, pausing to watch his face light up with an excited grin before she continued. “On one condition. I get to look at the chassis with you showing me everything.” She says, her voice thick with finality as she smirks at him. This causes him to laugh a little bit before nodding, walking over to her and passing her his phone before taking the lead towards his chassis. She saved her number amongst his contacts, excited to see where this would go.

[teighveepao]

Champeis relationships with NRC students! (and some of my friends ocs 😋)

RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS: He admires how hardworking and strict she is with herself. Thinks shes one of the only reliable people in this school. || Champei treats him with respect, but avoids interacting with him at all costs. She cant stand his constant yelling (especially with her chronic headaches and migraines) and low temper- learn to control yourself in public man. (<- her thoughts not mine..)

TREY CLOVER: He's seen her around, and has heard of how dependable she can be. Although, he does get a little creeped out by her aura, he likes her as a person. || Trey is 1 of 5 people that Champei is able to tolerate being around without a migraine. She prefers his presence over most students, thats for sure. Only thing keeping her from being around him in peace is Cater.

CATER DIAMOND: He's in the same class as Champei, and he thinks shes totally adorable in like that twilight from mlp way. Although shes definitely a lot more standoffish than most people think, shes still pretty nice to him! || Champei hates Cater Diamond. She cannot STAND him tryna talk her up and his slang that she doesnt understand 80% of the time- what the fuck is a fine shyt

ACE TRAPPOLA: She's too uninteresting and kinda blends in with the walls for him to care. He's heard about her being this reliable yet strict person- and he gets total riddle vibes from her.. (without the yelling, which is lowk scarier) || She hasnt interacted with him, but she has definitely seen and heard about the infamous gang of first years that always seem to cause trouble. She just wants an uneventful year without much attention, she cant stand to be around these kids.

DEUCE SPADE: He admires her! Shes helped him with things like getting his hat stuck on a tree or catching him with magic before he falls. He thinks shes the type of student he should strive to be! A super smart, perfect, quiet, and composed honor student! || She thinks the same way about him as she does with Ace. from the few interactions shes had with him, she thinks hes too slow in the head for her liking.

LEONA KINGSCHOLAR: He doesnt really care about her. She hasnt really got anything going that would interest him. They respect eachother, and thats about it. || She doesnt like his attitude and how he behaves, but she does appreciate him choosing to leave her alone all the time.

RUGGIE BUCCHI: He didnt really care about her at all until she began giving him her leftovers from lunch. She never finishes her food- so she just leaves it on her table and glances at ruggie. He likes her because of that. || She thinks hes like a little ratty dog that begs for scraps hnder the dining table. Honestly doesnt care about him, but would rather the food doesnt go to waste.

JACK HOWL: He respects her as a senior and skilled student. But thats about it. He can sense she wants to stay independent most of the time and he respects it. || She doesnt really know who he is. Not his fault, she doesnt know even most of the 2nd years- let alone the 1st years.

AZUL ASHENGROTTO: He uses her as an example on what his academic and magical skill levels should look like. He respects her dedication to being alone so she can work by herself, and has tried roping her into many different contracts. Too bad shes too smart for that. || She doesnt like the way he presents himself, but she does respect his "strong eat the weak" sentiment. Honestly, she's almost signed several of his contract deals but the voice in the back of her head always yells at her not to.

JADE LEECH: He doesnt exactly care about her. She's uneventful and boring, there isnt much to think about when it comes to Champei. She flies under his radar practically all the time. || She doesnt actually know who he is besides the fact that hes the vice housewarden of octavinelle. She doesnt bother looking into the people around her, so she just sees Jade as that one tall calm dude that scams people with azul.

FLOYD LEECH: He likes annoying her to get a reaction. The reactions of people who always seem to be composed are a lot funnier, and who else is more composed than Champei? Although, he isnt able to get under her skin most of the time. Thats boring. || She hates this boy so much. Nothing more beyond that, i think you know why.

KALIM AL-ASIM: He likes her! shes a good person and shes always kind to him. But she doesnt ever go to his parties or accept his offers to hang out :( || She doesnt like Kalim. She wants peace and quiet and isolation- not whatever kalim is doing. He brings too much attention wherever he goes, and shes not trying to deal with that.

JAMIL VIPER: He respects her as an accomplished senior and thats about it. They both stick to being pretty formal and distant with one another, and they both know they prefer it that way. || She enjoys the mutual acknowledgment to leave eachother alone. Hes alright.

VIL SCHOENHEIT: He recognizes her skills and the effort she puts into her appearance. Even if she can be irritatingly dedicated to being isolated, he respects her. Not much else to say. || She avoids him if im being honest. He flashy and brings too much attention with him, she doesnt want to interact with someone like that.

ROOK HUNT: He knows theres more to her than she lets on, and hes determined to figure it out. || She hates him. Thats it. He cant keep himself out of her business and it stresses her out.

EPEL FELMIER: Who the hell is Champei? || Who is Epel Felmier? (they both know nothing about eachother)

IDIA SHROUD: Hes in the same class as her and shes just.. scary. She doesnt speak at all and have this uncanny valley vibe.. Its weird. || She doesnt like him and thinks hes a coward. Like she HATES social interaction just as much as he does, but she still goes to class and is nice to the people she hates. 😒

ORTHO SHROUD: He doesnt pay her much mind, but it was intriguing when his scans picked up on two organisms when she was alone. || She avoids this boy like the plague. She cant risk it, he knows too much.

MALLEUS DRACONIA: He knows she has her secrets, but doesnt want to pry or get into it. Shes just another student among the school that he goes to. || Hes kinda scary. She doesnt want to speak with him at all for obvious reasons.

LILIA VANROUGE: He knows she has a parasitic curse on the back of her head and lets her know that he knows. Its fun to tease her, but he also pities and empathizes with her struggles || She knows he knows and shes terrified shitless of talking with the guy. shes always paranoid hes gonna tell people and it makes her so resentful of him.

SILVER VANROUGE: he respects her and doesnt pay her much mind. || She does the same for him. But she doesnt like Lilia, so she has a bias against Silver.

SEBEK ZIGVOLT: Hes too busy focusing on his own things to bother thinking about Champei. Shes just a senior who is capable and dependable. Thats about it. || Everytime Sebek speaks Champei feels like her head is ripping in half. His loud voice and yelling does NOT help eith her chronic migraines- she cant handle being around him. she hates sebek.

PAOYU (MY YUUSONA): Hater meets hater. they both dont like eachother lol.. Paoyu is WAY too loud and attention seeking for Champeis tastes, and Champei is uh. Well she doesnt do anything to be disrespectful or mean to paoyu but shes got those vibes YK? everyone thinks paoyu is insane for disliking Champei but her and grim KNOOWWW shes crazy.

ISASONA @skibidibabygirl : Isasona thinks Champei is pretty and really reliable! Isasona is like the nicest person ever and she also doesnt get to see Champei often, so she thinks shes an introvert and there isnt rlly anything off about her. || Champei doesnt care about ramshackle students. And Isasona also leaves her alone most of the time so she's chill with her. But it can be slightly irritating when she feels a pair of eyes on her from across the hallway.

REI @hrtzbeat : Rei, like paoyu, KNOWS somethings up with Champei. But unlike paoyu, shes more intrigued than weirded out. Rei now does everything she can to find out more information about Champei and does things in an attempt to make her slip. || Champei is so sick of Rei its not even funny.. like "LEAVE ME ALONE" level 5000 😭 shes so done with Rei and she knows shes onto her so she gets all anxious and stressed out whenever Rei strolls by.

EVELYN @ h0neybane : Evelyn and Champei are actually lowk alike??? in some way?? Theyre both introverts with some parasitic beings connected to them. They can lowk get eachother iykiwm its like some unspoken understanding and respect theyre got between eachother.

[sevasey51]

How often would GYN, neuro and cardiac visits be?

Do you think in between those visits Ava and Hannah would check in with Connor about her health?

The Rhythm of Watching

Summary: With Endometriosis, POTS, and Chronic Migraines shaping her world, medical appointments are a constant in Y/N’s life. Gynecology, Neurology, Cardiology—each specialty sees her on a rotating basis, forming the backbone of her chronic care. But it’s not just about the appointments—it’s about everything in between. Ava Bekker and Hannah Archer don’t just check in on her anymore. They check in with Connor, too. Because they know that for someone like her, care doesn’t stop when she leaves the clinic. And for someone like him, worry never sleeps.

The Schedule: The Cadence of Chronic Illness Care

It was a rhythm now—one they knew by heart.

Gynecology – Every 4–6 weeks (with Hannah)

Her endometriosis wasn’t just painful. It was invasive. Complicated. Resistant to most standard treatment plans. There had already been surgeries—adhesions removed, cysts drained, nerves preserved. But it always came back.

Hannah saw her every month and a half without fail, often sooner if the bleeding or cramping flared beyond her usual threshold.

They monitored:

• Hormonal levels.

• Clotting and anemia risk.

• The impact of flares on her hydration and blood pressure.

• Whether her current treatment still allowed her to function without crashing.

In between visits, she logged her bleeding patterns in an app that Connor also checked. Quietly. She didn’t mind. They tracked it like clockwork, trying to stay ahead of the next fall.

If Hannah didn’t hear from them in a few weeks? She’d text Connor.

Hannah: “How’s she doing? Any new pain patterns? Still on iron?”

Connor: “Worse this week. Nausea’s up. She’s flaring at night. Holding off on ER unless she bleeds through again.”

Hannah: “I’ll bump her up. Get her in by Friday.”

Because they didn’t wait for it to get bad. Not anymore.

Neurology – Every 6–8 weeks (with Ava)

Her migraines came in cycles—hormone-driven, mostly—but brutal. The kind that made her vomit, slur words, flinch from light. The kind that sometimes triggered her POTS into a spiral.

Ava kept her on a tight rotation.

• Monthly injectable prevention.

• Abortive therapy options on-hand.

• A standing order for hospital-administered rescue meds if her at-home cocktail failed.

Every two months, she saw Ava face-to-face. But Connor always knew when the migraines were shifting before Ava did.

That’s why Ava had started checking in with him.

Sometimes over text.

Sometimes in the hallway between surgeries.

Sometimes over coffee at Med when they both had 10 minutes between cases.

Ava: “You tracking her aura patterns lately?”

Connor: “Yeah. They’re back. She had two speech disruption episodes this week. I gave her a low-dose steroid burst, it helped some.”

Ava: “Good. Keep her off her feet for now. Let’s scan her again next visit just to rule out anything vascular.”

Connor never needed reminding. But Ava gave him that space—to be worried, to be vigilant, without judgment.

Cardiology – Every 3 months (with Dr. Liu)

Her POTS was tricky. Responsive some days, devastating others. Blood pressure that dropped when she stood too long. Heart rate that spiked with a walk to the kitchen. They’d ruled out Ehlers-Danlos vascular complications so far, but the monitoring never stopped.

Every three months, she had:

• A full cardiac work-up: echo, tilt table if needed, labs.

• Adjustments to her salt and fluid management.

• Medication reviews.

Connor kept her heart data in a shared folder. Every time she felt “off,” he logged it. If her symptoms started to stack—dizzy and tachy and pale—he got ahead of it.

He didn’t just go to cardiology appointments with her.

He ran them.

And in between? There were check-ins. Always check-ins.

Ava would corner him outside an OR with a raised brow.

“You look tense. She okay?”

Hannah would send a message if she hadn’t seen new data in a while.

“Connor—when was her last real rest day?”

Because the women who treated her didn’t just care about her body.

They cared about him. The husband who sat up at 2 a.m. icing her neck, who prepped every med kit like a surgeon packing a trauma bag, who carried her to the couch when she couldn’t stand.

And sometimes, the check-ins weren’t clinical at all.

Sometimes Ava would say, “You need to take a walk, Rhodes. She’s resting. You’re not helping her by breaking yourself.”

Sometimes Hannah would just give him a look before walking into the exam room, a look that said, You’re not alone in this.

And he’d nod. Because that was all he needed.

Because chronic care wasn’t about just managing symptoms.

It was about seeing the patient and the partner.

The body and the bond.

The person and the protector.

And when the team really understood that—

She never had to carry it all alone.

And neither did he.

[metalheadsagainstfascism]

I DIDN'T KNOW BUT HAPPY NATIONAL MIGRAINE AWARENESS MONTH.

Things that I learned since having migraines.

They can change. You can go years without migraines, but then suddenly get them again.

Symptoms and triggers can change. You may think you don't got it that bad because you don't have the worst of the symptoms but then one day you suddenly got vertigo and vomiting.

Migraines impact the trigeminal nerve which is the same nerve impacted my TMJ pain, sinus headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, and cluster headaches. It's the biggest nerve in the face so it's pretty common to have multiple of these conditions at once.

Migraines can be triggered my barometric pressure shifts, flashing lights, sounds, and smells.

You can have migraines without aura or visual disturbances. These are harder to treat because most migraine medications require you to take them during the aura phase.

You can have what's called an "abdominal migraine" which is characterized my extreme stomach pain. This usually impacts adolescents.

You can have what's called a "silent migraine" which is characterized as migraines without the headache. In fact headache isn't even the most common migraine symptom based on a poll I've done.

Migraines can be highly tied into your allergies. Not just in the fact that sinus headaches and migraines trip the same nerve, but in the fact that your allergies can be a migraine trigger.

Migraines can make you more susceptible to alcohol especially when you're dealing with migraines triggers frequently.

Fluorescent lights are actually very bad for people with migraines because it's essentially flashing so fast you can't see it with the human eye (but trust me your migraines will know it's there).

It's actually very common for people with migraines to have heightened senses of smell, higher sensitivity to lights/sounds, etc. Some people have even noted that people with certain medical conditions have different smells.

Chronic migrains are obviously a disability but episodic migraines can be considered a dynamic disability (a disability where your needs fluctuate)

Migraine preventatives are different from migraine abortives. Doctors will usually only prescribe preventatives if you have chronic migraines or have a certain number of migraines a month.

15 migraine days a month is the number you're looking for to be considered chronic.

It's actually pretty common to be craving salt or carbs after a migraine. And listening to those cravings can actually reduce postdrome symptoms

Migraines come in 4 phases. Prodrome (irritability, fatigue, etc before the migraine), aura (visual disturbances), migraine, and postdrome (fatigue, dizziness, etc after the migraine).

The most common migraine meds are called triptans and shouldn't be taken with antidepressants because it can cause serotonin overdose syndrome.

Migraine aura isn't limited to visual disturbances. It can include phantom taste and smell (smelling or tasting things that aren't there)

People that have migraines are more likely to deal with heat intolerance

A lot of the "it's a migraine if you experience pain on this side of the head" is complete garbage. Migraines are characterized by a complex set of neurological symptoms of which doesn't always include headaches.

-fae

[qwertyfingers]

37, 11, 29, and 7 for the asks :] (it was very hard to pick just one i'm sorry)

37) share a secret

you know i'm very bad at remembering things about myself I have kept secret because there aren't a lot of things I actually experience shame about that can be shared outside of a therapist's office lol. uhhhhh. wait i have a recent one: I am currently experiencing my first Real Crush on a woman so that's. Fun? Life ruining? Both? only time will tell I suppose.

11) what do you consider to be romance?

oh god i don't know if I can admit to anything here that isn't painfully revealing. um. I suppose ultimately it is when you meet eachother where you're at and revel in both the similarities and differences between you. that sounds so vague but I don't know how to be more specific. it's about bridging a gap with communication. watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5 Episode 2 'Darmok' and you will understand many things.

29) what do you do when you’re sad?

varies massively based on the reason I'm feeling sad I think? if I've just kinda woken up with the morbs I'll usually message a friend and have a conversation that'll make me laugh because that always cheers me right up. but when it's a more existential sadness I call my mum and/or my sister (they're usually together) and have a chat about it. I guess the concise answer there is just talk to someone. Sadness for me nearly always means I'm feeling lonely.

7) what scares you the most and why?

boring answer: my migraines getting bad again. I had intractable chronic migraine (24/7 pain and aura symptoms) for a very long time and I do really, really worry about that returning. I've been in ~remission~ long enough now that the state of constant dread has passed and now I only really get frightened if I let myself think about it too much, but it is still pretty terrifying. I barely survived through it the first time and having lived without them for a while I do not know how I could ever cope with going back to living that way. I do not want my life to shrink again.

[sevenrenny]

Having chronic migraine sucks, cause nobody took me seriously for years, telling me "Everyone gets headaches/I get headaches too!" meanwhile, without my medication, I'm incapacitated from the pain for four days a week on average, and everyone thinks I'm just being lazy when I physically can't get myself out of bed or even open my eyes, let alone feed myself without throwing up.

I go to work with ringing in my ears. I have to use a shower chair because the dizzy spells hit out of nowhere. I get blurry vision and sudden vision flashes. Even after the migraine episodes pass, I'm left with post-migraine where I'm physically drained and got massive brain fog.

And because of my GI issues (that's a whole separate medical issue that has landed me in the ER five times this year), I can't take oral medication because my body refuses to absorb most of it or it just decides my meds aren't on the guest list and activates the puke button.

The only medicine that seems to work is this autoinjector I take once a month... and it's the equivalent of about 600 USD per syringe. I have to jump through so many hoops to get it. It doesn't get rid of the migraines, just lessens their frequency and severity. (My current doctor has suggested I start Botox treatment but I don't feel financially ready for that.)

Even with my official diagnosis, hardly anybody believes me. "It's just a headache," "Ninety percent of people in the world get headaches!" "You need to eat vegetables more," "Try visiting my doctor. She's a gynecologist but she specializes in everything," "Have you tried meditation?" "Have you tried-"

I can assure you, whatever you're going to think of on the spot, I've already tried within the past 10+ years of my life dealing with this issue. This, and my GI issue and other chronic health issues.

I've also noticed people get uncomfortable when I explain to them what 'chronic' means. They squirm about it. They deny it's a thing, that there has to be a cure, I just haven't found it yet. They make up solutions on the spot. I kid you not, someone suggested I put a snail on my forehead for it to 'absorb' the migraine.

I have office workers telling me they know more than my medical professionals. I missed a few work days due to being in the ER from an intestinal issue, and had a coworker ask me what was I possibly doing to make myself sick, that- "You must have an unhealthy lifestyle, or you wouldn't be like this." Another coworker pitched in, stating that I must be doing something wrong. Family members insist on that assumption, too.

In other words: the chronic illnesses I was born with (the chronic migraine, gastroparesis, PCOS, chronic skin issues, other health concerns) are somehow my fault. I truly do believe this idea stems from how uncomfortable the thought of chronic illness makes them, and the belief that they can avoid becoming chronically ill themselves if they try hard enough, that you only get chronically ill if you did something to deserve it somehow.

I'm exhausted explaining myself to healthy people who believe I owe them my medical history. I outright say I don't want to discuss it. It just makes everyone prod harder. When I run out of energy and just want to rest and not speak anymore (because everything I say goes in one ear and out the other, anyway,) it's as if I've insulted them personally, scoffing that they're just trying to help.

This is not how you help. You're making me more tired than I already am. Literally, the things I do require help with (needing a ride home on occasion because I'm having aura symptoms and can't drive and there's no public transit, needing silence so the pain doesn't escalate, needing things to me repeated because the fatigue and brain fog made me miss what was said, needing time alone because I'm drained and can't go do the thing you want me to do, needing a ride to the ER) everyone refuses to do, which tells me this isn't about helping, it's about your curiosity regarding my health. It's about you needing to be right.

If you really want to help, just ask what can you do. That's it.

[iamthecomet]

Hi dear 💙

Do you have any thoughts on ghouls with chronic pain? It's been a rough one.

Love, Mac

I'm sorry you're having a rough time Mac. I hope tomorrow is a better day with less pain. I have some thoughts, nothing too crazy because I am old and therefore exhausted and very much ready for bed at 11pm. But, I'll give you what I can. And it's something I'd love to explore more in the future--these really are just some basic headcanons. Feel free to ask me to elaborate and I would be so happy to. A good amount of words about ghouls with chronic pain below the cut. No real diagnosis because I don't know shit about shit, just my personal headcanons and descriptions of what they go through and how they manage it.

As far as ghouls who deal with chronic pain? Zephyr, Mountain, Dew, and Aeon are the ones I headcanon with it the most often. Aeon absolutely has some form of hypermobility. And he pushes himself too hard. Uses his hypermobility to show off. And then pays for it with joints that feel like they've been lit on fire. Mountain eventually makes a special salve for him--similar to one he's made for Zephyr that helps alleviate some of the pain. Dew gets migraines. A particularly bad one can sideline him for days. There's no telling when they're going to hit, fueled by stress and/or exhaustion. He usually gets a little bit of a warning aura, but then he's down. Curled up in the fetal position in his bed until the pain passes. It's a full body, inescapable pain. Mountain has a tea for him that helps--mostly it just makes him sleep but that's better than nothing. And when it's really bad Aether (or Aeon if they're on tour) will slip into his room and use his quintessence to wick away some of the pain. Dew's known to play through them--Aeon dulls it right before they go on stage, and by the time they're done it's back full force and it's all Dew can do to get to the bus and into his dark bunk. Mountain's got back pain. Always. Every day. Inescapable. He smokes weed to make it a little better. Gets frequent massages. But it doesn't change the fact that every day he wakes up feeling like he's slept on rocks. He and Zephyr are as close as they are because they've been dealing with pain since they were summoned. Both of them seeking out ways to dull it, at least for a little. Mountain does have some tricks that work--herbal concoctions he's made that make it a little better. And most of his days are tolerable. He always aches but he can move around, he can garden, he can drum. The rare bad days though? He's immobile. Laying on his bathroom floor (hoping a hard flat surface will straighten out his spine). Most of the concoctions he's made for other people he made by accident when he was trying to find some relief for himself. Zephyr's summoning went wrong. Their vessel is not compatible with them. So, it rebels on a regular basis. Their joints ache, changes in the weather make it worse. Some days, it's every single joint in their body, their fingers, their toes. Everything. Others it's their knees. Zeph is high, a lot. Almost always smoking to try to make things manageable. They make due. They're able to do their duties for the most part. But their physical condition is what made them retire from Ghost--touring was impossible. They have stretches they do every morning. They go for a walk with Dew around Mountain's smallest garden after breakfast. They stay as active as their body will let them. And, it goes without saying, that on their worst days their pack takes (almost too much) care of each of them. They can't take the pain away or fix it--but they can at least make those agonizing days closer to tolerable.

[ozai-the-bonsai]

I will be raging on and on about damn stupid f*cking hormonal birth control fyi I NEED TO GET IT OUT SOMEHOW

I have been using combi pills for almost 18 months now, the first 9 months were literally perfect compared to my previous experiences with the pills, I didn’t really experience any side effects. But then it started with the constipation cycle, where I would get constipated for a WHOLE FCKING WEEK every month either on the third week or during the week off. I mentioned this to my obgyn and she said constipation is normally not a side effect of the pills WHICH IS PURE BULLSHIT I HAVE RECENTLY FOUND OUT AFTER GETTING LOST IN SUBREDDITS FOR HOURS DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY WOMEN ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING CONSTANTLY BLOATED AND CONSTIPATED BECAUSE OF THE FCKING PILLS?!?!

Anyways I was gaslighted into thinking my body simply hated me but since I could not (yet) pin the bloatedness and constipation to the pills I did nothing. And it was fine considering all else.

Then my headaches got more and more frequent. I mean, I have never known myself without headaches, I think I have something chronic but they do even less research for headaches and migraines compared to women birth control so no hopes here. Mama has migraine, grandma had them too so OF COURSE I have it as well but mine is milder, without aura, however even though it is not always sooo bad that I want to scratch my eyes out, it happens too often for my liking. Moreover, if I don’t get migraines I get other kinds of headaches like whenever the weather makes me feel too much pressure or when it suddenly changes from summer to winter (which happens A LOT in Germany). Anyways, I give my best to avoid taking painkillers too often but I am tracking the shit and I now (in my exam phase) tend to get headaches four fcking days in a row each week.

I know I have always had headache problems but it has never been this bad.

Oh and not to mention that my obgyn prescribed me the pills with the lowest dosage of hormones since my only concern is not to get pregnant (and not to have my period shift +7/-7 days each month it was exhausting with pregnancy fear and so forth). I guess pills with even less hormones is not an option.

But the worst thing started three months ago. I HAVE LOST MY FCKING SEX DRIVE. To provide more context here, I have been like super horny ever since I can recall (ever since puberty hit and stuff), and I loved it tbh. Normally, my boyfriend and I would have some sexy time at least once a day (we got together a month before I started the pills) if we had enough time maybe more. But lately, he is glad if it happens twice a week. I have literally stopped thinking about sex and I HATE IT I USED TO LOVE THINKING ABOUT SEX!!!!

Currently I have constant headaches, I am constantly bloated and constipated more often than it is healthy and I have nearly zero interest in sex anymore. I mean, what it the fucking point of taking hormones to prevent pregnancy IF I NO LONGER WANT TO HAVE SEX, PEOPLE?!?

I just hate it. I started hating my body because I look like I am pregnant all the time - I have what some might call “a pilates body” like lean and low fat and some muscle and stuff, and my body doesn’t really hold fat so whenever I follow a good schedule it takes only a month for my abs to show. And imagine now how such a woman would look like if she were constantly bloated. I look literally pregnant all the damn time with my lower belly sticking out like a fucking balloon so I stopped wearing figure toning clothes I USED TO LOVE THEM

I will be switching to IUD in a month and initial plan was to switch to a hormonal one but I have been reading and reading and I am not sure anymore if I should prefer the copper one. I am completely lost. I won’t be returning to condom only because I have had more than enough accidents with it and had to take plan b before often times, this is a risk I simply cannot take. Plus the irregular periods make it harder to track when my ovulation can possibly happen…

Long story short: I hate the way birth control industry is only interested in giving the male all the freedom while showing zero fucking interest in the way all this stuff is effecting the female. Most doctors do not even ACKNOWLEDGE side effects like losing sex drive and constipation and bloating WHICH ARE MORE COMMON THAN YOU WOULD THINK, ask any women with hormonal bc experience for more than a year. I hate it all with so much passion I hope these people spend the rest of their lives constantly stepping on sharp lego pieces and having chronic migraines and I wish erectile dysfunction to the males involved in this business. Have a good day.

[pubbieboy]

holy shit holy shit I think we're considered medically disabled now :33

for context, we have horrible chronic migraines and we went to see a neurologist a couple days ago and we got diagnosed with chronic migraines without aura :33

it makes us so happy that we can be considered medically disabled. hell we'd be able to help out with groceries and payments and whatnot so yay!!

[concerningwolves]

Sorry if this was asked before but I saw a post you made that mentioned you had a migraine and you took some medicine for it and I was wondering if you would be open to share things that work for your migraines? I get them more frequently now and I'm desperate for some relief because "Bedridden in complete darkness with earplugs" isn't always a possibility. Hope your migraine is better and sorry if this is nosy.

Not at all nosy, and quite an understandable question. Migraines are a horrendous curse and any way to alleviate them is a blessing 😔

Medication-wise, the first line of defense for me is paracetamol. If I get in there early enough, this can head the migraine off, or at least make it bearable. I'd say this is... idk, 30–40% effective? I top up with ibuprofen if I need to, but it makes me queasy so I try to avoid that. Something the doctor who diagnosed my migraines said was that because migraines slow the gut, it's best to take dispersible/liquid versions of the medicine instead of the tablet version (I'm just too sensitive to the bitter medicine taste, even when mixed with fruit juice, for this to be a viable option for me).

The migraine-specific drug I take is sumatriptan, which can completely wipe me out but it also works most of the time. My mum swears by maxalt instead, while other family members (basically everyone on my mum's side suffers from chronic migraine) find co-codamol works best– point is, migraine medication can be trial and error because migraine is so varied, but it's definitely worth pursuing.

Ice packs against my head and neck and cold water are another method for finding at least some relief. I watched a documentary once about migraines where cold water swimming was something that one lady found immensely helpful, but I'm a weenie so I take a cold shower instead. In the absence of a shower, I'll just wrap cold wet towels around my head or hold my face in a sink full of cold water. I've managed to get through three-day migraines with this trick.

That same documentary also discussed the use of this... I don't know what it was exactly, but a small gadget that can be stuck to the forehead and it pulses or vibrates in certain patterns. I keep meaning to look that thing up and forgetting, so in lieu of that I sometimes hold my sister's mini massage gun (on the lowest setting) against my forehead and temples, which usually gives some relief. Massaging around the neck, particularly the base of the skull, sometimes releases enough tension that the pain eases significantly. Gently turning my head to stretch my neck is also helpful, as is rolling my shoulders (don't roll back and forward – only back, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. This releases tension in your neck).

Finally, coca cola. This one always gets weird looks from people but it just? Works for me? My gran swore by it and she passed this knowledge down through three generations. I don't know if it's some mix of the caffeine and sugar or what, or maybe some weird family quirk lol, but drinking original (full fat/sugar) coca cola has pulled me back drom the brink of an all-out aura+pain+nausea "this is so bad i want to chop my head off" migraine many times. It also helps offset some of the queasy weirdness I feel as a side-effect of sumatriptan.

Oh and in terms of preventative stuff, blue light filters, dim screens and regular breaks from screen time are so so important. Annoying, but important. My desktop monitor has built-in eye protection blue light filter which I pair with my windows laptop's night light feature. I suspect my uptick in migraines lately isn't just because my t injection is late, but qlso because its too cold to work in my cabin office & there's nowhere in the house i can set up with the monitor, so im currently working without that extra layer of eye protection. I've also heard people talk about red or green lights and red-tinted glasses.

Sorry this got rambly but I wanted to answer now so this didn't get eaten by my drafts. I hope something in here is helpful to you ❤️

[becauseanders]

Would you tell me about CYHMCYtSM: 3? ✨

yes! this is a post-arishok duel recovery fic! that hasn't updated since november 2022, whoops! i guess this one is taking a bit…

the next chapter is not at all done and is already over 5k, but it involves hawke fantasizing about having a mother to comfort her while she's unwell and having nightmares about it, trying to convince justice to make anders leave her because she's now absolutely terrified for his safety after meredith saw her use magic and assumes she was only made champion because she was pretty much on death's door and is scared about how much and for how long that's really going to protect her and if her new level of fame is going to put a bigger target on anders's head, and being a stubborn asshole and pushing herself to do things she's not ready to do and there being consequences to that (particularly involving me projecting an injury i had to have a couple of surgeries about back in 2020, and projecting the hell known as brainstem aura migraines, lol).

i also have it established in a post-canon fic that hawke has chronic pain issues for the rest of her life after the duel, and in the first chapter of this one it basically just goes that hawke was in way worse shape after the duel than varric was willing to tell cassandra.

and here's a snippet!

She catches the pale blue light from the corner of her eye, and she can’t help but turn towards it when she does.

“Anders? Justice?”

Her voice is wet and unsteady, and she decides there is no longer any point in continuing to actively avoid eye contact. The glow recedes.

She turns carefully onto her side, and Anders moves to lie on his side facing her.

“I’m here, love,” he says, cautiously grazing his hand across her cheek. “We’re here.”

“Justice, if you’re listening, you need to get Anders away from me. I can’t promise his safety or yours any longer. I’ve put us all in danger by exposing my magic to Meredith, and if either of you get hurt because of me…”

“No.” And that is distinctly Justice’s voice.

“Don’t you understand, I—”

“No.” More forceful, and this time it’s from Anders and Justice speaking as one.

“Love, I can’t keep you safe. I have a target on my head now, probably even larger than yours. If Meredith decides to investigate my friends, at least Merrill doesn’t fucking live with me. But if she decides my being Champion doesn’t extend protection to the people I love, not even to mention if she decides she can’t have an apostate in the city with power—for fuck’s sake, she probably only did that because apparently everyone thought I was going to die…”

“I’m not leaving you, Marian,” Anders alone says sternly. “I was so bloody terrified I was about to lose you, and now that I have you I’m supposed to walk away from that? You refused to heed my warnings, so you have to understand that I’m refusing yours.”

She is seething. Anders nearly flinches at the extreme change in her expression, and he thinks it’s Justice trying to reassure him that it’s not him she’s upset with.

“Anders. I would kill every single fucking person in this entire Maker-forsaken shithole city if I thought it would keep you and everyone I care for out of Meredith’s hands. But I can only do so much, and if they get to you before I can stop it—”

“Marian—”

“Anders. Stop and fucking think about this for one bloody second! I love you more than anything in the world and I never want to be without you, you have to know I don’t say this lightly. But I… Fuck, Anders, I…”

Anders knows she’s just afraid, he knows that feeling well, but he snaps despite himself. “Marian, I love you but if you want me to leave because you’ve finally come to your senses about me, tell me that and I’ll go.”

And she can’t tell him that, of course she can’t tell him that, but…

He continues, “But if you think for a moment that Meredith of all fucking people, if anyone fucking else is going to keep me from you—”

And that’s when she starts sobbing. Her previously steady soft crying transforms into weeping bordering on wailing, shaking and inconsolable.

“If anything happens to you because of me… I can’t ruin someone I love’s life again, I can’t…I can’t go through this again…”

Her words are barely intelligible through the howling she is desperately trying to suppress but can’t, every emotion she’s carrying coming out in full blast at full volume.

She carries so much on her shoulders, shoulders that now ache and twitch when she moves them.

“I can’t let you get hurt,” she says, whimpering. “I destroy everyone I love, and now you could be next. Anders, please…”

And Anders doubts it would help to remind her how the templars have been after him since long before he knew her and will be with or without her, he imagines that she’ll still insist it’s her responsibility somehow to ensure his safety. So he shows rather than continuing to tell, hoping he doesn’t hurt her in pulling her flush against him and gripping her shirt tight, concentrating on the fabric in his fists in an effort not to squeeze her.

He kisses her head, applying as little pressure as possible, over and over.

“It’s alright, love,” he mumbles to her, repeating what he knows are empty platitudes, but it feels better than silence.

[citrusandsalt]

I really relate to your posts and reblogs about chronic fatigue and practicing self-love. So if you’re willing to share, what are your specific disabilities?

Hi anon!

I have been really lucky to have a PCP who has gone with "well, you have the symptoms of fibro, and a family history of fibro, so let's throw some fibro treatments at you and see if they help and if they don't, we'll do something else" and they did!

So one way to look at my suite of disabilities is that I have chronic fatigue, chronic pain (especially through the top of my back and my neck), and chronic migraines with and without aura. That profile could fit a few different things, but I've gotten pretty far just by treating the symptoms and muddling through that way.

Additionally, I'm not clinically immunosuppressed, but I do get sick very easily - noticeably to my friends levels of easily, regularly hovering near my max allotment of sick days just because of having colds easily, buying and finishing the biggest boxes of DayQuil and NyQuil multiple times per year easily - and when I get sick I tend to stay sick for longer, especially coughs.

Another way to look at it is: something autoimmune is probably going on. I have a family history of RA, other arthritises, AND fibro. The symptoms I've had for a long time map to fibromyalgia, but newer symptoms also map to spondyloarthritis. So probably some combo of those! Testing is a slow process and nothing has yet come back definitive, but also nothing has come back ruling out either of them (or both of them!). Autoimmune diseases are poorly understood - especially fibromyalgia which many people suspect may "actually" be several different diseases we've dumped in the "girlies' bodies hurt, idk" bucket, so uh, stay tuned I guess.

Additionally, some people count mental illness under disability, and I have severe depression, moderate-severe cPTSD, and mild-moderate generalized anxiety.

And there's a lot of comorbidities in there! Many people who experience trauma also have autoimmune disorders because your brain and your body are actually the same thing and putting one under chronic stress puts the other under chronic stress. And many people who are chronically ill have depression because hey, when your body can't do things, it makes you sad about what you can't do. Being in pain sucks. cPTSD basically always comes bundled with depression and anxiety so that's basically a BOGO special.

A thing that I do think is interesting is the comorbidities I don't have. As far as I can tell, I don't have EDS, autism, or ADHD, and I'm not trans.

So! tl;dr: got the back-and-neck hurts disease, the heady hurt disease, the sleepy bitch disease, the bad childhood disease, and the sad bitch disease. I'm like a beautiful flower where each petal is "huh, that's kinda fucked up but not like, SUPER fucked up, so you can pass for normal enough most of the time. Good luck champ!"