From the National Headache Foundation

Migraine can be effectively managed. With the help of a health care professional, patients can identify and alleviate their symptoms with an appropriate treatment regimen. Here are some suggestions to follow.

• Have reasonable expectations about treatment. Understand there is no cure for migraine; however, the disease can be managed with an effective treatment program. Be patient and give treatment time to work. Realize that treatment success will ebb and flow. Be willing to listen to your doctor and to yourself. Be flexible, open-minded, and prepared to modify your treatment as necessary.
• Be honest about all current medications and other medical conditions. Tell your doctor about all your current therapies, including prescription, over-the-counter and natural remedies (because certain medications interfere with each other). Share any psychological history or "emotional disturbances" and medications taken for those now or in the past.
• Focus on solutions. Be positive. Don't blame yourself; headaches are not your fault. Focus on finding the best treatment options by working with your physician to find solutions.
• Ask for detailed instructions for taking medication — and follow them. Medications are either preventive (taken on a daily basis to help reduce the number of attacks in patients who experience more than two migraines per month) or abortive (given after the attack begins to treat symptoms). Many medications available to treat an acute attack must be taken as soon as the attack occurs, otherwise they may be less effective. Ask for specific instructions on taking prescribed medication: how often, with meals or on an empty stomach, what to do if a dose is missed, side effects, and what to do if pain and symptoms persist.
• Partner with your doctor for treatment success. Enter into a partnership with your doctor and bridge the communication gap. See your doctor on a regular basis and develop a relationship — treatment is a process that works better with in-person visits.
• Follow-up regularly with your doctor. Your treatment program will only be as good as the time you invest. Schedule a follow-up appointment as you conclude each doctor visit. Three months is usually a reasonable time period to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment program.

• Your headache is much worse or much different than usual
• Your medicine doesn’t seem to be working as you expect it to
• You have unusual or severe side effects from your medicine
• Your headache interferes with your ability to function normally at work or in social situations
• You require medication more than two days per week
• Your heacache occurs with fever, stiff neck, or uncontrollable vomiting
• Your headache causes confusion or loss of consciousness

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