Work with your doctor on the plan

No matter what treatment plan you land on, make sure your doctor is on the same page. This will make appointments easier and more efficient because you can evaluate your plan as needed to see what needs updating or changing. You can also more efficiently track your triggers and medications.

Have a plan for the whens and wheres

Your migraines may be different depending on time of day, your triggers or where you are. Have a written plan for each eventuality. This can mean having a different medication or coping plan for home and work, for morning and evening, or for any time your routine may be disrupted.

Include preventative care in your plan

It’s important to have a handy plan ready when a migraine hits, but you should also include what to do on a day-to-day basis to decrease migraine severity and frequency. This can include your diet, exercise and sleep plan — for weekdays, weekends and vacations.

Tackle the emotional side, too

Chronic pain doesn’t just take a physical toll. Your emotional and mental health takes a hit with migraine pain, and anxiety, depression, and isolation can increase with your physical pain. Your plan should include treatment for these effects, as well, like support groups, therapy or close friends and caretakers you can reach out to when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Write everything down

You won’t be able to focus on your treatment plan when you’re in extreme pain. Write down your treatment plan and keep it in a place you can easily access no matter where you are. When you’re feeling fuzzy or down for the count, having this plan handy will make dealing with your next steps much easier. Your plan may include prescriptions and when to take them, home treatments and the locations of those treatments (bathroom, kitchen drawer, etc), coping methods for each circumstance and important names and phone numbers of people you can contact when you need help.Creating a Treatment Plan

Having a written treatment plan can be a lifesaver when you’re in pain and can’t think straight. Knowing exactly what you need to do for all eventualities will make dealing with migraine pain easier and less stressful. Here’s how to create a plan for yourself.