My headache and migraine history started with documented medical concerns at just 5 years of age. I first started at 5 years old not being able to handle heat, and excessive sounds. Then around 11 years old, I started getting migraines every day. The pain was unbearable. Concerns from family members led to me getting CAT scans and EKGs. There was a concern that I had a tumor or cancer due to family history, but t was none of those issues. Things worsened in college and I started getting migraines three to five days out the week. My migraines were attributed to hormones levels, and I was informed I had Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMMD), and a cyst growing on my thyroid. I knew it was more to this issue because I still did not have normal or conventional levels of energy, emotions, etc. Fast forward, at 21 years old I was told it was difficult to have children due to an ectopic pregnancy. It was not until I conceived my first son at 27 years old that I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), that my life began to change for the better.
I have been verbally telling my story to so many women in my line of work because all cultures have been affected by the same symptoms. Hormonal balancing and fluctuation is very real and can be scary when faced alone and without the right medical team. I now better understand the correlation between being a woman of color, hormones, food consumption, and migraine.
A. Wilkinson
(I love the articles posted here)
