When Life Rewrites the Story: A Conversation with Britt Middleton
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Okay. Life sometimes has a way of blindsiding you with a feeling of being overwhelmed at the worst possible time. That's why you have your self-care, your coping strategies. That's why you have us. I'm Nora McNerny and this is the Head Start, Embracing the Journey, a podcast where we'll be taking all those things you usually save for your friend group out into the open so we can all find a bit of optimism. For those battling chronic migraine, these conversations are going to be even more helpful and relatable. So definitely stick around. This show is brought to you in partnership with Abvi. So first, let's hear some important safety information and stay tuned to the end of the podcast for more.
Indication Botox, anabotulinum toxin A, is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headache lasting four or more hours each day in people 18 years and older. It is not known whether Botox is safe and effective to prevent headaches in patients with migraine who have 14 or fewer headache days each month or episodic migraine. Important safety information Botox may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems anytime, hours to weeks after injection of Botox. Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing due to weakening of associated muscles can be severe and result in loss of life.
You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months. Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms, including loss of strength, an all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing. Please stay tuned for additional important safety information within this podcast.
Today's guest, Britt Middleton, is not a Botox patient. Britt was not compensated by Abvi for sharing her story. Portions of this podcast are sponsored by Abvi.
How can sharing stories help people feel less alone with chronic migraine?
Writing has always fascinated me, I guess, because I am a writer, but writing is a way of processing our stories. And not everybody is a writer, but everybody has a story. Whether or not you ever write that story down is another thing. You are living your story right now. And every story starts with a blank page and the hope that somewhere along the way, our story. Might make someone else feel a little less alone. Of course, life has a way of interrupting the story that we are trying to live. Deadlines don't disappear, inspiration never shows up on schedule, and very rarely do our bodies. Today's guest knows that balance intimately. Britt Middleton is a romance novelist and a journalist living in Manhattan.
She writes life. Love stories, the kind that are warm and honest and complicated and full of people who look like her. And she writes characters who live with chronic migraine. Because Britt lives with chronic migraine too. Brit spent nearly 15 years searching for answers before anyone could give her symptoms a name. During that time, she was building a career in journalism, covering red carpets, interviewing celebrities, and working in some of the most high pressure, high stimulus environments imaginable. Today we are talking about creativity, about resilience, about what it means to keep writing your own story, even when life has other plans. And joining us, as always, is my friend and resident headache specialist, Dr.
Christopher Ryan.
Hello, Dr. Ryan. It's so good to see you again.
What's up, Nora? Awesome to be back for this episode today.
We're back, but bittersweet news here. It is our last episode of the season.
Yeah, wild to already be here. But I think it's neat because I think we kind of had a different flavor this season and it's been really neat to sort of wander through that and experience the show in a different way this time.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:04–2:47
2
How can sharing stories help people feel less alone with chronic migraine?
2:47–7:38
3
How did Britt Middleton experience migraine symptoms before diagnosis?
7:38–10:37
4
Why can chronic migraine take years to diagnose?
10:37–11:44
5
How can patients find the right headache specialist and communicate their symptoms?
11:44–15:36
6
How did chronic migraine affect Britt Middleton’s high-pressure entertainment career?
15:36–17:58
7
How is Britt Middleton representing chronic migraine in a romance novel?
17:58–20:34
8
How can caregivers and community support people living with chronic migraine?
20:34–30:04
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The Head Start: Embracing the Journey
Redefining What It Means to Show Up: Muneera Page on Living with Chronic Migraine
Quiet Thoughts on Living with Chronic Migraine from Michelle Douglas and Caitlyn Eiffert
Where Are They Now? Checking in with Priya Rama and Qasim Amin Nathari on their Chronic Migraine journeys
The Head Start: Embracing the Journey Season 4 is Here