Introduction to Excedrin Program+Giveaway

I've suffered from migraines for the past 10 years of my life. They are usually mild to moderate, but sometimes can be severe.  Migraines are horrible and if you suffer from them, then you understand completely how I feel.  I'm sensitive to light and sometimes sound when I get these pesky things. It usually can help to reduce the pain if I take medicine right away, but if I wait too long then it's too late. The migraine is there to stay for some time. Stress and lack of sleep usually bring them on.  I'm always researching online ways to prevent migraines and figure out what triggers them.

Excedrin Migraine is the #1 neurologist recommended over-the-counter brand for migraine relief. It offers convenient and effective relief for migraines, and was the first non-prescription medicine approved by the FDA to treat all symptoms of a migraine.  Excedrin's migraine medication was amazing. It helped my migraines so much.  They recently recalled it which I was upset over since it was my go-to medication.  I've since gotten a migraine prescription which is working well. It is now back on the shelves.

I recently was asked to be an Excedrin Blogger Ambassador, which I am so excited about! It's very rewarding to be an ambassador for a company that I highly respect.  I'm also looking forward to connecting with other bloggers and sharing tips, stories, and advice.

I was sent an iPod Touch by Excedrin and told to use a special app on it to track my migraines.  The makers of Excedrin along with a leading neurologist, recently developed a new app called My Migraine Triggers.  This is available through the iTunes store and is free to download.  With this app, migraine sufferers can track their migraine triggers and gather the data put into reports and charts that can easily be shared with physicians.

My migraines are tracked in a little notebook that I keep in my purse. I usually can tell if a migraine is coming that day or not.  Everyday I either record my migraines, or if I get lucky enough not to have one, I write "no migraine day!" on the page.  When I do have one, I list which side of my head it's occuring on, what I think the possible triggers could be (lack of sleep, too much salt, etc) and how severe it is.  I use the ranking of 1-10 for severity, with 10 being the highest.  Luckily I've never had a 10 before, I imagine that would be pretty scary.  My migraines are usually around a 3-4.  Sometimes they can be a 5 but I'm grateful that they are mild to moderate.  The pain usually lasts anywhere from 5 to 8 hours.  It really helps me to lay down and close my eyes and put a heated wrap on my head.  If I am at work or out in public, it can be really difficult to deal with the migraines.  I just have to hope that my medicine kicks in quickly enough to help.

The app that I've downloaded is wonderful.  It asks you questions about your migraines, and you fill in the answers.  The questions are more in depth then the information I used to write down in my notepad.  The app asks you things such as what time did the migraine start, how long did it last, how intense was the pain, were warning signs there, did you skip any meals, etc. These questions are helpful in knowing everything you can about this attack. It saves your migraine information daily, so you can go back and look at it whenever you want.  The best part about this app is that you can send your migraine information and trigger chart over to your doctor through email.  How amazing is that? You don't even have to make an appointment to see your doctor, just send them the chart and information and they can respond with their thoughts and advice! If you don't want to email over the information, you can print it out and share it with them that way. I have not shared the app info with my doctor yet, but I will be very soon.

I truly believe this app is a lifesaver.  I love the fact that it exists and is there to help me as much as possible.  I don't know how I lived life without it before.  I look forward to using it on a daily basis.  

If you suffer from migraines, what do you do to track them? What are some of your triggers? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.  Excedrin would also love for you to visit their Facebook page and chime in with its audience for migraine support.  Please feel free to download the app at MigraineResource.com.  It will truly change your life.

*DISCLOSURE* I am a paid blogger ambassador for Excedrin Migraine.

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