Migraine Voices: Ellena’s story

It’s Migraine Awareness Week and we’re marking the occasion with #migrainevoices, a series of posts from those affected by migraine who are sharing with us their own migraine journeys.

Ellena, who has experienced chronic migraine since she was 15

“I felt like a burden to the world, I could hardly get out of bed most days.”

I’m Ellena and I’ve had chronic migraine since I was 15. At first I was told it was just ‘headaches’ and I’d grow out of them, but I never did.

After many hospital trips, I was finally diagnosed at 16 with chronic migraine.

At first, I was angry, because the constant pain had taken do much from me. I’d sit by myself in a room at school away from all of the noise; I felt so isolated.

I didn’t sit any of my exams and some of my closest friends at the time left me because they didn’t believe I could be that ill.

I felt like a burden to the world. I could hardly get out of bed most days.

Fast forward to now and although I still struggle every day with pain, I’m starting university and studying for the degree of my dreams! I won’t let migraine stop me!