Strength Of Tears

Tag: iih headache

An Astonishing Look Into A Day With Chronic Illness

An Astonishing Look Into A Day With Chronic Illness

Ever wondered what a day living with chronic illness and disability looks like? Today I’m taking you on an astonishing look into the highs and lows that can occur day to day, as well as some insight into the strategies that work for me.

From the moment I wake up, I’m already facing barriers. My chronic illnesses make it hard to get out of bed, often leaving me exhausted and in pain. Every day is a balancing act where I have to be mindful of my energy levels and make sure that I’m taking time to rest.

This behind the scenes, focused, look into a day of my life with chronic illnesses, pain, and fatigue is part of a Linkup blog organised by Sheryl Chan from A Chronic Voice. Sheryl has written these questions which I’ve answered to write this blog.

An Introduction To My Chronic Illnesses

In 2009 I was diagnosed with migraine disease after 20 years of undiagnosed attacks. My migraine became chronic in 2013, diagnosed when you have 15+ headache days a month. Every weekend was ruined by migraine attacks.

In early 2014 I fell ill with migraine-like symptoms, which my doctors thought was a month-long migraine attack. When it didn’t show signs of stopping, I noticed whooshing in my ears. My GP told me this new symptom was pulsatile tinnitus. I knew at once this was more than an extended migraine attack.

My local neurologists wouldn’t look into this, and feeling frustrated, I sought specialist treatment in Cambridge. I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension or IIH, a rare brain disease, 9 months after my symptoms started.

IIH medication didn’t help and it became apparent that I had an atypical presentation of this rare disease. The Cambridge specialists were working on a trial treatment for people with the same outlook as myself but I’d missed the deadline.

I had to wait another year for this controversial surgical treatment which I found incredibly stressful but had the support of my GP. Meanwhile I tried every migraine preventative to appease my various neurologists, who were all against my treatment plan, but to no avail.

I became depressed and had anxiety because of grief from losing my Career and active life, disagreements with doctors, as well as worries about experimental treatment. If you’d like to know more about my IIH treatment, please read this blog.

What My Day Looks Like

When I first wake up I am confronted with the pain in my face that I live with constantly, this quickly translates to nausea. My thoughts quickly go to when I can take my medications to combat the worst symptoms, which I have to take with food.

Sometimes I wake very early because the pain is off the charts and I have to take a dose of Oramorph to get me through until breakfast. This is the next barrier as I can’t function until my medications kick in. So my husband, Joel, makes me breakfast and brings it to me in bed. Joel prioritises caring for me into his busy morning. Read Joel’s point of view as my Carer here.

My morning is then dedicated to rest as I take many heavy duty pain relief and preventative medications. I usually fall back to sleep while watching television, either a series of snoozes or a block of sleep, depending upon how high the pain is.

On the highest pain days my body simply can’t rest enough to sleep so I will force rest with meditation which is a brilliant restorative practice. So even if I can’t sleep I get some complete rest, often with the help of an oramorph dose. Thankfully on low pain days I don’t even think about taking any oramorph as sleep is enough of a boost on its own.

My Carer, Sam, arrives late morning and brings me a cup of herbal tea and opens my curtains, to help me wake up at noon. Joel does this at the weekend as it’s vital in helping me become operational. They also get clothes out for me so I don’t have to bend down as this increases my intracranial pressure.

Sam or Joel bring me lunch at 1:30pm so I can take my next lot of medicine, both helping me gather enough energy to shower. Some days are easier than others but I use a shower stool to save energy for getting dressed. It’s painful and tiring to wash my hair so I only do this once a week.

On my better days, I’m usually functioning at my best around 3-6pm, so this is when I usually focus on writing my blogs, coaching journal and self-help downloads. I also write for patients at Teva’s Life Effects which you can find here.

My favourite part of the day is spending time with my family when I manage to make it down to the sofa for a change of scenery. This routine only started at the beginning of 2023 as I’ve been building up my stamina by swimming regularly for over a year.

I head down around 6pm and curl up on the long seat, sometimes napping. Then we eat dinner and watch TV as a family which has really helped my mental health as I feel more connected.

I stay down until about 9pm when I take my nighttime medication which is even stronger than my morning regime. I wind down watching TV in bed with Joel, when we get a chance to hold hands and snuggle.

When I actually settle down to sleep, I play Wordle and other puzzles to help keep my brain working. Then I settle down, wearing my frozen ice hat that helps soothe my pain so I can sleep as my pain is always at its worst at night.

An Eye-opening View Of A Day Living With Chronic Illness

What I consider a daily self-care must do.

Writing about what I’m grateful for in my journal helps me remember the positives, even on days that are awful. Living in constant pain is so exhausting and can be very negative if the pain gets on top of you.

Are you are able to do any exercise? If so, what do you enjoy and does it help with managing your pain?

I started swimming in 2022, when my social worker organised for my Carer to take me. I’ve gradually built up to twice weekly. I find swimming helps my pain levels, unless I can’t get out of bed. I have to take Oramorph when I’ve finished, as showering and dressing wipes me out, despite having help.

Things that help me de-stress in my everyday life.

Things that improve my mental health are essential oils, doing my make-up, organising anything, and swimming. I have to pace myself so everything takes longer than someone without chronic illness.

The household chore I have the most trouble with.

Everything! Luckily I have a Carer and cleaners but I’m gradually doing little chores now that I’m downstairs more, such as plumping cushions, drawing curtains and wiping down the surfaces in the kitchen. The worst chore is when the hoover comes out (I don’t do it) but I struggle with the noise.

What’s breakfast, lunch and dinner typically like. Any diet protocols?

My nausea and pain levels dictate my diet and I crave certain foods whilst my body is going from zero to functional. I always have toast and marmalade for breakfast, and this is my go-to when I’m in lots of pain. For lunch I usually have a sandwich and fruit. Dinner is quite varied as this is my best time of day.

I went vegan in 2021 which I believe has contributed to my overall health being slightly improved. I plan the menu for the week so my family, who are pescatarians, generally eat vegan meals as we eat lots of vegetables, lentils or chickpeas and some meat substitutes. Sam preps or cooks a meal in the slow cooker and Joel finishes it off and serves so it’s a team effort.

People I see most often and my favourite activities to do with them.

Sam comes for 2 hours every weekday and Joel works at home so I love having a good natter and a giggle, although this increases my pain levels. I love going out with my family on my best days, which is usually quite spontaneous to make the most of low pain levels.

Joel is my best friend so we plan date nights at home, visits to the village pub and live music and comedy in the last few years. Music has always been our thing so this is vital to our healthy relationship, although I know I will put myself into a week or so of high pain afterwards.

Do you have any pets and how are they a part of your life?

Having rescue cats has rescued me since I became ill in 2014. The wonderful Salmiakki and Finleaf came to live with us in 2019. Salmiakki (a Swedish liquorice) owns me. He knows when I’m in high pain and demands to sit on me so I rest. They are house cats so they always keep me company.

If I could leap out of bed pain free for ONE day within my current environment and circumstances, I would…

tidy and clean the whole house as I’m a control freak. Letting other people organise my house and leaving things that aren’t as tidy as I’d like, has been one of the hardest things to learn since getting sick. I would also see my best friends more often.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about daily living with chronic illness/disability?

I hope people will realise that we never know what someone else is really going through. Whether it’s how much help I need to get going each day, sleeping all morning or going to bed wearing an ice hat, I’m in pain for every second. Some of the time it’s barely noticeable but I feel it dragging me down.

By sharing what my day to day life is like I hope I can raise awareness of the bigger picture as people only see snippets of me online or see me on my best days in person. I am not sharing this for pity or sympathy and I am not complaining.

The Takeaway

Writing about my day living with chronic illness has been quite shocking to me to see how much help I still need even on the days when I’m able to manage more. I feel strongly the need to celebrate the connectivity I have with my loved ones,

Writing this has made me see how much progress I’ve made since I last wrote about my chronic pain conditions. However, my progress is still very small which has reminded me that I still need care every day to function.

I hope that you have found this blog an insight into life with chronic pain. I would love to hear about what surprised you or if you have any questions about anything I’ve mentioned. Just leave a comment below.

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✋ Hey there! I hope you’re feeling stronger now. If so, sharing the love will help me help other mums with chronic invisible illnesses.⬆ Hit one of those sharing buttons or save these images to Pinterest and I will do a bed-bound happy dance – there’s an image for you!

05/07/2023
The Cruel Impact Of Being In Agony With Brain Fog & IIH Headaches
The Cruel Impact Of Being In Agony With Brain Fog And IIH Headache

This IIH Awareness Month, I want to share how brain fog affects me as someone with IIH headache. IIH or Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is a rare brain disease affecting 1-3 in 100,000 people. I’ve had IIH for over 8 years and it has improved a bit with treatment.

IIH., which you can read about here, has no known cause (idiopathic) and is focused in the brain (intracranial) where it raises pressure (hypertension). Headache is my most severe symptom, my second is brain fog, a type of cognitive dysfunction.

The name gives it away, but it’s literally a foggy brain state! Brain fog and headaches are both constant for me. Never getting a break from these symptoms is exhausting. Initially my memory was so poor, to have a conversation was a challenge for me, as a mum, and my family. It’s less extreme now but still affects me daily.

Here I’m going to tell you about the symptoms of a foggy brain and how long it can last. I’m also going to explain how this affects me, as someone with IIH headache and migraines. Then I’ll share tips for better managing brain fog and headaches as a tired mum.

What Are The Symptoms Of Brain Fog?

Brain fog is not a medical term, but a term for those who experience a groggy mind. Read more about brain fog causes here. The most common symptoms of brain fog are short term memory loss, mental fatigue, unclear thoughts, trouble finding words and a sense of non-reality.

For those with chronic illnesses, such as my brain fog and headache conditions of IIH and migraine, foggy brain also often occurs as an inability to follow simple instructions, extreme tiredness, difficulty processing information, being easily distracted and confused.

My symptoms of brain fog show up as all the above but I also have difficulty following a conversation, I struggle to find the words I need and multitasking is hard work! I feel as though I’m wading through treacle, everything slowing down and information is stuck hard.

Others will encounter their symptoms differently, as it can change from day to day and even fluctuate over the same day. My husband, Joel, is often dragged into twilight discussion as I try to share a story from the day. I often lose my place, go off track and then go back a step or restart, finding I’ve forgotten the point of the story anyway!

How Long Does Brain Fog Last?

There isn’t one answer for this, usually symptoms of brain fog are temporary or happen in short bouts over more time; it’s different for everybody. Those with brain fog and headache conditions often have persistent mental fog, which is felt on a sliding scale of severity.

The Coronavirus pandemic shone a spotlight on brain fog and research has shown that those with long Covid will have the symptoms of brain fog for weeks or up to many months. They did find that brain fog decreased in severity over time.

Prior research into mental fog was sparse, but with new scientific studies we’re learning more about brain fog and so improvements for symptom management are more likely. It’s vital to reassure anyone with constant brain fog, that they will not have lasting brain damage.

Mental Fog

Brain fog is like walking through a dense forest that doesn’t seem real. This analogy of brain fog shows how much it can impact your ability to function when a foggy bran is persistent.
How Brain Fog and IIH Headaches Impacts My Life

I believe it’s crucial to raise awareness of IIH symptoms, so I released this blog last year. became very unwell, overwhelmingly with brain fog and headaches, and had to leave my 15 year career as a teacher. These symptoms of brain fog dominate my life with IIH.

I am one of less than 6% of patients with IIH who have IIH without Papilloedema. This is swelling of the optic nerve that can lead to blindness if untreated. IIH symptoms are debilitating and impact quality of life, especially as the most common symptom for us in the 6% is headaches.

The cruel IIH headache I have on both sides of my head and around, below and behind my right eye, is like permanent brain freeze, migraines and facial neuralgia all at once. However, I also have constant, debilitating mental fog which affects every aspect of life.

Brain fog surrounds all of my IIH symptoms:
- Before the pain heightens, I feel agitated and confused
- When it eases I’m dopey and slow to process information
- High pain means poor sleep which leaves me even more tired
- The medication I take makes me sluggish and confused
- Living in the dark due to light sensitivity affects my sense of time
- Hyperacusis (magnified sound) and vertigo makes the world not seem real
When brain fog and headaches work together, my IIH symptoms are incapacitating. When I was first ill these symptoms were so severe I lived in an almost fugue state, impacting all my relationships, even my marriage, as I just couldn’t maintain a conversation.

“Pain like this, felt at the core of one’s being, in the brain, carries an added challenge in interfering with how you think,” Paula Kamen

I’ve had 6 surgeries in the last 7 years, including having brain stents implanted on both sides of my brain. My brain fog improved a little with each surgery as the intracranial pressure reduced a little. It still affects me daily but now I’m able to write coherently.

I’ll always have impaired brain function but now I can see the funny side when the pain eases a little. Brain fog can lead to humorous but frustrating events, such as when I put hand cream on my face or wear a top inside out all day. You just have to laugh!
How Tired Mums Manage Brain Fog

Tiredness can slow your thought process but a mental fog affects the brain’s ability to think clearly. Brain fog is more than tiredness and makes life more even more challenging.
How Tired Mums Can Better Manage Brain Fog And Headaches

All mums experience exhaustion but no amount of sleep will ease a foggy brain migraine or IIH headache. When we have IIH symptoms, life can be extremely limiting and tiresome but any headache condition exposes us to fatigue. This adds to mental fog and makes life even harder to manage.

As someone with IIH headache and a chronic migraine sufferer, I have daily brain fog. I’ve particularly noticed my inability to remember details, have conversations, manage my time and multitask; so I’ve collated this list of tips to better manage brain fog and headaches:
- Sleep Routine – this is often the first thing to go as Mums but with brain fog too we need good quality sleep. I’m not suggesting 8 hours a night, as we’re all different but sleep hygiene is crucial for us all. Keep track of your sleep and what helps you sleep better.
- Eat Healthily – nutrition deficiencies can worsen brain fog so we need a balanced diet. My mental fog has improved a little now I’m vegan and more aware of nutrients. Supplements can also help, read more about that here.
- Exercise – gentle exercise, like a short walk, can help. I don’t mean going to the gym or for a run. Physio got me more mobile and it’s helped my symptoms of brain fog. Now that I swim often, I’ve noticed even more improvements. Walking round the house and doing the washing counts as exercise!
- Keep Hydrated – Regular fluid is important for brain health, but alcohol and caffeine is dehydrating. I drink 3-4 litres to combat dry mouth side effects of my medication, but your body is unique. Try to drink about 2 litres of water a day.
- Relax – listening to my body means I tune in to when I need to rest, usually meditating or doing gentle yoga. To manage your stress you need to do positive self-care acts for yourself. This could be a long bath or catching up with friends.
- Take a Break – regular short breaks from activity, helps us manage better. I use the Pomodoro technique when working, 25 mins focus, then a 5-10 minute break to do my physio or meditate, anything mindful is rejuvenating.
- Get Organised – This is tough but essential for all mums! I struggle to plan a day, now I have IIH symptoms. I start with the simple act of getting up, following the same simple routine. Having a clear plan and structure gives focus.
- Time Checks – pain results in our dopamine levels dropping to make us stop and rest but this also affects our memory. So use your phone for alarm reminders and memory prompts.
- Focus – prioritise tasks so you can focus on one thing at a time and remove distractions. I have real difficulty multitasking, made worse by tiredness. Avoid doing things when tired or anxious so you can focus more.
- Make Connections – It can be easy to feel isolated when we are struggling with mental fog. Connecting with those who understand what you’re going through can be incredibly helpful, whether it’s online or in person it gives you support
I’ve created this free wellness planner to help you prioritise for better life balance, which will help you organise your way through brain fog and plan for dealing with the symptoms of brain gog ad headaches. Simply click on this link to sign up for your free copy. Please feel free to ask me any questions you have.

If you’re struggling to cope with brain fog, it’s important to speak to your doctor or seek professional help from a therapist, counsellor or life coach. They can help you manage your symptoms, emotions and focus on finding solutions.

In conclusion…

The symptoms of brain fog affect people differently, depending on the cause and symptoms you experience, so what helps can be different for each person. As women and Mums, we may also be affected by hormonal changes which is important to be aware of.

For me, brain fog and headaches, especially my IIH headache, has impacted my brain function from the day my symptoms started. It affected my ability to have conversation, and even now after six surgeries, I often still don’t join the dots when processing information.

There are lots of things you can try to help ease symptoms. To find the combination that works for you, track your symptoms and what you use to work out what helps you. Many treatments involve lifestyle changes and day-to-day management of the symptom. This IIH awareness month, see how I experience IIH by checking out my blogs. You can see how another mum found managing IIH symptoms in this wonderful guest blog.

✋ Hey there! I hope you’re feeling stronger now. If so, sharing the love will help me help other mums with chronic invisible illnesses.⬇ Hit one of those sharing buttons or save these images to Pinterest and I will do a bed-bound happy dance – there’s an image for you!

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20/09/2022
A Lonely Challenge: IIH Headache And A Baby
A Lonely Challenge: IIH Headache And A Baby

An Introduction To Amy’s Guest Blog

For IIH Awareness Month, I want to raise awareness about Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension or IIH through blogs with a range of patient voices. I’ve asked mums from the IIH UK Facebook support group to raise money for IIH UK, a charity supporting IIH patients and raising awareness.

Please use the button below if you would like to donate to IIH UK through their Justgiving page.

Donate To IIH UK NOw

Amy has written an amazing guest blog about her experience as a 24 year old mum of a one year baby boy. She’s just moved back to Scotland to be closer to her family after being diagnosed with IIH fairly recently.

If you would like to understand the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of IIH from the perspective of other patients for IIH awareness month, read this blog post.

She experiences crippling pain, with each severe Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache which led to her diagnosis. However IIH is so much more than just a headache so here is Amy’s story, in this open letter to IIH.

An Open Letter For IIH Awareness Month

To my IIH for finally teaching me how to let go.

You can’t hold on to anything when you’re awake every morning with an excruciating headache that can only be described as brain freeze mixed with a car crash.

With every day, the hypertension headaches grew stronger and longer. I wasn’t present in my life for weeks, I was zoned out on autopilot trying to protect myself from the pain. Nothing worked. I tried everything from pain killers to mindfulness to not eating this and that.

Then came the whooshing (pulsatile tinnitus ) and blurry vision that fearfully shook me back into the present. I wasn’t just in pain anymore. I was scared. Really really scared. I knew something was very wrong! I googled my symptoms in every free second I could and my results told me I was either “faking it” or I had a brain tumour.

When my phone rang, (sort of like the way my ears did when I got my first headache), my GP told me I had ‘Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension’. Luckily I’d done my research, so at that point I knew what she knew. Find out what IIH is by reading this IIH UK leaflet.

However I didn’t know that my boyfriend would end our relationship and move out of our family home leaving me alone with our 8 month old baby son and the lonely challenge of my new diagnosis and that Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache.

No one knew I’d need a lumbar puncture in a hospital which had had many covid-19 related deaths or that the procedure would make me so ill I’d had to be driven 300 miles, to be admitted to hospital in Scotland near my family home.

The lumbar puncture hurt almost as much as when my partner left me, the pain was deep and repetitive. Read about lumbar punctures here. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lumbar-puncture/ It made me question what was wrong with me and why, like always, things could never be easy?

I screamed and howled that night as my high pressure hypertension headache was traded with a low pressure headache. My sister held my hair while I vomited almost in unison to my sons midnight cries. How I wished being a mother was the least of my problems.

They Thought I’d Be Okay.

They thought I’d be okay but if it had been possible, I’d have easily spent the rest of my life in bed hiding from the world, silently taking note of every little change in me. With every bout of nausea the panic set in and I often found myself reliving the pain of the Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache I felt when I was first diagnosed.

They thought I’d be okay but with every visual disturbance I winced at the thought of losing my ability to care for my son, drive or even completely losing my sight. It’s very easy to see why depression is a symptom of IIH. I consider myself extremely lucky that I do have good days as I remember a time, not so long ago, when I didn’t.

By the time I had to quit my job, I’d started to regain strength. I felt proud that I’d managed to keep myself and my son alive and that we had a wonderful week in Scotland. Looking back it was a parallel universe to what I’d been used to.

The days were bright, the family home was busy and the sound of my thoughts no longer rattled off of every surface. I became determined to prove to myself and everyone else that I could fight one of the hardest fights I’d ever faced.

I lost 10kg in weight in less than a month. Everyone congratulated me and acted as if, by magic, all my problems would be solved and I’d be okay. Stereotypicaly women are somehow (wrongly) convinced that the more weight they lose the more successful they’ll be.

Unfortunately when you’re overweight with an IIH diagnosis, you are even more convinced that losing weight will be a miracle cure. Read more about views on IIH and weight loss here.

Everyone thought I’d be okay but bed time was the hardest. I recoiled at the sound of my son’s screeches which threatened an Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache. Thankfully we gradually found a routine along with our ability to self soothe.

Here I was, a 23 year old newly single, unemployed mum with an 8 month old baby and 3 chronic health conditions; living three hundred miles away from my family and friends. So I’m grateful to the friends who were always a phone call away, even though no one truly knew what I was up against.

A New Perspective – My IIH Headache Taught Me To Be Strong

My Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache and friends taught me to be strong. Not relying on the strength of others is the greatest gift I could have given myself. Fighting everyday just to survive is so, so tiring but I started to reap the rewards and found a new perspective.

Whilst becoming a single mother is the last thing anyone would wish upon themselves, over time, it has given me back the independence and self belief I’d lost during pregnancy.

Nothing is more rewarding than the bond I have with my son. We are inseparable. Things are different now that my son and I get out of the house whenever we can. I do this because I want to, not because I’d feel like a bad mother if I didn’t. However, I think I’ll always live with guilt and what if’s.

I’ve realised that I am the best mother for my son and that as long as I don’t stop fighting, however much I want to, little else matters. Doing the dishes doesn’t matter, how I look when I step out the door doesn’t matter and thinking “I’ll be happy when…” doesn’t matter.

Now I try to create as many meaningful memories as possible for us. Sometimes this will be as simple as going to the supermarket and engaging with as many people as possible. Sometimes it will be playing together and having cuddles on the sofa.

IIH has taken so much from me that I’m not sure I’ll get back. I’m troubled by confusion and concentration issues from brain fog and that pervasive Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache. My love of knitting, baking, reading, colouring and watching TV & film is all just not possible for me right now.

Instead I found comfort in self care, something I did prior to my diagnosis but from my new perspective, I truly appreciate it. I love painting my nails, using face masks and taking long baths.

How I Feel Now It’s September

We’ve just celebrated my son’s 1st birthday. It’s been six months since being diagnosed and it’s IIH awareness month. I don’t know how I feel about any of these things and that’s okay.

Still so many thoughts turn in my mind. How is my baby 1 year old already? Why have I spent half of his life fighting, almost literally, to keep my head above water? What’s the next challenge, now that my baby and I are here?

I do know that for every second I’ve fought, a second of my son’s love is earned. I do know that there are mums out there just like me, laying awake at night exhausted. I do know that we’ll both be praying tomorrow will be different, even though it rarely is.

A part of me wants to roll up IIH awareness month into a very small ball and chuck it tremendously far away. A part of me wants to leave this challenge behind me and my son and not have to fight this anymore.

However, I know that we should be taking this fight to the hills. We should be taking it to the roof tops and everywhere IIH has taken us. We must tell everyone we can about the fight we face every day, with IIH headache, the pressure, the pain and the vision problems we all face.

As diagnoses are rapidly increasing, we need everyone to know how living with this brain condition affects us. We need to raise awareness of how we’re up against losing our sight and how poor the quality of our lives is.

Sometimes it feels like the specialists don’t believe us when we describe how painful the pressure of an Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension headache is. When doctors don’t understand how frightening this condition is, it can be frustrating. IIH is not immediately life threatening but it does threaten our way of life.

Amy 💚💙

A Final Note From Laura

Thank you so much to Amy for sharing her story for me to share. If you’d like to read more of what Amy has to say, she’d love you to follow her on Instagram @amylrobbo

Follow Amy ON Instagram
I’d like to finish this insightful blog post by sharing some information about how to support IIH UK. If you’d like to read my personal story about IIH please click here. https://www.strengthoftears.com/mums-blog/my-chronic-pain-conditions

IIH UK wishes “to preserve and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers” as well as carry out research and educate both the public and “the medical community in particular on the subject of IIH.” To enable IIH UK to do this please follow the instructions below.

To help us raise awareness please share this blog on your social media with friends and use #IIHAwarenessMonth. We’d love to be able to raise money for IIH UK so..
- If you share this on Facebook please add the donate button and choose IIH UK
- If you share this on Twitter or elsewhere please use this link to the justgiving page, asking your followers to donate https://www.justgiving.com/iihuk/donate/
Or donate now by clicking the link below and making your one off donation!
Donate to IIH UK NOW

Stay safe,

L 💜

P.S

If you have IIH or any other chronic illness or you’re suffering from depression or anxiety, I can help you create better wellbeing strategies using my free wellbeing plan. This will help prioritise your own needs, such as better sleep patterns, self care or doing the things you love. Or if you want to get on a waiting list for updates on my first ever well-being journal, please sign up to my Strong Mums mailing list here.

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✋ Hey there! I hope you’re feeling stronger now. If so, sharing the love will help me help other mums with mental health and/or chronic invisible illnesses.⬇ Hit one of those sharing buttons or save the images to Pinterest and I will do a bed-bound happy dance – there’s an image for you!
18/09/2020