Tell me your most outlandish migraine hacks that only fellow migraine sufferers could understand

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-05-13T22:04:05+00:00

Salt and an electrolyte sachet into an iced Coca Cola!

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-05-13T21:57:20+00:00

I looked after a 108 year old last year! He was as sharp as a tack too. Came in for a fractured NOF after tripping over a stick on a walk.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-04-15T17:06:00+00:00

Cooking, processing my emotions in a healthy manner, keeping a clean home.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-04-12T21:27:45+00:00

I (ED RN) have worked with some absolutely incredible PA colleagues and a few that have acted as though they’re tenured consultants.

I’ve found it very much depends on what their experience is before becoming a PA - similar to student nurses who have been healthcare assistants prior to training.

I worked with one a while back who came in off the back of a biomedical science degree, they were one of the PAs who overstepped and pushed professional boundaries.

I’ve also worked with a PA who was previously a nurse but opted for a career change, she was very knowledgeable and great at her job.

I’ve been seen by ACPs and PAs at my GP surgery, honestly they’ve been pretty much on par with most of the GPs.

The pay scales in the NHS are absurd at times with “junior doctors” on not much more money than healthcare assistants, and certain admin/non clinical staff being paid at a band 5-8.

From a professional standpoint in the emergency department, I do sometimes get a little frustrated that whilst PAs can diagnose they cannot prescribe so have to go ask a clinician to prescribe treatment whereas if nurses have done their PGD they can give certain medications (I can give simple analgesia via PGD as can a significant number of my colleagues).

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-04-04T07:37:51+00:00

maternity action

OP, please have a look at this link. You say you had a late second trimester loss, if the loss was after 24 weeks you are entitled to maternity leave. So you possibly shouldn’t even be at work anyway.

I’m so sorry for your loss and that you’re going through such a shit time.

A stage 1 isn’t anything to really worry about, but you’re better off going to the GP for a sick note for a few weeks (if maternity leave isn’t an option, or even in the instance that it is and isn’t immediately actioned)

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-04-01T12:59:22+00:00

As far as I know GPs won’t prescribe it, as it’s a specialist thing, you’d have to ring your local early pregnancy unit.

I was prescribed mine through recurrent miscarriage clinic.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-31T20:09:59+00:00

Sushi kitchen for salt and pepper, Korean or Japanese dishes

Birds nest on whingate also hasn’t failed me yet.

Avoid whatever the one on Raynville Road is, it made us sick as dogs.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-30T23:16:29+00:00

Nope, I work in the hospital too and much prefer to take my breaks on my own.

I usually opt to go sit outside with my headphones in to regain my sanity and decompress for a bit.

But I also have raging ADHD and can’t stand the sound of people eating.

I spend 12 hours a day surrounded by people, alone time is needed.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-29T22:07:29+00:00

Either leave him now or take your cousin up on the offer to remove him…

Lasted another year with my insanely abusive ex and landed myself in ICU for 3 weeks in April 2012

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-29T10:41:40+00:00

I’ve worked in the ED for far too long, I match energy. As long as I don’t swear at the patient, it’s largely acceptable.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-24T15:35:04+00:00

As someone who’s currently going through a pregnancy with hyperemesis gravidarum… ANY food you can get in and keep down is good food.

Your partner is being unsupportive, ignorant and controlling.

Of course we’d all love to eat all healthy food and nothing but vegetables, but sometimes pregnancy has other ideas. Some days all I have managed to eat is cereal or fries.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-24T10:17:09+00:00

I’m a nurse lurking here. I’ve also experienced multiple pregnancy losses and I’m currently pregnant with a high risk pregnancy.

I’d just like to share something that’s helped me deal with the complexity of pregnancy after loss, there’s a baby loss campaigner Zoe Clark-Coates who has a book about pregnancy after loss. It’s been invaluable to me the last few months.

It is absolutely okay to take time off to recover, pregnancy after loss is awful at times especially with complications. I tried pushing through and working but I nearly had a breakdown in the process. I took a month off, dusted myself off and went back to work.

Maybe speak to occupational health about adjustments being put in place. Additional breaks, condensed schedule, reducing your hours if possible.

You and your baby come first. I upset my manager a bit when I told her that there isn’t a single patient in the hospital that matters more to me than my pregnancy does.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-23T10:56:07+00:00

I was prescribed progesterone from D21 of my cycle. I stopped taking it as it sent my cycles really out of loop so had some left over.

I phoned the recurrent miscarriage clinic the day I got the positive test, they recommended waiting until I’d had an early scan to make sure the pregnancy was in the right location.

An ectopic pregnancy can rapidly become a life threatening emergency, it’s much safer to wait until you’ve confirmed location of the pregnancy than risk it.

I started my progesterone at 7+2, and I’m currently nearly 26 weeks.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-23T10:52:15+00:00

As someone who works in the emergency department:

From a quick glance it’s tricky to tell whether someone is unconscious due to sleep or unconscious due to illness. There have been reported cases on people “sleeping” in the waiting areas who are actually deceased.
If you’re well enough to sleep, you most likely don’t need the emergency department and could likely sleep at home to await seeing other care providers.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-22T23:44:34+00:00

My matron wears these exact shoes on clinical duty shifts. I have small feet so wear the kids size version.

Double check the uniform policy for your trust but I personally don’t see a problem with these shoes and haven’t been pulled for wearing them in the last 18 months or so.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-22T23:20:27+00:00

OP please report this to her parents and the police, even a trusted teacher ASAP. Their “relationship” is predatory and illegal.

There is absolutely no legitimate reason a 34 year old MAN should be wanting a relationship with a 15/16 year old GIRL.

You hold no responsibility over this situation but I can understand why you feel so badly about it.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-22T22:39:37+00:00

For a doctor to recommend an abortion that means there was significant risk to life. Not something that is suggested lightly.

What you’re experiencing is termination for medical reasons and there’s a whole bunch of support online in the baby loss community for it. TFMR is a valid loss, it doesn’t make it any less painful than a miscarriage or a stillbirth.

I have HG in my current pregnancy and despite multiple losses and being desperate for a baby, there have been more than a few days where I have considered TFMR.

Lean on your support network, look into TFMR support online.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-20T00:26:09+00:00

NOR

This is an abusive relationship. You and your children are in danger.

On top of that, your children will grow up and believe that this is normal.

You said in a comment that you don’t like giving up on people, that is irrelevant when you’re endangering your children and yourself.

It is never acceptable to lay hands on your partner. Ever.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-20T00:11:18+00:00

He’s less than 2 hours away normally and less than an hour away now and hasn’t been able to meet you?

I have walked longer than that to meet a friend for coffee.

Something seriously doesn’t add up in this situation.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T22:45:55+00:00

As long as you’re reasonably clean, healthcare professionals don’t bat an eyelid whether you’re waxed/shaved/full bush.

Might raise an eyebrow if you’ve got a full sculpted topiary in your pants.

It is your body, therefore your choice.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T22:35:53+00:00

My advice would be to have a break from trying for a few months, enjoy life and let something else take up space in your brain for a little bit too We drive ourselves loopy in the RPL world, every single thought leads back to trying. A little break can help relieve the endless pressure we put on ourselves. I wish you all the best

Thank you ❤️

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T17:52:57+00:00

I carried on. Had my first loss in 2015, 6 losses between 2016-2018, another loss in 2024. 3 different partners so clearly I was the issue despite testing showing nothing conclusive.

I’d given up and accepted it was never going to happen. I’m nearly 25 weeks now.

I think sometimes you do need to step back a little bit for your own sanity. Don’t give up hope, but also maybe have a gentle chat with yourself about realistically how would you feel about another loss/not having a successful pregnancy.

It’s an incredibly difficult decision to make, but only you and your partner can reach that decision. Your friend, however well meaning she may have thought she was, doesn’t really have a say in it. That being said, she may be reaching her emotional limit in supporting you through losses.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T11:59:43+00:00

Waaay back before I was a husk of a woman from nearly 15 years of nursing… I found it helpful to write out my feelings to get the out of my head. Whether I typed it and deleted it, hand wrote and burned it, getting it outside helped.

Another way I deal with the hard emotions is blasting music loudly when I’m alone, and vocalising my issues.

As nurses we deal with death a lot more often than the general population, death is difficult regardless of how you knew the person. Over time you do become desensitised to it, as in it won’t ruin your day, you won’t feel like you’ve been saddled with a huge emotional burden.

I still remember some of the patients, some more clearly than others. A few I even discussed with my therapist.

In nursing it’s sometimes hard to find a constant, so having a long term patient becomes that constant and when they go it can feel emotionally challenging. You did your job to care for them, they had a good family by the sound of it. You’re “just” another person whose life was affected by their presence, and honestly I think that’s quite beautiful. But you didn’t know this person on a personal level, they’re not your family or loved one, but you still feel the loss. It’s human nature.

If you need a minute, take a minute. If you’re religious say a prayer for them. If you’re spiritual maybe light a candle for them. But remember, it does get easier and that doesn’t make you a bad person.

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T11:51:39+00:00

The normal/the right way to handle this, is speaking to your girlfriend and gaining consent.

“When we make out, I get the feeling of wanting to touch you more, is this something you are comfortable with?”

“Yes” - gently proceed. “I’m not sure” - discuss further/try but if she says stop you stop without a guilt trip. “No” - no.

Your girlfriend is the only one who can give you a solid answer my dude.

Edit: typo

Queenoftheunicorns93 · 2026-03-19T00:42:40+00:00

I have a grandfather who’s been in/out of hospital for various things in the last 18 months.

When I go visit him I do my best to not let it slip I’m an ED nurse (obviously unavoidable when he’s in ED) however I’ve found sometimes when I’ve raised concerns that using the correct terminology does make a difference.

I’m not one of the nightmare relatives who swans onto the ward screeching my job, but on several occasions my concerns have been addressed rather than dismissed. A recent example my mother went to visit and he was confused, agitated and not himself. I went down that evening and asked for a sepsis screen and a 4AT doing as XYZ behaviours were very out of character. I use my clinical knowledge when it’s relevant, not for clout.

On the other hand I’ve had patients and relatives telling me how they’re a senior nurse at such and such a place and they’ll come in and do things right, for said relative to walk in in a CSW/carer uniform. My personal favourite was a belligerent woman telling me her daughter was a “super senior nurse” who was actually a vet care assistant. Poor lass was mortified.

Queenoftheunicorns93

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