Millions of people in the U.S. could tell you what life with migraines is like and how migraines feel for them. Even though migraine awareness is rising, few understand what those with the condition really go through. Today, Danielle Newport Fancher shares her and her friends' experiences via bite-size, 6-word migraine stories.

A few weeks ago, I attended a migraine event where a speaker asked us to write our migraine stories in just six words. The speaker was inspired by another six-word tale that's famously attributed to Ernest Hemingway:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Whatever the origins of that story, it manages to say a lot in just a few short words.

To write my six-word story about living with migraine, I noted the first words that came to mind:

Constant pain. Broken down. Still going.

My story took only a few seconds to write. It captured everything I wanted to say about my migraine experience.

Constant pain

People ask, how bad do migraines hurt? That's hard to answer, as the severity and recurrence of migraine pain are different for everybody. It can even vary for the person, depending on the attack. But it's no picnic.

Myself? I have chronic, intractable migraine pain. Migraines usually last a few hours and respond to treatment.

However, an "intractable migraine" is when a migraine lasts over three days, and treatment does not help the pain. In my case, it has lasted much, much longer.

I wake up in pain every day. I go to sleep in pain every night. There isn't an end in sight or a minute's break, and my migraine doesn't go away.

My migraine pain has lasted for years. Surviving it never gets any easier. With a nonstop 24/7 migraine headache, life often feels like an endless battle.

Broken down

As for what life is like for a person with migraine, well. I can only speak personally, but migraine has broken me down to my core.

Nothing has ever challenged me like migraine pain. My nonstop migraine headache changed my identity and caused me to miss countless life experiences. I even had to leave my job and life in New York City for some time.

Still going

These last two words are the most important. They show that I haven't let my migraine win.

I was out of work because of my constant head pain. I coached myself back to working full-time. I refuse to lose my career because of migraine, and I'm currently living the life that I want to live.

Is it harder to push through the pain than to stay home in bed? Absolutely.

I do everything possible to keep going. That requires constant mental coaching and a great support team.

This short exercise helped me to distill over a decade of my life into one poignant line. I saw both my challenges and my resolve to keep going.

Other people's 6-word migraine stories

My story doesn't stand alone. According to the American Migraine Foundation, approximately 39 million people in the U.S. are living with migraine. Each person has a unique story on what migraine really feels like and how they cope daily with a chronic, invisible illness.

To understand what living with migraine feels like for others, I asked my friends to share their own six-word stories. There were tales of loss and frustration but also strength and survival.

Feeling misunderstood

A pain that only few understand.

Wishing it was "just a headache."

I've also felt misunderstood in my pain. Migraine pain can feel unbearable, though I have no choice but to bear it. Migraine and migraine awareness are so rarely discussed, I sometimes wonder if people believe that my pain is real.

Lost life experiences

Stolen days. Stolen nights. Stolen life.

I can't commit to any plans.

Thief of happiness. Deliverer of pain.

People with chronic migraines often miss out on many things they can never get back. These include dinner dates, parties, work, and important life events. I completely relate to feeling like migraine has "stolen" my life at times. I struggle with this feeling today.

Hopelessness

Looking for answers. Can't find any.

How bad will it be today?

Never-ending. Debilitating. Life-changing. Excruciating.

Fear of being this way forever.

Searching for answers and never finding relief is bitterly disheartening. For many of us living with migraine, it often feels like an endless struggle that drains our quality of life. Knowing we aren't alone can help.

Pain and more pain

Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

It's a living hell… totally sucks.

Miserable beast living in my head.

Childhood through adulthood. Unexpected. Unwanted. Gruesome.

We sometimes overlook pain when we discuss living with migraine. Whether it's a nonstop 24/7 migraine headache like mine or attacks that come and go, the pain can make every second hard. No one ever teaches you how to beat pain.

The light at the end of the tunnel

Refuse to let it define me.

Migraine will NOT ruin my life.

It can be hard to feel hopeful. I love seeing other people maintain hope despite migraine. Hope makes me happy.

The takeaway

These short migraine stories clearly show how the condition impacts lives. They're raw, honest, sad, and sometimes uplifting.

Trust me. My pain has not gotten better over the years. Nothing helps my headache, and every single day is hard. I can fully relate to feeling negative, dark, and defeated.

With time, I found the positive in my experience. I found strength in my pain. My hope is that the people who shared their stories will, too. I hope they find positive endings in their future six-word migraine stories.

If you enjoyed these stories, you could also write some. Write whatever words come to mind. You can post them for migraine awareness or keep them safe in a private journal. It just might feel cathartic to put your feelings on paper.

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for caregivers or the evaluation, management, or treatment of any condition.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence, or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen.

NPS-ALL-NP-01511 MARCH 2025