so i’ve been trying to log every prodrome phase now - not just counting full migraine days, but noting if it started with flashing lights or just allodynia in my hands. i mean, when i show the neuro that pattern of mild symptoms building up over 3-4 days before the bad one hits…
is that actually what they want to see? or are they only looking at triptan efficacy rates?
that level of detail in your log is absolutely the right instinct. Your neuro is probably trying to answer two separate questions, though. The first is about abortives: does the triptan work.
The second is about preventives: is the total burden of disease high enough to justify starting or escalating one. Your log showing the “pattern of mild symptoms building up” speaks directly to that second question. It’s less about the narrative of the build-up itself, and more about giving them the concrete numbers they need.
Having X aura days and Y allodynia days per month is the kind of data that builds the case for a different preventive strategy, especially when insurance requires documentation of disease burden before approving the next tier of medication.
That’s precisely the data that informs preventative strategy, not just abortive efficacy.