MIGRAINE

The migraine headaches are debilitating; mostly unilateral throbbing headaches with nausea and at times vomiting, stomach cramping and migraine auras can leave you feeling weak, tired, and depressed long after the migraine attack has abated. While a migraine attack can last for more than 5 hours to 2 days, the psychological aftermath can be long-lasting; many migraineurs struggle with feelings of low self-esteem, inadequacy, uncertainty and despair because of their illness.

However, many successful, vibrant personalities have suffered from chronic migraines.  Some of the most influential people throughout history have been migraine sufferers, including such movers and shakers as Einstein, John F. Kennedy, and Van Gough, whose “auras” are visible in some of his most famous works. Today, celebrity migraineurs such as Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross and Friends ’Lisa Kudrow contribute to migraine awareness, in the hope of one day finding a relief for migraines.

Celebrities with Chronic Migraine: 

Some great personalities have been affected by migraine including many famous figures from history and current celebrities. 

TV and Film Actor with Migraine

Marcia Cross

Marcia Cross suffered from severe chronic migraines before 10 years before she learned to prevent migraine attacks by changing her diet, combatting stress, and getting enough sleep. 

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck, star of The Town

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine, has had his bouts of migraine symptoms. 

Lisa Kudrow

 

Lisa Kudrow suffered childhood migraines that diminished, as she got older. Coincidentally, her father, Lee Kudrow, is a migraine specialist, who helped with the number of experimental medications.

Star Jones

Star Jones, former host of The View, lost over 160 pounds after having gastric bypass surgery.  Scientists say that weight loss surgery often leads to alleviated migraine symptoms, but there has been no word from Star confirming that hypothesis

Virginia Madsen

Virginia Madsen, who co-starred with Paul Giamatti in the blockbuster, Sideways, claims that Botox injections have cured her of her migraine pain.

 Kristin Chenoweth

Kristin Chenoweth plays Glinda the good witch on Broadway’s Wicked, but offstage, migraines and nausea leave her feeling more like the green Wicked Witch of the West.

Elizabeth Taylor

Liz Taylor suffered from chronic pain, in additional to migraines.  The much-adored superstar experienced so many debilitating and life-threatening illnesses that she required hospitalization over 70 times before passing away of heart failure in March of 2011

Musicians

Elvis Presley

 

 

 

 

 

 

The famous crooner once known as the king of rock and roll was also a frequent pill popper, which eventually led to his demise.  Elvis suffered from numerous ailments, including migraines.

Carly Simon

Famous singer/songwriter Carly Simon learned how to decrease the frequency of her migraine attacks by cutting out certain food triggers, such as coffee, from her diet and keeping away from Wine, Cheese, Perfume, and other Headache Trigger

Loretta Lynn

Country music legend Loretta Lynn revealed in her book, Coal Miner’s Daughter, that she began suffering from migraines since the age of seventeen and that her father was also a migraine sufferer.

Janet Jackson

 

Janet Jackson had to cancel a few shows back in 2008 when she started feeling head pain and vertigo from vestibular migraine,

Sports Persons

Dwyane Wade

NBA star Dwyane wade has had his issues with migraines on and off the basketball court.  While wearing tinted glasses help to relieve some of the pain symptoms during an attack, his teammates have expressed displeasure at the Miami Heat player’s pattern of wearing eyewear during a game, claiming that it puts other players at a disadvantage.

Freddie Ljungberg

Swedish soccer player Freddie Ljungerb had to be carried off the field when he started experiencing a severe migraine attack during a match. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Legendary NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced in 2009 that he has leukemia, in addition to being a chronic migraine sufferer.

Serena Williams

Tennis star Serena Williams, who experiences frequent migraine headaches, is a spokesperson for the “RALLY for Menstrual Migraine” campaign.

Terrell Davis

Terrel Davis didn’t let migraines stop him from performing in the 1998 Super Bowl XXXII.  He played his best, despite throbbing head pain and visual distortions.

· Historical Figures

Vincent Van Gogh

Had Vincent Van Gogh not suffered from migraines with aura, would he have ever painted the infamous Starry Nights?

John F. Kennedy

In addition to battling the beginnings of the Cold War, former president of the USA John F. Kennedy also had his battles with migraines.

Napoleon Bonaparte

French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte might have been a man of peace had he not suffered from migraine headaches, perhaps.  

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection proves that migraine patients are as vital and capable as non-headache sufferers are, seeing as he, himself, was a chronic migraineur.

Lewis Carroll

Was the famed “Alice in Wonderland” novelist daydreaming of little white rabbits and lazy caterpillars while recovering from a migraine attack?

Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson, who was one of the United States’ founding fathers and 3^rdpresident, experienced severe migraine headaches throughout his lifetime.

Robert E. Lee

General Robert E. Lee led our country through one of its bloodiest battles while suffering his own battles with migraines.

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar, the Roman general whose exploits inspired history’s greatest artists and playwrights, would have benefited from using a migraine diary, had he known of its benefits for preventing migraine attacks.

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud knew that sometimes; a headache is not just a headache; it can be a debilitating migraine headache.

Ronaldo

· Singers and misc

• Elvis Presley
• Gareth Gates
• Susanne Shaw (actress / singer)
• Elle Macpherson (model and actress)
• Victoria Beckham (singer / designer)
• Serena Williams (tennis player)

· Figures from history

• Napoleon Bonaparte (military and political leader of France)
• Vincent Van Gogh (painter)
• Claude Monet (painter)
• Julius Caesar (Roman military and political leader)
• Thomas Jefferson (past president of the USA)
• Lewis Carroll (author of Alice in Wonderland)
• Charles Darwin (English naturalist and author of 'On the origin of the species')
• Albert Einstein (physicist)
• Princess Margaret (sister of Queen Elizabeth II)

Migraine doesn't mean you can't be very successful in what you want to do!