The Student Room Group

Are migraines a disability?

(Think I've already posted about this before but can't find it so sorry)
I get migraines which I'm on medication for. My uni want me to meet with a disability officer (or something like that?).
I get them roughly once a month (I have an app to track them on) and I've only been having them for around a year so I'm still figuring out what the triggers are/what works for me. When I do there's like a 50/50 chance they'll be with or without aura and depending on that and they can knock me down anywhere from 3-7 days and I spend at least the next few days at less than 100% while I just get my energy back.
The symptoms include; hypersensitivity/overstimulation to light & sound, nausea, severe dizziness, general exhaustion, severe headache, moderate generalised pain, and with aura I also get vision changes like seeing bright spots as well as this weird like tingling sort of pins and needles feeling.
I get like a normal headache before the migraine happens and that's like my window to take my meds and grab a bottle of water because I won't be able to even sit up in bed let alone go get some water/food for at least 48 hours.
BUT it only affects me for like one week a month at most. I don't think I'm disabled. It doesn't affect me on a day to day basis and it's not like I'm in a wheelchair or need around the clock care or anything, but my uni want me to meet with a wellbeing and disability adviser.
Are my migraines a disability? I'm just trying to figure out what to expect here...
Reply 1
Part of the migraine cause is definitely stress and while I have a lot of stress tactics (my dad and mum are therapists who specialise in anxiety/depression and young people, respectively, so they help me out) despite the de-stress methods I have at the ready once the migraine begins there's nothing I can really do to stop it. Because of the stress factor the only thing I might need from them is if I get sick on deadline day, since I'm commuting from home and I'm 2x15 minute trains away that I can maybe just email in my work and if they need me to sign a declaration saying it's my own work or something then that can wait until I'm back on my feet.
Reply 2
Disability is a long term condition (12 months or more) that limits your ability to do day to day activities, and whilst you might not be disabled by your migraines all the time you are when they are happening/the time after. I would meet with the disability officer and see what they say. Good luck, OP.
It is likely to affect your education so seeing them would be good. If nothing else they can say you'll be absent more.often than usual so you don't get people on your back every time you miss a couple of seminars or whatever. They can also help you if you have an migraine on an exam day or similar so are definitely worth talking to.
Reply 4
Original post by Pathway
Disability is a long term condition (12 months or more) that limits your ability to do day to day activities, and whilst you might not be disabled by your migraines all the time you are when they are happening/the time after. I would meet with the disability officer and see what they say. Good luck, OP.


Original post by furryface12
It is likely to affect your education so seeing them would be good. If nothing else they can say you'll be absent more.often than usual so you don't get people on your back every time you miss a couple of seminars or whatever. They can also help you if you have an migraine on an exam day or similar so are definitely worth talking to.


Okay, yeah. I'm seeing them at one tomorrow, so I'll tell them everything in the first post and then just do whatever they say. I picked the course mainly because the majority of assessment is coursework based but yeah there is a danger that I might get a migraine on deadline day. Do you think they'll want me to talk to the lecturer or something? Surely they have better things to do and a lot of students to see?
Reply 5
Original post by Anonymous
Okay, yeah. I'm seeing them at one tomorrow, so I'll tell them everything in the first post and then just do whatever they say. I picked the course mainly because the majority of assessment is coursework based but yeah there is a danger that I might get a migraine on deadline day. Do you think they'll want me to talk to the lecturer or something? Surely they have better things to do and a lot of students to see?


Personally the only lecturer I said anything to right off the bat was my dissertation supervisor. Oh, and lecturers who were outside of my department. Other than that I said things as and when I needed to. My departmental disability liaison officer worked both sides (so departmental and also within pastoral/student support) and he managed everything else (so all my lecturers were aware that I was known to student support as a disabled student and I had study needs that they needed to accommodate - e.g. unrestricted access to recorded lectures, individual exam arrangements during term time tests and big exams). My personal tutor I also spoke to intermittently in years 1 and 2 and a lot more often in year 3, mainly because I had a lot going on in my life in year 3. But he helped out with various things.

My disability support worker and MH mentor helped out when I needed to apply for extenuating circumstances as well.
Apparently, it depends on how many you have a month. Which makes no sense. I can go weeks without migraines and I'll have weeks where I'll constantly have them. But it does depend on how they affect you, as mentioned.
Reply 7
I don't think it really matters if you consider them a disability or not, what matters is the treatment that is available. Could be worth looking through the nhs page about it
Reply 8
Okay so I've spoken to the disability and wellbeing officer and she wants me to meet with my GP and ask if it counts as a disability or not...
Original post by Anonymous
Okay so I've spoken to the disability and wellbeing officer and she wants me to meet with my GP and ask if it counts as a disability or not...

Make sure you explain what it's in relation to as this might affect their answer :smile: it is a hard one but it does sound like some things in place might help you, if only to take the pressure off a bit when you're unable to go in. Good luck :smile:

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