My whole body felt like something was terribly wrong. Light and noise and smells made it worse. I couldn't walk right or think straight. My head hurt and sometimes I'd throw up. I'd lie on my aunt's or my grandmother's bed and dread going home, because then I'd have to stand up and walk to the car.
People sometimes throw the term around lightly, but a migraine is more than just a bad headache.
A migraine can include nausea and vomiting, loss of balance and coordination, changes in vision, sensitivity to light and smell, and an inability to think or speak clearly, as well as often debilitating head pain that can last for days. My record-setting migraine was nine days, although most last two or three. Some people feel a sense of impending doom or euphoria, or notice a lack of coordination, before the head pain sets in. They strike women more often, although men and children get them too. Helping an overweight child lose pounds is easier when it's a family affair.