Review: Excedrin Migraine My Triggers App - Giveaway Winners Announced!

In my last post... I talked about how we all know we should track out migraines daily to help understand our patterns and triggers, as well as help our doctors with the most detailed information possible.  I talked about how I stopped tracking a while ago, because the frequency and severity of my migraines, and then looking at the details, seemingly made me feel more depressed at the time. 

I realized that it wasn't helping me to stop tracking.  I reconsidered and have been tracking my migraines daily for more than a month now.  I have to say, I feel more in control, and actually happier knowing exactly where I stand with my disease.  I'll talk about this in more detail below as I review the app I've been using to do my daily tracking.

As a part of the Excedrin Migraine Ambassador Program, I've been testing out their new My Migraine Triggers app, which focuses on comprehensive tracking of your migraines and the corresponding triggers. 

I have to say that I am SO pleased to report that the My Migraine Triggers app is a VERY well done app. 

I tend to be quite skeptical when it comes to migraine related products in general... and when asked to be a part of the Excedrin Migraine Blog Ambassador program... I was a little hesitant to agree.  I was truly worried that the app would be something slapped together by a marketing team who had no clue what migraineurs really needed.

I had no need to worry!

I was so thrilled when I got the app and used it for the first time.  I had actually scoped out developing an app of my own and was very excited to see that this app follows the same process I would have used... asks you questions, then expands on your answer, provides open spaces for notes, super easy flow and data entry, and EXCELLENT reporting!  The app is easy to use, has everything you need to be very detailed in your tracking, and the reporting features is the real gem.

I had a tough time sticking with it in the beginning because I was going through a really difficult period... and having migraines almost every day (for the first 17 days, I only had 15 with no headache... this is the type of thing that depresses me to look at).  BUT... I'm glad I persisted... because for the past 2 weeks, I have had an excellent run and had several 5-6 day runs with no headache (or only a very mild one I could knock out with my OTC Excedrin Migraine - yea!).  So, by sticking with it... I now not only have all the detail of tracking the period when I was having migraines almost every day... but also can see that I had nice stretches of time with very manageable pain.  So... I'm glad I'm not ignoring it... and can now use these metrics to see how I can improve those numbers!

Here are some detailed screen captures of my actual report from the time I was testing.  These came from the PDF I was able to email myself!

Potential Triggers: 
This is great because while I have a few things in there I can't control, I will certainly be testing giving up caffeinated soda and see if that helps when I'm having a rough stretch (knowing that I'll have headaches when I kick the caffeine of course!). 

Trigger Exposure:
Symptom Frequency: 
These things were a little clearer to me, but I was surprised that I didn't tick off sensitivity to light as often as I thought.

Pain Location: 
There is definitely an unusual stat here.  I never used to have head pain on the right side... but lately, I have been having a lot more one sided headaches on the right side... they are not typical migraine though... I think they are triggered by other things - maybe allergy, not enough sleep, etc.  I will specifically be watching this.
Pain Level: 
I'm VERY pleased with this stat.  While I did have a very bad stretch of pain when I started tracking... I was happy to see that I never felt that I needed to rate most as severe (i.e. they did respond to my standard cocktail of treatment (sumatriptan, naproxen, hydrocodone, ice pack, sleep)).  I honestly think I'd prefer to have more frequent, less severe headaches... because the really bad ones make me sick for days at a time (i.e. debilitated)... while the moderate migraines still allow me to be productive part of the day.

Diary:
This is my favorite... where you can really see the day to day detail you've noted.  I think this will be invaluable for doctor's visits!


If you'd like to try the My Migraine Triggers app it's now publicly available for iPhone and iPad.

You can download it for FREE on iTunes

Learn more at the Excedrin Migraine Center or on the Facebook Page.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you have even a moment to comment to this post... I would love to hear from you about how you track your migraines and whether you are using the My Migraine Triggers app... what do you think?

EXCEDRIN MIGRAINE RELIEF KIT - WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Thank you for reading and taking the time to  enter for a chance to win the Excedrin Migraine Relief Kit! The winners are:

Amy Appleton of Phoenix, AZ
Carolyn Connor of Rialto, CA

Disclaimer: I am a paid Excedrin® Migraine blog ambassador. Along with compensation, one iPod Touch to test the app was provided by Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., the makers of Excedrin® Migraine; my journey for a migraine-free experience is my own.

Comments

[Bina]

Hi Kelli,
first of all thank you very much for testing this app and writing about it. I will download it as soon as I'm done typing.

I've actually stopped any real tracking of my migraines years ago. It felt like too much of a hassle. I just mark the migraine on my calendar and add which and how many Triptans I've taken (since I shouldn't take more than 12 of those a month - doctor's orders - I need to know where I stand as the month's end draws near). The next day I tend to reflect on possible triggers, usually finding one or more culprits. It isn't a very comprehensive and reliable method though.

A good and easy way of tracking which won't heighten the funk I fall into, courtesy of Triptans, would be very welcome.

I will try the My Migraine Triggers app and hope I'll find out what I can do to reduce the frequency of my migraines.

Thank you for sharing this.
Cheers!

[Bina]

Erm, I'll have to wait to use the My Migraine Triggers app. As it's not available in the Swiss iTunes store.

I certainly wasn't expecting that. What with Novartis being a Swiss company and my having worked for them. You'd think the app should have been easily accessible to me.
One has to appreciate the irony though.

Bummer. And yet, thanks for sharing. You don't happen to know of any other similar migraine trackers that would be readily available and useful?

[HeatherTwist]

Nice idea about an app to track triggers. I tracked mine for years ... I had migraines for something like 30 years, 5 a month generally. One month I gave up dairy ... ALL dairy. And that month, I got no migraine. So I tried it the next month. No migraines. So I've been migraine free for like, 8 years. Except on occasion when I've cheated.

Here is the thing though: the migraine does NOT happen after I eat dairy. It happens sometime that month, maybe. It's not an obvious "trigger" thing at all.

A similar thing is true of gluten, for me. I gave it up, and a lot of things got better. But it took months, and the symptoms weren't obviously connected to what I was eating.

I'm happy to be healthier now. I hope at some point someone figures out all the science behind it.