Migraine Association Conference and AGM, London

That's where I was yesterday. I'm a member of the Association, just joined this year, and I was invited to attend the conference. Well I managed to get up in time to get the train to London; funny I get up early the rest of the time. There was engineering works on the line between Bristol and Swindon so the train was diverted through Gloucester and Kemble. Picturesque route but it added an hour to the journey. As the train was pulling into Paddington I made my way down to the front coaches and was ready to leap out as soon as the train stopped.

I made it to the conference at Centre Point in Oxford Street with five minutes to spare before the welcoming address. The conference was free but there was no reimbursement for travel expenses or lunch provided. You get spoilt in mental health but the Migraine Association struggles on a pittance. Us migraineurs won't be deterred by that unlike users in mental health who expect free lunches for every day event put on for their benefit. The first talk was not of any immediate interest since I don't get an aura and was about a study done where those who suffered from classic migraine were examined to see if they have a hole between the left and right venticles of the heart and whether surgery to close up that hole would make a difference. Next followed a very interesting talk on the London Migraine Clinic. I didn't know that it was a charity, that it was accessible to any migraineur in the UK and that you could self refer. The only downside is that a minimum donation of £50 is asked for.

At lunch time I found a cafe visible from the Centrepoint building that was serving some wholesome and very healthy meals for a reasonable price. I had a mixed salad with hummous and a little bit of feta cheese. I found that this was a Gay and Lesbian cafe but that's OK. They are usually better value. Peanut curry, Caribbean coconut curry and Greek meals were on the menu. Very hard to make a decision as to what to eat. After lunch I got a bit sidetracked browsing a in a bookshop and was a little late back to the afternoon sessions on migraine in the workplace and migraine and food. The latter session was a bit controversial and people questionned the nutritionist afterwards. A huge list of what not to eat was given out as well such as carrots and kale - apparently they cause pressure in the head. But the main fact I learnt was that migraineurs find it hard to make sulphates which are needed to break down amines in the body. There are some do's and dont's when it comes to diet and migraine but there are a list of foods that may or may not cause problems - it's very much an individual thing.

I dashed away at four to catch the 5.00 pm train from Paddington only to find that Lancaster Gate tube station was closed for a few months which meant walking through Hyde Park from Marble Arch station. The underground station was up the creek that day what with some lines being closed for the day as well as a few stations being closed all summer. I managed to get to Paddington Station just in time for the departure only to find that all trains were being delayed due to a security alert in Reading Station. The station concourse became more congested as more people arrived to catch their train. Eventually trains were allowed to pull out an hour later and I walked to the front of the train but found only space in a first class carriage. So roomy compared with second class and restrictions on second class ticket holders being in first class were lifted for that journey. Had I known that trains were being delayed I could have spent that extra hour in Convent Garden relaxing.