Updated on October 22, 2024.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews Migraine Specialist Kevin Smith, MD, on how to find effective treatment and care for chronic migraine.
Transcript
KEVIN SMITH: So you want to have the complete picture of who you are when you present it to the expert or the doctor,
so that doctor can then take that and then formulate a plan that's specifically right for you.
SANJAY GUPTA: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and I'm excited to be joined today by Dr. Kevin Smith. He's going to be sharing some insight today on how people can
get help for chronic migraines. People know generally that experiencing chronic migraines is very difficult, but many struggle, I find,
to find effective treatment. How do people go about trying to find the most effective care for migraines? Let me start asking that way.
That's a great question. You know, ultimately, it'll come down to finding the right doctor and working together to create
a great treatment plan. But starting with people you trust is a great way to begin. You know, it's always helpful to have a support group,
having family members and close friends who are familiar with your migraines, and maybe even participating
in a migraine support group. Outside of that, continuing to participate in your existing community is very important, because you
don't want to have the migraines cause you to be isolated from your community. Not letting the migraines totally
isolate you, which, I think, is critically important. But I imagine with things like this that are sometimes harder
to treat, having that community also helps you get connected to the right doctor, the right health care team. Is that right? You know, you can get lots of advice
from those people who care about you. So when you're supported by folks who are sympathetic and empathetic to your plight,
you tend to get the very best recommendations for physicians and experts that you need. I can tell by talking to you, you're an excellent doctor.
You're the kind of doctor I would like to see. You have an empathy and all that. But getting connected to the right person for yourself,
I think, is important. Having a good relationship with your primary care doctor, all of that's going to be really important.
But once you have found someone, what sort of information should the patient go to the doctor with?
It's really important that people keep track of their symptoms, take your migraine journal. Along with that, it's important to have your medical history
and your medication history. And then there are other things, too, about your major life stressors, any significant life changes that have come about.
Because these stresses can also trigger migraines, too, so you want to have the complete picture of who
you are when you present it to the expert or the doctor. So that doctor can then take that and then formulate
a plan that's specifically right for you. If the doctor expects these things from the patient, what can the patient reasonably expect from the doctor?
Well, I think what a patient must expect from the doctor is for the doctor to be able to listen to you.
You and I both take care of patients. You know, these can be challenging situations. I imagine some patients are frustrated,
especially when it comes to something, like migraines. It's just a tough situation to be in, you know? This is a very chronic condition. It's a very debilitating condition,
and people often will present to you very frustrated. Because they've seen other doctors. It comes back down to you and the doctor being a team,
and trying to get to the root cause, and the method by which you can treat or minimize
the impact of these migraines on your everyday life. You know, I think, sometimes, Dr. Smith, people expect medicine to sort of be like math.
Two plus two equals four. You know, it's just very clear, and it doesn't work that way. It can be a growing, iterative, sort
of collaborative experience, and sometimes, you don't get answers right away. But if you continue to have that relationship,
not lose confidence, you're much more likely to get to a solution, I imagine. Dr. Smith, thank you very much.
I really appreciate it. I learned a lot. I appreciate you coming on. It's been my pleasure. Thank you very much.
