From SanoLabs, the makers of the Sam app
Stand by a parent with migraine, calmly
If your parent has migraine: it is more than a headache, throbbing, often one-sided, with nausea and light or noise sensitivity. You help with calm during attacks and a diary to bring to appointments.
What helps during a migraine attack?
Your parent knows their own pattern and the doctor's plan. You support in the way they ask.
- Ask what helps right nowInstead of guessing what might help.
- Take stimulation awayDarken the room, turn the TV off, speak softly.
- Take over small thingsFetch a glass of water, send a cancellation, cook.
- Stay out of medication choicesThat is up to your parent and the doctor.
Sentences that help during an attack
You can say I believe you that this is more than a headache.
Being taken seriously is a relief.
You can say I will darken the room and I am next door if you need me.
Closeness without conversation.
You can say Shall we note the attacks briefly, so you have everything ready at the appointment?
Your parent decides, you offer.
What goes into the attack diary?
In Sam, your parent keeps an attack diary and brings it along as a doctor report (PDF).
- Start and durationWhen the attack began and how long it lasted.
- Aura and other symptomsFor example nausea or sensitivity to light.
- Acute medication takenWhat your parent took, a point for the conversation with the doctor. Sam's migraine program has no field for it, but it can go into the free-text note.
- What came beforeFor example sleep, meals or stress, in the notes.
Sam for your parent
A migraine diary that goes along as a PDF
By the appointment, the last attack is often weeks ago. In Sam each one stands with date and duration, and the doctor report sums them up.
- Note an attack in secondsWhen, how strong, how long, aura and symptoms like nausea or light sensitivity: your parent taps it in and adds a note.
- Sleep, HRV and air pressureFor entries made today, Sam adds last night's sleep and HRV if available, and air pressure with location sharing. Just numbers.
- Doctor report as PDFThe doctor report shows migraine days and how long attacks lasted, for a period your parent picks.
- Diary sharing via Care CircleYour parent can share the migraine diary with you. You see it read-only, you both need Sam, and sharing ends on request.
Logged migraine days4
Attack duration, counted by length
A summary of your own entries. Your doctor interprets it.
A calmer way to the appointment
Instead ofnotes on paper or in a calendar that are missing at the appointment
In SamEvery attack with date, strength and duration, as a PDF doctor report to bring along.
Instead ofguessing from memory how often it happened last quarter
In SamMigraine days, counted from your parent's own entries.
Instead ofattacks scattered across screenshots and notes in different apps
In SamAttacks in one diary, with last night's sleep on entries made today.
Sam does not predict attacks and makes no diagnosis; what sets them off and what helps is for the doctor to say.
What family members often ask
EmergencyWhen should I get help right away?+
This is general safety information, not a diagnosis. It does not tell you whether a condition is present.
- A headache that starts suddenly and extremely severely (thunderclap)
- Weakness on one side, speech or memory problems, loss of vision or double vision
- Fever with a stiff neck
- Confusion, unusual drowsiness or a seizure
- A headache after a fall or a blow to the head
If your parent has any of these, get medical help now: call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US). If you are unsure, call your doctor's practice or your local out-of-hours medical service. Do not use this list to decide on your own whether something is wrong.
Is migraine just a bad headache?+
No, migraine is a neurological condition. Typical are throbbing, often one-sided pain with nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. Attacks last hours to days.
Does Sam know when an attack is coming?+
No. Sam does not detect attacks and does not predict them. Your parent logs attacks in the diary, and Sam turns them into a doctor report.
Can I see my parent's diary?+
Only if your parent adds you in Care Circle and shares it with you. You see it read-only, you both need Sam, and you get no alerts about their data. Your parent can end the sharing at any time.
When is a call to the practice enough?+
When an attack lasts longer than 72 hours, an aura lasts longer than an hour, or the usual pattern changes. This is not a diagnosis, just a reason to ask.
Should I recommend painkillers?+
No. Your parent and the doctor decide what fits. You can ask whether there is a plan for attacks.
Go to the appointment with the diary
With Sam, your parent logs attacks and brings them along as a doctor report.
Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. Sam does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition and does not replace a doctor. For acute symptoms: call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US).