Seeing as I’ve been suffering (for once, hell, yes, that is the word) from them on a daily basis for a month, I decided to compile a list of films on migraines.

The condition is so surreal, with no unknown cause and no treatment universally proven to work (in my case, I’d say there’s no treatment, sumatriptan alleviates some symptoms for a short time, but the derealisation and disorientation and the ****ing AGONY don’t go anywhere), that I feel like it merits a proper cinematic treatment.

Haven’t found much so far but will list all the films I come across here. If anyone knows any more, please add. I will neaten the links later as I just don’t have the brain capacity right now.

Out of My Head (2018)https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6856594/
Migraine (2012), short https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2241349/

The protagonist in Darren Aronofsky's Pi suffers migraines. They're so bad they make him hallucinate.

Need to rewatch that, loved the film but don’t remember that at all. Thanks!

James Cagney in White Heat. Though it’s arguable that he actually suffers from cluster headaches (the two often go hand in hand). As a migraine/cluster headache sufferer (runs in the family), the representation stood out to me.

Yeah, my boss and favourite migraine commiserator has cluster headaches and I have migraines, we’ve established they’re quite different. Don’t remember seeing White Heat so will check out, thank you!

Re: Migraine films
 

Though I don't suffer from migraines specifically about once every month or two I'll get a tension headache so bad it puts me to tears for like an hour. Would love to find a film that can simulate that. Keeping an eye on this thread for sure.

I can relate. Used to get a couple of these a week in my late teens. I had one last year which was my first in 20 years. Once the blind spots in my eyes start, I know I'm in for a bad day.

Exactly. I’m not in my teens but I’ve been having one every two days, the whole shebang - blind spots, nausea, dizziness, you name it. Today I had the idiocy to go to the gym in the morning after a good night - and lo and behold, I have been on the sofa for the last 8 hours unable to move. It’s a tad better now, so catching up on everything I need to watch, but it’s not going away, temples still pulsing and can’t move at all.

I commiserate. The flowing tears are horrible, especially at work. I’ve been taking time off as you can’t really do anything anyway.

Re: Migraine films
 

In the last 30 years, there's been so much unnecessary shaky cam. (I guess its a gimmick)

Sure. But I’d argue that’s a pretty ****ty and lazy way of conveying the migraine experience. Something to do with frying/heat is much more accurate.

Scanners.

David Keith's character suffers from debilitating migraines in Stephen King's Firestarter - but I don't remember the film well enough to say his character does onscreen. It's been well over 30 years since I saw it. One of those films which completely disappeared after it came out.

Torgo beat me to Pi - my very first reaction to your question.

Yeah, I remember Firestarter, seems that was much more to ground the supernatural ability and actually a kind of trade-off for the supernatural ability. I was hoping for something actually focussing on migraines, but thanks for the suggestion. Pi does very much fit.

lol Scanners just shows what you wish your head would do when you have a migraine. I always wanted to just lop it off.

Agreed.

If you're including TV, there's the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Battle," in which the Ferengi use a device to give Picard headaches.

A former friend suffered horribly like this. She had shots which greatly alleviate the symptoms. Have you tried this?

You may have developed a new dietary trigger. My sister, out of nowhere, could no longer eat onions. Near instant migraine when she touches the stuff. She also developed sensitivity to the smell of olive oil cooking and had to change how she cooks.

I’m not that sensitive but I know that if I drink stuff with aspartame, I’ll get one pretty quickly.

You may want to mead out what you have a habit of eating/drinking and remove it from your diet for a period of time and see if anything coincides with a recovery.

My mother (it’s genetic, unfortunately) used to get diazepam shots. Says they made her feel addicted so she stopped. I should try the shots, though, I doubt they’re all diazepam (though if worse comes to worst, which it certainly seems to be doing now, I could try that). Do you know which ones your friend had? Offers some hope, that.