Could this explain some of Michele Bachmann’s bizarre behavior? According to three people who have worked closely with Bachmann, the presidential candidate suffers from “debilitating” migraine headaches on a weekly basis that can “incapacitate” her for days.
Not only that, but allegedly she is constantly medicated to try to prevent them.
The migraines are so bad and so intense, she carries and takes all sorts of pills. Prevention pills. Pills during the migraine. Pills after the migraine, to keep them under control. She has to take these pills wherever she goes.
The headaches are so severe and so frequent they have put her in the hospital more than once.
A spokeswoman for Bachmann refused to talk about the candidate’s medical history.
UPDATE: Bachmann admits that she suffers from migraines but claims that it would not affect her job performance as president. Refuses to answer whether she was ever hospitalized for migraines. And today her aides “roughed up” a reporter for ABC News when he dashed after her with a camera and attempted to ask her if she had ever missed any votes in the House because of headaches.
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Extra points to the first person who correctly identifies where the title of this post came from.
Doctor Who, plot to overthrow a politician by casting aspersions that they are ill. Google, ftw!
Yeah, I guess that was too easy. I Googled it too when I posted it, and the answer came right up. But it wasn’t just a plot, it succeeded in bringing down the Prime Minister of England (in the TV show).
Ironically, and perhaps as a wry comment on blowback from meddling in other people’s governments, the fall of that PM allowed the Doctor’s evil arch-nemisis to get elected as the next PM, with disastrous results.
I’m glad someone else thought the same thing about this story. I read an article hardly 5 minutes ago about her “headaches” and my first thought (especially with the picture the article chose to use to accompany it) was “Doesn’t she look tired?” Very clever, whoever broke this story….
This is only the second time that I have felt any sympathy for Bachmann. The first time I saw her was when she was interviewed by Chris Matthews. I was embarrassed for her as I thought, “what an idiot … her political career is over.” I’ll be mighty impressed if she can turn migraines into a political advantage the way she did with being an idiot. Hmmm… now I feel tired.
On a weekly basis and incapacitated for days, huh? I suppose it goes without saying that this would in no way affect her presidency and she’s a real star player?
I know I get “mild” migraines that only last about 12 hours. It always feels like someone has shoved a spike through my eye and is moving it in circles. Light, especially bright light, hurts. Sometimes I feel nauseous but not enough to throw-up. My wife use to get “three-day” migraines. She would just lay in bed with all the curtains closed. I could get some work done but limited. My wife would get no work done. Both of us are taking something to prevent them. We also avoid certain foods. Even so, quick changes in weather/barometric pressure or long/high stress could set one off. The preventive medicine helps but doesn’t completely eliminate migraines.
Was that the Dr. Who where they were used alien technology to blast a spaceship out of the sky?
So what, Hitler has headaches too.
“Ironically, and perhaps as a wry comment on blowback from meddling in other people’s governments, the fall of that PM allowed the Doctor’s evil arch-nemisis to get elected as the next PM, with disastrous results.”
Not to mention the fact that The Doctor also created the situation that got that particular PM elected. Always cleaning up his own messes a Time Lord is.
Migraines do not have to be as debilitating as they once were. There are meds to prevent and meds to cut one short. There’s no reason for Bachmann to be disqualified from running for or even being President based on migraines. Of course, she’s totally disqualified on the grounds of being an idiot with crazy politics.
I don’t think this is anything that can be used against her — except by dickwads.
If they are indeed incapacitating her for days, I’d say that’s probably a good reason for her to be a really, really poor choice for president.
Beauzeaux: being incapacitated for days at a time every week makes you not qualified to work at a fast food restaurant. I’d say it would have to have some bearing on your ability to be the leader of a nation.
Apparently with migraines, even though you are not qualified to work at McD’s, being a member of Congress is perfectly fine. Perhaps with her crazy politics she is over qualified? How about party chair?
Dan, coincidentally the next episode of Doctor Who is titled “Let’s Kill Hitler”.
I suffered from migraines for 7 years and several of my sisters are still trying to control them. The drugs do not work for everyone, my sisters and I included. For me, managing and preventing them required a change in lifestyle (including changing careers) and diet.
If Bachmann is actually suffering from migraines (and given her history of being less than truthful, please forgive my skepticism), and she is one of the many who haven’t been able to control them with drugs, maybe she also needs to consider a change in lifestyle.
I’ll just say to B and Starluna, I’m so sorry. There is no one good cure for Migraines. This from someone who doesn’t even get headaches, but I get kidney stones. No cure for them either but only every six years. Manageable.
Hate migraines.
Yes, I suffer from them. We don’t have good enough insurance to justify getting medicines for them. I’ve figured out nearly all my triggers, and I’ve learned to time OTC medicines to keep them controlled.
I don’t believe that Bachmann gets the sort of regular, debilitating migraines claimed. She simply wouldn’t have a career if they were that regular / intense. She may get mild ones, not that frequently (even if frequently enough), and keep her career going. But not the way it’s described. Not possible.
Thought Dancer, I don’t know if this story is true or not (and we may never know). But I disagree with your argument that she could not have a career if they were that regular or intense. My first wife was a sufferer from debilitating migraines and managed to have a career. In fact, I would think that being a politician would be advantageous for that, since most of them don’t have a fixed schedule. But president???
I suspect that her being incapacitated from migrains just might maker her a more qualified candidate. She could do less harm…
IK: I don’t know how your first wife did it then. When I was first trying to figure out the migraines I was getting, I lost lots of time at school and got stuck taking summer school to make up material. (I started with them in elementary school: fifth grade was a bust.)
The AP story: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BACHMANN_2012_HEADACHES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-19-23-18-32
Actually, being in Congress is a great job for someone who’s not fit to work several days out of every week — when the Rs took the House again, they went right back to their previous work schedule of 2 days a week. Remember when the Dems took over, and the Rs accused Pelosi of being “anti-family” because she insisted they work 4 days a week?
IK – if your wife was able to do it, she must be one exceptional person. I will admit that I barely functioned.
For what its worth, I think Bachmann may also be exceptional, but not in that way.
What,does everyone who reads this website get miganes? Maybe there is a connection between migraines and irony, that would explain a lot about M Bachman. (yes I get them too)