Midnight Thread: Bachmann suffers from Debilitating Migraines
Posted: July 19, 2011 Filed under: Republican politics, Republican presidential politics | Tags: headaches, Michelle Bachmann, Migraines, pills 13 Comments
This is not the sort of thing that you like to put into print. Oddly enough, the story comes from Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller and undoubtedly some sort of inter-Republican Squabble has created the atmosphere for its release. I’m just going to put up the headline at this point because first, I’m not a doctor, I’m an economist dammit! Second, because I’m not a psychologist, I’m an economist dammit! Third, I am a Buddhist and any kind of suffering on the part of sentient beings disturbs me. It will have a profound impact on the Republican presidential campaign so, here it is.
Stress-related condition ‘incapacitates’ Bachmann; heavy pill use alleged
The Minnesota Republican frequently suffers from stress-induced medical episodes that she has characterized as severe headaches. These episodes, say witnesses, occur once a week on average and can “incapacitate” her for days at time. On at least three occasions, Bachmann has landed in the hospital as a result.
“She has terrible migraine headaches. And they put her out of commission for a day or more at a time. They come out of nowhere, and they’re unpredictable,” says an adviser to Bachmann who was involved in her 2010 congressional campaign. “They level her. They put her down. It’s actually sad. It’s very painful.”
Bachmann’s medical condition wouldn’t merit public attention, but for the fact she is running for president. Some close to Bachmann fear she won’t be equal to the stress of the campaign, much less the presidency itself.
“When she gets ‘em, frankly, she can’t function at all. It’s not like a little thing with a couple Advils. It’s bad,” the adviser says. “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.”
To staff, Bachmann has implausibly blamed the headaches on uncomfortable high-heel shoes, but those who have worked closely with her cite stress, a busy schedule and anything going badly for Bachmann as causes.
My sister has developed menopause-related migraines so I hate to even delve into that suggestion as it could be another excuse to claim that women’s biology means they can’t be leaders. However, that being said, Congresswoman Bachmann will have to discuss this. I’m not too young to have forgotten Thomas Eagleton either. So, as they said on Saturday Night Live ages ago, discuss amongst yourselves …
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OK I’ll be a smart ass. There are all sorts of reasons for migraines — my sister in laws is caused by specific food that she avoids. In fact all the individuals who suffer from migraines seems to have a different trigger.
Interesting that M.B.’s is due to stress.
Smart ass remark. M.B. migraines could be due to cognitive dissonance. I mean the right wing digbat fundies have a belief system that is so not of this world that whenever they are hit with the real world they have a migraine. She supposedly has a degree in Psychology (from where and who the hell were her mentors) yet she seems to have no common sense about real people and the real world.
No offense to anyone who suffers from migraines. I’ve had food allergy head aches which would lay me flat.
Cognitive dissonance could definitely be an issue. If my hypothesis is correct and Bachmann is repressing her true sexual orientation, that would be very stressful.
I used to get really bad migraines, and I eventually learned that certain foods triggered them. I can’t eat bananas or oranges–even the smell of either can set me off. I also have to be careful with chocolate, eggplant, and a few other things.
But IMO, this is a sexist, misogynistic attack on a woman candidate. It’s not like she has a life-threatening disease. Migraines are linked to hormoes too, and women often get them at the beginning of their periods. Fortunately for me, mine got better after menopause.
Stress doesn’t *cause* migraines. They are triggered by sudden contraction/expansion of blood vessels in the head. Some food components cause this reaction so that is why there are food triggers. Caffeine does it too. But stress can add to other causes to make migraines harder to prevent.
Oh then there is this article at the link below. Basically I’ve been ignoring MB — for the corporate media she is entertainment. End times — end times — the fundie fools who believe in this are religiously insane. The study of religiosity — personality types drawn to religion is quite interesting.
MB distracts from the real news — like Jobs — Borders books is closing and that means more than 10,000 jobs will be lost.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/07/18/264811/bachmann-predicted-world-end-2006/
As a migraine sufferer, they can be debilitating and keep a person from functioning in a normal way. If she really gets these bad headaches, then it needs to be addressed. One thing, if she gets them once a week…and they completely put her out of commission, I don’t see how she can be in public view like she always seems to be now a days. True sufferers know that migraines can last for days, and then there is always a recovery period after the headache subsides. It is exhausting. It seems odd that this is being reported by Daily Caller as you say Dak. Makes you wonder what is going on in the big scheme of things.
I take it as a sexist hit piece. Tucker Carlson is scum.
Of course this is sexists — I’ve noticed how the media has been using the most unattractive photos of MB.
In Washington we’ve had a woman run for Governor. She was a State Senator.
Her husband wanted her to run because he couldn’t get elected — she was an fundie extreme right winger — just like MB.
I voted for the moderate male — who was a very capable Governor.
I hope that the migraines, if the story is true, eliminate her from the race. I would prefer that people simply look at her politics, policies and her religious worldview and make that decision but if it takes a debilitating medical condition, that’s okay with me. She scares the hell out of me.
This should get you going…Poll: Michele Bachmann—Yes, That’s Right—Claims Top Spot in GOP Field | Mother Jones
Ugh…
Of course, Perry is Bachmann without the headaches.
For some reason, the Washington DC establishment Republicans find him more credible as a candidate. I can’t believe that just because he’s been the governor of Texas they think people are going to overlook him suggesting Texas cede from the US or all the crazy pray schemes for rain, for whatever, he’s always doing.
It’s because he’s a man.
Perry has an abysmal record in Texas. Under him, we’ve sunk to the worst everything. We have the highest number uninsured, highest teen pregnancies (yet somehow Perry thought forcing women to have sonograms before they abort was the real emergency legislative priority), worst air pollution, and so many more…
This is deja vu with W. and trying to explain to people out of Texas what an empty suit putz he was… but at least with that I could understand the father-son nepotism is what was blinding everyone.
Yeah, but Perry is gay.