Welcome to the homepage for the #MigraineChat Twitter chat. This monthly chat will take place the first Monday of each month from 1-2pm eastern time. The goal is to cover topics that resonate with those with migraine disease.

#Migrainechat was previously hosted by Anna Eidt. With her blessing, I’m re-launching the chat and partnering with my fellow My Chronic Brain editors to reach those who might benefit most from camaraderie and sharing information about a range of migraine-related topics.

We have a few chats planned already, but if you have topic ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments below and join us over on Twitter each month.

Follow me: @beth_morton

Follow MCB: @MyChronicBrain

December 3rd Topic: Tips for & Needs of the Newly Diagnosed (Chronic) Migraine Patient

(Chat questions posted soon!)

Are you newly diagnosed? We’re here to help! Have you had migraine for years or been chronic for quite some time? Share your experiences and possibly learn some new tips!

Tweet Chat Helpful Hints & Ground Rules:  

1. Introduce yourself! At the start of each chat, share where you are joining from (if you’re comfortable doing so) and maybe a fun factoid.

Hi everyone! Beth, joining from Vermont where #winteriscoming way too soon! Happy to be here today! #migrainechat

2. Include the #migrainechat hashtag in every tweet. This makes the tweets easy to follow. You can do this a few ways:

• Open a Twitter browser, then enter #migrainechat in the search window. Once the results come up, click “latest” to see chat tweets in reverse chronological order. Keep refreshing your browser.
• Alternatively, consider using a site like Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, or TweetChat.

3. To keep things clear, use a Q1/A1 format for your tweets. For example, when we tweet our question Q1, you’ll start your responding tweet with “A1: ….” If your response requires multiple replies, you can use something like A1.a, A1.a, A1.c, etc., numbering or thread your responses.

Q1. When was your first #migraine attack? #migrainechat

A1. I had my first #migraine attack at age 17, but before that…. #migrainechat

You can also quote tweet our question with your response. Don’t forget the #migrainechat hashtag (even if quote tweeting)!

4. You don’t have to answer every question. Contribute wherever you are comfortable.

5. We value interaction. Read, reply, like, engage with, and retweet others’ responses. We want this to be a chance to share and learn.

• Retweet responses that resonate with you to share with your own followers.
• If you know of relevant resources or articles, add references.
• Take time to reply to others’ responses. For example:

A1. I had my first #migraine attack at age 17…. #migrainechat

@beth_morton Me, too! It was scary. I wasn’t sure what was happening. #migrainechat

6. With all that said, please remember to:

• Be respectful of others’ experiences. We each experience migraine differently.
• Be gentle with unsolicited advice.
• Topics may cover products and services that help manage life with migraine. Sharing is encouraged. We just ask that you refrain from using the chats to sell your personal products.
• Give proper attribution to retweets (e.g., quote tweet or use RT and original @handle).

7. Use these chats as an opportunity to find and follow new people!

8. Last, but not least, you may want to tweet out to your followers a high tweet volume warning. That allows them to join us if they are interested or mute our hashtag, if not (whomp, whomp). For example:

Hey Twitter friends, for the next hour, I’ll be joining #Migraine Chat Monday (#migrainechat). If you’d prefer not to see these tweets in your feed, feel free to mute the hashtag. I’d encourage you not to, though. You’ll learn a lot!

That’s it! Mark your calendars and prepare for the social event of the month every first Monday!