Boston-Globe-themigrainediva: April 2013

Mission Accomplished! 30 Blog Posts in 30 Days - HAWMC Day 30

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, HAWMC, Wego Health

You made it! 30 posts in 30 days! Today, write a recap of your experience. What was your

favorite prompt? Least favorite? What have you learned?

Describe your HAWMC experience in one word!

Yay!!! I have completed the +WEGO Health Health Activist Writer Month Challenge! Thirty posts in thirty days accomplished. I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it and seeing it out to the end. Taking part in this blog challenge has introduced me to some great bloggers/health activists. It was fun reading other's posts and seeing their perspective on the daily prompts. My favorite prompt was Wordless Wednesday. I enjoyed finding ways to express myself through pictures. I didn't have a least favorite. Some of them were challenging but once I got started writing they began to flow more easily. I have learned that I have lots to talk about and so do many others. We all have valid, important stories because our illnesses/diseases are real and valid. I've gained a little more confidence in my blogging skills and I hope to continue to write often!

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Feeling Awesome! - HAWMC Day 29

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, HAWMC, Wego Health

Today's prompt:

We all know Health Activists are awesome. Share three things you love about yourself, things you’re great at, or just want to share. Don’t undercut or signpost!

I must admit that I don't always feel great or awesome all of the time. In fact, it's pretty few and far between thanks to the ups and downs of chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. But, when those things aren't clouding my judgment of myself, there are quite a few things that I think I'm really good at and love about myself. My top three are:

I am a great mother. I do everything I possibly can for my children. I have conversations with them, I listen to them, I guide them to make the best choices for themselves, and I admit when I am wrong and ask for their forgiveness whenever I mess up. Most importantly, I am honest with them about everything.

I love that I am creative. I have always had a knack for expression. Writing is my strong suit, but I also love dance, music, art and books. I encourage my children to read as much as possible and they do. Expanding my knowledge or just escaping into a mystical world for a few hours is one of my favorite things to do. Being able to put my thoughts onto paper (or computer) in such a way that it touches those who read them gives me a sense of satisfaction that nothing else can.

After all of the things I've been through due to migraines, fibromyalgia, depression, and anxiety I have continued to persevere and get through sometimes impossible or bleak situations. So, I would say that I have great courage, because it takes a lot of bravery to find out whether things will be better on the other side of darkness, despair, hopelessness and discouragement.

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Must Follow! - HAWMC Day 28

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blogs, facebook, fibromyalgia, Migraines, twitter

Today's prompt: Create a must follow list for your community on a single social network. Share your top 5-10 tweeters, blogs, or Facebook pages.

My Top 5 Migraine Tweeters

@Migrainista

@somebodyhealme

@NHBonk

@flywithhope

@TRobert

My Top 5 Fibro Tweeters

@zoobooks

@FibroDaily

@US_Pain

@joeygiggles

@MyFibromyalgia

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Titles - HAWMC Day 27

Posted by Unknown | Labels: books, life, migraine, Pain, writing

I'm a day behind on my prompts, so here's yesterday's:

If you wrote a book about your life, your community, your condition, or your Health Activism – what would you title it? Come up with 5 working titles.

What about your biography?

I have been considering writing a book for quite some time and have had some idea of what I would call it. The book would most likely focus on my life with chronic pain and how it has affected my roles as mother and wife and how I feel as an incomplete person due to the limitations pain has put on me. I also threw in a title if I were to write about it from a Health Activist's point of view. Here's what I came up with:

An Unfinished Path
Living With Co-Morbid Diseases
Searching for Normalcy
Myself, Motherhood, and Migraines
An Unpredictable Journey

If I were to pick one to be the title of my biography, it would be An Unpredictable Journey. This describes exactly how I feel my life has turned out to be. It has taken a route that I had no clue it would take and I have struggled with accepting what I have encountered along the way. My life is still pretty unpredictable as I can never really know for sure whether or not I will develop any other conditions down the road. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future.

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Pain Free Pass - HAWMC Day 26

Posted by Unknown | Labels: chronic pain, Pain

Today's Prompt: Pain-Free Pass

What’s a day that you wish you could have used a pain-free pass (either in the future or the

past)? How would being pain or worry-free impact that day?

Oh, there are so many to choose from! After almost 27 years with chronic pain I have certainly had many days ruined by it. For the purpose of today's prompt I will choose the day that most recently was taken over by pain. This past July was my in-laws family reunion. There were four days of activities planned and I was very excited to finally have some fun to look forward to. The first day went off without a hitch and I felt great. I was really looking forward to the luau that was planned for the next day. However, by the time I got dressed, did my hair and makeup and ventured downstairs to sit in the family room and charge my stimulator my head had exploded into a full blown migraine.

I was at a level 10 in a matter of 15 minutes. All I could do was sit there and cry, ruining my perfect makeup job. My husband walked in and saw me crying. I was so mad that my head wasn't going to allow me to have fun with everyone else. He took me back upstairs to the bedroom (it was at my MIL's house) and I put my pajamas on and tried to go to sleep, hoping that I could sleep it off and still be able to enjoy some of the fun. Instead, the DJ arrived and started playing his music. The loud thumps from the bass catapulted my migraine into the astronomical pain sphere. I texted my husband and told him I had to go to the ER. We didn't get back until the luau was over.

If I had no migraine that day I would have been able to dance, limbo, wear my lei, have some roast pig, and enjoyed time with my family. Being pain-free would have had a much different impact. I hardly get to do anything classified as fun or that allows me to wear pretty clothes and get all gussied up. No pain would have given me that opportunity. Thankfully, I was able to enjoy the next evening's banquet but the previous day had put a damper on my spirit. It would have been nice not having that migraine come and crash the party.

At the banquet the day after a severe migraine attack.

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Learning Through Others - HAWMC Day 25

Posted by Unknown | Labels: advocacy, blog challenge, HAWMC, health activist, Wego Health

Today's prompt is about "Learning":

Share something you learned from another Health Activist (that everyone should know!) or share something you'd like to teach other Health Activists.

This week has been quite difficult to get through. Heightened anxiety, feelings of depression, and of course pain have kept me from being or feeling very productive. Figuring out how or what I am going to write about for each prompt this week hasn't been easy. My brain is on blank and stuck in distraction mode. So, when it came to today's prompt I felt quite stumped. I couldn't really pick just one Health Activist or one particular thing I've learned. But, as I was browsing through different blogs, I noticed that there is a common thread among many of them. Humor and witty sarcasm. Being able to laugh at how comical chronic pain can be and finding the humor in what could easily be a very sad lifestyle is important. It lightens the load a bit and gives us permission to laugh. Allowing ourselves to feel something other than pain can be challenging. But we deserve and need to giggle, chuckle, and laugh out loud at all the crazy ways our bodies react to pain. The "dumb blond" moments thanks to fibro fog or insomnia or the multitude of inappropriate noises that our body makes are reasons to laugh. And, I found that being sarcastic about what we experience can also help take the edge off of a usually low moment. There usually isn't much we can change about the fact of chronic pain being a prevalent part in our lives. Yet, we can navigate through it a little easier by allowing the light of laughter into it.

I don't know if there is anything I personally can teach other Health Activists that they are already doing. For me, I just try to stay as transparent and hopeful about my illnesses as possible. This is something that I see everyone doing already, so not much to add there. The only other thing I would add is that, sometimes I can be intimidated by how much or how influential some H.A.'s are. I frequently need to remind myself that what I'm doing is valuable, no matter how big or small it might be. Maybe some of you have felt the same way (or not). All that matters is that something is being done to shine a bigger light on the chronic pain epidemic. Every person and their story has an impact. This is a lesson I'm continually learning.

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Wordless Wednesday: Pinterest - HAWMC Day 24

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, HAWMC, health, Pinterest, Wego Health

Create a Pinterest board for your health focus. Pin 3 things. Share the image.

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Headache: Everything You Need to Know

Posted by Unknown | Labels: chronic daily headache, cluster headaches, headaches, Migraines, sinus headaches, tension headaches

Headache: Everything you Need to Know

Headache: Everything you Need to Know infographic by MountSinaiNYC.
(*For larger image click the above link)

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Technology and Chronic Illness - HAWMC Day 23

Posted by Unknown |

Today's prompt is about Technology. Write about how your life would change if there was no social media.

Well, simply put, if there was no social media I wouldn't have been freed from my bubble of isolation. Without Facebook, I would not have met anyone else like me. There aren't any migraine support groups in my area and the only time that I was able to vent was with my therapist and psychiatrist. Even still, no one truly understood what being in pain 24/7 does to a person. Add on top of that the responsibility of raising children and being a wife. None of my girlfriends have a clue what I go through. They're compassionate and feel for me but there is no way that they could fathom how much I struggle. It isn't only on a physical level. The mental and emotional roller coaster I ride on a weekly basis is more than enough for ten people.

Without the support groups that I found online through various websites and the amazing friends and fellow pain warriors I have met, I would be lost. Now, it is limited to the Internet, so I am pretty much still a hermit. But, in my lowest moments at any time of the day I have people there for me who get it from all around the globe. If that were to disappear from my life I would be devastated. Being a part of those groups has led me to start blogging and do more regarding advocating for people like me. I might not have done that without social media.

There is only so much that my husband, children, parents, siblings and friends can do for me. As much as they would want to take my pain away, they can't. And they all can't relate to it. None of them understand what a life of pain is and they never will. That's okay because it's not supposed to be that way. Having those that have the same experiences as I makes getting through them a bit easier. I feel like I'm rambling and saying the same thing over and over. If I am, I apologize, as I have a really bad migraine right now and really don't feel like typing this out right now. But I am committed to this challenge and want to make sure that I put some content in here that's worth reading.

I wouldn't be doing this if there were no social media. Being an active (as much as I can be) part of the pain community has given me a growing confidence in myself, my voice, and my story. I'm grateful to it for that.

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Day to Day - HAWMC Day 22

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, HAWMC, life, must-haves

Write about the things you couldn’t live without – list 10 things you need or love most.

My children - they are the reason why I fight;
My husband - he is my rock;
Prayer - brings perspective to my life;
Sleep - refreshes my mind, body, and spirit;
Good food - comforts and nourishes;
Peace of mind - brings stillness and eliminates chaos;
Heating pad/Ice packs - for soothing aching muscles and quieting migraines;
Pain relief - so I can function and not lose my mind;
My iPhone - preoccupies my brain and entertains me;
My MacBook - my journal to document this crazy life of mine.

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Time running out for boy in need of life-saving cancer treatment

Posted by Unknown |

We've got just 11 days to save our son. - The parents of a seven-year-old boy are desperately trying to raise £225,000 in 11 days so he can have life-saving treatment for a brain tumour that was originally diagnosed as a migraine.

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The Liebster Blog Award

Posted by Unknown | Labels: bloggers, liebster award

I'd like to thank Kidcrossing Barefoot for this Liebster Award!

Eleven facts about myself:

1. I'm 34 years old

2. I have been married for 15 years
3. I have three children
4. I have one dog (a ChiPin)
5. I played the cello for three years
6. I danced ballet for 13 years
7. I lived in Hawaii
8. I love to read
9. I love to write

10. I have migraines, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel, depression and anxiety

11. I love my family

Eleven questions from Kidcrossing Barefoot:

1. Why do you blog?

Blogging came about for me as a new way for me to write about my life with migraines. I was very frustrated by the ineffective treatments I have tried and how the stigma associated with migraines is perpetuated in daily life.

2. What does your blog name mean?

I chose Migraine Diva because even though I'm in pain most of the time, it doesn't take away from my fabulosity!

3. What do you want from your blog?

I hope to educate people on how severe migraines are and they are not "just a headache". I also hope to find other patient advocates out there who have similar stories.

4. PC or laptop?

Since I can be confined to my bed or the couch, I prefer the laptop. My MacBook is my best friend!

5. Do you prefer to eat when you blog?

No, I don't because I'm too preoccupied in what I'm doing. I don't think about food.

6. What is your favorite time of day to write and be creative?

Inspiration comes to me at different times of the day, but I try to get most of my writing done while the kids are in school. There are way less distractions and I can concentration on whatever it is that I'm writing.

7. Where do you plan to vacation this summer?

We don't have any specific plans this summer yet. It can be hard to get away but I'm sure we'll try to fit it in.

8. What would your last meal look like?

That's hard as I love all kinds of food, but I would probably go for a nice T-bone, medium, with a baked sweet potato and grilled asparagus. And a nice crispy glass of riesling to wash it all down with!

9. Look out your window - what does your weather look like?

It's evening right now the moon is high and bright. The sky is a dark blue and clear with a few stars sprinkled in it.

10. Do you have a Facebook page? And if so what is it so we can "LIKE".

Yes, I do - The Migraine Diva.

11. What state do you call home?

Virginia

My 11 Nominations

Eleven awesome and inspiring bloggers (who happen to be all women) that I nominate for the Liebster Award. Please, please stop by and visit them. Comment and say that you found them through The Migraine Diva.

1. This Migraine Life

2. Sweetly Voiced

3. Brainless Blogger

4. Somebody Heal Me

5. REALITYNIBS.com

6. There Be Migraines Here

7. Life With RA is a Pain

8. RAINBOWHEARTLOVE

9. The Sapling Stories

10. Jen Loves Life

11. chicken nuggets and cookie butts

My 11 questions

1. What are you doing when you're the happiest?

2. Where is the one place that you're dying to go?

3. What got you to start blogging?

4. What does your blog name mean?

5. What's the perfect Saturday to you?

6. What is your favorite book and why?

7. What do you want your kids (present/future) to remember about you?

8. Who is your favorite person in the world and why?

9. What is the best memory you have of your own parents (or whoever raised you)?

10. What's something that you never get tired of?

11. What's your weirdest habit?

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Adversity - HAWMC Day 21

Posted by Unknown | Labels: adversity, blog challenge, HAWMC

Today's prompt is about adversity. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.” – Mulan

True or false? When do you bloom best?

Ghost Orchid
The plant is so rare because it is basically impossible to propagate. It has no leaves, does not depend on photosynthesis and does not manufacture its own food.

I believe that adversity breeds a very special, unique, and dynamic type of person. Just like how carbon, under very high temperatures and pressure, forms into diamonds. Only under such stressful situations does a rather inconspicuous mineral become something rare and beautiful. I must admit that I have seen myself grow into a much stronger, wiser, and assured person through various moments of adversity in my life. Admittedly, I cannot see me coming as far as I have as far as maturity and self-awareness had it not been for those very stressful and traumatic times.

For instance, my most recent hospitalization this past November where I had a 40% chance of surviving has caused a major amount of stress for me. (You can read about that HERE.) Five months later I am still maneuvering through the emotions of what happened. What I find comfort in is knowing that it will continue to shape me into a much stronger willed individual. I have begun to say what's on my mind more and stand more firmly and comfortably in my truth. Being so close to death gives you a lot of perspective on what is important. It also brings about a lot of anger because I surely did not willingly bring that experience into my life. So I have struggled with the good and not so pleasant parts. At the end of the day, I'm here. I survived and it was most certainly for the better.

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Migraines and Blood Vessels

Posted by Unknown | Labels: headaches, Migraines, Research

Has it finally been proven that blood vessels do not expand during a migraine attack? It may seem so after this study.

Magnetic resonance angiography of intracranial and extracranial arteries in patients with spontaneous migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study : The Lancet Neurology

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Burnout - HAWMC Day 20

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, chronic pain, HAWMC, Wego Health

Today's prompt is to write about burnout. What does it feel like? What are your burnout triggers?

Burnout for me is complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. It feels like a hundred different things at once. Burnout is the bowling ball knocking all of my pins downs. There are different causes as to why I feel burned out. For example, a long day involving driving, going grocery shopping, appointments, etc. leads to physical burnout. And what does that feel like?

Burning pain in my shoulders, neck, back and arms;
Stabbing and throbbing pain in my calves, ankles, feet and toes;
Widespread pain that feels like I'm a human punching bag;
Muscle spasms in various parts of my body.

Excessive stress and increased anxiety are the main triggers to a mental burnout, which includes:

Persistent worrying;
Increased feelings of hopelessness/not being able to control what's happening;
Inability to find the good in things;
Loss in apetite;
Sleep changes (more or less than usual);
Being withdrawn.

Emotional exhaustion and burnout is similar to what I go through during a mental burnout. I tend to be reactionary instead of wanting to withdraw. Experiencing frequent episodes of pain along with the stress of being limited in the things I can do are often triggers to an emotional burnout. I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster, exhibiting these behaviors:

Excessive crying;
Angry outbursts;
Becoming easily frustrated;
Irritable.

Going through these moments are draining and I experience some form of them every day. Life is not easy for me as I have more challenges to overcome just to have a decent day. Therefore, on some level, I'm feeling burned out. Whether big or small, it's a part of coping with chronic illness that will always be there. On many occasions it has seemed that my sanity has been lost. Part of me thinks it's still out there somewhere! Yet still, I push forward. Sanity may wander to and fro but my fight is always with me.

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Vintage: Stolen Innocence - HAWMC Day 19

Posted by Unknown | Labels: blog challenge, chronic pain, depression, fibromyalgia, HAWMC, headaches, Migraines, Wego Health

Post a vintage photo of yourself, with a captain about the photo and where you were in terms of your health condition.

I was 8 years old in this photograph, taken by my ballet instructor Mr. Reilly. This was when I was diagnosed with having migraines. Such innocence is pictured here. I had no idea that this was going to suck my childhood dry and prevent me from enjoying the things that kids like to do. All I knew then was that my head hurt a lot and nothing really helped take the pain away. There were a lot of tears, vomiting and sadness then. I feel so bad for her. She didn't deserve to experience such severe and debilitating pain so young. She couldn't understand it or why it was happening to her. Now that she's an adult, she still hasn't figured that out yet.

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Mental Health America Urges Immediate Screening for Most Common Mental Illnesses

Posted by Unknown | Labels: anxiety, depression, mental health, mental health america, mental illness, screening

A Partnership to Provide the M3 Checklist, a Free Online PersonalizedMental Health Screen for Prevalent Mental Health Diseases

Contact: Steve Vetzner, (703) 797-2588 or svetzner@mentalhealthamerica.net

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (April 18, 2013)—Mental health screening can save lives, says Mental Health America. Mental health has consequences beyond those we've been hearing about in recent media reports on shootings, gun control, military suicides and other public issues. Undiagnosed mental illness affects every part of an individual's overall health as well.

Mental Health America provides the only online test that screens for depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and anxiety. The innovative online mood-screening tool is offered in partnership with M3 which created this medically proven checklist for mental health well-being.

Visitors simply need to click on the box in the upper right corner of the Mental Health America home page labeled “How's Your Mood Today” to start the three-minute self-assessment process. The customized assessment provides a score that a person can then share with his or her physician and monitor over time.

“There's never been a better time to talk about mental health,” said Wayne W. Lindstrom, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America. “Thanks to the results of research and technology, our mental health can be measured much like other vital signs in our body, such as heart rate or blood sugar. We welcome this opportunity to join forces with WhatsMyM3 so more people can become aware of how their mood affects their overall health.”

People need to be screened because mental health has a significant impact on physical health, including risk factors for chronic illness such as cancer. Undiagnosed and misdiagnosed mental health issues can take several years off a person's life, sometimes in surprising and unanticipated ways.

Gerald Hurowitz, Chief Medical Officer of M3, shares that "Mental Health America is a leader in bringing important solutions in mental health to people in their community. This effort to coordinate the M3 screen with important care options further shows where Mental Health America helps people connect with solutions to improve their health."

Since May is Mental Health Month, it's the perfect time for people to get screened, get their score—and then share that information privately with their health care provider. Visit Mental Health America to get screened today.

About Mental Health America
Mental Health America, founded in 1909, and is the nation’s leading community-based network dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives. With our 240 affiliates across the country, we touch the lives of millions — advocating for changes in mental health and wellness policy; educating the public and providing critical information; and delivering urgently needed mental health and wellness programs and services. For more information, visit http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net.

About M3 InformationBased on the M3 Checklist validation study published in the Annals of Family Medicine, the M3 score gives people a number to help them and their doctor better understand and manage their overall health. The M3 screen matches the individual abilities of the single disease screens for depression, bipolar, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This ability to look at more than one disease helps reduce missed cases and potentially avoid mistreatment. The clinician version is available athttp://www.M3Clinician.com, which provides mental health management (detection and monitoring) for primary care. M3 is used to improve care in family medicine, behavioral health and hospital settings.

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Senate Passes Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act

Posted by Unknown | Labels: legislation, mental health, mental health america

Mental Health America Applauds Senate Passage of Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act

Contact: Steve Vetzner, (703) 797-2588 or svetzner@mentalhealthamerica.net

Statement of Wayne W. Lindstrom, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (April 18, 2013)-Mental Health America applauds the Senate's overwhelming passage by a vote of 95-2 of the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act (S. 689), the first significant mental health legislation passed by the Senate since 2008.

The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act reauthorizes and improves programs administered by both the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions, and the promotion of linkages to appropriate services for children and youth. MHA commends Senators Harkin and Alexander for crafting S. 689, which was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on April 10th.

Mental Health America is particularly pleased that the legislation reauthorizes important federal programs such as the Garrett Lee Smith suicide prevention programs for states and college campuses as well as the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI) which supports a national network of child trauma centers. This bipartisan legislation also includes provisions to improve access to mental health care in schools (Mental Health in Schools Act). Additionally S. 689 authorizes a new federal Mental Health Awareness Training program modeled on the Mental Health First Aid legislation.

Mental Health America recognizes that this vote is an important first step. There is critical work yet to be done. We urge the Senate to take up other important mental health initiatives, such as the Excellence in Mental Health Act, MIOTCRA, and seclusion and restraint legislation. Mental Health America pledges to continue working with Congress to pass these initiatives given the raised awareness of mental health issues and the critical need for services and supports included in this package. Our time is now.

Mental Health America (www.mentalhealthamerica.net), founded in 1909, is the nation's leading community-based network dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives. With our 240 affiliates across the country, we touch the lives of millions-Advocating for changes in mental health and wellness policy; Educating the public & providing critical information; and delivering urgently needed mental health and wellness Programs and Services.

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Have Unused or Expired Migraine or Fibromyalgia Medications?

Posted by Unknown | Labels: medication disposal, prescription drugs

Do you have unused or expired prescription drugs collecting dust and don't know how to properly dispose of them? You're in luck because the DEA, along with the assistance of local law enforcement offices, is hosting their sixth National Take-Back Initiative. On Saturday, April 27, 2013 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., anyone with prescription drugs in need of disposal will be able to do so in their area at designated locations. Take back programs are the best way to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs, but if one is not available:

Take the meds out of their bottles;
Mix them with something unappealing such as used kitty litter or coffee grounds;
Seal them in a bag or disposable container, and throw that away.
Drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved, reused, and illegally sold.
Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply.

In the five previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications were removed from circulation.

Locate A Collection Site Near You

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse. The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends – and the home medicine cabinet. Many people are unknowingly contributing to or providing the drugs to abusers and addicts by having unused or expired prescription drugs in the home. Click the image below to find a collection site near you.

If you do not see a collection site in your area, please check back daily as new locations are added daily. For more information on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, visit the Facebook event I have created or you can contact the DEA directly:

www.dea.gov or call 800-882-9539.

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