My migraines wipe me out for hours does that count as a ‘prostrating’ attack?

Yes — if your migraines force you to stop all activity and lie down for hours, that almost certainly meets the VA’s definition of a prostrating attack. Whether the VA formally recognises it depends on how well that functional impact is documented in your medical records and how clearly you describe it at your C&P exam. What “prostrating” actually means to the VA: The VA does not have a rigid clinical checklist for “prostrating,” but in practice it means an attack severe enough to force complete cessation of activity. If any of the following apply, your migraine is likely prostrating: - You have to lie down in a dark, quiet room - You cannot continue working, driving, or performing normal daily tasks - You experience severe pain, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, or phonophobia - The attack lasts at least several hours - You are essentially non-functional for the duration of the episode Why this matters: it directly determines your rating: Migraine ratings under Diagnostic Code 8100 are built around the frequency and severity of prostrating attacks: - Less frequent prostrating attacks -> 10% - Prostrating attacks once a month on average -> 30% - Prostrating attacks occurring very frequently, with economic inadaptability -> 50% The documentation problem most veterans face: Many veterans describe their migraines to doctors as “bad headaches” without conveying the full functional impact. If your medical records say “headache, treated with ibuprofen” rather than “incapacitating migraine requiring withdrawal from activity for 4–6 hours,” the VA will not have the evidence needed to rate them as prostrating.