Does anyone else here suffer from constant migraines? I have them at least four times a week; I’ve been known to suffer two in one day before. How do you deal with them? What medications do you recommend and do not recommend? Anything out there that will stop them instantly, if only for a few moments? (Besides, oh, crack and herion and the like.) I’m too broke to see the doctor, but I’ll appreciate any advice in that realm just as much.
I’m desperate here! Thanks, y’all.
My girlfriend has had daily migraines daily for some eight years now. They never completely go away - the best she can do is control the pain level.
If you can’t afford to see a doctor, the first thing you need to do is find your migraine triggers, and then avoid them like the plague. Things to watch out for (for her, anyway):
MSG
Nitrites in processed meats (salami, bacon, etc)
Stress
Bright lights
Loud noises
I’m sure there’s others that we haven’t found. Do a google search for “migraine triggers” and see what matches your current diet.
Feverfew is a herbal suppliment that has a reputation for helping reduce migraine frequency/intensity. Dunno if it’s passed double blind studies, but it’s worth looking into.
–Patch
Man, it would suck if it were MSGs. I love Chinese food. 
Holy christ. If I had one continious headache for eight years, I think I’d off myself. No, I know I’d off myself. Props to your girlfriend for being able to even deal.
I’m going to look into the Feverfew recommendation right away. Thank you, Patch!
Have you tried Excedren. I occasionally get what are called atypical migraines. So does my Mom and sister. These are not the true, horrible migraines but they are bad enough. Excedren works for both of us.
Haj
Actually, it’s Excedrin and I meant to say it works for all three of us.
Haj
If you’re too broke to see a doctor your options are very limited. I’d suggest you do whatever you can to get the money to see the doc.
The one smart thing you should do - well, I’ll have to pipe up and say you should definitely look into dietary triggers. Processed meats, MSG-laden foods, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nuts, and many others foods are known migraine triggers (and they ALL trigger migraines for me.)
Also consider sources of eyestrain. Get your vision checked. Wear sunglasses outside if you don’t already; photosensitivity can cause migraine. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or watching TV, consider reducing it or finding ways to reduce eyestrain, though I find the computer is much worse than TV.
Also, keep careful tabs on your sleeping habits. Over or under-sleep can be a bad source of migraine.
But see a doctor. Save your pennies if need be.
now they are saying some over the counter pain relivers actually prolong migraines.
I’ve suffered from migraines since I was a child. I can remember my mother telling me that children didn’t get headaches, so I couldn’t possibly have a headache. Thanks, Mom. :rolleyes:
You need to go to a neurologist. I take 300 mgs. of Topamax daily. It’s an epilepsy drug, and its use for migraines is fairly new. It works on the electrical impulses in the brain. It works wonders.
I went from having 2 or 3 killer migraines a week to having maybe one every other month.
By “killer migraine” I mean one lasting 24-48 hours, in bed, shaking and shivering, throwing up, in excruciating pain, with light and noise sensitivity, wishing to die, you know what it’s like.
Do you have insurance? That will pay for it. You can’t just treat the symptoms, you need to treat the cause. There’s nothing over-the-counter that will really help a migraine.
I also take Imitrex for the pain when I get one. It’s great, too. I use the injection form. One quick shot in my hip and in about 10 or 15 minutes, it’s just gone. No drugged-out feeling at all.
I used to take various beta-blockers (Verapamil was one) and a calcium channel blocker (drawing a blank on the name… Atenolol?) and they didn’t work for me. They were prescribed by my regular doctor. They’re supposed to work on your blood pressure, and my mother and MIL both took them for high blood pressure. They were both taking something like 25 mgs. a day, and I was up to about 150 mgs. a day. I was incredibly lethargic and had no energy.
When I went to the neurologist, the first thing he did was tell me to stop taking the beta-blockers.
Anyway, yes, certain foods can be triggers. For me it’s yogurt, avocados and guacamole, raw peanuts (but not peanut butter), too much processed sugar, red wine, shrimmp and certain root veggies like carrots and turnips.
You also need to stay hydrated and get enough sleep.
That’s a “bounce-back migraine.”
If you take too much of any OTC pain relievers, when it wears off, the migraine comes right back, even stronger than before, which makes you take a larger dose. Then when that dose wears off, your headache comes back again.
It becomes a vicious cycle of larger and larger dosing.
And the so-called “migraine” versions of Excedrin and Motrin? They’re no different than the regular versions, just repackaged in a box that says “Migraine” with a slightly higher price sticker.
The active ingredient in Excedrin is caffeine, which will help a migraine go away, but so will a Bufferin and a cup of coffee.
When I counted, I average on one headache per week, though the trend is that the headaches are becoming less frequent. It runs in the family, so sadly there is nothing I can do about the headaches.
The things that work for me to get rid of them (it depends a bit on the “type” of headache) are:
Blow-drying my forehead.
pressing my temples.
sleep.
Taking an aspirin (although I rarely resort to medication, but sometimes I can’t avoid it.)
getting fresh air.
I’ve been reading a lot lately about caffeine’s effectiveness in getting rid of migraine pain. If you’re looking for non-pharmacological remedies. Valerian is supposed to help some because it relaxes you.
Hope this helps.
:smack:
i normally use perscription Imitrex to rid my BAD migraines. however, I often wake up with light annoying migraines. not enough to really disable me, but enough to be a read annoyance. my doctor recommended 800 mg of ibupofen (advil, motrin, generic, doesn’t matter). usually works. and also helps a lot with the bad migraines, though they usually need the imitrex as well to get rid of them.
I hesitate to say this, but as a fellow migraine sufferer you have my sympathy. There are two under-the-counter products available in Canada. One is called (b)AC&C(/b) and the other is some combination of three numbers—I don’t remember the numbers. Both contain a small amount of tincture of codeine and both were effective in treating my migraines. Problem is, they are illegal in the United States so I can’t recommend that you break the law. If, however, you find yourself in Canada, with a migraine, you might give 'em a try. At present I am taking (b)Migrazone(/b), which is a prescription version of Midal. They help, but they aren’t 100% effective against a full blown migraine. I’ll join the crowd clamoring for you to get to a doctor, though.
Chocolate and onions are two more foods that can trigger migraines.
Regarding Feverfew, as an herbal alternative treatment: Feverfew is a relative of the chrysanthemum plant. It can cause canker sores in the mouth and other delicate mucous membranes. If you are prone to mouth sores to begin with, you might want to avoid the herb. My herb books say the best way to use Feverfew is to chew on a couple leaves three or four times a day, but DO NOT do that if you have a tendency toward mouth sores. You can also make a tea with it, but the same warning applies. The active ingredient in Feverfew is salicylic acid (sp?) – same as in aspirin.
And also, regarding Valerian. While it does contribute to relaxation and helps people sleep, it can build up to toxic levels in your system. Be careful with valerian – if you’re going to use it, take it for a couple weeks, then take a couple weeks off. Two weeks on, two weeks off. During the off weeks, you could switch to a milder herbal sedative, like a mix of passionflower, lavender and chammomile.
Do not use either of these herbs if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. I believe both are contraindicated. And, BTW, herbal remedies and supplements are not subject to the same double blind studies and testing constraints as other drugs. Do your homework prior to using any herbal remedy and consult your primary physician to ensure that any herbals will not interfere with any other prescriptions you may be taking.
My husband gets a lot of migraine headaches too. He has used Feverfew for a couple of years and it has definitely decreased the amount of migraines he gets. However, once he has one, the only thing that gets rid of them is Imitrex.
Whoa, so many replies. Thank you!
Haj, Excedrin used to work for me, but only if I took it in mass quantities, and now it’s gotten so expensive that I just buy regular aspirin and drink a soda with it.
RickJay, I do have very bad vision (legally blind without glasses/contacts). Now that I think about it, I am very sensitive to bright lights. The sunglasses may be a good idea.
Bibliocat, my wife says the same thing re: neurologist. Thank you for that heads-up on Topamax!
Optihut, I second the sleep thing. Sometimes that’s all that helps!
Dogzilla, your facts about the herbal supplements are greatly appreciated. I’ve heard that about Velerian also, that it builds up in the system.
LouisB, thank you!
I agree with you all that I need to see a doctor about it, really. The only thing about that is this: when I absolutely have to go to the doctor, I go to the poor folks clinic (heh!), and the only thing they’ll give out for migraines is Tylenol. I guess they’re so inudated by drug-seekers that they refuse to give any heavy-duty meds. I agree with RickJay…I’m going to have to scrape my pennies and see a real doctor. Er, not that they aren’t real doctors at the clinic, but…you know!
Thank you all so much! You’ve been extremely helpful.
I use three generic aspirin or ibuprofen, a No-Doze or Vivarin (wish I could find a generic caffeine pill), and a generic chlorpheniramine maleate (brand name Chlor-Trimeton) pill.
The chlorpheniramine maleate is an allergy pill. For some reason, it helps the aspirin and caffeine work better (for me).
Taking them on an empty stomach with lots of liquids gets them into the system fast, and can halt a growing migraine (for me). Although, keep in mind that lots of aspirin can be bad for the stomach lining. About a half hour after the pills, I eat something to cut down on stomach acid (and also just in case its a hunger headache).
I’ve found that if I don’t head off a migraine, and it becomes full-blown, it’ll take almost a day of rest for it to go away, and no amount of medication helps.
Know that Exedrin (or Exedrin Migraine), which is clinically proven to be helpful (but, not for all), is just aspirin and caffeine. The generic form is just as effective and way cheaper.
Peace. Really.
Another vote for Imitrex. I don’t know how I made it so long with out it. From first grade through about 8th grade I had HORRIBLE, DISABLING, THROWING UP migranes, the slightest movement (of my body) made the throbbing 10 times worse. I got these ONCE A WEEK. It was horrible. As I got into high school and through college they calmed down. Currently I’m at about one per month. I origanlly had Imitrex pills, but even a pill that small I would gag on because of the nasuea associated with the headache. So I got the injectable. It’s great. I can feel the effects within seconds, the pain dulls within a few mins, and is gone within 10 mins. As for the nasuea it usually goes away in 5 to 10 mins. It’s much more effective then trying to sleep them off.
After eight years, I don’t think Stephanie would care if her mouth was oozing puss if something made her migraines finally go away.
–Patch
Okay, I don’t care if I have to slag from the street corner to get money, I’m gonna get some of these Imitrex injections.
Thank you, Joey!