Migraines

Factual Questions
1

I started on another migraine last nite. These last for three days with me, the first sitting behind the eyes and the top of the head, second day, which is the worst, its totally full blown. The third day it usually backs off slowly.

Today has been hell. I left work early which is something I never do, but I was so dizzy and nauseaus I knew I wouldnt be able to drive if I stayed any longer.

I used to get cortisone shots in the back of my head for these but after a few years they didnt work. Pretty much now all I do is wrap my head in a pillow, put wet tea bags on my eyes, take advil and hope for the best.

Any suggestions?

We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another

2

Have you ever used acupressure?

3

I get them too. Sometimes, I’ll get them for a week straight, then I won’t get one for for months.

If they are particularly bad (blurred vision, nausea, etc), the only thing I can do is lie down in a dark room in total silence. I’ve tried all of the over-the-counter meds, but nothing seems to help. Sorry I couldn’t offer any helpful advice, but thanks for bringing this topic up… I’ll be reading the suggestions. :slight_smile:

Good luck, Sue!

The most rewarding part was when I got my money!
-Dr. Nick Riviera

4

Have you thought aboutZomig?

I used to rock and roll all night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I’m lucky if I can find a half an hour a week in which to get funky.

5

Have you looked into the possibility that a food allergy or sensitivity might be contributing to your migraines? My mom used to suffer terribly from migraines, just as you described, as wasn’t able to take any of the available migraine medications due to conflicts with other prescriptions. Someone finally suggested that she see a nutritionist. It turned out that my mom had developed a sensitivity to dairy products, and once she cut virtually all dairy from her diet (she’ll still eat a little cheese) the migraines pretty much stopped plaguing her.

6

I sincerely hope that you are working with a physician for this problem, Sue.

There are any number of remedies available for chronic, recurring, disabling headaches. Sadly, the number of available treatments is usually inversely proportional to their effectiveness.

If you seem not to be getting anywhere with your doc, ask for/beg for/demand a referral to a neurologist. You should be working towards 2 separate goals:

  1. Coming up with an effective abortive treatment, and
  2. Coming up with an effective preventive strategy - antidepressants, antiseizure meds, Beta-blockers are all commonly used.
  3. Alternative med strategies can be effective (herbs, TENS stimulation of neck muscles, acupuncture) but only after a really thorough evaluation from a physician.

This really is too big to be trying to deal with on your own & OTC remedies. Good luck.

Sue from El Paso

Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

7

I get them too, though not as badly as yours sound.

I’ve found that prevention is the most effective treatment. Have you thought about what triggers your migraines? for me, it’s a combination of lack of sleep and stress at work; others have noticed that foods like cheese, coffee, or chocolate may be the trigger. The particular trigger can vary with the individual, but if you can identify your triggers and try to avoid them, it may be helpful.

Also on the prevention approach, there are prescription meds that you take daily, to try to prevent the migraines from starting. You should talk to your doctor about it.

Good luck.

and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe

8

I have to agree here. Food does seem to be very important trigger for migraines. Cutting out dairy has immensely helped me. I used to think that MSG was my trigger but couldn’t figure out why things like chicken noodle soup didn’t do anything. It wasn’t the MSG, it was the CHEESE in the Hamburger Helper or frozen entree or whatever.

I haven’t had one since that can’t be traced to a stress trigger. I have to work on learning how to relax. BUT I did want to say that one thing that helped me was going to a chiropractor during an attack. I was having one bad enough that I was almost afraid to drive and my chiropractor had told me to call him if I ever had another migraine so I did. He did an adjustment on my neck that was a little different than my usual adjustment. At first I got a little dizzier than I was when I went in. But, after resting a bit, I went home and the migraine was on it’s way out and it had been getting worse and worse when I went in. Mine usually last several days and that one was over in less than a day. I know I’m going in the next time I have one.

Just to help you find a reputable chiropractor, mine never claimed he could prevent migraines with regular treatments. He never claimed he could cure me from migraines. He just said that an adjustment might give me some relief during a migraine. As it turned out it was more relief than I was expecting for myself.

Another thing that is supposed to help people ease the pain of a migraine is an orgasm. Personally, I’ve only been able to get the strength up when dh was around to try that method one time during a migraine, but it worked too.

9

My sis in law gets them terribly. She has to go to the emergency room and get a shot. She’s tried everything from having them burn nerves in her neck to taking three or four prescriptions at one time. There is a medicine out that you can start taking when you start to feel the migraine coming on…don’t know if that will help you or not…but I’ll find out the name of it. Also…smoking…stress…and diet can cause them…but my sis in law refuses to do anything to curve those things in her life even after the doctor told her that…she’d rather get the shots I think.

“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda

  • Intern to El Presidente
    Self-Righteous Clique *
10

Migraine is an interesting word. It literally translates to ‘half of a brain.’

11

Not just an interesting word, and interesting concept, it’s an term for any headache that doctors can’t explain. So if you have pain in your head, and no one knows why, you have migraine. This is one of the reasons that discussions such as these get so cloudy so quickly.

“Wisdom is the booby prize, they give you when you’ve been unwise.”

12

I used to get migraines about every 6 weeks, and after 3 years of that the frequency dropped. I now get them maybe 3 or 4 times a year. I found that if I take a couple of 222’s at the first symptom, I can often beat it.

13

Er, no. True migraines have a set of symptoms unique to migraine. Among these are sensitivity to light and nausea. Not all people have all the symptoms with each migraine, but they will have some of the symptoms. The confusion is that lay people often describe any severe headache as a migraine.

“You can be smart or pleasant. For years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.”
Elwood P. Dowd

14

Good morning… Thanks for all the advice.

I have indeed seen a doctor for my migraines. They are few and far between as opposed to how they were when I was younger. I now get them about three times a year and can usually tell a day ahead of time when they are coming by the throbbing that builds behind my eyes. To me its not a pain that totally develops in my head but one that creates a pain through my whole body.

Over the years I have tried the shots, meds, new glasses, brain scans (yes I have one), diet, etc. and still once in a while they roll on in anyways. At one point we thought it was possible I was getting them from grinding my teeth in my sleep.

This morning it is sitting quietly behind my eyes and around the back of my head which is a good sign it is on its way out.

It’s been interesting to see all of your ideas on this topic. I’ve done research before and there are so many different theories on them.

We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another

15

as well as often being localised on one side of the head; hence the “half-brain.”

and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe

16

Ah, migraines. Welcome to my personal hell.

I’ve been put on various prevention drugs, Imitrex shots, Imitrex tablets (the tablets never worked as well as the injections), Maxalt, painkillers (Percocet, T3, you name it).

I remember well my first encounter with the Imitrex injection. The migraine had been there for a day and a half. I was completely crippled by it. I couldn’t stand up without vomiting. Movement in general was right out. I had a sleep mask over my eyes, and earplugs in. I finally couldn’t handle it anymore, and my husband took me to the ER. I got my own quiet little room with the lights off where I could throw up in peace, and they came in and stuck me.

Fifteen minutes later, it was like I’d never had the pain at all. The relief was so great I was crying. I had no drugged hangover like with painkillers, and I was back to normal. I think I saw God that afternoon.

I haven’t tried the inhalers, but my aunt, who is a doc near Dallas, says the horrible taste they leave behind just isn’t worth it and it feels like your nose is going to melt. Yuck, I’ll pass.

There really seems to be a different “coping” method for everyone. Different drugs work on different people, some just need lots of rest and quiet.

There’s a new study out that hints that chocolate, cheese, and wines aren’t the triggers for a migraine – they’re a part of the aura that indicates a migraine is coming on. Something in the brain chemicals sets up a craving for that food, and thus it’s seen as a “trigger” because it’s the last suspect thing you remember eating before your brain exploded.

I’m trying to find my copy of the article for cites, but my desk seems to have eaten it. When I find it, I’ll post again.

I just haven’t been the same since that house fell on my sister.

17

I have the nasal spray. Sure, you get the drip and it tastes bad, but it works. At least, it does for me.

18

I used to get them too. My left side of my body would go numb, my vision would become tunnel like from the aura, plus the headache and vomiting. It was a living hell. I went for all kinds of tests, thought it was epilepsy, a brain tumor, a food allergy, stress etc. Never found out what it was. I took a drug called wigraine at the onset and it made it go away within an hour, that was fantastic. Then I read up on it and found the ingredients were ergot (lsd) and caffeine. One opens the blood vessels and the other constricts them. I decided to try to eliminate caffeine from my diet to see what would happen. I have not had caffeine in over 2 years and have also not had a migraine. Maybe it is a coincidence but I’m going to stay away from caffeine forever. Hope it works for you too.

19

“Over the years I have tried the shots, meds, new glasses, brain scans
(yes I have one), diet, etc. and still once in a while they roll on in
anyways. At one point we thought it was possible I was getting them
from grinding my teeth in my sleep.”

Hey, the guys say try sex! That’s not on your list, it might be the cure Sue.

20

Funny you should say that Handy, I was told that a number of times today, but yet no one showed up to help me out with it. :slight_smile:

We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another