As some of you may be aware, I have really been suffering with migraines badly as of late. For the past month basically, I have had one unending migraine. None of my meds have helped, either OTC or prescription and the relief I found after a emergency room visit last week was very short lived (only about 2-3 hours of relief). Well yesterday I finally had my appointment to see my neurologist, to go over new treatment plans and abortive options.
In addition to requesting my kidney stone info from the hospital where I had it treated (to see if Topamax was responsible for it, if not I can resume treatment with that med), they gave me a box of samples of this triptan nasal spray Zomig. If it helped me, I could fill a prescription for it. I was so excited to hopefully finally get some relief. I opened the first box and administered a does immediately upon getting into my car after my appointment. I could then take a second dose two hours later if needed.
Well suffice to say, that shit did nothing. Except maybe make the migraine a bit worse. I was so disappointed and frustrated, I almost started crying on the drive home. The unending suffering from this shit has really really wore me down. I can’t emphasize that enough. From the minute I was back home from my appointment, I was back in bed with an ice mask strapped to my face. I nearly had a breakdown at that point. I took some advil (who knows, maybe that would help?) and just laid in bed.
Well my gf got home a little while later and she had gotten some Taco Bell for herself, and just as a thought, decided to get me a tropical slushy as well. What transpired upon ingesting this cold treat was truly miraculous. Upon getting the first unintentional “brain freeze” from sucking on the slush too quickly, I very quickly felt the throbbing and daggers in my head just sort of shrink down and the relief was almost instantaneous. The icey cold from the drink had some sort of vaso-constricting effect that produced migraine relief. I couldn’t believe it.
After ALL the myriad, unsuccessful treatments I had received, from copious amounts of oral abortives, emergency room visits to neurologists appointments, the one fucking thing that brought me relief was Taco Bell. Not too ringing of an endorsement for the medical professionals that treat this stuff. While I am very happy to have finally found something (I’ve been gulping them down regularly since, with the same effect), I’m curious from a medical perspective what exactly is happening here. Is there a medical treatment that relies on a similar mechanism of action to what the slurpys do for migraine relief? Some sort of internal cooling action?
Looking into it, I don’t know own how it works but some are thinking it could be because brain freeze dilates blood vessels near your brain, and this somehow helps a migraine. I have no idea about the mechanism though or if that is even why. Who knows if is the dilation that helps, or the eventual constriction of blood vessels after the brain freeze wears off. I thought some anti migraine drugs were designed to constrict blood vessels.
Yeah it makes sense to me on an intuitive level, as I am very familiar with the benefits of external cold applications to the head. As well as the negative effects of heat on a migraine, like in taking a bath. The cold constricts blood vessels, this lessens blood flow and relief ensues. The same principle must be at work with the brain freeze stuff. It’s like opening up my head and putting an ice pack directly on my brain.
Well I haven’t minded all the extra calories lately because it’s been such a struggle getting any calories in me at all. But yes, I’m basically sucking on ice slush water now. I don’t know how long a single brain freeze provides relief, as I’ve been basically continuously giving them to myself for an entire day. I fear the relief won’t last, so I keep doing it. At least I can’t overdose on ice water.
Taco Bell? Hmm. I had a migraine on Wednesday afternoon, and I’m still stuck in the postdrome phase, with an upset stomach and a dull headache I can’t seem to shake, which sucks. When I looked up articles about how people cope with their “migraine hangovers,” there were at least a couple of people who said Taco Bell food made them feel better.
Haha. Well I used “Taco Bell” in the broadest terms, for the impact of the statement. I ate no actual “food” food from Taco Bell, just a slushy that happened to be from TB.
Oh definitely. What I have discovered that works best for me are these “beauty sleep” masks that are designed to hold one of those thin, blue, reusable ice packs inside. I simply use a ziploc bag full of crushed ice, as I can make these as big and thick as I like, as long as I can still stuff it into the mask. They work much longer than the skimpy little blue ice packs.
Thanks for this.
