# Prescription migraine meds? Neurologists? Emergency room visits? No...Taco Bell. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283 "2017-07-14T20:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/41 "2017-07-16T03:52:03Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > That’s exactly what I thought! To myself though. > > I dunno. They do seem like pretty bad headaches that knock them down. But they would literally rather suffer than try the rinse. > > My already told one of them about the slushee. They did reply “if I can get out of bed” so there’s that… > > Who am I to judge? 🙂 Yeah, you’re right. As has been shown in this thread, “migraine” is an incredibly wide-ranging and varied affliction. Still though, it’s hard to imagine…lol ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/42 "2017-07-16T04:02:28Z")
I admit, given that I get a bit of a headache when I do the nasal rinse anyways, I’d be afraid to try it. Same with the slushie thing, because the worst thing would be to make the headache worse. I’d have to have tried my regular stuff first and have it all fail. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/43 "2017-07-16T04:17:04Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > At least I can’t overdose on ice water. 😃 LD50 of water in rats is 90ml/kg. You have been warned. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/44 "2017-07-16T07:14:47Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Nerve Treatment Via Nose Promising for Migraines](http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20150301/nerve-treatment-via-nose-shows-promise-against-migraines) It’s crazy that I came in here to mention this treatment that I _just_ heard about tonight at work from one of my ER coworkers who had tried it successfully on a patient recently. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/45 "2017-07-16T16:34:06Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > As far as the lidocaine treatment, that seems to be a very small study right now. You may want to read up on botox. From what I’ve heard it’s the results are kinda hit or miss, so you should read the stats and talk to your neuro. Also, last I checked, it was very expensive and required 2 (3?) sessions. The person I talked to suggested that if I wanted to do it, waiting until some year when I hit my deductible and still have enough time in the year to get all the office visits in. Insurance should cover Botox (with prior authorization) and the cost shouldn’t be bad. I am doing pretty well (ok, much better than before, which isn’t “well”, but it’s a damn sight better than 25 migraine days per month) on this therapy: [ul] [li]Botox four times a year;[/li][li]trigger point injections into head, neck and shoulders four times a year;[/li][li]muscle relaxant at bedtime;[/li][li]triptans as needed;[/li][li]percocet and muscle relaxant if the triptans don’t work on their own[/li][/ul] (I use percocet because I can’t take NSAIDs anymore.) I also take Cymbalta, which is supposed to help with chronic pain. I don’t know if it is, but I haven’t had another round of major depression in some time. Since something like 80% of people with chronic pain are clinically depressed, I’ve opted to stay on it. It took me YEARS to get to this level of “better”, so don’t give up hope. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/46 "2017-07-16T23:18:44Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Um, can I humbly suggest that not one of those half dozen friends are actually migraine sufferers? IMNSHO and E, those are the type of people who call any headache at all a “migraine”. 🙂 Just because a headache isn’t life-altering doesn’t mean it’s not a migraine. I have classic migraines: the aura of flashing zigzags, the throbbing headache focused in one point, the nausea. But I’m at the very very lucky end of migraine sufferers: I get them a handful of times a year, I take a couple of ibuprofen and go to bed for an hour or two if I can, and I’m fragile and headachy for the rest of the day but basically fine. I’m going to try the brain freeze next time, but I wouldn’t bother with a neti pot, and I’ve only once bothered asking my GP about anything stronger than ibuprofen (he gave me some nasal spray thing, it tasted like crap for hours and didn’t work, I couldn’t be arsed trying again). That doesn’t mean my headaches aren’t migraines. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/47 "2017-07-16T23:56:45Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > Just because a headache isn’t life-altering doesn’t mean it’s not a migraine. Yes, I believe I acknowledge this in my next post: > [@Ambivalid](#): > > Yeah, you’re right. As has been shown in this thread, “migraine” is an incredibly wide-ranging and varied affliction. Still though, it’s hard to imagine…lol ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/48 "2017-07-17T00:01:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I admit, given that I get a bit of a headache when I do the nasal rinse anyways, I’d be afraid to try it. Same with the slushie thing, because the worst thing would be to make the headache worse. > > I’d have to have tried my regular stuff first and have it all fail. Yes, but the friends ZipperJJ mentions say they would rather suffer than try the pot. That would imply that all their regular stuff has failed yet they still wouldn’t give it a try. And if I had an option that was already working, the situation with the brain freezes would never have arisen in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/49 "2017-07-17T01:33:52Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Insurance should cover Botox (with prior authorization) and the cost shouldn’t be bad. > > I am doing pretty well (ok, much better than before, which isn’t “well”, but it’s a damn sight better than 25 migraine days per month) on this therapy: > > [ul] > [li]Botox four times a year;[/li][li]trigger point injections into head, neck and shoulders four times a year;[/li][li]muscle relaxant at bedtime;[/li][li]triptans as needed;[/li][li]percocet and muscle relaxant if the triptans don’t work on their own[/li][/ul] > > (I use percocet because I can’t take NSAIDs anymore.) > > I also take Cymbalta, which is supposed to help with chronic pain. I don’t know if it is, but I haven’t had another round of major depression in some time. Since something like 80% of people with chronic pain are clinically depressed, I’ve opted to stay on it. > > It took me YEARS to get to this level of “better”, so don’t give up hope. That is interesting about cymbalta. Are there drugs that are dual use in that they work for depression and/or anxiety, but also work for nerve pain? I think Lyrica does both also. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/50 "2017-07-17T02:51:48Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > That is interesting about cymbalta. Are there drugs that are dual use in that they work for depression and/or anxiety, but also work for nerve pain? I think Lyrica does both also. Cymbalta is one. Gabapentin. Lyrica. Fetzima. I’m sure there are others. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/51 "2017-07-17T03:12:07Z")
You may have stumbled across a very important tool for migraine relief and chances are your Dr. will shrug it off with a " whatever works". Stuff like this happens daily and should at least be considered worth a controlled study. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/52 "2017-07-17T21:37:49Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > You may have stumbled across a very important tool for migraine relief and chances are your Dr. will shrug it off with a " whatever works". Stuff like this happens daily and should at least be considered worth a controlled study. I worked out today for the first time in more than a month. I can only attribute it to the brain freezes. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/53 "2017-07-17T22:21:26Z")
Today’s neurologist has suggested that I get tested to find out if I have too much cerebral fluid, as apparently that can cause headaches. I feel tired. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/54 "2017-07-17T22:31:56Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I feel tired. Understatement of the year. I commiserate with you here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/55 "2017-07-17T22:45:40Z")
If you induce a brain freeze at the same time that you’re experiencing a migraine, do you temporarily \*double \*the intensity of your migraine? If so, yikes. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/56 "2017-07-17T22:49:26Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > If you induce a brain freeze at the same time that you’re experiencing a migraine, do you temporarily \*double \*the intensity of your migraine? If so, yikes. No, actually, the brain freeze itself is relief compared to the migraine, at least for me. What I found works the best are relatively small, controlled brain freezes. Last night I experienced a pretty severe brain freeze and it wasn’t enjoyable. Pretty intense. But it only lasted a few seconds and was followed by long time relief. But the moderate ones actually few pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283/57 "2017-07-19T20:51:25Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Cymbalta is one. Gabapentin. Lyrica. Fetzima. I’m sure there are others. Anecdotally, Gabapentin seems to work this way in my dog: he’s an old grumpy dude with awful hips, and since we’ve started giving him gabapentin daily (as part of a pain relief/antiinflammatory cocktail) he seems more easygoing in addition to being pain-free. I am a “migraine” sufferer but am extremely, extremely lucky that 1) I get no real aura; 2) I can usually fend them off with a huge dose of quick-relief ibuprofen; and 3) even when it does take hold I can lie down with a hot/cold face pack and am usually better after a 2 hour nap. Next time I feel one coming on, though, I’m running by 7-11. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prescription-migraine-meds-neurologists-emergency-room-visits-no-taco-bell/791283.md?page=2)