# Screw you Migraine Doc! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864 "2004-04-25T01:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/21 "2004-04-27T22:56:45Z")
I also get migraines, and Imitrex stops the migraine, but it returns in full force and even worse 24 hours later. It just doesn’t work for some people, and it sounds like you and are two of those people. I’ve found that if I take Excedrin Migraine when I feel the aura begin (I usually get an aura 2-3 hours before my head starts hurting), I can nip the migraine in the bud. Unfortunately, I’ve got a tendency to ignore my auras because I don’t think they really _are_ auras, so I screw myself sometimes. Do you notice when the aura starts? If so, try taking something right as you feel it. It may not make the migraine go away completely, but it also might take the edge off and allow you to function. As far as your doctor, I’d find someone else. Ava ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/22 "2004-04-28T01:36:47Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Just curious, what did he give you for preventing them? . He gave me Amitriptyline to prevent them. I take 3 pills everynight. I did 2 pills for a month, with no result. So he bumped it up to 3. Today I got my MRI, and I didn’t have an allergic reaction, which is good, since I am allergic to a ton of stuff. I am a teenage girl, and so I know it is common for girls to get them. I envy all of you who swear by Imitrex, as it makes mine worse. I have looked up common triggers, but I can’t find any that would fit. They just APPEAR. Now it’s like they don’t even leave, the pain just gets better or worse. I am getting so dizzy, today I blacked out for a minute. So far I have tried Motrin, Aleve, Ibuprofen… Caffine has no effect on migraines, whether I have a few mountain dews and chocolate, or no caffine at all. I am starting to think it’s not just migraines, because NOTHING makes them better. When I get them I just need to lay down and sleep, because if I don’t I get so dizzy and I am in so much pain, I am bound to have an accident. Last night I had a bad one and I just broke down. So far nothing has helped, and I don’t want to live like this for the rest of my life. No one in my family can help, since I am the first one from both sides of my family to ever get migraines. There is no family history of them what so ever. My parents are getting mad that I am missing school, but I can’t do anything in school with these. Last time I tried to read one of my books, I was about to throw up. I can’t do anything I love with these migraines. I can’t read, I can’t listen to music, I can’t dance, I can’t talk with my friends, I can’t eat, I can’t think, and I can barley sleep. I hope I know whats up soon, so I can fix it. I am getting really depressed. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/23 "2004-04-28T21:35:11Z")
Well, I have just found out that I am being put on antibiotics for my sinus. Apprently the MRI shows that I just have a sinus infection. But it doesn’t fit. When my sinus are bad, so is my asthma. ALWAYS. My asthma has been fine. When I have sinus infections, they always come with sinus pain. I have not had sinus pain since February. My doctor that treats my sinus said they were all cleared up. I am still on my sinus spray. 3 doctors confirmed migraines. My migraines have been super bad, and sinus pain can’t get this bad. I have blacked out it was so bad. I have been extremly dizzy, and I have felt sick. I can’t concentrate, and I am super sensative to light and sound. ALL SIGNS POINT TO MIGRAINES. And yet…my doctor puts me on antibiotics for my sinus, and is convinced I have a sinus infection. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/24 "2004-04-30T02:44:34Z")
**Migraine sufferer here** Foods, stress, weather, hormones all give me Migraines. YAY for Shirley. Are you taking the nasal or pill form of Imitrex? First time I took the pill form of it to relieve a fillibuster 7 day no-holds-barred migraine ( brought on by birth control pills, I later realized.) I thought I was going to die from the mushroom cloud of intense pain that took over my skull. It made things worse ( I still have no idea how I drove home from the pharmacy that skull shattering bright day.) Then i switched to the nasal, and that was the ticket I needed. ( the backwash of it is vomitous, but worth it for the quick relief.) If your asthma isn’t acting up and the doctor says it is a sinus infection, **how is the weather in your area?** Have you noticed a barometric pressure drop with the weather changes? Do you feel foggy on overcast days. Pressure in your head, like it’s squashing you down. Eyeballs hurt. Stiffness in neck? Heavy head ( if my head weights like 20# before I get out of bed, it is going to be a baaaad day.) I have a doppler head in predicting weather. On Monday at 3am I woke up from a dead sleep with a twing of pain above my right eye, a vertical pain. It wasn’t a food reaction. It wasn’t stress. Might have been hormonal, but I was nearly done with my period and they usually hit on the first day and it didn’t feel the same as that. I was in a fog for most of the morning ( it was overcast most of the time.) and then by mid afternoon,I was keeping my head from blooming into a full scale migraine with aspirin and coffee. By two, I was nearly incapacitated. I took an Imitrex pill ( which now work better on me.) and it brought me back to a functioning level. My point: the next day ( tuesday) our weather went from spring to a dusting of snow on the ground, cold and high winds. I cannot remember ever having snow on April 27th, ever. My head was just giving me a heads up. I should have looked at [Weather.com](http://Weather.com) or watched the weather on TV in _years_ but I haven’t had a need to in nearly two years since I have this gift of barometric pressure. Some gift. Like being kicked in the proverbial nuts without any warning. I hate to tell you this, but as you are young and female there could be a big chance that your headaches are a combination of stress and hormones. School is winding down, tests are everywhere. Prom/Guys/Life/MOney/Parents Are Insane. It’s alot of pressure. Bad news is is that issues with Money, guys, parents and Life In General _never go away_. They just rotate, like the Wheel of Impending Doom. You can’t stop it. It is how you deal with the situation. When your neck muscles tighten up, it slows down the blood into your brain, thus causing the migraines. Watch what you eat. Here are _some_ triggers: > [@](#): > > peanuts and peanut butter > caffeine in all products, not just coffee > dairy products > yeast > some beans (which includes peanut), as well as broad, lima, Italian, lentil, soy, peas > avocados > dried meats > sauerkraut > pickled herrings I know how hard it will be for you to give this up! > canned soups and packet soup mixes > chicken livers > ripe banana > soya products as well as the bean itself > sodium nitrate, which is used to preserve hot dogs, bacon and cured meats > the preservative benzoic acid and its associated compounds > MSG, common name for monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer which is now in almost universal use in almost all processed foods > nuts > sourdough breads > cheeses which have been aged, i.e. cheddar > red wines, beer, champagne, vermouth > chocolate > anchovies Another question: do you wear glasses? If yes, maybe you need a change in prescription. I use to get tension migraines from an old RX until it dawned on me to get my eyes checked again. ( Now I have Lasik’d eyes and I am very happy.) Let us know. Migraine sufferers are always more than willing to share their tricks of surviving or overcoming the sheer pain that afflicts them. A very compassionate lot, I’ve found, in person and on line. In the meantime, try to relax and take a hot bath. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/25 "2004-04-30T03:25:43Z")
I just got back from my doctor, and she said it could be allergies, or depression. So I am on Zurtec, and I have to see a shrink and my nero again. I am currently on about 5 meds. And no I don’t wear glasses, and we checked my eyes first. And school isn’t stressing me, I have a 4.0, and nothing else you mentioned bothered me. All the foods you mention I don’t eat (I haven’t been hungry and I have been eating pretty bland). The weather here has been fine for the past while, it has been rainy, but it doesn’t matter about the weather. My doctor (well…ONE of them) thinks it might be depression, since it came on so quickly, and nothing else bothers it. I also have a family history of depression, and I am having some symptoms. Yay! More pills! :rolleyes: Anyway, the nero is being called tomorrow, and I took your advice about the hot bath. But I took a shower. We have a whirlpool tub, but the noise hurts my head, and it is to late. Arg. Well during the appointment, you guys helped she repeated a lot of what you guys were saying from past threads, and this one currently. So currently, I have lots of doctor appointments and pills. I’ll keep you updated. Oh, and I took a pill of Imitrex, but after it made it longer by 8 hours, and I couldn’t do anything, (this was my primary migraines. I thought those hurt. Ha.) I didn’t try another. And from what I read here, some people just don’t work with Imitrex. _shrugs_ Anyway, I’ll tell ya whats happening. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/26 "2004-04-30T12:26:18Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > … Then i switched to the nasal, and that was the ticket I needed. ( the backwash of it is vomitous, but worth it for the quick relief.) Bleech… no freaking kidding. I can’t use the nasal spray for that very reason. I makes me barf, it’s so nasty. I have to use the injections. > [@](#): > > I hate to tell you this, but as you are young and female there could be a big chance that your headaches are a combination of stress and hormones. School is winding down, tests are everywhere. Prom/Guys/Life/MOney/Parents Are Insane. It’s alot of pressure. Bad news is is that issues with Money, guys, parents and Life In General _never go away_. They just rotate, like the Wheel of Impending Doom. You can’t stop it. It is how you deal with the situation. When your neck muscles tighten up, it slows down the blood into your brain, thus causing the migraines. Yep, ditto to all of that. Learn your triggers (stress, food, whatever) and how to deal with them. The Life ones (guys, money, parents) never go away, but you can learn to cope. I woke up today with a migraine. I got up at 5:45, knowing I needed a shot. I took one, and hopped in the shower. We have a Shower Massage, and I set it on the hard massager thing, and turned the water as hot as I could stand it and just stood there letting it pound on my neck and the back of my head. We have a 50-gallon water heater, so I can stay in a long time when I get a migraine. By the time the hot water ran out, I was feeling somewhat better. Now, (8:25 am) I’m feeling A LOT better. I have to work all day today, and I _have_ to feel good at work. I teach nursery school, and have to deal with 18 four-year-olds all morning, and then 15 three-year-olds all afternoon. I _ **absolutely** _ cannot have a migraine at work. Okay, gotta run. Hope everyone feels good today! ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/27 "2004-04-30T17:16:45Z")
I don’t know if it’s just your writing style **flamingbananas** , but you sound really uptight. I understand that the pain and inconvenience is really hard on you, but you seem to be working yourself up even more. That’s not going to help, really it isn’t. When I read your posts, you reminded me of several patients I saw in the neurology department, lovely people who had horrendous headaches, or weakness and numbness for no apparent reason, and who weren’t helped by any of the usual medications. In a significant proportion of those people they were under more stress than they were prepared to admit to themselves. Their bodies were desperately trying to tell them that all was not well, by making them feel lousy. This is going to sound like I’m saying that this is all in your head, but I’m really not. I’m saying that any psychological stress you are under could be manifesting itself physically, and giving you terrible migraine-like headaches. Your symptoms of depression are also leading me to feel that this might be the case for you. If it is standard migraine medicines may not be as effective for you. Amitriptyline is a drug that might help you, it’s used to reduce anxiety and headaches caused by stress, but it doesn’t work for everyone, and your doc was right to increase the dose before disregarding it entirely. A month is not really a long time as far as medicines are concerned, some drugs can take up to 6 weeks to show their effects. Please, relax, be patient, and be open-minded as to what is causing your pain, and how you might best be helped. In reality there may not be a wonder-drug that is going to be able to completely cure your headaches, it may take several drugs, and they may take a while to work. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/28 "2004-04-30T17:31:15Z")
I really don’t think I am stressed though. I know being all uptight about these are just going to make them worse, but I can’t really be happy and feel free when I have so much pain. Even when I am feeling happy, or I am with my friends, my headaches STILL come. So far, allergies, sinus, stress, depression, hormones, or just plum migraines. Once I know what is causeing it, I can concentrate on that thing to make it better. But it could be 6 things so far. And its just bloody annoying, that after 2 months and 5 doctors later, I still don’t know what is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/29 "2004-04-30T17:56:12Z")
What pain meds have you tried? I hope you’re getting something on prescription, people are worried about strong pain meds, but there is a time and a place for them, and when ordinary over-the-counter stuff won’t cut it, it’s time to reach for the stronger stuff. Especially when it’s interrupting you life as much as it is. I’m not suggesting Oxycontin or anything, Co-codamol (8mg codeine phosphate+ 500mgs acetaminophen) or a Codeine+Ibuprofen tablet should be enough. These drugs are available over the counter in Ireland, but you would need a prescription for them. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864/30 "2004-04-30T18:01:12Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > What pain meds have you tried?. I have tried: Motrin, ibuprofen, aleve, asprin, and tylonol. And none of them work. ☹ My doctor won’t give a pain killer either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-you-migraine-doc/241864.md?page=1)