# The Thread for Migraineurs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990 "2018-04-07T17:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/41 "2018-05-21T23:02:13Z")
I got them in the years surrounding puberty with auras, then the headache, followed by copious vomiting. Now I only get auras (a bright point of light that looks like a circular saw blade that expands until it moves out of my visual field) but only a vaguely unsettled feeling afterward instead of pain. Sometimes I go months without, then get them in a run of several. I’d like to know what’s going on in your brain when this happens. I consider myself lucky in this respect that I now skip the headache and puking parts. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/42 "2018-05-22T01:19:54Z")
I don’t get traditional migraines. I get menstrual-cycle related ones. And since my cycle is super irregular I can’t plan on taking preventative steps. And I won’t go on hormonal birth control with headaches at my age. I’d probably stroke out. When I get my migraines or migraine-like pain, it hurts like a mother and while I don’t have true auras, I’m sensitive to noise and light. Weirdly, when I was a smoker, a cigarette would help for the couple minutes I’d smoke. Eating usually helps. I think there’s something about the chewing. Gum? No. It has to be real food. I get really nauseated too. It just feels weird and not like a regular headache. Usually it lasts a day or two. I pop some midol and drink extra caffeine and it’s good. The last one I had was either a week long with breaks or 7-8 separate ones. It started up again today. It came out of nowhere and was super bad. But what’s super weird is that I’m getting them at almost the exact same time every day for about the same length of time. I can’t pinpoint if it’s hormonal (as hormones fluctuate predictably) or environmental (pollen?) triggers. Or both. I’m between jobs right now so while it’s annoying and really inconvenient for me doing things like housework and errands and stuff like that, it’s not been a huge life-ruiner… yet. I’m super nervous about going to the doctor and there being nothing they can really do. I don’t get sick enough often enough to qualify for disability, but I can’t currently function like a normal adult. And then it could be all gone tomorrow for a year. Also? Since eating is weirdly one of the things that alleviates my pain, it’s super easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose weight. Throw in being incapacitated more often than not since Easter, I’m not going to fit into any of my summer clothes. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/43 "2018-05-22T03:46:48Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > I started getting migraines at age 22. Sometimes I get the railroad-spike-in-my-head pain, and sometimes I just get the aura and don’t get the pain. The aura consists of flashing lights that fill my visual field, rendering me unable to drive, read, watch TV, or anything else. > > I take gabapentin as a preventative, and it’s helped. > > I really worry about my son, though. He gets daily migraines. With Imitrex, he’s able to work through the (reduced) pain. He’s tried every migraine prevention Rx out there, and none have worked. He’s been getting botox injections in his scalp every 3 months for well over a year. They reduce the frequency of the migraines to every other day, but even that seems to wear off after awhile. > > I read about a surgery that lasers the nerve responsible for migraines. Does anyone know more about this? It really upsets me that my son is plagued so badly by them. Nobody should have to live that way. Some people who have chronic migraines like this actually have an undiagnosed heart defect, usually an atrial septal defect. Correcting it usually ends the headaches immediately. Has he seen a cardiologist? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/44 "2018-05-22T17:11:50Z")
I used to get migraines in my 20s. They were the behind-the-eye type headaches and queasy feeling, only going and lying down in a quiet room would give me any relief. At the time I sat under fluorescent lights at work, ate McDonalds for lunch about every day, and drank several Dr. Peppers each day. I greatly reduced or eliminated those from my life and no more migraines. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/45 "2018-05-22T17:33:37Z")
One of the most important control measures when I get a migraine is to sit up with my neck and back straight. Even if my brain and body are crying for sleep since migraines typically wake me up in the middle of the night.I usually sit in front of the TV to wait it out. (But nothing with explosions or shouting). If I manage to prop myself up with pillows so I don’t have to exert any effort there’s a chance I might fall asleep that way. If I mistakenly think the migraine has abated enough that it is safe to lie down I can feel the pain ramping up as soon as I get horizontal. Does anybody else find that they need to be sitting up straight? ---
**Author:** ![amijoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@amijoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amijoe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/46 "2018-05-22T18:58:12Z")
Brain freeze worked! I got a visual aura and photo/phonophobia/scent sensitivity on the way to see the latest Avengers movie. I figured the whole viewing experience (horribly loud, bright, stuffy, inescapable as I’d carpooled) was going to _suuuuuuck._ Bought the biggest slushie they had and sucked it down fast as possible. The resulting brain freezes pulled the rug out from under the migraine, which never truly materialised. Got a repeat slushie to have while watching, just in case. I’m better at preventing migraines these days, but one unexpectedly pouncing when I’m doing something I can’t or don’t want to stop is still an ongoing issue, so the brain freeze thing is potentially life changing. Ice packs have always provided some relief once a migraine’s really set in. Actually stopping a migraine in its tracks is a whole 'nother level. ---
**Author:** ![amijoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@amijoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amijoe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/47 "2018-05-22T19:04:05Z")
> [@"Only the little people pay their bills!" (Bill, Hillary stiff their lawyers)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-the-little-people-pay-their-bills-bill-hillary-stiff-their-lawyers/108857/36): > > Does anybody else find that they need to be sitting up straight? No. God, no. I have to be lying flat. I’ve lain down in restaurant bathrooms due to oncoming migraines before, uncaring what state the floor was in. In the break room at work, at friends’ places, wherever, don’t care. I have to get flat, and my body will take over and lie itself down if my brain is too distracted by the migraine and forgets to do it itself. ---
**Author:** ![missouri65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@missouri65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missouri65)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/48 "2018-05-23T00:55:21Z")
Jennshark, I’d be really interested in hearing what RX was effective for you. I have similar headaches and haven’t found relief since the Sudafed stopped working. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/49 "2018-05-23T02:19:10Z")
**amijoe** - I wanted to repeat this, in case you didn’t see it. There are some nasal sprays, including numbing agents, that might work for you if the Chill Method works. Something to check out. > [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > If you use **Ambivalid** ’s Chill method, it may mean that one of the available nasal treatments would work for you. My theory is that if the cold is temporarily numbing facial nerves and giving you some relief, then you may be able to find relief from other remedies that pass close to those nerves. The most promising, I think, is a numbing spray that is used about once per month. [Here is an older article about it](https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20150301/nerve-treatment-via-nose-shows-promise-against-migraines#1). > > [Here is an article](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/nasal-sprays-treatment-migraine/) that looks at other types of nasal sprays: triptans, DHE, and Torodol. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/50 "2018-05-24T13:40:04Z")
I used to get them occasionally, but not often enough that I felt the need to be on a preventative or even get a prescription. But now, I’m getting them more often. Now that I’m working in front of a computer screen all day, under fluorescent lights… yeah. I’ve been thinking about scheduling an appointment with my doctor to discuss it and maybe get on something. For now, I just power through. It’s not easy; I had a bad aura and couldn’t see my computer screen once. Yeah, that’s fun. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/51 "2018-05-24T14:05:28Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > It’s not easy; I had a bad aura and couldn’t see my computer screen once. Yeah, that’s fun. That happened to me once, after the regular sparkly aura passed off. I took my pills so there was no pain, but I couldn’t focus on what was right in front of me–the computer screen. I said “I can’t read. I’m going home.” So I did, and slept for a couple of hours, and my vision was fine after that. It’s never happened again. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/52 "2018-05-24T14:18:36Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > One of the most important control measures when I get a migraine is to sit up with my neck and back straight. Even if my brain and body are crying for sleep since migraines typically wake me up in the middle of the night.I usually sit in front of the TV to wait it out. (But nothing with explosions or shouting). If I manage to prop myself up with pillows so I don’t have to exert any effort there’s a chance I might fall asleep that way. If I mistakenly think the migraine has abated enough that it is safe to lie down I can feel the pain ramping up as soon as I get horizontal. > > Does anybody else find that they need to be sitting up straight? Yes. I have had this issue and I don’t believe that it that uncommon. I am using a fairly effective combination of preventives and treatments that have reduced this type of headache to almost nothing. But I have had it more than I can count. So tired but can’t lay down. Developed an entire nesting procedure to sleep sitting up on the couch. Now even have an adjustable bed to sleep upright at the first hint of a headache. I am taking toprimate and metoprol as preventatives. And depending on the headache type I take either imitrex(actually the generic) or prednisone. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/53 "2018-05-29T23:51:57Z")
Has anyone else tried ketamine? I’ve just been prescribed that. ---
**Author:** ![Tee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Tee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tee)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990/54 "2018-05-30T02:52:46Z")
No, but I’m very hopeful on your behalf, please keep us updated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-thread-for-migraineurs/811990.md?page=2)