Migraines

[LuvLuvLuv]

I don't think it matters half the time what kind of cocktail of prescriptions I take. As long as I keep an ice pack on my forehead/nose/eye area, and one across my neck/shoulder/upper back, and mix in a little cherry coke (or any caffeinated soda pop)--it helps a ton.

Coincidentally, I am home with one today--mostly sinus related. My doctor also says to stay home and rest, but I feel guilty calling into work--not only to disappoint my employer, but I took over $100 from our next week's pay right before Christmas Sometimes you have to take care of yourself, right?

 

[onelilspark]

This is an old thread, but I just want to contribute something since I feel like shouting it from the rooftops! I've had migraines for 20 years, and they were so bad after having kids that I went through a 250-count bottle of Excedrin in just over a year. I tried all types of over the counter and presciption meds-- Topamax, Relpax, Zomig, etc... but none of them worked, or if they did work, they'd make me feel so groggy I could barely stand.

When meeting with my OB-GYN, the first doctor at the practice told me that if I felt that the headaches were worse during my period, I could switch to a low-hormone birth-control pill. I took that under advisement but figured it was wrong since I had headaches ALL the time, not just during my monthly. A year later, when I met with another doctor at the practice, he looked over my symptoms and told me I should go off the pill entirely. I was very skeptical! And very confused, as I had been on the pill for over 20 years.

That was three months ago. My life has been full of stress since then, but amazingly...I have not had a single headache since.

I had the same thing - I went to a Neurologist and he freaked out that I was on the Pill. Apparently if you get migraines with aura, you should not be on the Pill. Turns out I have PCOS on top of migraines, so I need to take something to control my hormones, but my choices are fairly limited since I can't take the Pill and don't want to totally rule out having children in the future.

I started taking magnesium everyday and it seems to be helping. I also have a prescription for zomig if all else fails.

I used to get migraines literally every other day. It was awful. I'm down to going more than a week between them. I seriously recommend everyone who has migraines talking to their doctors about Magnesium and Riboflavin (I take a combo of both every day.) It's so much cheaper than something like Topamax (which cost $300/month...) and it doesn't give me as many side effects. All while being more effective.

I still get them occasionally, most of the time over the counter generic Excedrin Migraine works. If not, I have a prescription for Maxalt (but before Maxalt, I always used Zomig. Zomig works better, but Maxalt is covered by my insurance. Imitrex & Amerge don't work unfortunately.) My biggest problem now is that when I get one bad enough to take Maxalt, it usually lasts for 3 days. And it's usually hormonal...and because I can't be on the Pill, it means it could be at any time.

I always say that at least my problems aren't life threatening. Things could be worse!



ETA: I also have mild allergies and when I'm stuffed up, I get a migraine. So I take Zyrtec daily. That helped a little, but it's only a minor trigger.

 

[Jennasis]

I found relief from chronic daily migraines with Keppra.

 

[MissManda]

My 15yo gets migraines on occassion. His neuro. dr. didn't want to put him on a preventative medication yet since he doesn't get them very often. What works for him, is basically just two aleve. If I see the "look" and know he's getting one I will give him 2 and its usually keeps them at bay. If one sneaks up one us, I still give him 2 and its usually gone within a couple of hours (but he also usually has to sleep it off ).

A former co-worker of mine suffers from chronic migraines. She took all kinds of medications every day (including anti-seizure medicine). She started taking the herbal supplement Fever Few and that has helped her so much so that the migraines have almost completely went away. She doesn't even take her daily meds anymore.

 

[Schmeck]

A change in my birth control prescription caused my first migraine. I had to go off the pill to stop the nausea and frequent migraine attacks, but I still had a couple migraines a year. Tylenol used to take care of them, and my migraines would only be an hour long at the most.

20+ years later, they are monthly, sometimes weekly, and the only thing that really banishes them is vicodin. There is the chance that it can trigger a backlash migraine, but I've been lucky so far that it hasn't. Mine are stress, barometric pressure, sinus triggered, and sometimes they get lodged in my jaw, all the way up to the temple of one side of my head. Sometimes there's an aura, sometimes I just wake up with one.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I been getting migraines with aura since I was 14. The migraines always followed the same pattern - I would get a flashing dot in the right corner of my vision, that would grow into a flashing zigzaggy squiggly line and eventually float off my field of vision (takes about 30-40 minutes). Then I would get a painful headache above the right eye, and basically could only sleep it off at that point. Sometimes my left arm would feel tingly. Not fun, and scary. Tried Imitrex but didn't help.

Only in the last few years I found the trigger - my headaches are caused by me twisting my right arm in certain ways (like to see the underside of my arm, or to look at my shoulder) or by propping my head up on my hand if I am lying down. If I do these certain motions, I could get a migraine within the hour. Took me years to make the connection between my arm movements and my migraines, yet there is was. And it makes sense - migraines are thought to be an interuption in blood flow to the brain, and somehow certain arm movements "kinks" something in me causing the interuption.

Even more so, I finally may have found medical proof of my migraines. I have uneven blood pressure in my arms. My right arm is way higher than the left. For years I always thought I had high blood pressure, but no one measured the left arm, they always tested the right. I recently had the left arm tested and it was normal!! I still have to follow up on all this, but maybe I found proof that something in my right arm "kinks" my blood flow to the head. Of course, none of this points to anything good, but least I am getting more knowledge about it and can deal accordingly.

Anyways, just wanted to share my story - migraines can be caused by something very "physical" like arm movements. If I am very careful about my arm movements, I rarely get migraines nowaways.

 

[TinkTock]

You might try the solutions in the book Heal your Headache by David Buchholz. It hasn't totally stopped my migraines, but they're much rarer than they were before.

 

[DisMN]

Do you take anything for them? Does it work? I have suffered from them for years. But lately nothing wil. Even touch it. I used to have luck with Excedrine migraine, but lately nothing helps. I am really struggling. I have a lot of patients with all kinds of scripts for their migraines, but not sure if any work. Ill have to start asking people what has actually worked for them. I am curious if anything ever helps. My doctor thinks I should just call out of work , turn off the lights and relax, but that is completely unrealistic considering I Get one at least once a week. I think they might be sinus related.

Eh, before I could read the whole thread my phone kicked me over to the reply area so I'm relplying before I've read the whole thing. It's possible someone else has already mentioned this solution.

I suffered from migraines for most of my life, very hereditary from my dads side of the family. These are the ones you can NOT go to work with so your doctors suggestion for me used to be my ONLY option, because various drugs just didn't work. Very frustrating and I know I lost years of my life because of the dang things.
First the sensation that something isn't right. Next comes the visual aura. If I didn't hightail it home during the aura phase I was screwed for the next 24 or so hours. Then home to a dark silent room with a pounding head hoping you don't throw up and just praying you'll fall asleep so you won't feel the pain.
THEN you get to the point of hoping you WILL throw up because now you realize that's one thing that will actually help you start to feel better.
The ending is just sleeping off the exhaustion...it's amazing how tiring a migraine can be.
Whew! Made myself tired just by reading all that!

Sooooo long story but I'm guessing you can relate.
Remember I said I'd had migraines for years, since my late teens and they were as frequent as 2-3 per week. Very time consuming.
About 10 years ago I discovered quite by accident Advil Liquigels.
If I take two liquigels DURING the aura phase the rest of the migraine stops dead in its tracks.
I time it and the aura goes away now well within 10 minutes, usually closer to 7-8 mins.
I have not had a full blown migraine now since I discovered the Advil liquigels.
I take them with water but Coke seems to help them work even quicker...probably by dissolving the capsule coating instantly. Lol

Sorry for so much detail but thought the whole story might help you. I hope you're able to find a solution to your migraines. They really do suck.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I had the same thing - I went to a Neurologist and he freaked out that I was on the Pill. Apparently if you get migraines with aura, you should not be on the Pill. Turns out I have PCOS on top of migraines, so I need to take something to control my hormones, but my choices are fairly limited since I can't take the Pill and don't want to totally rule out having children in the future.



I used to get migraines literally every other day. It was awful. I'm down to going more than a week between them. I seriously recommend everyone who has migraines talking to their doctors about Magnesium and Riboflavin (I take a combo of both every day.) It's so much cheaper than something like Topamax (which cost $300/month...) and it doesn't give me as many side effects. All while being more effective.

I still get them occasionally, most of the time over the counter generic Excedrin Migraine works. If not, I have a prescription for Maxalt (but before Maxalt, I always used Zomig. Zomig works better, but Maxalt is covered by my insurance. Imitrex & Amerge don't work unfortunately.) My biggest problem now is that when I get one bad enough to take Maxalt, it usually lasts for 3 days. And it's usually hormonal...and because I can't be on the Pill, it means it could be at any time.

I always say that at least my problems aren't life threatening. Things could be worse!



ETA: I also have mild allergies and when I'm stuffed up, I get a migraine. So I take Zyrtec daily. That helped a little, but it's only a minor trigger.

I happened to be home, Friday, and Dr. Oz was talking about how a deficiency in magnesium can cause fatigue & migraines. He talked about the foods that contain magnesium and how you should have 5 servings of these foods per day. I had never heard this and I have decided to give it a try.

TC

 

[onelilspark]

I happened to be home, Friday, and Dr. Oz was talking about how a deficiency in magnesium can cause fatigue & migraines. He talked about the foods that contain magnesium and how you should have 5 servings of these foods per day. I had never heard this and I have decided to give it a try.

TC

I am seriously amazed at how much has changed since I started taking the magnesium. Not only are my migraines better, but there's no weird side effects (like being dopey on Topamax) so I actually feel like ME.

I know everyone has different things that help for their migraines, but magnesium & riboflavin are miracles to me.

 

[TruBlu]

I haven't read all the replies, but this is what works for me...
3 Advil
2 Extra Strength Tylenol
1 Zofran for nausea
2 Benadryl
1 Coke (carbonation & caffeine)

And if that doesn't work...
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
Dissolved in a cup of hot water
With a spoon of honey
Tastes nasty, but really does work!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[TruBlu]

I haven't read all the replies, but this is what works for me...
3 Advil
2 Extra Strength Tylenol
1 Zofran for nausea
1 Coke (carbonation & caffeine)

And if that doesn't work...
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
Dissolved in a cup of hot water
With a spoon of honey
Tastes nasty, but really does work!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

Almost forgot 2 Benadryl too!!! I'll try to figure out how to edit...
Figured it out!
Still learning how to use Mobile DIS

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[IheartMickey]

I take Effexor, zanaflex, Valium, DHE45 injections, compazine or Thorazine for nausea and I used to take Topamax.

I'm hospitalized for them at least 6 times per year . I would recommend looking for a headache specialist versus a regular neuro. Go to mychronicmigraine.com. They have a search engine for that.

 

[SkyGirl]

I haven't had a migraine in nearly a year and a half. I was having one to two migraines a week accompanied by aura. They were so bad I had to confine myself to a dark room and sleep just to get through them. I went to the neurologist who did an MRI (who found unidentified benign white things ???) but no tumor and started me on Topamax. I read all about it and suffered with the forgetfulness and the accompanying stupidity where it is difficult to remember certain words and things like directions and people's names. Bad side effects but I was willing to do anything to stop that pain. I wasn't working, so that made a difference.

After a month, the migraines began to come back, as well as the auras without migraine. I went back to the doctor, who upped the dose and explained to me I was also having silent migraines. I had never heard of silent migraine, but the aura with no pain, were an indication. I was now on 100 mg every night. I got stupider but the migraines stopped again. Weirdly, I stopped biting my nails, a bad habit I've had my entire life and my insomnia disappeared completely.

A month later, they weren't back, but the silent migraines were so we upped it 50 mg more. A year and a half later, I feel great. I don't get any type of headache at all unless I am under a lot of stress and then it will go away with regular Tylenol. I can barely remember what a migraine feels like or what an aura looks like. The stupidity is still around but isn't as bad, my nails look fabulous and I sleep every night. Oh, and no nightmares. I've been plagued by nightmares since I was a teenager, but they're gone, too. I dream a lot, and the dreams are vivid and involved but not nightmares. Topamax truly saved me.

 

[DarthMama]

I used to take Zomig, and when I first started taking it, I thought it was a wonder drug -- it STOPPED the migraine pain. But it left me feeling kind of fuzzy, as if I was not myself. Then I had to stop taking it when I became pregnant with my daugher (she's 4 now). Dr. suggested caffeine (cold Coke seems to work best for me) + Tylenol at first sign of migraine, which works pretty well for me but not perfect. I've started taking magnesium and that seems to be helping.

Tiger balm rubbed on my forehead and back of my neck helps too -- the burning sensation seems to "draw out" the pain.

 

[livie1205]

I have them BAD, the kind that send you to the er for shots but along with other meds my dr gave me stadol NS ( a spray) to use for the extreme ones and it works, I hear it can make some people feel bombed but with me it just stops the headache and i dont have to use it alot because of my RX meds. I also keep phenegren on hand. I cant take the " migraine" meds because they make my heart race so I use a soma/ norco combo for when I first feel it and if it gets worse i then go to the nose spray. I know alot of people shy away from those types of meds but I guess it works for me because I have never had to increase my dose. Good luck I know they are hard to deal with.

 

[chellt]

I was going to the ER 10-12 times a year. I was tired of being treated horribly because they assumed I was just looking for pain meds. I was taking 800 mg of ibuprofen 3-4 times a day and loratab at night. I was missing lots of work and spending my life in the dark. I tried migraine meds, preventative meds, anything else we could think of. My neuro finally found the right combo for me! I take amytriptiline at night and propranolol 2 times a day. Both are on the $4 list at Target. I now get a headache maybe once a week, and ibuprofen relieves it. Truly was a miracle combo for me!!!!!

 

[IheartMickey]

I really wish I had success with medications like everyone posting. I've been suffering for three years, and my migraines are one of the main reasons that I'm on SSD.

I've had multiple MRIs, two spinal taps, Botox, regular trigger point injections, I've been on extremely high doses of steroids and ended up with moon face for awhile. I've tried over 20 different medications. In the hospital they have to give me morphine or dialudid, plus an IV regimen of raglan, Benadryl and DHE45. My migraines last for weeks at a time. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not in pain. Plus there's the nausea, sensitivity to light and smell. Ugh. My normal pain medication is 10mg of Percocet, two at a time. I even tried Opana, which derives from morphine.

It's so severe that I was a candidate for having a neuro transmitter implanted for the pain.

 

[disney212]

I have also been through the MRI's, IV's and most of the meds I have seen posted here. I get cluster Migraines which only happen 2-3 times per year but they come one after one for days at time. The last neurologist I saw tried everything and they went back to what she called an "oldie but goodie" Fiorcet. If it take it an onset everything is gone within 30 minutes. I do take it with a small snack and then for a couple days after the initial onset. Maybe it will work as well for you!

 

[IheartMickey]

I tried that, it didn't do anything.