Ginevra Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I think they are caused by the Tamoxifen. I have a headache most days. Often it’s just a sort of mild, nagging headache, like right now. Sometimes it’s significant and I don’t really want to be around people. I do take ibuprophen if it gets bad, but I don’t want to take it every day. Any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 For headaches I take turmeric capsules. I've read to be sure they also contain black pepper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) A strong dose of caffeine sometimes help. Edited March 28, 2019 by J-rap 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I do scalp massage something like quoted below “Massage Therapy to Ease Headaches and Tension Start by placing your thumbs on your cheekbones close to your ears, and use your fingertips to gently apply pressure and rub the temples (the soft spot between the corner of your eye and your ear). Using very firm pressure and a tiny circular motion, gradually move your fingers up along your hairline until they meet in the middle of your forehead, massaging your entire forehead and scalp as you inch along.” https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/massage-therapy-stress-relief-much-more The turmeric gummies my kids use has black pepper incorporated to help boost the turmeric effect. We bought at Whole Foods. https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Inflammatory-Tablets-100mg-Curcuminoids/dp/B07G2LBQ1G/ Vitamin D3 supplements is helping for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I thought of another thing. I use Dr Bronner's Arnica Menthol Magic Balm for lots of things including on temples and neck for headaches. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kebo Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Head, neck, scalp and shoulder massage work pretty well here ... but I’ve always either given or received them and have never tried self massage. The massage works even better with a nap afterwards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 (edited) (((Quill))) I get a lot of headaches. Sometimes one thing helps, sometimes another; sometimes nothing. Hot showers sunglasses (if light sensitivity is an issue) ice pack heating pad daily naps sleep mask reducing stress (Yeah, I know.) caffeine (I have a love/hate relationship with caffeine.) massages (shoulder, neck, head) ETA: essential oils. 😉 Someone gave me some peppermint/basil? concoction in a rolly ball. It actually feels good. Maybe it helps? Edited March 27, 2019 by Junie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Not overdoing it. I know that sucks but I feel lazy and start pushing myself to meet my expectations and next thing I’m stuck in bed with a migraine. When my body says take a break I have to listen. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Getting good sleep is a preventive for me. heating pad (on my neck/shoulders) cool pack over my eyes I tried some headache yoga I found online. It helped, but only after I’d also laid down for a half hour or so in dim room (though normally no way would my headache go away on its own just by lying down.) I did heat and cool packs that time, too. The total process took longer than an hour. I had the house to myself but usually I can’t take that long fixing a headache naturally. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstharr Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Look for a green cross. peace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Hot showers, heat or ice packs. My mother found tamoxifen so bad she had to stop taking it. When it was suggested I take it as a preventative I freaked out so you have my sympathy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 My go to is Tiger Balm. Not sure if it will be effective against medication triggered headaches or not, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 6 hours ago, gstharr said: Look for a green cross. peace I had to look this up. I don’t know if I’m really a cannabis kind of gal. Anything’s possible though, if this persists enough to drive me to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teaching3bears Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Smelling mint in some way. If you drink mint herbal tea you will also smell the tea. Relaxing. If you do relaxation exercises a few times you can get used to the feeling and take mini relaxation moments when you feel a headache coming on. Going to bed and waking up at around the same time every day. Exercise and fresh air can help if it doesn't make you too tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 HYDRATE! I don’t necessarily see a huge difference for myself, but I have two kids who will be crippled by headaches if they don’t drink enough. They’ve tested the theory plenty @@ . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Do you have allergies? My allergist said that headaches are the first symptom to come and the last symptom to go. Maybe if you treat the allergies? My headaches have improved significantly now that I am on both zyrtec and singulair and an asthma med. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 6 minutes ago, perkybunch said: Do you have allergies? My allergist said that headaches are the first symptom to come and the last symptom to go. Maybe if you treat the allergies? My headaches have improved significantly now that I am on both zyrtec and singulair and an asthma med. YES! and food allergies! My headaches are way down now that I have a better idea of all the stuff I am allergic to; I get more headaches when I take even a nibble of something that is low on my allergy list. When I get a bad headache, darkness is my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 I think a lot of it depends on the cause of the headache. I can cure a tension headache with a good self-massage, if I can hit the right spot. In one of my pregnancies I had low blood pressure with headaches, and needed salt and caffeine to feel better (this was okayed by my doctor). Now that I'm not pregnant or nursing, if I have too much salt or caffeine my blood pressure goes up and gives me a headache. Obviously I wouldn't treat that with...salt and caffeine. I don't know what the cure for that is; mostly I just moderate those things and that keeps my blood pressure normal. If you think your medication is the cause of it, pick your doctor's or pharmacist's brain to figure out exactly how the medication acts on your body. It could be as simple as needing more water. Aside from that, some things that are helpful: Adequate sleep Adequate exercise Stress Management Allergies treated appropriately Dark room and rest Massage Hydration (with electrolytes. My mom drinks gatorade under her kidney specialist's orders. I've also heard of using coconut water or a sprinkle of sea salt in a glass of water) Cold or hot rice pack on neck A little lavender or spearmint oil massaged on your shoulders and neck, or lavender or mint tea Caffeine Stretches Magnesium, either dietary or a supplement like Natural Calm. I swear every time magnesium is mentioned, someone comes out of the woodwork and says it's bad for you. I can only say that I take it under my doctor's supervision and I trust my doctor more than some stranger on the internet. I usually crave spicy food when I have a headache. And sometimes cranberry juice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 I find that almost nothing helps a migrain once it comes on. I lay in a dark cool room with an ice pack. Try to drink water and eat a little salt. Hot showers. I have found if I eat a little protein with every meal and do some daily exercise I don't get as many and they are not as bad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 I just wanted to say I feel your pain. I get regular headaches for lots of reasons, and monthly hormonal headaches as well. For hormonal headaches, only headache meds will help. My favorite is Excedrin tension in the USA. I've finally found a Swiss drug that is similar! For other times, I try: - hydration plus electrolytes (salt, magnesium, potassium, calcium). - a shower that I vary from warm to cool multiple times throughout the shower. This can help blood vessels regulate their dilation and get back to normal. - nap with a cool pack on head or temples - caffeine - decongestant As general headache prevention, I do as others have mentioned. I do NOT leave the house without sunglasses on nearly year-round (only exception due to rain or snow), and I add a hat in summer for the additional sun deflection. I try to keep my sleep adequate and regular, as well as hydration and mineral/electrolyte levels. Hope you're feeling better soon, or at least off the tamoxifen soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlktwins Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Natural Calm magnesium helps with mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 This might sound weird, but my experience is that getting medicine that helps with my headaches has helped reduce them too. As in, I get fewer now - I think because I'm not living in dread of getting headaches all the time. So, I don't know what medical interventions you've tried or that are closed to you for various reasons, but if the goal is less medicine overall, sometimes the right medicine can lead to that, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 For my chemo (herceptin) related headaches, what has helped for me is: a cup of lukewarm water on waking up before my regular cup of coffee lots of warm up exercises (I do what I used to do as warm up for swimming, running, ballet) e.g. https://durablehealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/warm-up-exercise-list.jpg 16:8 diet (I do brunch and early dinner so it is easy for me to keep to an 8hr eating window, I drink tea though outside the 8hr eating window) I read your other thread about fatigue after the end of radiation therapy. Claritin greatly reduced my bone ache from chemo as well as help with my hay fever (I used to take Claritin for hay fever). That allows me to do low impact exercise as much as I want to daily. Which helps me stay happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Essential oils: One good recipe for headache, in a 10ml roller bottle, mix 20 drops Peppermint, and 15 drops each of Lavender, Frankincense, Copaiba and Eucalyptus, then top off with oil of your choice (Fractionated Coconut Oil, Almond, Olive, etc). Apply to base of neck and temples (keep eyes shut for a few seconds if the peppermint makes your eyes water) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 (edited) I just found a migraine topical oil at TJ Maxx that has really been helping me. It has a few essential oils and also lists Iris versicolor and Natrum muriaticum as active ingredients--Forces of Nature is the brand. I can't take most pain relievers due to liver/kidney issues, so I was thrilled to find this. I had a horrible headache yesterday and was able to fall asleep without much trouble after applying this to my temples. I mostly have stress headaches that get progressively worse throughout the day. Also, taking good vitamins has been another help. I'm pretty sure I have some deficiency that makes the headaches worse when I'm not taking vitamins regularly. Edited March 28, 2019 by Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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