Does anyone here get migraines?

[HappyGrace]

How do you deal with it? What medications are good or bad? I get them once in awhile, and I go to bed with quiet and sleep and it's usually okay after that. But last night I had the worst one imaginable-I'm not kidding, it was WORSE than childbirth. I wanted to die. I had some old Fiorocet from ten yrs ago, and that helped at least a little. But I couldn't sleep, move, talk, nothing. I'm going to contact the dr., but I want to go in armed at least with some info before I go. I'm wondering if it's tied to my cycles because I just turned 40 and I think I'm experiencing some depression that seems to be hormonal, and I got my period the last half of last night.

[Tutor]

I get migraines about twice a month, but more frequently and more strongly when I am pregnant (I felt like someone was trying to drive a spike through my head, and all that would relive it was driving a spike through my head... it was terrible!). As I am beginning to show some signs of perimenopause, I notice that the frequency and intensity of my migraines is increasing, and I am more sensitive to my triggers (caffeine, stress, and being over-tired) closer to my cycle's start. So far, Excedrin migraine, dark, quiet, a lie-down, and an ice pack on the back of my neck will work wonders. I have also been taking B12 supplements, and I am noticing that I get more warning of an impending migraine if I take the supplements regularly. I have also heard that progesterone cream applied to the temples can help tremendously but have not tried this yet.

 

I look forward to seeing others' suggestions. Hope you find a solution to the pain. It's amazing how powerful and debilitating those buggers can be, isn't it?! :glare:

[Country Mouse]

I get a migraine every few months. I know that one trigger for me is perfumey scents - strong candles, liquid potpourri, etc. Lately I haven't been able to pinpoint the trigger and that is frustrating.

I have found that Excedrin Migraine plus a little bit of caffeine (I don't usually do much caffeine) has really helped lessen the intensity and duration of the headache. I usually have enough time between when I start seeing spots and when it hits to take the medicine, get ds set with something (like a movie) to keep him occupied, then I crawl into bed in a dark room. After it's over I feel completely drained for the rest of the day.

I wish you luck in finding something that helps. I think you are right to check with the doctor since it was so severe.

[HappyGrace]

I feel like I'm young at 40 for peri symptoms, but I'm thinking that must be what's going on. And what kind of B12 supplements are you taking? Where did you hear about that for migraines? I take a B-Complex and I can compare how much B12 is in it. I'd love something natural to ward them off, but at this point I'll do ANYTHING to not have that again. Would the progesterone cream be one of the over the counter ones I've seen, or prescription? I am also writing down what I ate over the last couple days for future reference to try to find triggers. I never had them (thankfully) with pregnancy.

 

The one last night was absolutely debilitating. I hope others chime in with more suggestions for us.

[jacqui in mo]

Are you adding caffeine on top of the caffeine that is already in Excedrin Migraine? You're not really supposed to, and you need to note whether the caffeine is causing rebound headache (or if caffeine may be a trigger for your headaches in the first place).

[HappyGrace]

get some Excedrin Migraine. I know all Excedrin has caffeine in it and I'm very sensitive to caffeine-even a tiny bit keeps me awake (the Fiorocet I took last night has caffeine in it, and it kept me up all night!) but I will do anything to halt that pain.

[Tutor]

Those rebound headaches can be worse than the migraine! Ugh.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Tutor

[HappyGrace]

In fact, rebound headache is another reason I never have caffeine-besides keeping me awake, the next day or so I got a headache whenever I had caffeine in the past. Now I don't have any (except whatever small amount may be in chocolate :))-I even stay away from decaf coffee.

[jacqui in mo]

I cannot recommend this book highly enough: "Heal Your Headache" http://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Headache-Program-Taking/dp/0761125663/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228325612&sr=8-1

It covers why headaches happen and what tends to trigger most people's migraines & has an extensive list of food triggers you can learn to avoid (it's a much more extensive list than the usual wine, chocolate, etc) to keep other triggers you can't control (hormones, etc) under the headache threshold. I haven't had a bad migraine for about a year now since going off a lot of the trigger foods. I haven't had to give up everything. For me it seems to be going much more moderate on nuts, cheese, & chocolate and caffeine. I can have some of them, just not every day. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Migraines are horrible.

[Tutor]

I feel like I'm young at 40 for peri symptoms, but I'm thinking that must be what's going on. And what kind of B12 supplements are you taking? Where did you hear about that for migraines? I take a B-Complex and I can compare how much B12 is in it. I'd love something natural to ward them off, but at this point I'll do ANYTHING to not have that again. Would the progesterone cream be one of the over the counter ones I've seen, or prescription? I am also writing down what I ate over the last couple days for future reference to try to find triggers. I never had them (thankfully) with pregnancy.

 

The one last night was absolutely debilitating. I hope others chime in with more suggestions for us.

 

I'm 36. I have a family history of early-onset menopause and have been showing some symptoms of perimenopause (increased sleeplessness, increased intensity of PMS symptoms, and mild depression) for about a year now. I actually started taking a B-complex supplement (including B12) as part of the Levity program, from the book When Your Body Gets the Blues that someone recommended here, and noticed that my migraines were taking longer to "ramp up," and I was better able to cut them off before they hit high gear. (Sadly, I knew it was the vitamins and not the exercise because I was much better about taking the vitamins than I was about the exercise.) I found out about the B12-migraine connection afterwards from an article my dad *and* a friend sent me from the newspaper then saw it again in a magazine I was reading. Apparently, some (not all) people who suffer migraines regularly have a vitamin B deficiency. However, results are mixed on whether taking supplements relieves the migraines or not. It seems to help me, but apparently does not help everyone.

 

The couple of people I know who use progesterone cream for thier migraines use an over-the-counter cream.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Tutor
forgot link

[Janet in Toronto]

The only thing that helps, REALLY helps for me, is a drug in the triptan family. I'm currently on Maxalt RPD that comes in a dissolving tablet form. When I feel a migraine coming on, I take one tablet and it stops the headache from proceeding, or stops it if it's already in place. Usually I get relief within an hour, sometimes within 30 minutes.

 

They are very expensive...here in Canada a single tablet is about $20 ($16 US), and I think they are more in the US. I have excellent insurance so i only pay 10% of the drug cost out of pocket. But they are a miracle. I felt a migraine coming on on the way to one of DHs company parties, took the tablet, and was FINE by the time we got to the event. I have suffered from migraines for 20 years and it wasn't until my current doctor put me on these that I received much relief other than taking narcotics (Fiorinal C) and those just took the edge off. I don't worry about missing events anymore. I keep a couple of tabs in my purse at all times. Triptans also come in regular tablets and, I believe, a nasal spray.

 

The funny thing is, my doc actually used these tablets to determine that my headaches were in fact migraines. My symptoms are not classical migraine ones, but he explained to me that there are different types of migraines that can look very different from the classical one. Because of the way triptans work, they don't do anything for other types of headaches. So if you get a headache, and the triptan helps, then it was a migraine. He gave me some samples of two different brands to try and to make sure that they would in fact help my headaches. Both brands did the trick....I chose the dissolving ones because they apparently work faster.

[Laura K (NC)]

The triptan class of drugs are the only ones that make my migraines go away (I'm like Janet in this). I get migraines anywhere from once a week to every day. I was controlling them somewhat with diet (no sweets and low carbs, mainly, and heavy on the fruits and veggies), but these headaches are cyclical in several ways. First, they cycle monthly, and then they also cycle every 6 months or so also.

 

The triptans that work for me are Amerge, Maxalt, and (to a lesser extent) Axert. Zomig, Relpax, and Imitrex don't work, or else the side effects are almost as bad as the headache.

 

I've tried about 40 different preventatives. Preventatives include anti-seizure drugs, antidepressants, drugs for the heart (beta blockers and calcium channel blockers), and hormone therapies. Topamax is a popular drug to prevent migraines, but I don't know very many people who have had success with it. Right now I'm getting relief from the drug Nadolol, 10mg 1x a day. The doc tried to put me on 20 mg, thinking more would be better, but it actually was worse. The problem with migraine patients seems to be that each one is unique. I was a guinea pig for my neurologist for many, many years. I've tried all kinds of herbs, minerals, chiropractic, biofeedback, and behavioral and diet changes. None of these worked except the biofeedback (which was only took the edge off the migraines, but didn't take them away), and diet change, which is extremely hard to maintain.

 

You should be very careful with "the worst headache I've ever had." Meningitis and stroke can involve great big headaches too, and it's not always clear what is what. I'd like to suggest that you make an appointment with a neurologist so they can do a neurological check on you to rule out any abnormalities, especially if you've had recent changes in your headache patterns. Chances are that nothing unusual is going on. But a neurologist, especially one with a specialty in headaches, will be more informed about the more successful preventatives. Until you see a doc, and even after, make careful records of the drugs which have worked for you and the ones that haven't, and your triggers.

 

Be careful with the fiorinal/fioricet. They were a security blanket for me for several years before I started taking the triptans. I got mad at my doc when he wouldn't prescribe them for me anymore. I barely took any, and I think it was still a mild addiction, and they were probably causing rebound headaches. Plus, some of the triptans will make you sleepy (Maxalt is one), but fiorinal/fioricet will definitely affect your quality of life.

 

Best wishes. It's a difficult thing to bear, both for you and for your family who depends on you.

[jenn-]

I normally get hormonal migraines (gotta love a trigger you can't control). Most of the time they are only a day or two right before my period. Every once in a while I get one when I ovulate (like this month). I take one Excedrin Migraine and one Aleve at the same time. That combination seems to work for both myself and DH who also suffers them every couple of months. Most times I will get a rebound headache from the Excedrin, but just a couple of Aleves will take care of it. The worst for me is when they don't hit until the evening and I won't take the Excedrin if it will keep me up. I hate that I have started to get the nausea with them that bothers my MIL and SIL so bad.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I get them too. They are so painful and it really sets me back. One thing that has helped me is realizing they are about to happen before they start. I know that some can't do this, but, I do have some warning signs that one is coming on before it happens.

 

For me I start to get some ringing in my ears, I will start to see some spots, and my neck will get a little bit stiff. When this starts to happen, I know that a migrane is coming if I can't head it off at the pass. I usually drink a Coke and put a warm cloth on my neck. That helps. But, if it doesn't, I can just take an excedrin or a couple of advil and lay down for a while. That's about all I can do.

[Veritaserum]

I've been getting migraines much more frequently lately (1-4 times per week) so I started a preventative med (Elavil). I take Imitrex when I get one. Migraines are quite miserable. :(

[I talk to the trees]

I have had menstrual migraines since age 11. Every. single. month. I have finally discovered that the only way to make the pain tolerable is to take 800mg of ibuprofen and 25mg of benadryl and a brief nap. That makes the pain ease off enough that I can function. The good news is that my mother (who also suffered from migraines during her fertile years) has been blissfully headache-free since menopause! I'm really looking forward to that!

 

 

-Robin

Edited December 4, 2008 by flutistmom
spelling

[HappyGrace]

suffer with this regularly-I just cannot imagine. I have found such solace in the replies today, because I've been in a panic of "what if" this becomes an ongoing thing. I'm glad to hear specifics about the meds so I know how to discuss this with the dr. instead of going in knowing nothing. It's also good to know there is help for a night like last night. Realistically though, I could NOT have gotten to help since I couldn't move. Linda, it's not over the top to say you'd rather die-that was my words to my mom this morning; that I was praying to die rather than be in that pain.

 

I will definitely keep track of triggers, etc., for future use. It was very helpful to hear which meds are generally NOT known to work so I can avoid those and not waste time on them (Topomax, etc.) Can you weigh in on which of the triptans are know to be better than others, generally speaking, meaning most effective and least side effects, etc? And how do I go about finding a really good neurologist that specializes in headaches in my area? Where would I start with that?

 

And is it normal to feel completely wiped out the next day? I'm just now starting to feel a little more like myself.

 

Thank you for your sympathy and your help. I've been in prayer all day for migraine sufferers! What a humbling thing to have happen-makes you realize the frailty of the human body and God's mercy on us that He allows headache free days.

[Tutor]

 

And is it normal to feel completely wiped out the next day? I'm just now starting to feel a little more like myself.

 

 

 

We call these "migraine hangovers" around here. My kids have learned to try to stay quiet through the migraine and the hangover. It's scary when my 4yo can take one look at me and then report to everyone else, "Shhh! Mommy has a headache."

[HappyGrace]

have had the "migraine hangover" (great wording-I thought that myself, that that's almost what it felt like) before with more minor migraines, but this lasted all day today, but I guess that makes sense because the migraine was so bad this time. Linda, I thought the same thing today-I've lost two days to this thing! A friend called up to have dd come horseback riding, and I felt weird saying, "Well, I had this migraine last night and it's gone now but I still don't feel right!" (I did end up taking her since all I had to do was sit on the friend's couch while they went riding.)

[happyWImom]

I've had migraines since I was about 5, and tried everything you can think of. Back then (a million years ago-ha,ha) they didn't have all the stuff they do now. Right now, I do the Maxalt as I see others have mentioned. But... My big miracle cure is something else. The nasal saline rinse or neti pot! I am not kidding. For probably the last 8 years I get kind of a combo sinus/migraine thing during the spring and fall, and have tried the prescription nasal sprays plus pres. allegra d and maxalt constantly. Nothing helped. Then, last year I was seeing a dr. that did a lot of natural things, including acupuncture & massage (which I did). She suggest the saline rinse. I use the one from walgreens that you actually squirt up with the huge squeeze bottle (www.neilmed.com.) Others use the neti pot, probably the same result. Anyway, I have not gotten a full blown migraine IN MONTHS. The key is to do the rinse daily though, and during the peak season I might do it 3 times a day or more, and occasionally I'll have to take something, but still... The bonus is that now, during cold season, it helps that and helps my cold not turn into a sinus infection-which used to happen all the time.

 

Try it! It's cheap too, because even though it comes with little saline packets, I now just use the same amount of kosher salt.

 

It's worth a shot.

[Veritaserum]

Reactions to meds are really individual. My SIL tried a bunch of different meds before she found that Topomax works really well. I see a neurologist for my migraines now, since they are so frequent and now come with stroke symptoms (numbness and tingling). He recommended Topomax, but since it has a side effect of tingling or numbness I decided to try Elavil instead. He also gave me samples of meds to take when I get one.

[orangearrow]

I didn't read through the other replies, but wanted to state what worked for me. I went through years of migraines, horrible ones. I tried several medicines - always found something that would work for a while, but eventually they lost their effectiveness. I started to get the (I forget exactly what it's called now) - I think it's called rebound pain? After taking the medicines, and after the migraine would subside a bit - it would come back, usually two or three times worse than what it was the first time. I would spend 3-4 days in BED and have to call my mom to come over and watch my kids.

 

Anyway. I finally had enough of the meds and stopped taking anything. I wanted my system to be free of anything for a while, so I just endured the headaches. I learned a couple of things that have turned my life around. I now have an "I've got to go to bed" migraine maybe once every 2 or 3 months - and it barely lasts a day anymore. The rest of the time (when there's an air pressure shift, or a dramatic change in the weather, or if I'm overly tense about something...) I can fend it off with the protein boost. :D

 

1. When I FIRST feel a headache coming on - I FEED it. Protein, protein, protein. I can start with a spoonful of peanut butter while I make some chicken or something else. Cold cuts if I'm in a rush. I try to keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge (because frying an egg with a migraine coming on will make it come on even faster! LOL). It works so well, I still can't believe how effective this has been!

 

2. If I'm able to go to bed right away, and sleep for a few hours, I usually am able to avoid the headache entirely. It's easier now, because my kids are older, I can doze while they play together in the living room.

 

3. On the "bad" migraine days, I will usually take NyQuil at bedtime when I have a migraine. This just ensures that the normal, nighttime noises will not wake me up. DH keeps his ears open for the kids since he knows I am MIA. :) Other than that- I take zero meds for migraines anymore. And I feel a million times better than I have for the past 15 years. Thank goodness. :)

 

Now, when I wake up the next morning, I truly feel like a million bucks.

Edited December 4, 2008 by orangearrow

[Janet in Toronto]

Can you weigh in on which of the triptans are know to be better than others, generally speaking, meaning most effective and least side effects, etc?

 

I believe Imitrex is considered a first generation triptan. I tried it years ago and got the sensation that I was having a heart attack (chest pressure). It was the only drug of it's kind at the time, so I had to forego them.

 

My new doc explained that the newer triptans (Maxalt, which I take, is one) have fewer side effects. I don't know the other brand names. Obviously, individual reactions may vary, but I was relieved to know that there were new drugs in this class that I could try.

 

I get two migraine episodes a month, one during my '.' and one mid-cycle. For the former, I often need to take 2 tabs a day over a couple of days as the headache returns. With the latter, one dose usually knocks it out.

[HappyGrace]

Happy WI-a neti pot was already on my Cmas list! I have a history of sinus problems-not so bad now that I got an endoscopy several yrs ago. But the neti pot is so innocuous I figure it can only help keep things clear and can't hurt.

 

veritaserum-I did have tingling on one whole side of my face-is that a bad sign?

 

orangearrow-very interesting about the protein. I have not had much protein AT ALL lately. I'm a carb craver, and tend that way with my foods, even more lately. I'm wondering if the lack of protein has actually been a trigger!! I have some protein powder, so I'll go back to taking some each day. Have you tried a protein powder? That might be a quick way for you to get protein into yourself. I like Jay Robb Whey protein-it's a little pricey, but it is sweetened only with stevia and has nothing artificial. I'm so glad you have gotten a handle on the migraines! :)

 

Janet-glad to know about the different generations of triptans-that is so helpful, thank you!

[Tammyla]

I take Tylenol at the first sign and if that doesn't work, I reach for the Excedrin Migrane too.

 

Count me in on the limiting caffeine, B12 and overall attention to how I'm treating my body as the years tick by. Mine now seem to be linked to my cycle, and having the warning helps with treatment.

 

Hope you're feeling better, migraines are a living nightmare.

[Apiphobic]

I cannot recommend this book highly enough: "Heal Your Headache" http://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Headache-Program-Taking/dp/0761125663/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228325612&sr=8-1

It covers why headaches happen and what tends to trigger most people's migraines & has an extensive list of food triggers you can learn to avoid (it's a much more extensive list than the usual wine, chocolate, etc) to keep other triggers you can't control (hormones, etc) under the headache threshold. I haven't had a bad migraine for about a year now since going off a lot of the trigger foods. I haven't had to give up everything. For me it seems to be going much more moderate on nuts, cheese, & chocolate and caffeine. I can have some of them, just not every day. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Migraines are horrible.

 

I was just going to suggest this book. It's definitely helped me understand what I was going through and how to deal with it.

[Heather in Savannah]

I had migraines for years, always brought about by barometric changes. They were nasty...I can remember going to bed, with the baby beside me so that I could breast feed without even truly waking up. Then, my Nephrologist put me on ACE Inhibitors to help manage my kidney disease. Literaly like magic, my migraines disappeared. Since beginning the ACE Inhibitors, I have not had a migraine in about 8-10 yrs. Prior to this medication, my Dr. had tried me on the usual type of blood pressure medication,i.e. channel blockers, etc. but nothing worked. I was taking Imitrex for the migraine incidences, which were often once or twice a week. So, my suggestion would be to ask your Dr. to try you on a low dose ACE Inhibitor to see what happens.....my sister who also gets migraines found that when she convinced her Dr. to let her try ACE Inhibitors, the severity decreased. Unfortunately, they were not totally eradicated. I sure do sympathise with you, as a full blown migraine with vomitting, etc. has got to be one of the worst sensations ever. I would almost get panicy when I would feel one coming on.