Any Migraineurs?

[jng]

jng-
I have chronic daily (tension) headaches as well as migraines. The medication has helped with the daily headaches immensely.

In regards to preventative migraine meds, the most success is with beta-blockers to help regulate heart rate and blood pressure. however for some the side effects are too much to deal with. I was on the for three years and while they did help alot, I could not get used to greying out when walking up the stairs too fast. nevermind the other effects...

Whether or not to use medication and what types varies from person to person. In my case, the majority of my headaches were chronic tension. I had maybe only a handful of real migraines in my life time.

But like I said, I left that period behind back in high school. They were stress related and I've learned to handle stress better.

I had a neurologist at the time and he supported my decision to slowly wean myself off the drugs and start a life style change as a long term remedy. Although bright lights and video games with epilepsy warnings can still trigger headaches for me, I haven't experienced a migraine in years.

In my case the migraines were not really disabling, limiting, but not disabling, so ultimately I could live without medication.

 

[letsgorangers]

Whether or not to use medication and what types varies from person to person. In my case, the majority of my headaches were chronic tension. I had maybe only a handful of real migraines in my life time.

But like I said, I left that period behind back in high school. They were stress related and I've learned to handle stress better.

I had a neurologist at the time and he supported my decision to slowly wean myself off the drugs and start a life style change as a long term remedy. Although bright lights and video games with epilepsy warnings can still trigger headaches for me, I haven't experienced a migraine in years.

In my case the migraines were not really disabling, limiting, but not disabling, so ultimately I could live without medication.

You are absolutely right. Different people receive different amounts of relief from different stuff. I am not really sure why the Midrin didn't work on my tension headaches because it has a sedative in it. (EDIT: You weren't even the one talking about Midrin; sorry about that. Have I mentioned that my brain is a little fuzzy?)

It is great news that you've learned to handle stress and migraines are not something that come around much anymore. For me, I am stressed without even realizing it. I have knots in my shoulder muscles when I feel fine emotionally. I also tend to get headaches/migraines AFTER periods of extreme stress. The past 2 migraines may have been brought on by the fact that my best friend just got married. It was a ton of fun, but the days leading up to it were very stressful trying to get everything ready and keep her sane.

 

[nitynate]

I suffer chronic daily headaches caused by tension.

 

[jamesarm97]

I have tried different things. I am on amitriptyline nightly to help with the tension headaches. I also take about 500mg of Niacin if I have a bad headache along with Excedrine Migraine on the first signs of one. If that does not work I have to resort to Relpex which works almost all of the time, but I don't take it except as a last resort because it is expensive and I only get 6 per month. Migrin-A never worked good for me.

- James

 

[spork183]

Strong smells (like nail polish remover -- I only mention this because I had my nails done a few days back) will not give me a migraine immediately, but will start a headache.

I Forgot the smells. I am hypersensitive to cigarette smoke. I can smell it coming from the car in front of me, with my windows closed and the ventilation system off. Smokey the Bear got nothing on me for cigarette smoke. Even when my sinuses are plugged, that smell gets through every time. Also, certain strong perfumes. "Excuse me darling, but that eau de toilette makes me want to put my head in the toilette..."

James, you mention the excedrin, and that is also somewhat effective at knocking it down if caught early. I'm assuming you know this, but Excedrin Migraine is simply repackaged excedrin with a higher price. Check out the ingredients, no difference that I can find.

Cafergot-waste of time. They gave me this at 7yrs old, and it didn't work then...
Midrin-didn't work
Elavil-didn't work
Nortriptylene-helped me feel better about life, but didn't dump the headaches... (be interesting to see how many migraine sufferers go through mild to moderate depression based on pain management issues)
Vicodin-Effective PRN, but ultimately triggered nightmares.
Darvocet-Hit or miss. I don't bother with it
Tordal injection-dulls it, never kills it. If given with a big enough injection of phenergan, I can sleep most of it off.
Demerol Injection-usually effective, leaves me loggy. Small price to pay to get my head reattached.
Immitrex-The wonder drug for me if I catch it early. Mix with codiene and fiorinal for best results. Can also work with Excedrin if caught really early.
Maxalt-intestinal issues, not as effective as immitrex.
Amerge-pretty much ineffective. Don't think it made any difference at all.
Topamax-haven't tried it-don't want the side effects.
Vitamin C-I personally prefer the chewables, preferably tart. They have nothing to do with migraines, but heck, vitamin C is good for you...

 

[MultiM]

I don't get migraines or headaches as a rule, BUT I can sympathize because I had a friend who suffered with them for years. He finally ended up going to a chiropractor for a different problem and with a few adjustments to his spine and nervous system his migraines were lessened in severity and frequency to the point where he hasn't had one in a couple of years.

I'm just curious if anyone here has tried this route? Many people don't take chiropractic seriously so don't consider it an option, but after my friends' experience, I go regularly just to keep my body communicating with my brain.

I'm not trying to diss anyone's experience; I'm just trying to offer a possible last ditch remedy, if not cure.

Check out this site:

http://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal/headaches/migraine.html

It isn’t the only site available, just the first one I found. I would be really interested in hearing any feedback you may have about chiropractic.

 

[zero2dash]

I get them frequently.
I've had headaches [usually] every day for about 15 years now and tried many different things. There have been times where I'd take 3 Liquid Advil at a time, three to four times a day for relief. About 1/3 to 1/4 of all my headaches are migraines, the remainders are usually close to being migraines or are at least 'bad' headaches.

My experience has been that different things work for different people, and repeatedly taking the same things has not worked for me. I've found the most relief when I switch what I'm taking often. Some days I take prescription Advil, sometimes I take Excedrin Migraine. Lately Excedrin Migraine [x2 tablets as dosed] has worked wonders for me. (each tablet contains 250mg each of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and aspirin, and 65mg of caffeine)

If I take the Advil and it does nothing, near the end of the dose period (6 hours) I'll take the Excedrin Migraine. (and vice versa)

I have also noticed that taking Cymbalta for my depression has helped eliminate a lot of my daily headaches as well, which is something my doc told me when he prescribed it for me after I got sick from taking Lexapro.

 

[letsgorangers]

I'm assuming you know this, but Excedrin Migraine is simply repackaged excedrin with a higher price. Check out the ingredients, no difference that I can find.

Just wanted to quote this so everyone can be reminded. I think the same is true of their "Tension Headache" variety. It really irks me that they can sell this stuff with migraine and tension headache written on it. The caffeine in excedrin actually makes me sick to my stomach, and it doesn't actually do anything for my headaches, so I don't take it, but it still bothers me that they do that.

 

[pigbat]

I only get them a few times a year but my triggers also tend to be weather/bright lights/specific smells. I tried Midrin for a while but it didn't really do much other than nauseate me. I've found mine manageable by getting into a dark cool room quickly and spending 4-6 hours in there. I recently started loading on caffeine when Ifeel them coming on and this seems to speed my recovery time a little. I still have a 48 hour "hangover" once they're gone.

 

[spork183]

I only get them a few times a year but my triggers also tend to be weather/bright lights/specific smells. I tried Midrin for a while but it didn't really do much other than nauseate me. I've found mine manageable by getting into a dark cool room quickly and spending 4-6 hours in there. I recently started loading on caffeine when Ifeel them coming on and this seems to speed my recovery time a little. I still have a 48 hour "hangover" once they're gone.

Are you a regular caffeine user? I'm just interested in whether Caffeine "loading" becomes less effective if you are a regular coffee/tea/soda drinker. I find that when I'm hooked on Caffeine, not enough triggers a headache, just enough helps one, and too much triggers one.

 

[iBlue]

Don't quote me on this but I think the reason Caffeine helps in smaller doses is that it constricts the blood vessels. However too much caffeine may constrict them too much and the body over-compensates for this (because the constriction decreases oxygen in the blood) and your body commands an over-dilation in those now throbbing blood vessels: you got yourself a migraine. Vascular headaches suck, and not in the fun way.

 

[kalisphoenix]

What do people without healthcare do? My Immitrex alone comes in at about $500 every 3 months. My copay is $15.

We suffer. I'm fortunate in that my headaches aren't actually that strong. I had trouble getting my mother to believe me when I self-diagnosed because she said "if you had migraines, you'd be doing nothing but laying on your bed and screaming for hours on end." I've never had a headache as bad as the ones that most of the people on this thread are talking about.

But I do have migraines -- I have a tremendous scintillating scotoma that swoops in a few times a week. I usually notice it because I'll be typing on this here MacBook, working on my book, and suddenly realize that I can't see what I'm typing. The precise square inch or so around the cursor is just a colorless area. Then I'll sigh and sit still. It'll grow over the next half hour, turning my entire field of vision into a colorless jagged wriggling blob. And it'll stay like that for up to three hours (this is why I don't have a driver's license) and then it'll disappear and the headache will begin, at which point I have to find a dark room and lay down.

Besides that I have a big problem with hypersensitivity. My clothes will suddenly feel like they're rubbing against me of their own accord, so I start shifting around and trying to lift the fabric off my skin. Sometimes I'll start taking off clothing, which is fairly unusual for me (I don't mean stripping... just removing my outer shirt, kicking off my shoes [I can't STAND having my shoes on], etc). Lights become extremely bright, to the point that everything seems washed out. Sounds, even soft ones and especially hisses and people using the letter "s"... like someone is sandpapering my eardrum.

Of course, there is one thing I've found that works great! Marijuana stops the headache and scotoma dead in their tracks. Like I'd ever say that to a doctor, though :/ And it makes the hypersensitivity worse.

I don't have health insurance, so I've been kinda stuck with it for a while. This started during my time in the Navy, so I applied a year and a half ago for treatment, and a couple months ago (no, really, it took them well over a year to have me come in for an evaluation) I saw a neurologist.

"What drugs have you taken to counteract it?" he asked.
I told him I wasn't aware of any non-prescription drugs that were believed to have any solid effectiveness treating migraines without getting rebound headaches.
"Well, if you'd read anything about migraines --" what a prick this guy was "-- you would have read that if you take a couple Aspirin™ when you get the scotoma, it'll reverse and the headache will go away."
Well, I'd never read that, and I've tried it, and it hasn't worked. I've read about experiments with Ibuprofen, but the only effective dosages were toxic and resulted in tinnitus. Thanks, Doc.

So I have no idea when (if ever) I'll be able to try any of these nifty medications I've heard of. In the meantime I'll just sit and watch the show, I guess. I love a nice evening with visual derangement

 

[Steve1496]

It's really interesting to read all of these things. I too suffer from frequent migraines--about 3+ times a week. I see a nuerologist about it, but theres really no solution. I have more background on the issue, though.

First, I should mention it's not just migraines. I get an awful tingling sensation throughout my arms/hands and legs/feet that pretty much make them unusable. An MRI revealed "spots" on my brain. They still do not know what they are exactly. He did say that it could indicate what he called "mini strokes"--whatever he means by that! I also have high spinal fluid count, about "26cc". Theres so much more to the story here that I cannot even remember it.

I'm currently taking Nuerton 600MG 3x a day, but have tried Inderol, Topamax, Amitriptaline, and a few others.

Steve

 

[Fearless Leader]

migraines

I suffer from migraines, today has been real bad. This morning I woke up head throbbing and knew that It was going to be a crappy day.

I have one that provides relief, which is either a cold shower or a hot one.

And then I have caffeine... which will either provide me with soothing relief or completely debilitating pain. Earlier today caffeine was my friend, right now its hard to type this sentence.

So other migraine sufferers, what do you do to cope with pain?
cause I have the random caffeine, and I can't take 5 showers every time I have pain.

 

[devilot]

So other migraine sufferers, what do you do to cope with pain?

When I had a 'script, Imitrex. Otherwise? I try in vain by popping Aleves. I close the windows to reduce sound, draw the shades/ blinds, pop in my ear plugs, and curl up in bed.

BTW, some other ideas/ advice/ discussion in this older thread, too.

 

[furious]

baths help me out

 

[Fearless Leader]

When I had a 'script, Imitrex. Otherwise? I try in vain by popping Aleves. I close the windows to reduce sound, draw the shades/ blinds, pop in my ear plugs, and curl up in bed.

BTW, some other ideas/ advice/ discussion in this older thread, too.

ohh wow the search function sucks hear, so if you want to close up this thread or merge it onto the end of that one, go ahead.

anyways I should mention that none of the non prescription medicine works on me.

on the imitrex, i've read that it causes other pains, and a family member who used to take them said that they started to breathe heavy, heart rate increase.

also what are cluster headaches? would I know if I had them, are they easily distinguishable? somebody i know said that my symptoms, types of pain, sounded like cluster headaches.

 

[phillipjfry]

My girlfriend suffers from them a lot more often than I'd like her to. She puts herself into "outer space".
She puts blankets over the windows, turns everything off and lays in bed and covers her head with the blanket and pops aleve like tic tacs.

 

[phillipjfry]

I think every one should have at least one migraine in their life to get a perspective on the people who get them often and yet still manage to work and have a life.
Wow talk about opening the flood gates on this...

I think that everyone should get a perspective on certain disorders. It would make teaching tolerance much easier.

 

[balamw]

also what are cluster headaches? would I know if I had them, are they easily distinguishable? somebody i know said that my symptoms, types of pain, sounded like cluster headaches.

Much like migraines, but tend to be found in more often males, reoccur ~ daily around the same time in a cluster of days. Unlike a migraine, they tend to dissipate about as fast as they come on. (few hours).

For me it was about an hour or so after work that I'd build a nice headache that would go away in about an hour or two. Lasted a few weeks every year 'round peak allergy season, though I had one cluster in winter. Had 'em for a few years a while back, haven't reoccurred in a while. Knock on wood.

B

 

[Chundles]

I get them fairly often, normally need to write myself off for two or three days just to ensure it's really gone. They make me throw up every now and then, I slur my speech and everything just goes weird. I feel like I want to curl up on the cold bathroom tile floor and just pass out.

I have an Imigran script that seems to work so long as I take it when I feel them coming on - hard when the majority of them are there when I wake up in the morning. Makes me totally loopy afterwards but it's worth it to not have the pain.

 

[Leareth]

It's really interesting to read all of these things. I too suffer from frequent migraines--about 3+ times a week. I see a nuerologist about it, but theres really no solution. I have more background on the issue, though.

First, I should mention it's not just migraines. I get an awful tingling sensation throughout my arms/hands and legs/feet that pretty much make them unusable. An MRI revealed "spots" on my brain. They still do not know what they are exactly. He did say that it could indicate what he called "mini strokes"--whatever he means by that! I also have high spinal fluid count, about "26cc". Theres so much more to the story here that I cannot even remember it.

I'm currently taking Nuerton 600MG 3x a day, but have tried Inderol, Topamax, Amitriptaline, and a few others.

Steve

Believe it or not but tingling and numbness in hand and feet is common with some types of migraines, I get them like that sometimes. My lips become numb too and I start to really slur my works and my left side is pretty much unusable. More common in left handed people for some reason.
There is a reason why migraines are considered a permanent disability in many places and some neurologists liken their effects to that of epilepsy, when everything is normal you are fine but when you get an attack you are useless and for a while afterward.

Edit: I have had two "mini" strokes one when I was 19 the other at 22, they do show up on CT scan. Dead parts of brain.

 

[Fearless Leader]

Much like migraines, but tend to be found in more often males, reoccur ~ daily around the same time in a cluster of days. Unlike a migraine, they tend to dissipate about as fast as they come on. (few hours).

For me it was about an hour or so after work that I'd build a nice headache that would go away in about an hour or two. Lasted a few weeks every year 'round peak allergy season, though I had one cluster in winter. Had 'em for a few years a while back, haven't reoccurred in a while. Knock on wood.

B

is it possible to have both or one be caused by the other, because I pretty much get consistent headaches at about 3 to 4 in the afternoon, not every day but most days, and the whole ordeal lasts about 2 to 3 hours But then there are some that are different, the migraines that make me nauseas, and super sensitive to light.

but I can deal with those headaches, I'm used to them, but they aren't any fun and usually limit my thinking and concentration considerably. I play chess and we practice at school around that time some days I'm second best, other days I can't think straight and can't play at all.

 

[Nuc]

I used to get horrible migraines when I was younger, try searching for feverfew on google. Here is a link. I used it and it worked. I don't get them very often but occasionally I do.

Nuc

 

[aaronw1986]

Relpax, showers, ice packs in dark room.