Need help with migraines

1princesswarrior

I suffer from chronic migraines as a result of a tramatic brain injury. I'm having no luck treating them with pills. Does anyone else out there get migraines? Does anyone know of any foods that help or make them worse? Or any remedies other than pills?

I appreciate your feedback!

RobynLB83

Only thing I have ever been able to do is lie down in a quite dark room and hope for a quick death to descend upon me.

jrr07080

I'm so sorry. I get migranes too. I can relate....

glitterbellexo

I have the same problem .

I have found that I started to know what things would trigger my migranes. So I could avoid those food/drinks/ect.

I know that isn't super helpful, but it has kept away about 75% of my migranes.

Bekahmardis

Feverfew is a specific for migraines. Make a feverfew tea and drink 6 - 8 ounces per day without fail. It is not an immediate fix, but long-term keeps them at bay. Look it up.... and good luck?!

Sherrim13

I second the feverfew comment. I bought feverfew capsules on Amazon and take 2 a day and it seems to have helped my headaches quite a bit! It takes a few weeks to kick in but it's worth a try!

jillsprat

I don't know if this will help you but it helps me:

I gently rub peppermint oil on my temples and back of neck. I then put a cold compress on my forehead and one on the back of my neck. I lay quietly in a darkened room for about a half hour to an hour.

It may not take it completely away but it sure seems to help relieve the worse part of the migraine.

Good luck.

emiliewright

Me too..sucks.

I take Ty3 and Imatrex..was told to try them together now too.

trisH_7183

After 10 years of migraines that lasted 24 hrs each time,they stopped.....or so I thought.One day I went partially blind,was in hospital with a light stroke diagnosis.Then it happened again & Dr said "occular migraines "....of the eye.Had never heard of them.A few times they happened several times a wk,but mostly they respond to Excedrin migraine med.Available without a prescription in any pharmacy.

I also learned to stay away from all forms of artifical sweeteners.

lizsmith1976

For me, drink tons of water, a dark room, a hot wet towel on my forehead, and squeezing the "fat pad" between your thumb and first finger. Not out where it's mostly skin, but where you are about an inch to 1.5 inches in and you feel fat and other tissue. Squeeze hard and hold for 20 seconds. I don't know the science behind it, but it's been working for me for 25 years. It's some sort of pressure point that relieves pain. Don't squeeze hard enough to cause pain there, but pretty firmly.

Keep caffeine level consistent throughout the day (and days), and watch what pain relievers you take. For example, if you take one that is a blood thinner, take it consistenly or not at all.

Sorry, it's tough. Migraines are debilitating.

DynettaBG

I am so sorry - I can feel your pain. My husband and I tracked mine to determine what the triggers were. One big one for me is lack of or not enough sleep, so I have to make sure I sleep for at least 7-8 hours each night. I also didn't want to take any drugs unless absolutely necessary, so my doctor recommended 400 mg Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), 300 mg Magnesium and 300 mg CoQ10 daily. I take these along with my multivitamin and my migraines have been under control. Every now and then, things happen and I am not able to get the rest I need, etc. and the result - migraine, so when that occurs, my doctor also prescribed 500 mg Naproxen that I have to take twice a day to get rid of it. Of course, I have to get back in gear and get the required amount of rest.

I hope this helpls - this regiment has definitely helped me.

1horsetown

Butterbur. An herb. The label recommends 1 capsule 2X a day, but 2 capsules 2X a day is also safe if your migraines are resistant.

http://www.amazon.com/Butterbur-Extract-75-60-Caps/dp/B001TEIM1A/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1369925760&sr=1-1&keywords=butterbur

My husband has never had a migraine in his life, but takes this for allergies. It works wonders for this also.

crista_b

Butterbur. An herb. The label recommends 1 capsule 2X a day, but 2 capsules 2X a day is also safe if your migraines are resistant.

http://www.amazon.com/Butterbur-Extract-75-60-Caps/dp/B001TEIM1A/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1369925760&sr=1-1&keywords=butterbur

My husband has never had a migraine in his life, but takes this for allergies. It works wonders for this also.

I was going to suggest butterbur too since it's an herb, not really a "drug". My neurologist had me trying it for a bit, but I asked to be taken off it because the aftertaste made me extremely nauseous for a couple hours. :ohwell: However, I've heard WONDERFUL things about it.

I've heard that a lot of people have gotten rid of migraines or at least lessened them significantly by cutting out gluten. You could try that?

I've been suffering from chronic migraine/CDH since 2006 and have yet to find something that "cures" them. I'm on Topomax and Zoloft now, and they seem to be a tiny bit better. I'm also working on cutting out gluten, but so far I've just lowered my intake of it rather than cutting it out completely.

megamay79

I see a chiropractor on a regular basis. He adjusts my second cervical vertebrae (I think) in my neck and that makes a huge difference.

I_Will_End_You

I've suffered from chronic migraines for years, and meds from the doctor never worked. A couple of months ago, I ordered Migrelief (magnesium, feverfew and vitamin b2) and Butterbur extract from Amazon. I take one of each in the morning and night. It's helped SO much. I cannot recommend it enough. It's seriously been life changing from me. I keep a migraine diary, and here is how it breaks down. I started taking it at the end of February:

Dec 21 days with migraine
Jan 16 days with migraine
Feb 17 days with migraine
March 9 days with migraine
April 6 days with migraine
May 5 days with migraine

HUGE difference! I tell everyone I know who gets migraines to order this stuff, and they never do. And I have to listen to them complain about their chronic migraines. Please try it, it's awesome. You have to take it with food at first, and it will likely upset your stomach for the first couple of weeks. After that, the stomach problems taper off for most people.

sijomial

My triggers have been / are:

Stress
Alcohol (not just excessive alcohol, time of day seems to make a difference bizarely)
Dehydration (especially after sport)
Sleep deprivation / disturbed sleep patterns (night shifts)
Certain frequencies of flashing lights (strobe lights esp.)

No food triggers but I do get a salt craving during / after a migraine.

Has your Doctor tried you on any prophylactic treatments like beta blockers or amitriptyline to break the cycle? Most of these have side-effects though.

For me Osteopathic manipulation helps. My neck joints seize up which seems to affect the blood flow and tension in my neck. Cranial manipulation is effective for some and surprisingly gentle.

After having migraines for 40 years I seem to be "growing out" of them at long last and they are now a rarity for me.

Wish you the best of luck in finding a way to manage yours. :flowerforyou:

1princesswarrior

These are some great suggestions! I looked up both butterbur and feverfew and they look promising but I'm allergic to ragweed ( I may try them anyway. I think I'll try the magnesium, B2 and CoQ10 to see if that works first.

Right now my regimen is this: phenerghen, benedryl and ibuprofin (800mg) 3x/day and topomax at night. This combination makes me tired all the time and always feeling a little dopey. My migraines are also occular and I have to work on a computer all day, which doesn't help matters but at least they let me work in the dark and that helps. My main trigger is fluourescent lights.

I'm working on cutting out diet soda because of the aspartme (it's my last addiction) and I will definitely start paying attention to glutens.

You all are AWESOME!!! Keep the suggestions coming.:happy:

stephanieross1

I get them about 3-5 times a week. what I do is lie down in a dark room, keep it quiet, and try to sleep it through,
keep very hydrated, drink as much water as you can, avoid pop (dark pop seems to aggravate my migraines)
Hope something works, feel better!

crista_b

My migraines are also occular and I have to work on a computer all day, which doesn't help matters but at least they let me work in the dark and that helps. My main trigger is fluourescent lights.

I forgot to mention, I've heard about this as a common trigger too. I just can't figure out how to avoid it. I can't make my office change the lights. :ohwell:

But my mom has heard that using "old school" light bulbs at home (rather than the spiral-y [compact fluorescent] ones that are more eco-friendly) can help. Do you use the old, incandescent bulbs or the newer compact fluorescent bulbs at home?

I_Will_End_You

Very regular, moderate exercise is supposed to help, too. I started exercising right about the same time I started taking Migrelief and Feverfew, so I don't know if that's had anything to do with it or not. Just a suggestion, though.

I've heard Topomax is rough, side effect wise. I was always afraid my doctor would put me on that. Glad I found this combo, because I think that was the next med she was going to have me try.

I forgot to mention, I've heard about this as a common trigger too. I just can't figure out how to avoid it. I can't make my office change the lights. :ohwell:

Same here. Although I think legally you CAN make them change the bulbs.

vicky7917

ohhhh poor you, really, really poor you :-(

I suffer 2 kinds of migraines. 1 from stress & tiredness and the other from a neck injury.

This is a good page for what can trigger migraines - http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/triggers-specific-foods It does mention sweeteners and I'd be especially inclined to agree with foods high in artificial additives and caffeine.

Natural remedies, I personally haven't found any apart from drinking lots of water and trying to sleep it off.

Medicinally, I'm prescribed Amitryptiline in 10mg doses. It's a bit of a knock out but I do tend to wake up with the migraine gone. I also find diazepam (which I take for other reasons) a good quick remedy but it's not something you can rely on long term.

Unfortunately, if your migraines are from a head injury (like mine are often from a neck injury) there might be very little you can do to prevent them.

I truly hope you find a way to manage them.

crista_b

Very regular, moderate exercise is supposed to help, too. I started exercising right about the same time I started taking Migrelief and Feverfew, so I don't know if that's had anything to do with it or not. Just a suggestion, though.

I've heard Topomax is rough, side effect wise. I was always afraid my doctor would put me on that. Glad I found this combo, because I think that was the next med she was going to have me try.

I forgot to mention, I've heard about this as a common trigger too. I just can't figure out how to avoid it. I can't make my office change the lights. :ohwell:

Same here. Although I think legally you CAN make them change the bulbs.

Yeah. I probably could, but that would be too much of a legal hassle to get into if it doesn't even turn out that the lights are a trigger for me. I'm working with adjusting as many things as I can on my own first, and if it still doesn't help, then I'll start going to the more "drastic" options like that.

I just started going to a neurologist about a year ago so I'm still kind of new to testing options. (I was on an HMO plan where I couldn't go to a specialist without a referral, and it took over 6 years of complaining to my doctor to get that referral. :grumble: )

I_Will_End_You

I just started going to a neurologist about a year ago so I'm still kind of new to testing options. (I was on an HMO plan where I couldn't go to a specialist without a referral, and it took over 6 years of complaining to my doctor to get that referral. :grumble: )

I had that issue. I called to make an appointment, they asked who referred me, and I said "I'm referring myself". :laugh: She didn't think that was funny. I then asked why I need to pay one doctor to tell me I need to go to a different doctor, and she eventually let me see the nurse practitioner, who I've been seeing ever since!

KxCoyote

Similar boat, except I was born with them, get them every day. Tried about 30 different meds, one of which gave me a minor stroke. And the only pill that works to get rid of them so far is Imitrex(but I can only get limited amount and that amount isn't near enough for a month)
But as for foods? I tend to get a migraine if I over-eat. To the point of 'feeling' full, I'll get a migraine. No single type of food has caused or helped a migraine in my case.
Sorry I can't be of much help, but had to post.

CaeliGirl11

I have to work in an office on a computer with flourescent lights...I had them unscrew the lights above my cube...I got a lamp for my desk with an incandescent bulb and a led lamp to hang right over my screen...it seems to work quite nicely since I was getting about 3-4 migraines a week prior to making those changes and also going on 150mg of topamax and 50mg of amitriptyline at night. My doctor completely cut me off of ibuprofen because of the rebound headaches that they create...as well as the excedrine. I only take those if I have a headache that does not qualify as a migraine (which almost never occurs). I went from having 15-20 migraines a month in June of 2012 down to 1 a month (max) by May of this year!!
I have also cut out most of my dark diet sodas cause the topamax just makes it taste yucky! But they do make Diet Coke with Splenda and without aspartame...maybe try that if you're still hooked?
When I do get a migraine I still take Imitrex and if its still not going away a Valium to knock me out. But these days, thankfully, they are few and far between!
I wish you lots of luck and hope that you can find relief wherever you can!! Remember, just because you've tried one medication does not mean that's it...there's so many out there! I went through 3 others before I found the Topamax and Amitripyline combo for me.

jlfoster0427

I have migraines as well and have only found that a when I get migraines there isnt much you can do but having a small piece of dark chocolate seems to make me feel better but when doesn't chocolate make you feel good lol

jlfoster0427

The lady that does my massages at the spa told me to take two tennis balls and put them in a sock and lay them where your neck and shoulders meet and lay on them for a little bit. It releases the tension and stress in your neck which accompany my headaches and helps ease them off

branson101

I have migraines as well and have only found that a when I get migraines there isnt much you can do but having a small piece of dark chocolate seems to make me feel better but when doesn't chocolate make you feel good lol

chocolate seem to help my migraines most of the time. I eat some when I feel the migraine coming, if that doesn't work I put on some loose fitting dark sunglasses and get an ice pack for my head and pray for my work day to end soon.

crista_b

I have to work in an office on a computer with flourescent lights...I had them unscrew the lights above my cube...I got a lamp for my desk with an incandescent bulb and a led lamp to hang right over my screen...

Good idea! I might look into that. The lights above my desk are in the middle between being above mine and my neighbor's though so hopefully it wouldn't bother her.

My doctor completely cut me off of ibuprofen because of the rebound headaches that they create...as well as the excedrine. I only take those if I have a headache that does not qualify as a migraine (which almost never occurs).

Yep. Same here. I'm on Frova right now if I get a migraine. My doctor has tried Imitrex and Maxalt, but none of the triptans have seemed to help so we're probably going to try a different class. We've tried BP medication too even though mine is normal (surprising considering most of my family has either too high or too low BP).

Non-extensive list of various medication options: http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=104593

pa_jorg

I've found if I start drinking Gatorade as soon as the migraine starts it will dull the pain. That's just a quick fix that helps me get through the day. Otherwise, no magic remedies here.

beckiern1

everyone has really good suggestions! my migraines are almost GONE thanks to using prophylactic propranolol. i do 20 mg twice a day, and i am so stoked over that.

when i can, i take showers with my migraines...in the dark. the water beating on my neck just makes the pain go away.

i found that taking caffeine (okay, ok, a LOT of caffeine) out of my diet helped too. i'm down to one cup a day, and i've stopped adding sugar/splenda/whatever was available. also, exercise.

hope the others helped you more than i could!