complicated migraine sufferers ... do any homeopathic tricks work for you?

4leighbee

Since I had a stroke-like migraine two years ago, I've been taken off all the effective migraine medicine, including my favorite, Relpax. I am stuck with narcotics and Cambia, which is not doing much.

I thought I'd see if you guys had any ideas to use in conjunction with those meds - or maybe in place of them.

Disclaimer: In no way am I whining. I know many of you probably suffer way more than I ever have. But migraines - especially the aura - do absolutely, completely, totally suck. TIA! xo

LookingBusy

I was once told to stand in very cold water as it supposedly draws the blood/heat from your head. I haven't managed to try it yet. Normally when I am out with a migraine I don't really feel like moving, never mind standing in cold water!

4leighbee

oh gosh yes - that sounds like torture right about now. But it is homeopathic, lol ...
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Adc7225

Water, lots of water. That is what works for mine.

KarenB927

Here is a trick I learned a long time ago. As a matter of fact, my son still uses this trick when he feels a migraine coming on. Thankfully I haven't suffered a migraine in a long time, but mine, when I do get them, are the wake up in the middle of night with a full blown migraine (cue the non-stop vomiting every 15 minutes for about 6 hours straight) type.

Anyway, here's the trick: when you feel the beginning of a migraine at the onset of an aura or wavy lines, whichever indicates a migraine is imminent, grab a paper bag. Cover your mouth securely with the paper bag and slowly breathe 10 breaths in and out through your mouth. Yes, you're blowing your breath into the bag and breathing that same air back in. Take way the bag and take 10 slow breaths with fresh air. Repeat until the aura recedes or wavy lines stop. Usually when I've done that on the rare occasions a migraine came during the day, the worst I ended up with was a mild headache. My son swears by this method, unless of course if he wakes up with a fullblown migraine. It doesn't work then.

4leighbee

interesting - I will try! I'm sorry for those awful migraines and that your son has inherited them. My middle child gets them - it makes me sad. But paper bag breathing ... I can definitely try that!

chouflour

Instead of standing in cold water, I've had good luck with a flexible gel ice pack at the back of my head. It's sort of torture, but it works.

I take a couple of magnesium pills, advil with coke/coffee or excedrin with juice then grab the ice pack, stumble to my bed, put on a blackout blindfold and lie down with the ice pack. If I'm lucky, I'm unconscious for about 45 minutes to an hour, then wake up feeling better.

Sdrotty

I manage to get by with some caffine, a pain reliever, Aveda blue oil rubbed on my forehead(or just peppermint oil) and a room as dark as I can get it.

KarenB927

Migraines are heredity in my family, my grandma passed it to my mom, who passed it to me and my brother. I passed them to both my sons. My grandma had to take some kind of pill every day before she got out of bed because she woke up everyday with a headache and if she didn't take the pill it turned into a raging migraine.

When I developed celiac disease because of thyroid disease, I had to completely cut out gluten which resulted in my migraines being greatly reduced. I've maybe had two in the last 2+ years.

sunnyside1213

Migraines have been linked to allergies. And aspartame is indicated too.

SanteMulberry

You can try Epsom salts baths. Epsom salts are magnesium chloride crystals and, if you are deficient in magnesium (many migraine sufferers are) you will absorb the magnesium chloride through your skin. You get the water as hot as you can stand it and add about two cups of Epsom salts (available at most pharmacies and also Walmart). A fifteen minute soak and you are ready to be poured into bed for the night--very, very relaxing (and much more pleasant that putting your feet in cold water).

SanteMulberry

p.s. It is important that you never take Epsom salts orally.

Laurend224

No. Sorry. I have managed to get control of my migraines by finding and minimizing my triggers. I switched up my diet, and went from having 3 a week, (pretty much a constant headache) to having one every few months. The only thing I really can't control are the scent induced ones. Perfume, cigarettes smoke etc.

No prescription medication has ever worked for me either. I also stopped taking excedrin, as they caused me rebound headaches.

Migraines run in my family too. My 6 and 9 year old get them too. I hope it skips the baby.

BethLiam1

Soon as I feel one i use peppermint oil.. On my temples back of neck and forehead.. Sometimes it makes them bearable other times if its severe i find a dark room

helloreenie

i take a feverfew tablet every day and my migraines have waned (i have been hospitalized for them, so i know how you feel!). i also think that my diet and exercise lifestyle change has helped tons. peppermint tea, too!

nam985

I'm also plagued by migraines that are often accompanied by nasty neurological side effects. Since I can't take any of the traditional abortive meds my go-to has become a cocktail of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, an anti-emetic (eg. Gravol) and an anti-histamine (e.g. Benedryl) taken at the first inkling of one setting in. If possible, I also lie down with an ice pack on my neck and try to rest. It doesn't always work, but it can sometimes keep my migraine from getting to the point where narcotics are needed. Good luck!

4leighbee

Thanks to all of you. I had forgotten about peppermint oil. A friend put some of that on my head after working our Relay for Life all night long and it was remarkable! I will look into that. Antihistamine for migraine ... will read about that too. Lots of great ideas here. Link to gluten? Hmm... I wish you all happy heads this week. Thx for your thoughts tonight!

Maleficent0241

Homeopathy is nonsense but there are alternative medicines that have some evidence behind them - magnesium, feverfew, and butterbur are some. They are generally taken as preventatives in order to be the most effective. If you're having a lot of migraines, prescription preventatives may benefit you. There are a number that are available for complicated migraines.

As for acute treatments, some doctors will still allow you relpax, etc. And some won't. I can't have them anymore either. Like someone above, my cocktail is a painkiller + zofran (antiemetic) + high dose antihistamine. Others do well with Reglan (which is also an antiemetic but can also stop the migraine for some)/motilium, or Phenergan (antiemetic and antihistamine). Narcotics have a high risk of rebound migraines so I use them as a last resort. By then I'm in the hospital anyway and just letting them pump with with whatever they want

atticus84

I hate migraines. What I find that will help or at least keep my mind off the pain, is to sit in the tub and have the shower on my head. Do some breathing exercises and just relax. I also take an imitrex.

4leighbee

You're in the hospital now? Hope you're okay!

Incidentally, I blame BC pills for my downward spiral with complicated migraines. I ended up in the hospital when I thought (and my kids thought) I had had a stroke. Crawled to the phone, couldn't speak or I should say communicate my thoughts. Falling to the left, sky high BP, etc etc ... neuro doc said BC pills were exacerbating the prob. As soon as got off them, the frequency of my migraines plummeted. Wonderful! But that was same appointment when he explained that vaso constrictors (sp?) were no longer an option for me. So anyway ... BC pills could be real trouble!

MalloryTA

Have you heard of a Candida Cleanse? Googling it will give you more info than you could ever ask for but in short, it's an overgrowth of yeast in your digestive track. It can be responsible for a plethora of symptoms that often get blamed on something else. My husband suffered from chronic headaches (almost daily) and after just one Candida Cleanse his headaches are gone. It's been over a year now and he's never felt better. Hope you can find some relief!

4leighbee

nam985 wrote: »

I'm also plagued by migraines that are often accompanied by nasty neurological side effects. Since I can't take any of the traditional abortive meds my go-to has become a cocktail of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, an anti-emetic (eg. Gravol) and an anti-histamine (e.g. Benedryl) taken at the first inkling of one setting in. If possible, I also lie down with an ice pack on my neck and try to rest. It doesn't always work, but it can sometimes keep my migraine from getting to the point where narcotics are needed. Good luck!

Neuro side effects: do you find yourself thinking clearly but unable to communicate any of it? Panic makes it worse. I stood once as a student teacher before a room full of middle school students without meds and panicked as I realized I would be blinking lights blind spot dizzy numb and unable to speak intelligently within minutes. I was terrified. Who was that reporter in CA who made the news because this happened to her on camera? Scary ... but we're not alone in it.

kellycasey5

Comments from the peanut gallery will follow....really just thoughts of things that may help alleviate some of your suffering, and I will echo previous comments. There are good suggestions!

What about a preventative medication to attempt to prevent migraine before it happens? You may have already tried them all, but there are many different ones in many different classes. I will preface by saying I am finally having some luck this week with propanolol and botox after failing many many others (persistent aura is my issue as my routine menstrual migraines respond to triptans). I know for the rarer migraines prevention seems to be key as they respond poorly to treatment once they occur and can be exceedingly disabling. For me, the pills are routine, and the botox are shots every 3 months for starters (something like 20-30 done in the office, but I don't count). I know a person who take propanolol only at the onset of her aura and has done well with that.

That being said (as it has taken a looooooong time to have any improvement with my vision and balance/dizziness so I am ecstatic) migraine clinic has me on magnesium, b6/b12, b2 riboflavin, ginger capsules for nausea, coq10, mega efa, and butterbur (also can be found under the patented petadolex but that is much pricier). Feverfew was also on the possible recommended list of nutraceuticals for me to try. Here's a quick link with study references:
http://www.americanheadachesociety.org/assets/1/7/AHS_Tepper.pdf

The clinic also wants me hydrated (at least 2L spread throughout the day) and to avoid spikes/drops in my blood glucose by eating small amounts every few hours, and instruction to avoid eating large amounts at once or delaying meals. That is a very easy thing to do, and if it helps raise my migraine threshold I'll do it

A few other thoughts: migraine elimination diet (works for some so might be worth trying), and cefaly/tens unit. Cefaly is prescription only, has some pretty good data, and is well tolerated in the studies. Europe and Canada have a model with 3 set programs, in the US there is only one FDA approved setting for prevention. Tens unit would need to be recommended by a neurologist and instructions given to you for use.

Some have luck with accupuncture and trigger point injections, others swear by chiropractor (one specializing in migraine), I have seen accupressure be effective, and I have heard some have luck with massage.

I am waitlisted for a clinical trial involving the eNeura spring tms machine, which uses a magnet at the onset of aura to treat migraine. Not on the market in the US yet, and seem to only be found in the US at migraine centers in trials, but my neurologist says there have been some very promising studies. So that may be a bit of time before it is available, but is reported to be very safe, and ideal for those of use with the very disabling auras. The idea is that this would replace the need for medications.

I am surprised that they suggest narcotics, but again opinion varies from neurologist to neurologist. Some insist you take them and sleep, others won't treat if you take them. Narcotics never worked for my migraines well, and guaranteed a deathlike rebound headache for days so it was quite pointless. I wonder about something like compazine, an antinausea medication that has effect on migraine activity when given IM/IV (considering the doctor approves and you are comfortable giving yourself a shot). I won't link studies, but they are out there. Some decent side effects with this one so that would be a discussion with your neurologist.

I am not certain about the use or absolute avoidance of triptans in atypical migraine, especially familial hemiplegic migraine, as it really varies from neurologist to neurologist and I have heard arguments for both. I know there are neurologists who do allow them. There are studies showing successful treatment of these migraines without evidence of ischemic stroke or heart attack, the supposed reason the vasoconstricting triptans should be avoided.

This is one such example, there are others.

Eur J Neurol. 2007 Sep;14(9):1053-6.
Treatment of hemiplegic migraine with triptans.
Artto V1, Nissilä M, Wessman M, Palotie A, Färkkilä M, Kallela M.

You might consider a second opinion if you continue to suffer and aren't satisfied with your current treatment options avoiding triptans.

There is some data out there on medication overuse headaches, and the medications are many (narcotics, triptans, over the counter preparations, especially allergy/cough/cold and anti-inflammatories). This might be worth looking into to identify these sneaky triggers if you take over the counter stuff.

I wish you luck finding a treatment plan that works for you. Migraines are awful all the way around.

nam985

lgutches wrote: »

Neuro side effects: do you find yourself thinking clearly but unable to communicate any of it? Panic makes it worse. I stood once as a student teacher before a room full of middle school students without meds and panicked as I realized I would be blinking lights blind spot dizzy numb and unable to speak intelligently within minutes. I was terrified. Who was that reporter in CA who made the news because this happened to her on camera? Scary ... but we're not alone in it.

My neurological symptoms are more like severe dizziness, loss of vision on one side, slurred speech, numbness and tingling, all the classic brainstem-type symptoms associated with basilar artery migraines. Scary stuff, I had my first attack at 14 and thought I was having a stroke!