Migraine sufferers

MayTehSporksBeWithYou

Does anyone here get migraines?

As a teenager I got so many migraines that my doctor put me on a preventative medication (topamax) but that interfered with my BC causing me to become pregnant. During my pregnancy and for a few years after I didn't get migraines.

Now, they've slowly increased in frequency to the point that I'm getting them at least once a week and nothing but time seems to make them go away.

At my appointment with my doctor next week, I'm thinking I should ask about controller meds. Does anyone have any experience with any of them besides Topamax? I'd love to hear how they worked for you and any suggestions you might have.

Also, how do you cope with exercising/eating well when you're dealing with a migraine? Do you find anything else besides medications help prevent or treat migraines for you?

slaite1

I've never taken any of the medications. I get migraines, sinus headaches the works! As far as diet and exercise I just lay off and do what my body wants when i have a migraine. Sometimes I can't eat. Sometimes I'm starving and eat non stop, often right before a migraine.

Interesting that you did not get migraines while pregnant and for a while after. Has your doctor considered hotmonal reasons for your migraines? Perhaps birth control or some sort of hotmonal intervention could help you to control them. Just a thought :-) good luck

DoctahJenn

I just go through a five-day migraine. I get them once every three months, almost like clockwork, and I have no idea what triggers them. I do get lots of headaches in between, and I have a neurologist appointment coming up to try to get to the root of the problem, so that's something.

I take Treximet when it starts, which eases it up for a while but never really stops it. I've tried a bunch of controller meds, but I'm really susceptible to anything that makes you sleepy, so we wound up giving up on them.

As far as eating... I get really nauseous during, so I'm not really eating much of anything. I did try going to the gym this time, and I found that I feel good during the workout, (thank you, exercise endorphins!) but feel like crud afterwards.

Also! Something to note... my doctor thinks the headaches I get daily - 2-3 times a day - are actually nerve pain, not traditional "headaches." He has me on something for that, and it seems to be helping a little. So that's something to ask about, maybe.

beachhouse758

I've suffered from migraines since I was a child. I've tried a TON of medication and nothing preventative has worked for me.
I take a very old/old-school prescription when the pain is unbearable. I take Excedrin and bear with the pain as much as I can -- bc the prescription looses effectiveness if taken too often.
I find that I get less migraines when I am active and eating right ("right" for me, I am not passing judgement on anybody's preferences)

I also use a little blend of essential oils called "MigraStick" (which is basically an overpriced blend of peppermint and lavender essential oils in a portable roll on.)

My migraines are debilitating in that I can't work, drive, eat (all I do is throw up and whimper) -- so eating right and exercising are out of the question. When they are bad, they can last for days.

Reducing stress helps lessen the frequency of my migraines, but that isn't always within my control.

oh, I forgot to note, my prescription actually contains caffeine and I found that if I take my pill with a cup of coffee or a sip of Coke, it makes it kick in a little faster. Also, being in a dark room helps too.

beamer0821

I'm sorry!
i get migraines and take Maxalt as needed. BC triggered them now that I'm not on BC i get a migraine about 3-4 times a year and they last 3 full days. Maxalt at least helps me function.

i dont stress too much about my eating during that time or when I'm sick otherwise. i still track but i loosen the reigns a bit and just try to get well.

i don't have any advise on maintenance drugs, good luck!

deathninja82

I get crippling ones every now and again, stress induced most likely. I just have to lie down in the dark for a bit, and probably call it an early night later.

bluworld

Mine are food allergy related: all glutenous grains, oats, and dairy, and peanuts in quantity.

slickmickey

my dr told me that mine are hormone related, but i'm irregular so i never know when thats going to hit. i keep excedrine migraine with me at all time, and if i even suspect one is coming on i eat carbs or cheese and caffeine. i dont know what it is about the carbs/cheese, but something like a bagel with cream cheese, really seems to help. and the caffeine is a life savor. when i was still waitressing i could just grab a shot of espresso, now i have to find a soda which is tough since i've stopped drinking soda! if that all doesnt work i take the excedrine (2) and go hide in a dark room. they usually make me pass out for 4-6 hours and after that i just have a dull headache which i can deal with till the cows come home!

AmandaLou4319

I gave up gluten and saw a dramatic improvement in my migraines. I began getting more migraines as I got older. I am 27 now and after college they seemed to get worse and worse. I gave up gluten when I went Paleo and the migraines improving was an unexpected side effect. I hope you get some relief!

mysmileighs

I used to get them all the time, usually on the placebo days of my bc pills. Now that I have an IUD, I'm told they will go away completely.

There was no eating or exercise with mine. Dark, silent room. And lots of Excedrin.

I hope you find something that works because they are the worst!

Dave55412

I used to get migraines frequently. When I changed my diet to gluten/dairy free last year, I haven't had one since (or even a normal headache). A woman I used to date had them, too. She had me pull her hair. It sounds silly, but it gave her relief. Hold your hand flat and run your fingers through your hair at the base of your skull and make a fist with a bunch of hair and hold it tight for a minute, then release it. She said it was an acupressure thing.

Need2Exerc1se

My daughter has suffered from migraines for years. Her doctor told her to switch to no/low impact exercises. She bought an exercise bike and that has really helped lessen the frequency of her migraines.

999tigger

I've had them for 30 years, but i think they decline when you get older. Objectively I think my improved diet, hydration and exercise has helped significantly. They have muh reduced now as well as normall headaches. I take much better care of myself becayse im interested in the diet and thereby am more on top of avoiding trigger factors.

At my worst in my younger days I used to get 2-3 a week.

flippy1234

I get migraines, usually around that time of the month and sometimes with excess Red wine. Not white or any other drink. I take Imitrex when needed. Best stuff ever. Does not mess with anything, weight, mood, nothing.
I do know that staying well hydrated makes a huge difference. Drink lots of water and eat clean...not junk. You will see a huge improvement.

Lasmartchika

I hate migraines so much... I usually get them between a week before to the first days of my period, and they last for several days. I get really nauseous too. I just really want to stay curled up into a ball in bed, in darkness... Excedrin and Coke (NOT TOGETHER!!) helps with them. :sick:

Sarasari

My birth mom gets migraines, so I get them from her. I take 100 mg Topamax, The doc did say I could go up to 200, but people usually didn't see much increase in results by upping meds. I take my topax in the morning. I seem to do better that way, and I can have wine at dinner if I want it. I take Imatrex as needed. I've noticed it's better to take it ASAP. My migraines are worse as I'm heavier. I do better when I exercise. I added some trap exercises that I do daily because my migraines come from my neck. I do do 12,5 # shrugs, 12, 5 # wide rows, 12 non weighted pull back, and 15 push-ups. For regular exercise I vary for walking, jogging, biking, swimming, and boot camps. I get weekly massage. My migraines used to be so bad that I would just eat whatever and cry. I am doing better now that I can cook or warm up a healthier meal when I have one but sometimes now I get migraines where I feel it in my stomach nauseous and I can't eat. I go back to the neurologist next month and we will talk about Botox. I was against it at first, but I've had only a week this month with out some form of a migraine. So, I think. I'll try it. Feel free to message me or add me. I cut out caffeine because I thought that was a trigger.

ALAdams

I used to get major migraine headaches as a child and through my teen years. I was told flashing strobe type lights, soda (pop), and stress were all major triggers for me. I used to love skating but would always leave the rink with horrible headaches. I quit drinking soda but still got the migraines. I was on a medication called Midrinite (or something close to that name. It has been years. It was a redish colored capsule). I did not prevent them but was what i took to help get rid of them. Nothing over the counter ever worked. I dont get them as frequently anymore but i do still get them really bad. Sometimes i get them so bad it makes me vomit. I have a reusable ice pack. I have to lay down with an eye mask to block all light and place the ice pack on my head. The ice helps me tremendously! It is actually getting pretty old and showing wear and i am worried about finding another one.

ALAdams

Sadly i think it is a hereditary thing because my daughter who is 7 has been having frequent headaches. Not migraines yet but i am worried it may end up there for her too.

MayTehSporksBeWithYou

[q8uote="mysmileighs;32113009"]I used to get them all the time, usually on the placebo days of my bc pills. Now that I have an IUD, I'm told they will go away completely.

There was no eating or exercise with mine. Dark, silent room. And lots of Excedrin.

I hope you find something that works because they are the worst![/quote]

I wish it worked that way for me! I've been using the Mirena IUD for 6 years and that hasn't seemed to have any effect.

marmaladepixie

I get severe hemiplegic migraines, that actually cause partial to full paralysis on my left side and lose speech and ability to swallow. I have not been able to find a medication that helps me, as most I cannot take, but I have found that avoiding certain foods, sleeping the same amount of time each night, and keeping everything on a fairly strict schedule have helped me. I avoid nightshades, soy sauce, cheese, wine, alcohol,glutamates, watermelon, anything with yeast extract or autolyzed yeast, over exhaustion, etc. I stay hydrated and don't skip meals. Seasonal allergies and weather are big triggers for me too, but try to avoid allergy medicines with pseudo ephedrine in them, they can cause wacky blood vessel response. I take butterbur supplements along with riboflavin and magnesium, which my neuro recommended.

Some of the medicines I have taken were some of the triptalyines, and lamictal. The triptamines made me really groggy on the lowest dose, and made me want to stuff my face with candy.... I could not function on them. The lamictal gave me a dangerous rash, but that one seemed to kind of help a bit before I had to stop taking it.

I would suggest just weeding out your triggers, if you exercise, bring your heart rate up slowly, and bring it down slowly, and try to keep a schedule. Those were the things most helpful to me. Hope you get some relief soon!

I also wanted to add that my migraines used to be normal until I turned thirty. Then they got wacky. Hormones play a big role in them so I am told. Birth control could make things better or much worse depending on your situation. I was told I could never take birth control again or I could have a stroke. I was already on a gluten free diet before the migraines started, so for me, it didn't make much of a difference. The yeast in breads seemed to be a factor though.

marmaladepixie

Once in a while, if I am just having a standard migraine, exercise will actually get rid of it faster. It will hurt worse in the beginning, but it seems to burn out faster this way. 30 minutes of cardio a day is very good migraine prevention so my doc tells me.

SheBeButLittleSheisFierce

I've had migraines for 20 years. Sometimes they are more frequent than others. I've also done topomax. I stopped having migraines for a few years so i stopped taking medicine. Unfortunately they started back again on a regular basis. I am now on Trokendi. I take it every night (makes you very sleepy) and have seen a huge change in the frequency of my migraines. Feel free to message me if you want more info. I truly have seen a huge difference. When I do get a migraine I take Maxalt which seems to be working as well. Also, a friend of mine introduced me to the essential oil by dottera called past tense. It comes in a roll on despenser. I put it on my temples and the nape of my neck. It doesn't make it go away per say but oh my word the release of tension you feel is amazing.

cinner274

Anyone who has migraines w/aura should NEVER take birth control pills- major risk of stroke!
I've had them since my early teenage years & hormone fluctuation was a huge trigger for me. Dopamax (topamax) helped as a preventative for a few years but the adverse side effects (just Google dopamax topamax & you'll see what I mean!) Made it impossible to continue. BTW, Trokendi is just extended release Topamax so I'd steer clear of that too. My neuro suggested keeping a food & migraine diary (super easy here on mfp!) to see if any patterns develope and to weed out my trigger foods. Anything loaded w/preservatives (lunch meat, hot dogs, sausage, tons more) MSG (Chinese food is horrible for migraine sufferers) hard cheeses, red wine, fluctuations in caffeine, weather/barometer/allergan changes - these are all bad triggers for me, as is stress. I'll get post-stress migraines that last days
I use Maxalt as a rescue med- works great since it can be taken after you've already got the full blown migraine, where meds like Imitrex have to be taken at the very first sign ff the headache to be effective for most people. Maxalt & if I still have it after an hour- a reusable gel ice pack wrapped in a T-shirt over my forehead & eyes and a cool, dark, quiet room usually helps me a lot!
So that's my advice- keep a migraine diary (include particularly stressful times to see if stress is a trigger) and a food diary, avoid your trigger foods, learn some meditation/yoga/breathing exercises that you can call upon to hopefully avoid the post stress migraines, talk to your Dr about different options for a rescue med and always try to make sure you keep some of it with you since all migraine meds work better the sooner u take them. I also take generic store brand Zyrtec every night for seasonal allergies and this seems to have helped avoid some of the weather related triggers. And spend a couple bucks on a reusable ice pack (Walmart/target/any drugstore) or 2 for those times when nothing else is working!
Please feel free to friend me/message me with any questions - not an expert but lots of years and many migraines under my belt ;-)

usernameenvy

when i feel one coming on i take 2 nurofen plus and 2 plain panadol together every 4 hours and then take a calmative pain tablet that night which helps alot and hasnt lasted as long.
Caffeine helps get your blood circulating and having a warm caffeinated drink when taking tablets will help the tablets digest and spread quicker.
i also wear my sunnies everywhere if i have to be out in daylight and i rub tiger balm on my temples, around the back of my neck and the fleshy bits of my palms (and anywhere else i feel alot of pressure)

cinner274

ALAdams wrote: »

I used to get major migraine headaches as a child and through my teen years. I was told flashing strobe type lights, soda (pop), and stress were all major triggerso love skating but would always leave the rink with horrible headaches. I quit drinking soda but still got the migraines. I was on a medication called Midrinite (or something close to that name. It has been years. It was a redish colored capsule). I did not prevent them but was what i took to help get rid of them. Nothing over the counter ever worked. I dont get them as frequently anymore but i do still get them really bad. Sometimes i get them so bad it makes me vomit. I have a reusable ice pack. I have to lay down with an eye mask to block all light and place the ice pack on my head. The ice helps me tremendously! It is actually getting pretty old and showing wear and i am worried about finding another one.

You can get those reusable ice packs at Walmart/Target etc or pretty much any drugstore/Walgreen/CVS/Rite Aide in the heath dept, usually around the knee wraps, hearing pads, bandaid area. You can also Google how to make one using water & alcohol in a baggie but the store-bought ones always seem to stay cold longer but at least u can DIY one in a pinch ;-) Hope this helps!

Iknewyouweretrouble

MayTehSporksBeWithYou wrote: »

Does anyone here get migraines?

As a teenager I got so many migraines that my doctor put me on a preventative medication (topamax) but that interfered with my BC causing me to become pregnant. During my pregnancy and for a few years after I didn't get migraines.

Now, they've slowly increased in frequency to the point that I'm getting them at least once a week and nothing but time seems to make them go away.

At my appointment with my doctor next week, I'm thinking I should ask about controller meds. Does anyone have any experience with any of them besides Topamax? I'd love to hear how they worked for you and any suggestions you might have.

Also, how do you cope with exercising/eating well when you're dealing with a migraine? Do you find anything else besides medications help prevent or treat migraines for you?

I have had migraines increasingly as well. I used excedrin and Tylenol to treat them and still had the nausea and all the sensitivity not to mention headache. when they lasted 3 days at a time I went to a doctor a DO to see if I could treat them naturally.
she offered me imitrex which I refused and prescribed me zofran which I accepted because I really can't stand nausea at work.
she recommended accupuncture and massage. I read up on accupuncture and got way too anxious about it and didn't try it.
I did subscribe to a massage program and got 3 massages so far (one every 2 weeks) with a focus on my neck. so far I had one headache that threatened migraine. I went home, slept and it was gone. of course I have only started and will continue to monitor them.
if they get worse I plan on trying something like imitrex.
my dr also told me to keep my caffeine intake consistant and to drink coffee even on weekends.
good luck!

robinmarkz

I have one right now. Very frustrated that I can't do cardio exercise at the moment. I don't know if it's going to get better, stay for a while, or get worse. Last summer I had "status migraine" for most of the summer, and stopped the program. I started up again early this year,
and lost over 10 pounds since then (didn't change during the time off the program), and I am getting a lot of exercise, and was being quite careful. I have been careful about hydration, about slowly upping the exercise, and all of that. I think that stress is a factor, and also the humidity of this time of year in southern California. I think that's a major thing: the barometric pressure/humidity.

Right now, I'm in limbo . . . very frustrating.

rjm (Robin)

Marilyn0924

MayTehSporksBeWithYou wrote: »

[q8uote="mysmileighs;32113009"]I used to get them all the time, usually on the placebo days of my bc pills. Now that I have an IUD, I'm told they will go away completely.

There was no eating or exercise with mine. Dark, silent room. And lots of Excedrin.

I hope you find something that works because they are the worst!

I wish it worked that way for me! I've been using the Mirena IUD for 6 years and that hasn't seemed to have any effect.
[/quote]

I suffered for years with debilitating migraines in my late teens/early 20's and noticed that when I got pregnant with my first, my migraines disappeared. They returned about a year after I gave birth and just after this I went on a low-dose pill and much to my relief, they went away. After my 2nd pregnancy, I got the mirena, and those migraines returned with a vengence. Had it removed, as my obgyn figured it was a trigger. Went back to the pill, and rarely suffered after that. Might want to get your hormone levels checked and have a chat with your doc.

365andstillalive

I suffered a chronic, never ending migraine for three years straight. So believe me, I've tried every medication. Making virtually zero medical sense, my migraine ended when I was put under anesthesia for a knee surgery a few years back. Now I get them a few times a year (typically close to time where seasonal changes are occurring) or when I eat foods that are big triggers for me - like having more than 1tbsp of peanut butter.

I found most success with the management of symptoms when I was on beta-blockers (which are used to control migraines now as well) as well as a Coenzyme Q-10 supplement -- both of which were prescribed by one of my many neurologists. It's a route you could certainly discuss with your doctor, but know that it impacts your ability to exercise, especially unsupervised as it can keep your heart rate from rising properly as you increase intensity, which tends to lead to people either blacking out or passing out entirely. It does not (in my knowledge) interfere with BC however. Now I do most of my management when symptoms start by taking Maxalt tabs.

My biggest tip for you is to keep a food diary (so log accurately on here and use the data you should already have!). It was something none of my seven neurologists recommended, but that a family friend who is an Internist mentioned to me. Every time I had a migraine, I was told to look at the foods I'd eaten that day and the day before and compare them to other days where I had migraines. I picked out very quickly what my trigger foods were and how much of them I could consume before there was an issue. Every once in a while I seem to get one without a trigger, which likely means it's a smaller ingredient that I'm missing rather than a more "whole" food.

As for your other questions; when I have a migraine, I'm typically not able to exercise or eat. That whole, light and noise thing is kind of an issue for me haha. I'm also typically throwing up pretty regularly if I have a true migraine. I'm one of those people who, on more than one occasion, has shown up at the hospital and thrown up on the triage nurse while asking for the shot of Demerol.

mscalfee

I recently was hospitalized in February with what is called a hemiplegic migraine. It presents as a mini stroke and I lost function of the left side of my body. I am functioning better now, but still have the regular migraines like I did before the big episode even while on topamax. Running seems to shorten my migraines though, I have noticed that getting more exercise in has helped my episodes last from 1 to 2 days instead of weeks at a time. I hope you can get some relief soon!

LearnFromTheRed

mscalfee wrote: »

I recently was hospitalized in February with what is called a hemiplegic migraine. It presents as a mini stroke and I lost function of the left side of my body. I am functioning better now, but still have the regular migraines like I did before the big episode even while on topamax. Running seems to shorten my migraines though, I have noticed that getting more exercise in has helped my episodes last from 1 to 2 days instead of weeks at a time. I hope you can get some relief soon!

I also have this - I also find running helps. Topiramate made me so depressed I had to come off it. I am experimenting with magnesium/calcium, Q10 and so on.