Migraines
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Chelz2013
Posts: 176 Member
Who else suffers from migraines?
I'm curious to find out what everyone does. (hoping to find something new to try)
I've had migraines for a very long time; been to Dr's, Neurologists, two head CT's (clear), tried many prescriptions (mostly never worked)... I'm not good at keeping a headache diary, but I think my triggers include hormonal/period, yogurt, and/or being dehydrated.
I usually wake up with mine, so not much I can do to prevent.
right now, I:
take Excedrin Migraine
drink some cold water or G2 (Gatorade)
put some icy hot on my neck and shoulders (usually hurting/tight)
sometimes grab an ice pack
What do you do for yours?
I've heard/read different things over the years. The latest was my sisters husband was told by his Dr to not eat oranges. I don't know why. I hadn't heard that before.
I'm curious to find out what everyone does. (hoping to find something new to try)
I've had migraines for a very long time; been to Dr's, Neurologists, two head CT's (clear), tried many prescriptions (mostly never worked)... I'm not good at keeping a headache diary, but I think my triggers include hormonal/period, yogurt, and/or being dehydrated.
I usually wake up with mine, so not much I can do to prevent.
right now, I:
take Excedrin Migraine
drink some cold water or G2 (Gatorade)
put some icy hot on my neck and shoulders (usually hurting/tight)
sometimes grab an ice pack
What do you do for yours?
I've heard/read different things over the years. The latest was my sisters husband was told by his Dr to not eat oranges. I don't know why. I hadn't heard that before.
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Replies
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One word.......... GLUTEN!
Cut it out of your diet, or as much as you can it will work wonders for your overall health in general! My migraines stopped once I started cutting way back on gluten in our household!0 -
Have you tried Migrelief? (Feverfew, magnesium and B2) I use that and Butterbur extract and got really great results for about 3 months. If you have not tried it, it's worth a shot. You can order it on Amazon. The beginning of June was really rough for me, though (12 days straight of migraines) and now I'm on a beta blocker. Haven't gotten one since I started it. If after a few months it's not working, I'm going to get botox injections all over my head. It's supposed to have pretty good results, maybe you can look into that if you haven't already.0
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I just had a migraine last night, they're brutal. In my case, they come with my cycle, I do have some hormonal issues.
What I do:
Take some Ibuprofen
Drink something caffeinated
Put a cold wrap around my head
Close my eyes
Turn off all the lights
Get the room cold
That seems to work for me the best, even though it take about 20 minutes to ride it out. I tend to get them in the evening, so I just let myself fall asleep.
I'm also on Effexor XR, I've heard that is helpful in preventing migraines. That's just a bonus, I take it predominately for anxiety.
Sorry you also have to deal with migraines
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My migraines have died out a bit - but I still get the hormonal ones pretty regularly. Just to check - are you on birth control pills? They made my migraines worse... and you have a higher risk of stroke if you get migraines and are on the pill. My other triggers are not enough sleep, red wine (no, not a hangover!), extreme heat and dehydration as well.
As for medications, as soon as I get any kind of clue that one is coming on - I would take a couple extra strength dispirins (basically just high dose aspirins) or some kind of anti-inflammatory, sometimes they would help keep the migraine from coming on.
I also take Maxalt - have you tried that? I found it very effective as long as I took it early enough (which is sometimes hard to judge). Sorry I know you say you wake up with them - so preventative precautions may not be of much help.
Strangely enough coffee helps sometimes! But I know that might just be me.
I agree about the gluten, it might be worth a try. Don't they say dairy and chocolate can also be triggers?0 -
I haven't tried to cut gluten so that's interesting.
Not on birth control.
I did try migrastick.(all natural) That helps a little sometimes. (You rub it on your temples. Basically inhaling scents like peppermint, etc)
I have heard of feverfew but haven't tried it yet.
I'll have to look for migrelief.
Maxalt didn't work for me.
If I drink iced coffee a few times then skip it two days I get a caffeine migraine but I do believe since I don't drink coffee every day, caffeine sometimes helps.0 -
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Magnesium (malate) has helped me, in addition to using an OTC migraine reliever (if taken as soon as my vision starts to get wonky). Also, taking Mg regularly (3-5 days a week...I forget sometimes) has prevented migraines for about 4 months now (knock on wood!). Obviously, there are a lot of potential triggers, and therefore potential fixes...a frequent commonality is inflammation; which is why cold helps most people. I've found that getting in the shower or a warm bath is helpful in heating up my lower body and thus alleviating some of the inflammation in the head/neck and shoulders (coupled with a bag of frozen peas, it's great!).0
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To be honest, I have had on and off mirgraines since 2004. I know that computer screens, stress, extreme hormone and blood pressure changes will cause an immediate migraine. It normally starts at the base of my skull and travels upwards to my temples and finally my eyes. The best solution I have found to help decrease my migraines is more of a long term change, but hopefully it will help.
I walk about 3-4 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes, keeping my heart rate on the higher side (between 160-165). I noticed in the last 6 months that instead of having 5-6 migraines a week (sometimes longer without any relief in sight), I only have MAYBE 1-2 ever other week and it only last until I am able to go and workout. - I make a point to keep emergency workout clothes at work just in case I have to "cater" to a migraine. I will admit it was extremely hard to walk during a migraine (especially at my pace) but in the end, I feel better and the pain is actually manageable. If I still have the remains of the migraine, I will take my presciption migraine (or excederin migraine) and a cup of coffee. I don't know if this will help you but, it works for me.
GOOD LUCK and I hope it gets better. 0 -
My biggest trigger seems to be aspartame. It used to be any time I started a new "diet", I would always eat non fat yogurt which almost always has aspartame. Within a week of starting the new diet, I would start having regular migraines. So I've completely cut out any food or drink that has aspartame and very rarely have a migraine now. It's kind of sad all those years of drinking diet sodas that had it could have been the cause of my migraines all along. Since I've cut anything with aspartame out, I've not had one migraine!
I should also add I haven't gone completely gluten free, but now I eat very few foods that contain gluten so that may help too.
Good luck, migraines are awful.0 -
My wife has suffered from migraines for her entire life. One thing that helps is if she consumes something with a lot of spice and a high fat content ie;mexican food.0
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My migraines tend to be hormonal as well as lunar. I found that when I started taking a magnesium supplement they got better. Still get headaches, but not nearly as bad, and it tends to be more lunar now than hormonal. Also my daughter gets them, and usually when we take her to the ER, they give her a magnesium concoction iv drip0
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I have chronic migraines and have tried everything! I'm currently trying Botox for migraine. Hoping it helps.0
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MAGNESIUM !!! I've suffered for 19 years (omg I just had to work that out and realise now I really am old) and I've tried all meds and painkillers. Nothing worked. Every month would get at least one 3 day migraine. Started taking magnesium and I've not had one since I started taking them. It's been months!! Loads of info on internet about it and studies. It's totally changed my life! Get some!!!0
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I suffer horribly from migraines and at the moment I am breastfeeding my youngest meaning no medicatuion. My best relief is from changing up my diet like a previous poster had said upping healthy fat content with spice ( chili works amazing), running cold water over my head (with a removable shower head over the tub) it hurts at first but brings on so much relief after. White noise or a nature sound cd is great, repetitive sounds can help you focus on your surroundings and push out the pain. I switch from coffee to green tea, continuing caffeine intake but it seems to effect better as well as not interfere with water intake as much.
Its hard to get into it but light excersise can sometimes be the best thing, yoga or light aerobic stretching helps blood flow and release hormones to naturally cover up pain.0 -
Who else suffers from migraines?
I'm curious to find out what everyone does. (hoping to find something new to try)
I've had migraines for a very long time; been to Dr's, Neurologists, two head CT's (clear), tried many prescriptions (mostly never worked)... I'm not good at keeping a headache diary, but I think my triggers include hormonal/period, yogurt, and/or being dehydrated.
I usually wake up with mine, so not much I can do to prevent.
right now, I:
take Excedrin Migraine
drink some cold water or G2 (Gatorade)
put some icy hot on my neck and shoulders (usually hurting/tight)
sometimes grab an ice pack
What do you do for yours?
I've heard/read different things over the years. The latest was my sisters husband was told by his Dr to not eat oranges. I don't know why. I hadn't heard that before.
**** IMPORTANT****
Stop taking the Excedrin and all other over the counter headache medicine. They CAUSE chronic headaches if you take more than a few times. Do a Google search on "Excedrin and rebound headache" and see what comes up. When you stop taking all OTC meds, you will get a big headache -- just realize it's a medicine withdrawal headache since you've already had tests that showed there were no medical problems.
It might take 10 days or more for the headaches to stop, so give it longer than a couple of days. What happens is your body becomes dependent on the med, then you get a headache when it wears off in your system, so you take more meds and it all repeats.
I had awful, chronic headaches for several years and after an MRI and other expensive tests and visits to several specialists, I read the label of the Advil and aspirin -- which said don't take more than 2 weeks. I was poisoning myself. Most doctors are not educated about this. Google rebound headaches for more info.
Good luck!0 -
My husband suffers horrible migraines. After missing six weeks of work last summer (he's our only income!) I finally convinced him to start seeing doctors. Eventually he wound up at an ENT and we found out he has horrible allergies. Avoiding the food triggers and taking daily OTC allergy meds for the environmental ones has gotten them under control. He still gets them sometimes; I can always tell when he's been eating or drinking something he shouldn't.0
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I am also a migraine sufferer.....I tend to get migraines when the barometric pressure is high, lack of sleep and stress, hormones, or any combination of those. However, sometimes they come on without notice or any triggers that I can identify. I use peppermint oil on my temples, switch between Tylenol and ibuprofen until the pain is manageable (granted that the migraine hasn't caused me to start vomiting yet). I do hot on the base of my neck and cold on my forehead....or the other way around. Lie in a cold dark room helps also. I also use pressure points also; hand, nose, arm. Living with migraines can be so debilitating. Read some really good tips here that I will have to try also, thanks for posting!0
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**** IMPORTANT****
Stop taking the Excedrin and all other over the counter headache medicine. They CAUSE chronic headaches if you take more than a few times.
Truth. My neurologist suggests I stay away from them. And caffeine as well. It seems like it helps, but a lot of times will cause the same kind of rebound migraine.0 -
Lots of good recommendations here already, but I will add on to what a previous poster said. If you can't take a hot bath, put your feet in some hot water and put a cold pack on your face or the back of your neck. The cold pack reduces inflammation and soothes the pain, and the hot water on your feet draws the blood down to the lower body which also reduces inflammation in the head. I reently found a product at Dollar General that helps a lot too. It is called Dr. Fred Summit Arthritis & Sport Epsom Salt Rubbing Alcohol. It is a green, alcohol-based liquid that has epsom salts and wintergreen in it. I put some in my hot foot bath and it helps relieve the pain and nausea quite a bit.0
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I've never heard this about applying heat to the lower body. I'll have to try that! Unfortunately I won't be able to do that at work.0
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