Anybody suffer from Migraines
tuffer2tones
Posts: 13 Member
Does anybody suffer from sever migraines? And do they effect your dieting/exercising poorly? I have migraines quite often, and they are really bad ones, I have seen a neurologist who has prescribed migraine meds for me but they don't always work or they put a slight dent in the pain. But I have noticed having migraines makes me me do whatever it takes in making it go away, I was doing so well on my food today but I just ate a PBJ sandwich and a Dublin Dr Pepper (pure sugar). And I also know it prevents me in exercising because once I get a migraine I will get a few during the week. So is there anyone else out there with some migraine relieving tricks, or a better meds...something?!?!...these migraines are so bad I have had to go to the ER several times and I just don't know what to do anymore..
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Replies
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I am a migraine suffer. Are you on preventative meds in addition to meds to take once sets in?0
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I suffer from migraines and have taken pretty much every kind of medication for them and they do not work. The only thing I can do is lay in a quiet, dark room with a cold washcloth over my eyes. The crazy thing is though, when I have one, if I work out, it seems to help. I know that sounds insane but it works.I found that the more sugar I ate, the more frequent my migraines happened. So, I completely cut out sugar and only eat clean foods and drink water and green tea and that has helped too. Migraines are different for everyone though. Mine seem to occur around my monthly cycle and are probably related to that. I have had MRI's, seen a neurologist, everything and I still get them and no medication works. I would just tell you to maybe try modifying your diet a bit and see if that helps. If you would like to be friends on here that would be great, we can help each other through them. Have a great day and I hope you feel better!!!0
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I have suffered from migraines since early childhood. I've seen doctors and also been prescribed meds, but like you they barely put a dent in the pain. Recently I started having regular, deep tissue massage on my neck and shoulders and that is the only thing that has ever really helped reduce the frequency of my migraines. I average at least 1 a week for most of my life, but since beginning with the massage therapist about a month and a half ago have only had one. I saw a chiropractor for a while, but that wasn't nearly as effective.
I definitely can't exercise when I have a bad migraine, so it does affect that. I also sometimes make bad diet choices just because I'm in pain. When I eat a cleaner diet and have less sugar though it does seem to help somewhat. I think a high sugar intake contributes to migraines. Also definitely make sure you are getting enough sleep and drinking plenty of water. If I get even slightly dehydrated it can trigger a migraine. I'm also sensitive to blood sugar, so it's important I don't go too long without food. Last thing I'll recommend is getting your eyes checked. Eye strain definitely adds to migraines, and you may need to wear glasses or contacts. Don't read in low light, stay off the computer as much as possible, and practice deep breathing.0 -
I also am a migraine sufferer... My doctor finally got me on a regime of meds that works for me. It includes a preventative and a emergency one. Not saying I never get them, but the really rough ones are much fewer are further between. Another important thing to realize is that the amount you exercise is going to effect the ways your body processes chemicals and medications. My medicines work differently depending on the amount I exercise. Talk to your doctor and make sure he/she knows you are loosing weight and have them adjust your meds if needed every 20 pounds or so.. Just out of curiosity, what meds are you on?0
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I am on a daily medication to prevent migraines and it has helped immensely. It took a very long time to find the correct medicine.
I also have sumatriptan for those days when I still get one.
Migraines have definitely affected my life, but I've learned to accept them.
I usually cannot eat, as I am nauseated through the life of the migraine and I try to sleep it off.
Mine have been somewhat related to swelling in my brain, and a dose of steroids often helps every few years.
Many years ago I fell into a rebound migraine trap, it was never ending. I am free of that now, but very cautious when taking medicines now.
Good luck with finding relief for your pain!0 -
I'll raise my hand.
Unlike most people who say they are nauseous and don't eat with migraines, I crave carbs and sugar when I get them. I try to control it and sometimes just logging makes me stop, other times I just deal with the big red negative number at the end of the day.
I cannot do heavy cardio with a migraine - like everyone else it makes it worse. If it's not 'put me in bed excruciating', I can do some strength training with longer time between sets and not a 'heavy weight day' trying to keep my heart rate down. I also have figured out which exercises are most likely to trigger an increase in pain and avoid them. One thing I've discovered recently (and need to ask the doc about) is now that I'm doing cardio regularly, I'm noticing that light cardio has begun to impact me positively when I have a low grade migraine. I don't know why, but I'm excited about it.
My best advice is keep looking for a preventative that works for you and keep looking for the little tricks that help you. One of the frustrating things is that each of us responds differently.0 -
Yes I do. I stay away from certain triggers. That was the first thing my Neurologist had me do was keep a diary. Then her and my regular Doctor decided to have me do some MRI's m CT;s abd allergy testing. MSG, yellow corn, white and milk chocolate, white wine are just a few of my triggers and they also found that I have damaged vessels in the front of my brain. Also staying hydrated (drinking plenty of water helps) I notice that when I am heavier I have them more often and more severe. Now that I am just down 23lbs it has made a difference. I have some more to lose but am hoping the migraines stay at bay. A healthy lifestyle is good prevention.0
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Thank you for all the input, I really appreciate it. I was taking Relpax, but I haven't refilled my prescription, you only get 6 pills for $65...I also have Fioricet, which to me doesn't work at all. I also take BC powder if I don't have anything else. I don't currently have a preventative, I probably should ask for one. I have noticed my top triggers that bring on migraines are heat, I get over heated very quickly therefore its hard to exercise, also sound and vision. Loud tv's, white noise, my children (sorry but its true), motion sickness will also bring one on. Plus my brothers suffer from migraines too so I guess its in my too big jeans!!0
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Yes, I get migraines but mine are hormonal. They do affect my workouts and eating because I am in too much pain to work out and don't eat when I have them. I am on prescription meds but it just takes the edge off.0
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You mention your brothers have migraines as well. I don't know if this is always true in families, but my cousin and I tend to respond similarly to preventatives and abortive medication. If they are also being seen by a neurologist, you can start to get a feel for how they are responding to different treatments.0
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Long time migraine sufferer here. One thing stands out to me- I crave carbs before a migraine, sugar also happens to be a trigger for me. It may be for you as well.
Some tips (17 year sufferer here)
- Water. Make sure you're hydrated.
- Sleep. Get enough and don't sleep in.
- Magnesium I have had more luck with it then prescribed meds. Migrelief is a good supplement
- Cheese, wine, MSG are big triggers for me, as is aspartame
- Old school preventers such as amitriptaline are useful and don't have as many side effects as say, Topomax.
Study the days before your migraines too- it doesn't necessarily stop them, but can give you an advance warning. I can sometimes stave it off if I catch it early enough. My sign is being grouchy and having an eye twitch.
Good luck, migraines suck:flowerforyou:0 -
I used to suffer from migranes for a few years.
Then i had them propperly diagnosed as tension headaches, got some meds ( amytriptaline )( and the second time round how to use them)
Now i'm cured.
But when i had them, i was a ***** to live with, wouldn't do anything ( couldn't excersise and wouldn't cook propper food)
I know its a cliche but for me a walk in fresh air ( with sunglasses) often did help.
Also i found stretching out my upper back helps. Its very difficult to get motivated enough to do it, but once i do i feel slot better.
Maybe you can freeze some healthy meals so when you have a migrane you can grab something w/o having to do much prepping?
I hope that you can get passed this as its horrible to go through.
:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
Have you tried to keep a symtom diary to work out your triggers?
I know its a pain in the £rse but if you can keep at it ( and remember to log the times you don't have one) it might help.
Dr's often don't know all the answers.0 -
I have migranes and they suck. When I get the aura it doesn't hurt it jsut wipes me out but then I get pain and nausia for a couple of days afterwards. I used to take codine but I've found it is too additive and latest research shows clearly that codine causes migraines. I just do what I can do to avoid them (ie. don't eat simple carbs or anything that is going to wobble my seritonin levelm try and get sleep (dificult) etc. but sometimes they still hit me. I know what you mean by doing anything to get rid of the symptoms as well. I'm hoping that as I get fitter the frequency will reduce. good luck with yours :-(0
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i used to get migraine really bad. they would last 4-5 days and i would get 3-4 a month. but since I started exercising and losing weight, since July i have been migraine free and have only had one bad headache... hope your's ease up for you
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I used to have them all the time. I would lay down with a hot wash cloth on my forehead in a dark room. I rarely get them now and they stopped when I quit smoking.0
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Write down absolutely everything that you eat, everything that you do, everywhere that you go for a few weeks. Watch for patterns. I get a migraine every TOM. If I have a small piece of very dark chocolate, hot tea and 3 Excedrin as soon as I notice symptoms, I can keep it from getting worse. I will also get a migraine if I eat anything with sodium nitrate (in a lot of pork products). Or it the sun is in my eyes.
There is no way I could exercise (or eat) when I have a migraine. The slightest sound/smell/movement makes me want to throw up. All I can do is find someplace dark and quiet and wait.0 -
I get then sometimes (I used to get them ALOT) here's a few things that work for me/triggers I've found....
1. Water--keep hydrated
2. Food--I have to eat every 3-4 hours
3. Heat--Too much sun will bring one on
4. Stress--Too much stress or changes in my routine
5. Tight muscles in neck/shoulders
6. Weather changes
7. Poor food choices
8. Too much or not enough caffeine
9. Hormones
I started taking a daily preventative (Topamax) and that has greatly reduced the number of headaches I get. I still take my regular migraine medication when I feel one coming on and have some pain meds for headaches/migraines I can't kick (due to other health issues). Eating cleaner, drinking more water (less pop), stretching, and regular exercise helps a lot. I cannot work out when I have one though, it will make it worse which will lead to the vomiting--ick.0 -
I get then sometimes (I used to get them ALOT) here's a few things that work for me/triggers I've found....
1. Water--keep hydrated
2. Food--I have to eat every 3-4 hours
3. Heat--Too much sun will bring one on
4. Stress--Too much stress or changes in my routine
5. Tight muscles in neck/shoulders
6. Weather changes
7. Poor food choices
8. Too much or not enough caffeine
9. Hormones
I started taking a daily preventative (Topamax) and that has greatly reduced the number of headaches I get. I still take my regular migraine medication when I feel one coming on and have some pain meds for headaches/migraines I can't kick (due to other health issues). Eating cleaner, drinking more water (less pop), stretching, and regular exercise helps a lot. I cannot work out when I have one though, it will make it worse which will lead to the vomiting--ick.
This, exactly, is what i was about to say...
Good luck. Try some low impact yoga when you feel it coming on... that usually helps me keep it off long enough for meds to have at least some chance...0 -
i used to get them so frequently that i felt like i had a permanent hangover -- years of feeling nauseated and headachey all day long, nearly vomiting and hiding in the dark until the feeling subsided. i've had numerous MRIs and head scans but there was no obvious problem and medicine didn't help.
since i lost weight and started eating better, my headaches reduced both in frequency, duration, and intensity. then i had LASIK vision correction and they almost went away completely. now i just get "regular" headaches as opposed to the permanent hangover feeling that i used to have, and i'll get a headache maaaaybe once a week at most. i've found that wearing ill-fitting bras gives me a back ache that travels up to a neck ache and then a head ache. wearing halter bathing suits will trigger a headache almost immediately.
for me, the only thing that works for relieving the pain is to squeeze and poke at the back of my head below my pony tail, and also being in a dark and quiet room. my boyfriend will often massage my neck and the back of my head which makes me melt into the pillows.0 -
I used to get migraines 2-3 times a month. Seemed like every week to 10 days, and they would last for 2 days each time! There were times when I actually vomitted into my trash can at my desk, or had to pull over driving home to vomit! I used to ALWAYS keep rescue medication in my purse, desk at work, and medicine cabinet at home.... just in case!
Now, I have to say that since I started logging my food, and eating healthier, and got my BP under control, that I have probably had maybe 2 migraines in the past 13 months! Truly AMAZING!0 -
I suffer from migraines and have taken pretty much every kind of medication for them and they do not work. The only thing I can do is lay in a quiet, dark room with a cold washcloth over my eyes. The crazy thing is though, when I have one, if I work out, it seems to help. I know that sounds insane but it works.I found that the more sugar I ate, the more frequent my migraines happened. So, I completely cut out sugar and only eat clean foods and drink water and green tea and that has helped too. Migraines are different for everyone though. Mine seem to occur around my monthly cycle and are probably related to that. I have had MRI's, seen a neurologist, everything and I still get them and no medication works. I would just tell you to maybe try modifying your diet a bit and see if that helps. If you would like to be friends on here that would be great, we can help each other through them. Have a great day and I hope you feel better!!!
I could have wrote this myself. I've given up sugar and preservatives and so far, no more headaches/migraines!0 -
Ohhh, sweetie I feel your pain!! I suffered for 10 years before getting things under control... I actually tried a book that a ton of people in the online migraine community were raving about, it's called "Heal Your Headache" by Dr. David Buchholz. It's a system built around an elimination diet, and oh, my goodness... long as I stick to that lifestyle, I am cured. I've told lots of fellow migraineurs about it, and even took it to my doctor because it had helped me so much and she has so many patients with migraine!
So, might be worth a try for you.
Let me know if it helps!0 -
i used to get migraine really bad. they would last 4-5 days and i would get 3-4 a month. but since I started exercising and losing weight, since July i have been migraine free and have only had one bad headache... hope your's ease up for you
me too. I have bad migraines forever...Since I have been trying to get healthy though I have had one.
I too went to a neurologist and didn't find anything. So they gave me some pills. They only put me to sleep.
So I take Advil Migraine hide in a hole and wait for it to pass.
I saw this movie called Fat Sick and Nearly dead. A woman in this documentary was complaining of migraines and she went on a juicing fast for 10 days and the headaches stopped.
I want to give that a go once I can afford a juicer. 0 -
I am a classic migraine sufferer . I get the migraine aura before the headache.I am on estradial which a hormone that virtually has ended my migraines.Not reccomended for everyone but it works for me.0
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Fellow migraine sufferer. I've had migraines since I was 14... 12 years now. I've been on almost every medication possible since then (preventative), and then stop working. I'm on Topamax twice a day now, and have been for 2 years, and (knock on wood), it's worked so far, and it's been the longest a medication has worked. I still get them, but only a couple a month. In the past, when a medication doesn't work, I'll get them a few times a week, and then can last for hours. Like you, I've ended up in the ER, and I've missed countless days of work and school (when I was in school). The only thing that works for me when I have a really bad migraine is a dark room and my bed - and hopefully sleeping it off. If I can catch it before it's full-blown, Ibuprofen sometimes works. I also take a combo of Ativan and Compazine for the bad ones, for the purpose of knocking me out and sleeping them off. None of the others work for me. My best advice? Avoid your triggers and stay hydrated. Add me if you want to - I've been through a lot with these over the years!0
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I have found that if I eat a very simple diet-
following a book that I found written by a doctor
then I am ok. If you want me to look for
the book I will -friend me and I will give you the title after I find it:glasses: .0 -
migraines for many years here, college days blamed it on stress and would be out in bed or in a relaxing bath tub, found i had a pressure point in my neck that would relieve the pain in my head. one time took out my lower back really bad and after a month of suffering went to chiropractor for my first time and found lower spine out of wack and as I prepared the journey to a better lower back found out my neck was out of line. now when i get migraines and feel the tension in my neck i go to the chiropractor and i feel much better. if i don't go and ride it out i usually end up with a couple migraines a week.
Sometimes i would just grab anything to feel relief for eating and have learned i need to control that. after a migraine has passed i am usually wiped out and pretty tired.0 -
Botox has FDA approval for treatment of migraines, and should not have effect on diet either. (And for those who think it's for cosmetic reasons this injection goes in the neck areas sorry)0
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Here is a link to some migraine triggers...some of them, you might not know about. Check it out.
http://www.medicinenet.com/headache_and_migraine_triggers_pictures_slideshow/article.htm0 -
Oh gosh, I've taken so many meds for migraines that it's messed my stomach up too and now I have horrible acid reflux. I can't completely make them go away, but I've found that drinking cold caffeine with my meds, a dark room. And having my husbanding push the back of my neck with his fingers. Like make tiny circles with his fingers while applying pressure on each side of my spine all the way into my hair. It takes the edge off my migraines.0
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