Chronic Migraine Sufferers...How do you cope?

Charlie003

I have Arnold Chiari malformation. This is a lifelong sentence of pain. I am sure my kidneys hate me as much as my liver for all the pills I need to take. Are there any other chiari or chronic migraine sufferers here. if so, what medication regiment are you on and does it help.

UsedToBeHusky

*hugs*

I don't have a chronic condition. But I do get migraines (about twice a year). I feel so bad for you, hon. I have no advice that I haven't already given you. I take Excedrin migraine when mine come on, but I'm sure you need something stronger. Has the doctor not offered to prescribe anything for you?

Charlie003

I have a whole pharmacie at home. But, I am sure it is hard on my system.

FlaxMilk

Have you looked into Botox?

Charlie003

No. How would that help?

rml_16

I take one Exedrin and one Aleve for most of mine and I have Maxalt for emergencies. But my migraines usually aren't debilitating and while I sometimes get one every day if the weather is screwy, I usually go weeks between.

I know there are a couple drugs (anti-depressants, I believe) that you can take daily that are supposed to mitigate the migraines. Has your doctor prescribed anything like that?

rml_16

No. How would that help?

Yes! Botox! I forgot about that. It numbs the nerves. It's used widely to treat chronic pain, including migraines. Do you see a neurologist?

Charlie003

No. How would that help?

Yes! Botox! I forgot about that. It numbs the nerves. It's used widely to treat chronic pain, including migraines. Do you see a neurologist?

Yes. I have one. I also have many pills. I have celexa, which is the anti depressant, relpax for emergincies. A muscle relaxer.

Juliejustsaying

There is an over the counter suppliment called Ultra Cal Nite by Source Naturals. When I was losing pregnancy after pregnancy I worked with a reproductive endocrinologist who was working on a theory about pregnancy loss, hypothyrodism and chronic migraines. He had me take two of these pills in the morning and one at night for two months, then scale back to one at night. I also would bath three times a week in epsom salts (magnesium) and low and behold after a month my migraines tapered off and went away entirely. I still take the Ultra Cal Night...I only take one a day, should take two, but almost NEVER get a migraine. I highly HIGHLY recommend it.

And that coupled with some other interventions...I have two children...my beautiful boys who are now 11 and 9....

rml_16

No. How would that help?

Yes! Botox! I forgot about that. It numbs the nerves. It's used widely to treat chronic pain, including migraines. Do you see a neurologist?

Yes. I have one. I also have many pills. I have celexa, which is the anti depressant, relpax for emergincies. A muscle relaxer.

Ask about Botox. I worked for a neurology practice for a while and one of the doctors did that for chronic pain, including migraines. It was reserved for people who didn't have a lot of luck with other treatments and might be really helpful for you.

summertime_girl

Botox to paralyze the nerves.

nturner612

i get KILLER migraines. like wake up from the pain, cant open ur eyes, get up anyways cuz u gotta go to work, dress 2 loud boys, get to work, throw up, cant see, go bak home type of thing. Once i get home, i know this sounds weird, but it helps me if i lay under a blanket wit jus my underclothes. take a bunch of pills and sleep for a few hrs. I get tehm very often in the summer because of the heat. finally got so bad this time around (i had them for like 2-3 weeks straight!) i went to the doctor. i dont have insurance so he prescribed me some low blood pressure pills and they eased of. of course now its winter so im feeling brave and stopped takng them(i dont get them as often in the winter time)

OspreyVista

I take Sumatriptan for my worst migraines which is a generic form of Imitrex. It works for me. I used to get them several times a month. Luckily in the last 2 months I've only had a handful of them, but I'm sure it will go back to having a migraine almost every day, it switches up at random times. I can go from a month or two without them, to several months where I have one every single day. I cope because I have to. I learn what I can do to try to prevent them, and work with that. Unfortunately, Heat/sun/loud noises are a couple main causes of them x.x

Drea_ann

I have also heard the botox in forhead, head area has helped lots of people.

I cut out soda and went a low dose birth control to control mine.

For actual chronic migrains I am not sure

emily356

I suffer with them.:( It is awful. The only medicine that ever really helped me was daily Topamax, and It has some nasty side effects and my muscles started twitching all the time. I am sure my liver hates me too. I take Advil and Excedrin every day. About to go to a new chiro cause a lot of mine stem from my neck issues, I believe. Accupuncture helped greatly for awhile, then quit working. You could always try it. Lots of people see good things from it. I am currently doing the Whole 30 eating plan. It has helped some. You can google it, there is tons of info about it on there.:) Just know you are not alone and it is awful.

emily356

I think I will check into the Botox suggestion as well. Thanks guys!!

CharlieBarleyMom

I'm sorry about your chronic pain. I have a chronic disease and it is not fun and there is pain involved with it but I do know the pain of a migraine and that is unbearable.

I don't pretend to know much about migraines, but I did hear from someone on MFP that since they've been taking Chia seeds their migraines have disappeared. I love chia seeds and they are great for my arthritis issues and they're great for your heart health too... it certainly couldn't hurt to add them to your diet. Or at least check into it. That would be easier on your liver and kidneys than a bunch of other pills (if it works for you!)

Good luck!

CottonCandyKisses

I started taking Topamax. I would rather take 3 pills a day than the multiple Advil, migraine combo( Toradol/anti nausea/benadryl), and pain pills I was taking(not taking all of them all day, everyday). The Topamax has cut my migraines down to just the occasional hormonal or weather related one versus the everyday headaches and once to twice a week migraines I was getting.

arw644

I used to be on a daily dose of Amitriptyline with Maxalt as my emergency medicine. Now, after being weaned off the daily stuff, I only use the Maxalt when I have to and Advil otherwise.

ericaknight95

I've gotten wicked migraines since I was 8 years old. Recently, I began regularly seeing a chiropractor, and since then I get them less often. (Before I would get them once or twice a month, now I only get them once or twice a year.) If you don't already, I would suggest seeing a chiropractor for regular treatments. Hope you feel better. :flowerforyou:

jmc0806

I used to get them constantly as a kid, they gave me so many tests (ct scans and MRI's) when I was younger trying to figure out why and never could. I still get them probably once a month (less lately, thank god) but I'm not on any medicine, I just usually have to spend the day in a dark room...coffee sometimes helps and Excedrin...

stephdeeable

I'm sure people will rant angrily at me for this suggestion.

But my cousin has chronic migraines and he was prescribed medical marijuana. Not sure if that's legal where you are, but it does seem to help him a lot more than the bajillions of pills he had been prescribed before.

Flixie00

My mum used to suffer badly with them, and was referred to a specialist who taught her a number of breathing exercises which were a great help.

I get them, rarely, so I do feel for you as they are so debilitating.

KatKisses

I have migraines often and the only thing that works is I dunk my head in ice water and wrap my head in a towel take a Xanax and sleep it off. NOthng else works, I've tried all the migrain meds and they make me so sick,I did hear about the botox thing, might have to try that.

bcf7683

Don't know how to spell the crazy name, but I have a blood vessel disorder in my brain where they contract and expand at the wrong times...Used to be on Propranolol, but it made me feel pretty weird so I stopped. Tried Imitrex- that amplified the migraines by 10000. So I haven't had much success with medications. Migraines were the worst in college- stress made them flair pretty bad; I learned to self-medicate with caffeine and sleeping most of the time (seems counter-active, I know) since medicines wouldn't work. I haven't had them as much since graduation (maybe a few a month instead of 3 or 4 a week), they've also backed off a lot since I've been lifting 5 days a week.

Pixi_Rex

No. How would that help?

Yes! Botox! I forgot about that. It numbs the nerves. It's used widely to treat chronic pain, including migraines. Do you see a neurologist?

Yes. I have one. I also have many pills. I have celexa, which is the anti depressant, relpax for emergincies. A muscle relaxer.

Ask about Botox. I worked for a neurology practice for a while and one of the doctors did that for chronic pain, including migraines. It was reserved for people who didn't have a lot of luck with other treatments and might be really helpful for you.

I second the Botox. I am a chronic migraine sufferer actually. I do not do real well with medication - most migraine medication knocks me out on my *kitten* for more than 8 hours. I have also figured out majority of my triggers and stay far away from them- and keep a regular sleep schedule and honestly... pot has been known to kick them back quite well.

I have not tried Botox but I do know many people who use botox to releive their chronic migraines and they swear by it. I am actually tempted to give it a try - just need to ask my Dr more about it. But its worth a shot hoenstly.

jennielou75

I have hemiplegic migraines which mimic the symptoms of a stroke. I do get them rarely and although scarey they are not too painful. I take sumatriptan too and they stop them dead.

allifantastical

I suffer from severe migraines quite frequently. I was on a few prescribed meds for them, but they didn't help at all. Excedrin Migraine is the only thing that takes the edge off a little bit. I get a bag of ice, lay down with all the lights off and press the bag against my head until the pain subsides then move it to another part of my head. In between "going numb" I try sleep it off. Time and sleep are the only things that really help. :sad:

People don't understand how painful they are. I describe it as an ice cream headache that refuses to go away. (Even though it's much worse than that.)

finchest

i have had migraines pretty much daily for about 12 years. excedrin migraine is the only OTC med that ever worked for me. however, when i eliminated most gluten in my diet (for other reasons -- namely, trying to lose weight) within about two weeks, my headaches just completely stopped. i had given up on finding anything that worked in the long term. might be worth a shot for you.

floridagirl7264

My daughter suffers from migraines. At her worst she was getting them 2-3x a week. Homeschooling her has made a huge difference. She just didn't do well in the school environment. We know her triggers for the most part. She is also on Depakote to help prevent them, and Imitrex for when she gets them. She also has some med for the nausea. I hate watching her suffer. The only way she gets rid of one is to take an Imitrex and go to sleep. She now gets them about 1-2 a month.

HypersonicFitNess

Well....let me tell ya; I've been through quite bit of different meds over the last 5 or so years and this is what I'm on now:

Preventative:

600 mg Magnesium
400 mg B2
Butterbur root (should be taking but gave up when it was too difficult to find)

25 mg Topamax (any more and I get anxiety attacks, fainting spells and racing heart)
4 mg Tizanidine

I take both of those before bed as they both cause drowsiness; also because one of my triggers is PMS then I limit dairy and gluten in my diet especially at the beginning and end of my cycle when the hormone levels change b/c that is the most likely time I can get them. Gluten and dairy do not cause my migraines but they cause more extreme PMS and therefore can lead to a migraine. My other triggers are the change in the barometric pressure (nothing I can do about this one), lack of sleep (I try to get 8 hours of sleep each night), too much sleep (not a lot of risk of this), and lack of food (I try to eat often - every 3 hours). Also, acupuncture does help...and I'm planning to start back with that soon as stress can lead to a stress headache and any headache for me usually turns into a migraine.

Abortive:
20 mg Relpax 1x and a second an hour later if still migraine (sometimes this works and sometimes I have to go to bed b/c I have blurred vision and nausea)

Edited: 600 mg Motrin is taken with the Relpax for the first dose (and if I have a migraine for a few days I get a Toradol shot and some other shot too that knocks me flat for around 50 hours).

You should keep a log of all headaches; what you ate that day, your activity, how you feel, etc. This will help you and your doctor pinpoint your triggers and find the best solution. I saw a neurologist for a few years before mine became well managed (I was getting them 3-5 x per week). Now I get them 2-3x per month and occasionally zero times in a month.