Chronic Migraine Sufferers...How do you cope?

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Replies

  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
    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
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    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
    KatKisses Posts: 296 Member
    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
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    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
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    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
    jennielou75 Posts: 197 Member
    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
    allifantastical Posts: 946 Member
    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
    finchest Posts: 245 Member
    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
    floridagirl7264 Posts: 318 Member
    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
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    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.
  • FreedomReigns
    FreedomReigns Posts: 195 Member
    Bumping to read replies later due to the fact that i have a migraine right now (only awake cause i have to get my kids from school :(
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    Keep in mind all migraines are not equal. What works for one person might not work for another. My migraines for instance are like something is squeezing my head, whereas most others experience the exact opposite - their head feels like it might explode; therefore the treatment is different and yes, the neurologist mentioned the botox shots were an alternative for my type of headache but we never had to go there.
  • CincinnatiDEIFan
    CincinnatiDEIFan Posts: 188 Member
    Migraines is half the reason we moved from Ohio to Florida. Our 9 year old daughter was getting up to 18 - yes 18 - a MONTH. She was on Periactin 4mg twice a day and Zomig (it's like Imitrex) when she got a bad one.

    We found out rather by accident that when we would be on vacation...they would go away. My husbands too.

    Traced it back to changes in barometric pressure.

    Her neurologist at Cincinnati Children's told me I was crazy and that moving would NOT fix the issue...but we have been moved since June 1, 2012 and she has been taken off ALL medication and has had ONE - only ONE - since.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I have just been diagnosed officially with chronic migraine and started seeing a pain management specialist. He has me taking nortryptalin (spelling?) which is an older anti-depressant that is supposed to prevent migraines. I have Imitrex for them and that works but I only get 9 per month. And he is seeking approval to start Botox. It has been approved by the FDA for migraine treatment but I had never heard of it. Honestly I'm scared to try it but with 16-18 migraine days per month I'm willing to try almost anything.

    I also find that sometimes hot tea, hot baths, icy hot applied to the neck and temples, and a heating pad on my head/neck can all help reduce the severity. But none of those things actually make them go away. :(
  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,087 Member
    i have had chronic migraines since i was 12years old... right now the only thing that makes them go away is sumatriptan nasal spray... my stomach is so bad it hard to take pills. i do take motrin if i catch it early but i have to eat a lot before i take it...

    i tried topomax it was ok. i didnt see a difference, but it had a great side effect of helping to lose weight. i've tried medical marijuana and that just made them worse for me. the nasal spray is the only thing that makes them go away most of the time. i also do toradol when nothing else works. but thats a hard drug you shouldnt take that often.

    ice also works. i get a few ice packs and ace bandage them to my head, works most of the time.. really helps the nasal spray work better.

    good luck with this.. i feel for you.. migraines are terrible, i hope you get help soon
  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    I get migranes maybe 3-4 times a year, nothing I take works and as another on here said "Hemiplegic Migraine Headaches" is what I have as well. I have to go to the doc and he gives me a shot, I'm scheduled for an appt that is supposed to teach me how to give myself something like those "easy shots" like what diabetics use. When I know the brand I will post it on here.
  • Jwithrow4
    Jwithrow4 Posts: 21
    I have migraines pretty frequently, sometimes up to 15 a month. I have been on many different kinds of meds for them, but nothing works like 2 Goody's powders as soon as I feel one coming on. They are somewhat hard to find and the orange flavor is a must. They are a combination of Aspirin, Acetaminophen, and caffeine. I carry them with me all the time and highly recommend.
  • perfectingpatti
    perfectingpatti Posts: 1,037 Member
    I've tried Maxalt and Imitrex, but the side effects were bad. When I first feel one coming on, I start with 800mg ibuprofen every 4 hours (sorry liver). Once it's a full blown migraine, Toradol shots IM help me. I won't take prescription pain meds, but I also take Celexa.
  • jlwbeans0823
    jlwbeans0823 Posts: 178 Member
    I have chronic migraines. I'm taking Imitrex, which doesn't really stop anything for me. I also take a daily medication which is supposed to help prevent. I can't take over the counter migraine medicines...they make me feel funny, like I've had 20 cups of the darkest brewed coffee. I usually start to feel better after I throw up which always happens. My boyfriend is a massage therapist which helps sometimes. I've heard of Botox as a treatment, but I'm not sure about that treatment for myself. I've been thinking about trying acupuncture.

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