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Migraine Sufferers on MFP

bltrexler

I have been a long time sufferer of migraines. Since about 1st grade I would get hormonal driven migraines. Traditional symptoms, I used to get an aura followed by nausea, vomiting, light and sound sensitivity, vision loss and excruciating brain pain for 5-7 hrs. (I was unable to do anything but lie in a quite dark room and hope to fall asleep) Over the years the migraines have pretty much have gone away in terms of those symptoms. Although I am thinking I do still get them regularly but not the same symptoms I used to get and so I never picked up them as being migraines. Now what seem to happen is I will get an intense dizzy spell. The kinds were I am pretty sure I will lose consciousness but don’t, followed by nausea, and some form of light sensitivity and brain pain. But not the kind of pain I used to get. I am still able to function. I have asked to refill my Imtrex to see if it will help.

Has anyone who has been a long time sufferer of migraines experienced this symptom transition? Do you get these intense dizzy spells at the start and do you take a prescribed medication to help?

Replies

rml_16

Migraines run in my mother's side of my family. Interesting fact: We've recently discovered that they were caused by food sensitivities!

We each found out what food bothered us, and we've removed them from our diets. So far, we've been about 6 months migraine-free! This is involving about 4 people.

It's awesome when food is the only trigger, and you find that food that triggers them. Unfortunately there's too many triggers that I have that I can't really get rid of. Sunlight (if it's really bright) Movie theater noise usually always brings on a migraine, Heat is a huge issue and I dont even have AC in my house X.X

Food isn't my trigger at all. I just find that a healthier diet AND exercise (crucial) reduce mine. My triggers are getting overheated, stress, barometric changes (even so slight they don't register on instruments), being overtired and sometimes just because ...

There isn't any specific food that does it, but I think being healthier overall just works for me. And Maxalt is a wonder drug.

CarSidDar

I have had migraines from early teens. They run strongly in my family. As I approached my 50th birthday I noticed I had a headache every morning when I woke up (not migraine) and a migraine 2-4 times a week. Not fun.

A CPAP machine for sleep apnea cured the morning headaches, but not the migraines.

My dr and I started exploring preventatives. propranolol did nothing. Feverfew did nothing. A very low dose (10 mg) amitriptyline (elavil) did the trick, only I gained weight.

She will not prescribe topamax as she has heard bad things. Elavil has weight gain as a side effect and topamax has weight loss as a side effect.

In my family migraines stop at menopause...i am counting the days...

BringingSherriBack

I suffered from daily headaches (bad enough to require OTC meds and sometimes multiple doses) and frequent migraines for years. They have stopped within the last year though. I had WLS last fall so I follow a lower carb, higher protein diet now. I have PCOS so I think the carb sensitivity or insulin resistance was the major cause of the daily headaches anyway.
Until surgery, I was on levetiracetam daily as a preventative for the daily headaches and migraines and also had Treximet for the migraines. I would get migraines that were just major headaches with light and sound sensitivity and then I also would get heat induced migraines in the summer that felt like someone was stabbing me behind the ears with a knife and that came with nausea. Normally those didn't involve the sound and light sensitivity either.
Even on the levetiracetam, I would get some normal headaches (maybe 1 or 2 a week instead of everyday) and the occasional migraine (like one every couple months instread of several each month). It took a couple months of experimenting with the dosage to get that good of control. I had tried TopaMax for a preventative also, but as the dosage was increased it was evident I couldn't take the medicine as I was non-functional while on it (totally stupid - no memory, couldn't spell, couldn't think of words, etc.).
Before surgery, I had to come off the levetiracetam and never went back on it. After surgery, my PCP gave me a script for Maxalt since I couldn't (and still can't) use nsaids for pain relief. I had to take it a couple times, but haven't had a headache requiring treatment with more than Tylenol in several months.
I am sure my prime cause for the headaches was the insulin resistance since the change in dietary intake has done away with the headaches although it could be weight loss related too. I don't really know, but I haven't had any heat induced migraines this summer either.

bltrexler

I am sorry you suffer from Migraines. Let me ask you a few questions.
When was the last time you had a MRI done on your brain?
When you exert yourself do you get the sharp pain and that is when the dizziness happens?

The reason I ask...I to suffered from migraines from young youth and had been misdiagnosed for 30+ years. Not until I had one ER doctor run an MRI on me. He then showed me the test....my brain looked like a tadpole....I have Chiari Malformation. It is a birth defect that is there from birth but starts getting worse the older you get.

If you have not please have a MRI run, again your brain will show if you have this. Mine was so bad I was diagnosed on a Monday and was having surgery on that Thursday.

If you have any questions, please let me know....Also let me know what you find out
Mary

I had an MRI when I was young, I think 8-10yrs old and at that time I actually had a migraine. So it was a a clear diagnosis as they could actualy pin point the blood vessels which were effected. At this point in time there was no migraine medication and so I started an anti-seizure medication which did nothing. But then Imtrex became available and it helped reduced the symptoms, but never got rid of the migraine.

It has been years since I have seen a neurologist and its my primary that has been refilling my prescription. I can say right now, that this type of migraine in completely manageable compared to what I used to get. If the dizzy spells get to the point were I do loss conciousness, then I will definately be making an appt.

I am so sorry to hear about your suffering and I hope with this surgery you can find relieve. Best of luck!!

Alysgrma

I am sorry you suffer from Migraines. Let me ask you a few questions.
When was the last time you had a MRI done on your brain?
When you exert yourself do you get the sharp pain and that is when the dizziness happens?

The reason I ask...I to suffered from migraines from young youth and had been misdiagnosed for 30+ years. Not until I had one ER doctor run an MRI on me. He then showed me the test....my brain looked like a tadpole....I have Chiari Malformation. It is a birth defect that is there from birth but starts getting worse the older you get.

If you have not please have a MRI run, again your brain will show if you have this. Mine was so bad I was diagnosed on a Monday and was having surgery on that Thursday.

If you have any questions, please let me know....Also let me know what you find out
Mary

I had an MRI when I was young, I think 8-10yrs old and at that time I actually had a migraine. So it was a a clear diagnosis as they could actualy pin point the blood vessels which were effected. At this point in time there was no migraine medication and so I started an anti-seizure medication which did nothing. But then Imtrex became available and it helped reduced the symptoms, but never got rid of the migraine.

It has been years since I have seen a neurologist and its my primary that has been refilling my prescription. I can say right now, that this type of migraine in completely manageable compared to what I used to get. If the dizzy spells get to the point were I do loss conciousness, then I will definately be making an appt.

I am so sorry to hear about your suffering and I hope with this surgery you can find relieve. Best of luck!!

Since I had the surgery back in 2004 I may have had 10 migraines...since 2004...that is really good compared to daily!!
Good Luck and waiting until you pass out is not an option...you could passout while driving!
Mary

Shellz206

I also have a chiari malformation that was discovered after having an MRI.
I get severe migraines - impaired vision, vertigo, nausea, light sensitivity – the whole shabang. The can often last for days at a time.

I take a low dose of Zonegran daily has a preventative. My neurologist wanted to up my dosage, however when I did I had awful side effects. Irritability, depression, etc. You really need to be careful with the preventative medications, but the lower dose seems to help me. I still get migraines, but not nearly as frequent. If I can catch it quick enough, I take Zomig – one at the onset, and one an hour later. Sometimes they come on so quick though, it is impossible to get to my meds so I take OTC migraine meds to take off the edge.

Hope all these replies can help you some! Migraines suck!

mosness

My dr and I started exploring preventatives. propranolol did nothing. Feverfew did nothing. A very low dose (10 mg) amitriptyline (elavil) did the trick, only I gained weight.

I'm also on 10 mg of amitriptyline and am glad to know I'm not the only one with weight gain. I sometimes wonder if I could reach my goal weight easier without it, but I don't want to chance my migraines getting worse. I've also tried propranolol and Relpax and found that if I'm in the grips of a bad migraine Emerge is definitely the best drug for me.

monicalosesweight

I get them on occasion.

I did discover that now that I've gone completely gluten free the headaches have drastically reduced for me. I don't know if it would help you but it wouldn't hurt to try it. You could go gluten free for a month and see how you do. I suspect that the migraines were partially caused by my wheat allergies. I would definitely keep a food diary. Some people find that if you eat chocolate and peanut butter within 24 hours of each other - they trigger a migraine. I would stop one or the other and see if you have any.

I did find the best supplement for magnesium at Walmart. It was affordable and a pretty high dose. You need it to be high. Ironically, I found out that we have low levels of magnesium in our house water because of the water softener system here. I actually have to even add magnesium to my fish tanks! Seriously - or my fish and my plants wouldn't do well. Weird. They also sell a magnesium powder (sell it at whole foods). I know lots of people who swear it makes a difference IF you take it regularly.

Here's an interesting link: http://www.livestrong.com/article/484684-the-magnesium-dosage-for-headaches/

You'll see that the dose they mention goes all the way up to 600 mg. I take 500 mg a day in a tablet form (Walmart has it).

Either way, it's worth trying.