Anybody suffer from Migraines

I am a migraine suffer. Are you on preventative meds in addition to meds to take once sets in?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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:

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 :-(

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.htm