Chronic Migraine Sufferers...How do you cope?

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?

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....

Botox to paralyze the nerves.

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

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.

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!

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.