Off Topic- Migraines

shai74 wrote: »

myheartsabattleground wrote: »

This has NOTHING to do with migraine sufferers.

I've been suffering from Migraines since I was a child, because my mom get's them. It helps me.

jancie84 wrote: »

Anyone suffer from chronic migraines? I've had them for the past 10 years or so and they have gotten worse over the last 3 years. I see a neurologist and take a few different daily meds...

Anything work for you?

Acupuncture?
Chiropractor?
Vitamins?

TIA!

My heart goes out to all migraine sufferers. I had my first one January of this year and it lasted 4 days with threatening tinges continuing for 2 weeks after. I couldn't sleep it off or eat and any light or movement just killed. I don't know what the trigger was. Since then I have cut caffeine and made sure to keep hydrated. Thank goodness I have not gotten one since. It is my understanding that any food or type of stress can set them off. It differs from person to person. I hope that you find something that helps alleviate your pain.

bwcetc wrote: »

My 17 year old son is a chronic migraine sufferer. I have daily headaches but I function. Son is hypersensitive to many triggers, he's having debilitating migraines 3-4 days a week. Aura, peripheral vision loss, nausea and pain behind eyes and top of head. Rescue drugs like Imitrex (both oral and injectable), Maxalt, and Cambria have not been effective. Prednisone sometimes helps. Infusion of Toradol, phenegren, and depacon have been most successful in relieving intense pain, but does not eliminate pain. Usually takes 48 after infusion for improvement.

He's currently on a cocktail of topomax, Claritin, Celexa, folic acid, magnesium, gabapentin, and tomorrow will be starting Depakote. Every 3 months he's getting Botox injections. (We thought we had it nailed after the first Botox ... 5 weeks completely headache free! Then it fell apart 3 weeks before school started. So, yes, looking for techniques to reduce stress/anxiety.)

We have been on Buchholz's elimination diet ... there's some merit to it ... especially the things like msg, nitrates, etc. Today we had a gluten sensitivity panel conducted ... because I need to know if its true before we take another food group from him. But it looks like we're getting closer to being Paleo.

Thanks to the OP and those posting ... this was very timely for me today.. Will look into vitamin d and some of the other suggestions.

OP ... hope you are feeling better soon.

Best of luck to you both. Sounds very tough.

I get them periodically, usually stress related and often from just plain doing too many things at once, worst one was after my Dad died, I spent 4 days with my Mum straight after and was fine, but the moment I got home the migraine hit with full force - was told by the doctor that it was because I'd been strong for my mum but as soon as I got home and relaxed the stress hit me full on.

Now, I get them periodically, always carry paracetamol with me in soluble form in my handbag, soon as I see the aura then I take them and I usually chase it away, leave it any longer and I end up in bed for a few hours until the sick dizzy feeling goes and I can move around without feeling like the floor is sloped at an impossible angle and I'm about to fall over.

I've had migraines since i was 14, something that is signature in my family. Doctors said mine are triggered by changes in light intestity and straining myeyes or something like that. As a result i have been wearing glasses for a couple of years now and they go darker as light increases. However, although it reduced my incidents to about 2 a week, i decided to ditch the glasses a few months ago because its not really working for me. A friend of mine with the same problem suggested acupuncture, i havent really tried it... but thanks for posting,now i can get answers too

Oh and get this, I downloaded the Headache Diary App and kept records religiously for over a year. So after alot of nagging from my husband I go to my Dr's and I show him. One of the connections I've found is when my back hurts the next day I often get a migraine. You know what he said? "Your backbone is connected to your neckbone, your neckbone is connected to your headbone". Can you believe that? Well, needless to say I gave up the logging. I know what foods, stress, weather etc triggers them. If I see anymore neurological symptoms I will go back and ask to see a neurologist.
BTW, I am really intrigued about the natural remedies others have mentioned and I'm intending on trying them out.
One day I had what is called a thunderclap headache, put all of my migraines to shame. Felt like someone stabbed behind my ear and I didn't know if I'd pass out or throw up. After 30 minutes I was able to stand, face was numb on one half. So here's stupid me driving myself to the Dr's office, closed, then to clinic, then by ambulance to ER. Apparently in these are about 1 in 250,000 patients in an ER. They often precursors of strokes. So I had an MRI, a spinal tap, a contrast medium MRI (had some blood in spinal tap). They were suprised how well I took the tap to which I told them I have a high pain tolerance. Anyways, thank God all was good. After 12 hrs in the ER I was sent home to rest for two days. If it ever happens again straight to ER.
Why am I telling you this? Be aware if your migraine changes. Take it seriously. Seek medical attention ASAP.

I've suffered from migraines for most of my life -- I remember getting them all the way back in 4th grade. Unfortunately, I've never been able to nail down exactly what triggers mine, only what causes them to spiral out of control when I'm on the verge of getting one or already have one (which, once it gets to that point, I'm pretty much up *kitten* creek without a paddle).

To make matters even worse, I also suffer from cluster headaches (I've had these for about 10 years or so). For the migraines, I have taken everything from beta blockers and SSRIs to Imitrex-like medications. For the cluster headaches, I've worked my way through the OTC shelves and was even prescribed a morphine derivative at one point.

Sadly, nothing really works for me, especially when it comes to the cluster headaches. If I get an early enough hint that a migraine is on its way, then I can usually pop a handful of Excedrin for Migraine pills and it will at least take the edge off (nothing ever actually stops them); however, if I get a cluster headache, fuhgeddaboutit! That's a "point of no return" deal right there.

Ataraxia81 wrote: »

I had migranes for years and was never able to see a doctor because I didn't have health insurance. As soon as I got hired on at my new job, I started seeing a doctor on a regular basis. He decided to have me tested for Sleep Apnea. Ever since I was diagnosed and began CPAP therapy, the migranes have disappeared. If I sleep without my CPAP, i get really bad headaches and feel "off" all day.

Thank you for posting. We were just talking about the sleep connection. My son is up 4-5 times a night.

Since my last post, son has discontinued everything but the Botox, Depakote and Celexa, magnesium and folic acid. Was removed from school around Christmas and home tutored. Migraines reduced drastically. Back to second semester and doing well until this week. Full throttle migraine with no response ...

Has anyone considered a radiological treatment that goes through the sinus and drips medication on inflamed nerves? Called an SPG Block?

http://www.windsongradiology.com/migraine-headache-relief/