If anyone suffers from these can you please tell me how you get over them. I think I have been prescribed everything in the book and so far they have been ineffective. I have used Tonopan, Cataflam, Imitrex, the works. I even used Excedrin Migraine to no avail.I also modified my diet as citrus fruits and chocolate triggers it. Can you tell me what worked for you. I am DESPERATE!!! I can't work out and I am miserable as hell!!
Migraine Headaches
- Thread starter waterlily
- Start date
I get them, too but not nearly as often as I used to. I only eat fresh now and it's helped tremendously.
No processed foods like frozen dinners, or anything. If there are more than 2 or 3 items in the ingredients, I put it back on the shelf. I also stopped drinking alcohol. I don't know if that's made a difference or not. It was just a personal choice.
And if I do get a headache, Exedrin works the best. Of course, I still have to ride it out but mine usually don't last more than a day. I think the ingredients in Excedrin and Excedrin migraine are exactly the same. Clever marketing, huh?
Good luck. I feel your pain.
Christine
No processed foods like frozen dinners, or anything. If there are more than 2 or 3 items in the ingredients, I put it back on the shelf. I also stopped drinking alcohol. I don't know if that's made a difference or not. It was just a personal choice.
And if I do get a headache, Exedrin works the best. Of course, I still have to ride it out but mine usually don't last more than a day. I think the ingredients in Excedrin and Excedrin migraine are exactly the same. Clever marketing, huh?
Good luck. I feel your pain.
Christine
eminenz2
Cathlete
Hello! Fellow migraineur here, and at the risk of being an alarmist,there was a teacher at our school who got severe migraines just about everyday and finally wound up having brain surgery. It turned out that the blood flow to her brain was being impaired due to an abnormality in some blood vessels that controlled blood flow to her head/brain. They corrected the problem and she has been better since. I don't know if she's migraine-free but she is not crippled daily by her headaches anymore.
Get thee to a neurologist and get some head scans! Good luck!!!!
My recipe for dealing with MY migraines:
As soon as the aura hits, I take two Maxalt under the tongue (blech) followed by a packet of Emergen'c dissolved in water, followed by three Excedrin Migaine (which actually is the same as Maximum Strength Excedrin). Then I rest for about an hour (or as long as I can, if I'm not at school). If I took the meds in time, the migraine goes away with minimum damage. If I'm too late, then, well, I'm too late and the headache comes on full force.
But with the aura at least I get a warning that the train is pulling out of the station, so to speak.
Get thee to a neurologist and get some head scans! Good luck!!!!
My recipe for dealing with MY migraines:
As soon as the aura hits, I take two Maxalt under the tongue (blech) followed by a packet of Emergen'c dissolved in water, followed by three Excedrin Migaine (which actually is the same as Maximum Strength Excedrin). Then I rest for about an hour (or as long as I can, if I'm not at school). If I took the meds in time, the migraine goes away with minimum damage. If I'm too late, then, well, I'm too late and the headache comes on full force.
But with the aura at least I get a warning that the train is pulling out of the station, so to speak.
Does anyone ever get migraines in their eyes, too? I get what starts out as these funky kaleidoscopes of color out of the corner of my eye. Then then they spread in a circular motion getting bigger and bigger.
The first time it happened, I thought I was going blind! Then I found out it was a migraine in your eye. No clue what triggers those.
Christine
The first time it happened, I thought I was going blind! Then I found out it was a migraine in your eye. No clue what triggers those.
Christine
Long time sufferer here. I take Zomig and it works, but you're not supposed to take it often. I get migraines from monthly hormomes and weather changes trigger them also...not food. I just read in one of my fitness magazines that the herb Feverfew taken with magnesium is supposed to curb them. I just started buying Feverfew and taking it a couple of weeks ago. I take magnesium, as it's included in my multivitamin and calcium (bone formula) that I take from GNC. I hope it works. They've only been in my system a week or so.
eminenz2
Cathlete
>Does anyone ever get migraines in their eyes, too? I get what
>starts out as these funky kaleidoscopes of color out of the
>corner of my eye. Then then they spread in a circular motion
>getting bigger and bigger.
>
>The first time it happened, I thought I was going blind! Then
>I found out it was a migraine in your eye. No clue what
>triggers those.
>
>Christine
I would call that "aura". Did the visual disturbances precede the headache or accompany it?
My aura starts as numbness in my right hand that travels up my arm, across my face, in my mouth and down my other arm and partial blindness in my vision - tunnel vision, and/or one quadrant of my vision being gone and then another and then another.
When I started getting migraines, I use to only get the aura and then one day the whole circus came to town.
>starts out as these funky kaleidoscopes of color out of the
>corner of my eye. Then then they spread in a circular motion
>getting bigger and bigger.
>
>The first time it happened, I thought I was going blind! Then
>I found out it was a migraine in your eye. No clue what
>triggers those.
>
>Christine
I would call that "aura". Did the visual disturbances precede the headache or accompany it?
My aura starts as numbness in my right hand that travels up my arm, across my face, in my mouth and down my other arm and partial blindness in my vision - tunnel vision, and/or one quadrant of my vision being gone and then another and then another.
When I started getting migraines, I use to only get the aura and then one day the whole circus came to town.
marianimal2000
Member
Waterlily
I get migraines that last for minimum 72 hours straight without relief UNLESS I take my Imitrex shots right when I feel one coming on. DId you take the Imitrex pills or the shots? The pills didn;t really do much for me but the shots work like a miracle drug.
I get migraines that last for minimum 72 hours straight without relief UNLESS I take my Imitrex shots right when I feel one coming on. DId you take the Imitrex pills or the shots? The pills didn;t really do much for me but the shots work like a miracle drug.
bceogirl
Cathlete
Waterlily,
It looks like you have a lot of company! I too, am a migraine sufferer. I've gotten them since birth. The doctors think it was due to a medical emergency my mom experienced while pregnant with me. My migraines don't seem tied in to my diet, (which is pretty clean and no alcohol), and come every 4 to 6 weeks regardless of what I do.
My migraines are severe and I've tried all the drugs I've seen mentioned here, with the exception of the one (can't remember the name now) someone said they took after 2 maxalt. I've done shots, pills, homeopathic, etc... I've had scans and EEG's, but have never found anything to stop it, or lessen the pain. Currently I take the nasel spray Stadol, but only at night and it only occasionally helps me sleep. And it is STRONG! To date it is the only thing that ever allows me to sleep.....otherwise I am up & in pain the entire 72 hours that it lasts. During the day when I have a headache, I just lay in the dark , moving around, lights, or anything makes it worse.
I'm lucky in that mine come fairly infrequently, but they flatten me when they do come, so I'd love it if anyone has suggestions too.
Has anyone tried Botox or the epilepsy drug Topamax?? I went to my dr. and asked about Topamax and she wrote me a prescription, but then I found out it's not on my insurance providers approved list, and I can't afford it.
Anyway, Sorry that I haven't been of any help to you, but you definetly are NOT alone!!!
I hope you can get some help.
It looks like you have a lot of company! I too, am a migraine sufferer. I've gotten them since birth. The doctors think it was due to a medical emergency my mom experienced while pregnant with me. My migraines don't seem tied in to my diet, (which is pretty clean and no alcohol), and come every 4 to 6 weeks regardless of what I do.
My migraines are severe and I've tried all the drugs I've seen mentioned here, with the exception of the one (can't remember the name now) someone said they took after 2 maxalt. I've done shots, pills, homeopathic, etc... I've had scans and EEG's, but have never found anything to stop it, or lessen the pain. Currently I take the nasel spray Stadol, but only at night and it only occasionally helps me sleep. And it is STRONG! To date it is the only thing that ever allows me to sleep.....otherwise I am up & in pain the entire 72 hours that it lasts. During the day when I have a headache, I just lay in the dark , moving around, lights, or anything makes it worse.
I'm lucky in that mine come fairly infrequently, but they flatten me when they do come, so I'd love it if anyone has suggestions too.
Has anyone tried Botox or the epilepsy drug Topamax?? I went to my dr. and asked about Topamax and she wrote me a prescription, but then I found out it's not on my insurance providers approved list, and I can't afford it.
Anyway, Sorry that I haven't been of any help to you, but you definetly are NOT alone!!!
I hope you can get some help.
I used to get a migraine with aura when I was on the pill. Sometimes the aura was double vision; most of the time it was flashing triangles of light--kind of like a kaleidoscope--moving across my field of vision slowly. I've only had one migraine with an aura since I stopped the pill, but I've gotten other headahces that feel suspiciously like a migraine, usually triggered by stress.
You might try checking out this web site--I think that if you register you can get a referral to a headache specialist in your area. Also, look up "headache" on Google--there are a couple of other sites out there that might be helpful.
http://www.headaches.org/
You might try checking out this web site--I think that if you register you can get a referral to a headache specialist in your area. Also, look up "headache" on Google--there are a couple of other sites out there that might be helpful.
http://www.headaches.org/
I see alot of caring women have shared their medications and suggestions for relieving your terrible migraines. I have been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 15 years and I suffer from 2 types of migraines: with Aura and Menstrual Migraines(no aura). I also sell a migraine medication. A note of caution...you really need to see a neurologist that specializes in the treatment of Migraines! It is wonderful to see so many people on this forum want to help with their own regimens. However, every person is unique and react to medications differently. Have you had an MRI with contrast to rule out any other etiology? Has your "migraine" been diagnosed by a neurologist? Education is the key to empowerment and hopefully the relief of your migraines.
If you have been correctly diagnosed (see above)with migraine headaches then perhaps you need to find another neurologist. I know that for some sufferers, the use of Botox has been a great relief(not my medication) but it depends if your migraines last >72hours and at least 6 or more per month.
The best of luck in your pursuit of pain-free relief.
Karen
If you have been correctly diagnosed (see above)with migraine headaches then perhaps you need to find another neurologist. I know that for some sufferers, the use of Botox has been a great relief(not my medication) but it depends if your migraines last >72hours and at least 6 or more per month.
The best of luck in your pursuit of pain-free relief.
Karen
eminenz2
Cathlete
littlek -
Your advice is dead on. In my post (can I brag on myself for a sec? ) I also recommended getting oneself to a neurologist. It's really the only thing that can pinpoint what is happening, why it is happening, and what medications are best for a particular person's migraines.
I know a couple of teachers at my school have had to experiment with their "cocktails", as did I, to find the magic recipe that helped them deal with their headaches. If there's anything to be observed from this thread it is that migraines and their remedies are as individual as the person.
So I second, third, and fourth finding a qualified neurologist for any migraineur.
Your advice is dead on. In my post (can I brag on myself for a sec?
) I also recommended getting oneself to a neurologist. It's really the only thing that can pinpoint what is happening, why it is happening, and what medications are best for a particular person's migraines.I know a couple of teachers at my school have had to experiment with their "cocktails", as did I, to find the magic recipe that helped them deal with their headaches. If there's anything to be observed from this thread it is that migraines and their remedies are as individual as the person.
So I second, third, and fourth finding a qualified neurologist for any migraineur.