[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Migraines? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/2/2010 6:36:06 PM EDT
| Anyone have them and what do you do to help? |
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Over the counter excedrine migraine can help mild migraines. Excedrine has multiple formulations and even the same ones have different names (and costs) look for one with acetaminophen, caffeine and aspirin and buy the cheapest one). Ibuprofen or tylenol can also help for mild ones. If you are getting them frequently (>2 x month) or excedrin or the above doesn't help see a doc for prescription meds for the acute headache (like imitrex) and maybe some meds that can prevent the headache (some blood pressure meds, seizure meds and antidepressants can reduce the severity and frequency of headaches) ETA-if you take headache meds frequently along with other meds like pain meds and all of a sudden stop, it can cause a rebound headache which is different than a migraine. Also some things trigger migraines-stress, foods, allergens etc. You can try to identify and avoid those triggers. |
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NOTHING except time helps.
I get them about 1x/month. Visual disturbances, nasty headaches following that........... There is no over the counter medication that will even come close to knocking down the pain. I usually just wait them out then endure the 2-3 day headache afterwards. |
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Ofcourse the obvious.......stay in a dark room and avoid light....etc.
True migraines are caused by a blood vessel in the brain that is enlarged so you need to see a doc. Maxalt seems to knock my migraines out really quickly every time. I used to have to get the shots and sleep for like 12 hours or so to get rid of em, but Maxalt works great. I used to get em so bad that I'd get sick to my stomach, but as soon as I start getting the tell-tale signs, light flashes etc, I take a Maxalt and they hardly ever get to that stage. |
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Over the counter excedrine migraine can help mild migraines. Excedrine has multiple formulations and even the same ones have different names (and costs) look for one with acetaminophen, caffeine and aspirin and buy the cheapest one). Ibuprofen or tylenol can also help for mild ones. If you are getting them frequently (>2 x month) or excedrin or the above doesn't help see a doc for prescription meds for the acute headache (like imitrex) and maybe some meds that can prevent the headache (some blood pressure meds, seizure meds and antidepressants can reduce the severity and frequency of headaches) I had mild ones a long time ago and was prescribed Inderal, a beta-blocker, as daily therapy. The migraines subsided and now I use Excedrin on an infrequent basis. |
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Ofcourse the obvious.......stay in a dark room and avoid light....etc. True migraines are caused by a blood vessel in the brain that is constricted so you need to see a doc. Maxalt seems to knock my migraines out really quickly every time. I used to have to get the shots and sleep for like 12 hours or so to get rid of em, but Maxalt works great. I used to get em so bad that I'd get sick to my stomach, but as soon as I start getting the tell-tale signs, light flashes etc, I take a Maxalt and they hardly ever get to that stage. I use the same thing. The Maxalt that dissolves under your tounge is the only one that works for me. I have to chase those with 2 Vicoden as well. I get about 5-6 per month. I tried Imitrex also but the side effects were worse than the headache. When I was young, all mine could be traced back to food allergies. Friut Loops, Apple Jacks will both give me a migrane. Now that I am older, it seems that stress and light are the culprits now. When I get up in the morning if I go straight to the computer to check mail I can guarentee I will get one. If I go to the bathroom, get something to drink, look outside, and then get on the computer, I won't get one. Occasionally I can look toward the sun, or an aartificial light and start getting one. Mine start out with black dots in my vision field that over 10-20 minutes get big enough to pretty much blind me in one eye or the other. They "dance" in your vision. Headache comes about 20 minutes after the visual stuff is gone and will last 12-24 hours if I don't go to sleep. |
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Low-dose amitriptyline daily as a preventative. 100mg sumatriptan as needed.
Before I was on the amitriptyline, I would get serious migraines (i.e., completely debilitating, I'd be bedridden) about once a week. 10-20 minor ones per month. I was on a different preventative for a short while when I was younger, but the main downside to it was that when I did eventually get one, it would be far worse than any I had without the preventative. (I do not recall what medication that one was... it was a long time ago, back when 25mg Imitrex was still the norm.) I chose to go for more frequent but more manageable migraines instead, until several years later when a new doctor suggested trying amitriptyline instead. Been on it for many years now and it is still working well. ETA - I currently around 3-10 migraines per month; or rather, the beginnings of 3-10 migraines. Sumatriptan has been very effective for me, but only taken at the immediate onset (which is what you are supposed to do... if you're already in a full-blown migraine, you're more or less just fucked.) Also added clarification above. |
| I get them once in a while and my Oxy doesn't do squat. I need a combo of Tylenol, aspirin, mountain dew and gel packs from the freezer which I alternate from the back of my neck to all sides of my head while lying down. Eventually it will go away, but they do suck. |
| Yes, really bad. Take a highblood pressure med daily to help them from coming on then on the onset of one I take Maxalt, the stuff works in about 5-30 minutes. I get about 5 per week. Usually without meds I will throw up on the way to work, have to sit in a dark room with no noise for hours. Have been bed ridden for hours at a time too. |
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I get anywhere from 10 to 20 a month, especially when the weather changes. The only medication I found that helped me is Relpax 40mg. All you guys saying medication hasn't helped, if you haven't tried Relpax ask your doctor to prescribe it for you. You take it when you get a migraine and it works in about an hour. I had tried Immitrex before and it did nothing for me. Relpax has been a life saver. There have been some studies done that show 400 mg of B2 a day can help reduce the intensity and frequency of migraine attacks. The studies show anywhere from a 50% to 75% improvement. I've been trying it and it does seem to help. I just ordered a ton of B2 online and will see how it goes long term. |
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Ofcourse the obvious.......stay in a dark room and avoid light....etc. True migraines are caused by a blood vessel in the brain that is constricted so you need to see a doc. Maxalt seems to knock my migraines out really quickly every time. I used to have to get the shots and sleep for like 12 hours or so to get rid of em, but Maxalt works great. I used to get em so bad that I'd get sick to my stomach, but as soon as I start getting the tell-tale signs, light flashes etc, I take a Maxalt and they hardly ever get to that stage. I use the same thing. The Maxalt that dissolves under your tounge is the only one that works for me. I have to chase those with 2 Vicoden as well. I get about 5-6 per month. I tried Imitrex also but the side effects were worse than the headache. When I was young, all mine could be traced back to food allergies. Friut Loops, Apple Jacks will both give me a migrane. Now that I am older, it seems that stress and light are the culprits now. When I get up in the morning if I go straight to the computer to check mail I can guarentee I will get one. If I go to the bathroom, get something to drink, look outside, and then get on the computer, I won't get one. Occasionally I can look toward the sun, or an aartificial light and start getting one. Mine start out with black dots in my vision field that over 10-20 minutes get big enough to pretty much blind me in one eye or the other. They "dance" in your vision. Headache comes about 20 minutes after the visual stuff is gone and will last 12-24 hours if I don't go to sleep. Yeah....light does trigger mine as well sometimes. When I was a teenager I had a doc tell me that an enlarged blood vessel in the brain was usually the cause of most migraines and I have always attributed most of mine to that fact I guess. I can also remember being told to avoid high caffeine itmes like soda and coffee too. The maxalt that dissolves under the tongue is what I usually get prescribed too....it seems to work faster since its absorbed quicker. |
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Quoted: Topamax. Has it actually helped you? It did nothing for me except slow down my thinking and coordination. I'm a computer programmer and the dose right before I stopped taking it had my brain so screwed up that I would right a line of code and when I went back to look at it all I had written was complete giberish. Missing words, words spelled so badly it looked like my fingers were on the wrong keys, I would have to sit and think of the next word and how to type it. Not to mention the intense tingling in my arms and legs that would go on for hours due to it. Topamax is some nasty stuff and is nicked named "dopamax" and "stupamax" because it messes the brain up. |
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Had them for years, finally gave up and asked doc for help. Doc gave me Zomig. (Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg) Saved my freaking life.  I've actually used the Zomig before also....it works but for me the Maxalt was much faster and more effective. You may wanna give it a try....well if the zomig is working though, forget that idea...lol. 
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Duradrin( i think thats what it was called) was the best thing i took for them, my remedy was take duradrin, take 800mg ibuprofen, a can of dp, and lay down in dark quiet room, an hour later i would be in workable condition. still a slight headache and such but i could think and move atleast. a hot shower instantly relieves the pain from my head, temporarily of course, but usually long enough to get to sleep quick.
But the best thing is to find your triggers and avoid them at all cost. took me the better part of a year to figure out what mine were. The preservative TBHQ( BHT is very similar, used in a shit ton of food products) PGPR(used in most hershey products) and EDTA(5 hour energy drinks) All those will give me a migraine if consumed in a decent quantity. after i realized my triggers and checked labels for this shit i stopped having migraines. had 1 in the last year and it was because i forgot to read the label on something new i was eating. before i was getting 1-2 a week. eta- TBHQ IS THE DEVIL |
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Topamax. Has it actually helped you? It did nothing for me except slow down my thinking and coordination. I'm a computer programmer and the dose right before I stopped taking it had my brain so screwed up that I would right a line of code and when I went back to look at it all I had written was complete giberish. Missing words, words spelled so badly it looked like my fingers were on the wrong keys, I would have to sit and think of the next word and how to type it. Not to mention the intense tingling in my arms and legs that would go on for hours due to it. Topamax is some nasty stuff and is nicked named "dopamax" and "stupamax" because it messes the brain up. My wife takes it actually. Supposedly it was originally designed to fight seizures in its higher dose form. She takes a very small dose (25mg?) and it hasn't affected her job. It actually has cut down on her migraines significantly. I have heard of the bad side effects you mentioned, and so I guess she's lucky. |
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100mg imitrex and 800mg ibuprofurin.
I get them 1 - 2 times per month now. Used to be once every 3 - 4 months, so thats not good. But we think that it is a reaction to all the allergy meds that I have been on in the past 2 years.  They are caused by weather changes for me, but the allergy meds made me more sensitive to the changes triggering headaches.
Sometimes it takes 2, even 3 imitrex to knock them down, and about 4 to 6 hours of sleep. Shit sucks. I have to sometimes take the day off of work to deal with it. I just aborted a migrane about 4 hours ago actually. I was getting the spots and flashes all day, then the pressure kicked in. 100mg imitrex, and 45 mins later I was feeling great. 
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been seeing a headache specialist last month, been prescribed generic neurotin aka gabapentin and 250-400mg of magnesium for prevention - useless so far and my neuro is an arrogant slut. only thing working is a triptan like imitrex etc. getting an MRI and MRI/A iirc next week  |
| One other thing you may wanna try also........keep your freezer stocked with freeze pops or Fla-vor-Ice popsicles. When you first start feeling one coming on...eat 4 or 5 popsicles really fast. I'm not really sure why it helps me, unless its the entire "brain freeze" issue with the numbing of the nerves at the base of the neck and brain stem, but it seems to help a bit. When I notice the first signs of a migraine.......the first thing I do is pop a Maxalt....sometimes I'll take an Excedrin migraine tablet as well if I have em.......but then I grab a handful of Fla-vor-Ice freeze pops and head to my bedroom with the lights out and the door shut to keep out the noise. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Topamax. Has it actually helped you? It did nothing for me except slow down my thinking and coordination. I'm a computer programmer and the dose right before I stopped taking it had my brain so screwed up that I would right a line of code and when I went back to look at it all I had written was complete giberish. Missing words, words spelled so badly it looked like my fingers were on the wrong keys, I would have to sit and think of the next word and how to type it. Not to mention the intense tingling in my arms and legs that would go on for hours due to it. Topamax is some nasty stuff and is nicked named "dopamax" and "stupamax" because it messes the brain up. topamax didn't work for me either, but give me weird side effect. |
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I get a bad one two or three times a day or two. I just lock myself in a dark, silent room with an ice pack and threaten anyone that comes near me with death. A frigid cola helps a lot.
Do you still have your wisdom in? They can actually cause some pretty bad migraines. |
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Problem is, everyone is different. Different triggers, different repsonses to treatment, if any, and so on. I've been getting them like a motherfucker lately and have been trying everything. Topamx at 25 mg worked for about a month, then they came back. Now I'm starting 50 mg and no change yet. I also have to take high BP meds, so I'm on a Ca+ channel blocker and lisinopril. Knowing all I know about this stuff and not being able to control it at all is a nightmare!
The trouble with triptans, at least for me, they cost too fucking much! Assholes only want to give you 9 pills a month with a co-pay of 65 dollars or more. I get more than 9 headaches in a month and don't want to take triptans to begin with. Besides, usually they stop working after repeated dosing, so if I take the cheaper Imitrex in generic (sumatriptan), I can go maybe 2 months before they don't really work anymore. I've been losing my mind with these things lately.... |
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Quoted: Problem is, everyone is different. Different triggers, different repsonses to treatment, if any, and so on. I've been getting them like a motherfucker lately and have been trying everything. Topamx at 25 mg worked for about a month, then they came back. Now I'm starting 50 mg and no change yet. I also have to take high BP meds, so I'm on a Ca+ channel blocker and lisinopril. Knowing all I know about this stuff and not being able to control it at all is a nightmare! The trouble with triptans, at least for me, they cost too fucking much! Assholes only want to give you 9 pills a month with a co-pay of 65 dollars or more. I get more than 9 headaches in a month and don't want to take triptans to begin with. Besides, usually they stop working after repeated dosing, so if I take the cheaper Imitrex in generic (sumatriptan), I can go maybe 2 months before they don't really work anymore. I've been losing my mind with these things lately.... the thing is get your doc to write 100 mg imitrex x 9 tabs/pak and cut them in half - then you have 18 if 50 mg works for you. |
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I have had Cluster headaches since I was 18, 39 now. Do you have traditional migraines, or a variant like mine? Treatments can overlap, or one may work for one of us that would not work for the other, but there are lots of alternative treatments out there now, and some work!
Imitrex and Midrin (duradrin, etc) both stop my headaches in their tracks, but I hate the way they leave me feeling afterwards, and they do nothing to prevent the next headache, which for me when I'm in my cycle, is only about 4 hours away. I don't know of a forum for regular migraine suffers, but you might pick up some useful info at the forum for us Clusterheads - www.clusterheadaches.com |
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been seeing a headache specialist last month, been prescribed generic neurotin aka gabapentin and 250-400mg of magnesium for prevention - useless so far and my neuro is an arrogant slut. Most of them are. No offense to any neurologists here; I know we have at least one. I remember when my mom went to a H/A specialist here in Scottsdale who told her a daily H/A was impossible. Funny because criteria for chronic daily headache, or CDH, has been defined and is published in texbooks and journals all over. This asshole was totally dismissive and did nothing for her. She has had better treatment from PCPs. |
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NOTHING except time helps. I get them about 1x/month. Visual disturbances, nasty headaches following that........... There is no over the counter medication that will even come close to knocking down the pain. I usually just wait them out then endure the 2-3 day headache afterwards. I used to think the same way, just wait it out. When I had blinding pain in my eyes I would have to wait 2 - 3 days for the migraine to go away. I recently found out that I have food allergies. No more beer and pizza.  Now I take a antihistamine strip and a couple excedrine when I feel it coming on. It goes away that day.
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Problem is, everyone is different. Different triggers, different repsonses to treatment, if any, and so on. I've been getting them like a motherfucker lately and have been trying everything. Topamx at 25 mg worked for about a month, then they came back. Now I'm starting 50 mg and no change yet. I also have to take high BP meds, so I'm on a Ca+ channel blocker and lisinopril. Knowing all I know about this stuff and not being able to control it at all is a nightmare! The trouble with triptans, at least for me, they cost too fucking much! Assholes only want to give you 9 pills a month with a co-pay of 65 dollars or more. I get more than 9 headaches in a month and don't want to take triptans to begin with. Besides, usually they stop working after repeated dosing, so if I take the cheaper Imitrex in generic (sumatriptan), I can go maybe 2 months before they don't really work anymore. I've been losing my mind with these things lately.... the thing is get your doc to write 100 mg imitrex x 9 tabs/pak and cut them in half - then you have 18 if 50 mg works for you. Yeah, I've done that. After a while I build a tolerance really fast and need the 100 mg. This seems to hold true for almost every med I take. Sucks. I'm hoping we can find a good preventative if this Topamax won't work. I'm willing to try Depakote, despite not being as safe as other drugs at this point. Neurontin actually made my H/As worse. Antidepressants didn't seem to do anything, although I'm beginning to question that. The Ca+ blocker isn't doing it.
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Check for triggers; foods, weather, perfumes, lighting. I get them less frequently since a figured out raw onions was a trigger for me. Rapid barometric changes also affects my sinuses which can trigger a migraine for me.
As has been posted Excedrine otc works for me, if it is really bad I might take one Tylenol PM even if it's the middle of the day. Dark, cool room, cool compresses or ice bag. I have tried most of the prescription meds but always ended up vomiting them back up. Sometimes barfing is just inevitable for me, but I always feel a little better afterwards. I just hate to barf. Go see a doc. Try an ENT; they can steer you towards some helpful directions. |
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Migraines started with a fury when I hit puberty. Started out once a month, then once a week, and soon it was multiple times a week. Classic symptoms: fuzzy vision spot or blind spot, splitting headache and vomitting.
I soon developed a tolerance for all the over the counter medications and nothing helped at all except a cold, dark, quiet room to suffer through the hell. I was lucky, though. We found that I had food allergy to processed cheese. By avoiding it I went from multiple migraines a week to maybe one a month. Then, when I was 19, they suddenly stopped. Didn't have one for about 6 years. Then they came back but only about once a year. The problem is that they're worse than ever when they do hit. They go from vision to headache and vomiting in less than 20 minutes, and I can't keep anything down long enough to help. So now I have to go to my family doctor or an ER and get a shot of morphine. So anyone who gets migraines has my sincere empathy. |
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I have near-constant headaches from muscle pulls in my neck and upper back.
I doubt that my headaches are as severe as these migraines you all talk about, but they have made life a suckfest...no sleep, no concentration, etc. Anyway, my neurologist set me up with nortryptalin (sp?) and it seems to take the edge off of the headaches a bit, and I get better sleep. ...now, say hello to dry mouth, grogginess for a couple hours in the morning, head sweats and constipation.
FML |
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Just consider yourself lucky... I'm one of the very few that suffers from cluster headaches....they make migraines look like a walk in the park. Sent you an IM. CH here too and at least one onther arfcommer I know here, that makes 4 
I just finished my first cycle in 3 years. It wasn't too bad cept for the 3 year expired imitrex that really made me feel funny. I discovered this time around that RedBull really does help abort for me. That saved my last imitrex shots for a real emergency. OP, not sure if migranes can be helped by using oxygen and a mask but it does help for keeping some cluster headaches at bay., just googled and it does. it was on NPR recently too so there is an oxygen buzz right now. Also drinking lots of water helps us and maybe you too. That and prayer. 
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i get them every few months. medications don't work that well. lay in bed, in a cool pitch-black room. no sounds, or lights anywhere. cool damp rag on forehead. lots of water. Same as me......... infrequent but when they come, they come with a vengeance. This is good advice in my experience. |
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I have had two migraines in my life. The second one was so bad I was seriously considering grabbing my USP and blowing my fucking brains out. Not kidding. It was so disorienting and painful that I didn't know what to do. I didn't shoot myself, but it was an option, and I ended up punching a glass picture, slicing my hand up, and weeping in the shower until the pain went away several hours later. It was pretty bad. |