[silverlining23]

I have been getting migraines for over 10 years...there was never really a pattern and I don't know my triggers. But, this past month I have been getting them a couple times a week and that is much more than usual. I don't know what to do and I have no health insurance now so I cant go to the Dr.

Anyone have any tips on what I can do to try and avoid them or what I can do if I get one to help it go away faster?

Thank you all so much

[Piraeus]

Hello silverlining23. My mom has had migraine headaches since she was 16. She uses ice to make it go away. You can use a zip lock bag and fill it with ice. Then wrap the ice pack in a towel, and wrap it around your head. They also sell gel packs just for that purpose. I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Piraeus

[silverlining23]

Originally Posted by Piraeus

Hello silverlining23. My mom has had migraine headaches since she was 16. She uses ice to make it go away. You can use a zip lock bag and fill it with ice. Then wrap the ice pack in a towel, and wrap it around your head. They also sell gel packs just for that purpose. I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Piraeus

Thank you, I will try that. I appreciate it!

[kirby777]

Originally Posted by silverlining23

I have been getting migraines for over 10 years...there was never really a pattern and I don't know my triggers. But, this past month I have been getting them a couple times a week and that is much more than usual. I don't know what to do and I have no health insurance now so I cant go to the Dr.

Anyone have any tips on what I can do to try and avoid them or what I can do if I get one to help it go away faster?

Thank you all so much

DO you have any medication? I get terrible migraines and do not know my triggers either. The best med for me is a Butalbital/caffeine/tylenol mixture...even better when they prescribe it w/ codeine.

Can you go to your local hospital and apply for their charity care? maybee you could see a doc then?

[Shandar]

My combination is Advil and Benadryl. I take 3-4 Advil and 2 benedryl. I darken the room and put an ice pack over my eyes and forehead. I try to sleep. That usually works for me.

[silverlining23]

Originally Posted by kirby777

DO you have any medication? I get terrible migraines and do not know my triggers either. The best med for me is a Butalbital/caffeine/tylenol mixture...even better when they prescribe it w/ codeine.

Can you go to your local hospital and apply for their charity care? maybee you could see a doc then?

I used to take Imitrex and that worked fairly well. Now, I just take a generic migraine relief medicine that you can buy anywhere. It doesn't work as well. I always start out with the light aura's....I feel like I can barely see...that's the worst. I will see if there is somewhere I can go that I might be able to get cheap prescriptions or free samples or something. Thanks!!

[silverlining23]

Originally Posted by Shandar

My combination is Advil and Benadryl. I take 3-4 Advil and 2 benedryl. I darken the room and put an ice pack over my eyes and forehead. I try to sleep. That usually works for me.

I will give that a try, thank you very much!! How long do you usually have to sleep for? I am only asking because I often get them in the middle of my day. I wish I knew what triggered mine and I would stay away from it. Honestly, I think mine are affected by certain light more than anything.

[Nobodyandnothing]

I have used excedrin migraine, combined woth dark room snd I alternate ice packs on the affected side of my head with a heating pad. I know the heating pad sounds weird but the combination sometimes works for me but usually I need to sleep for a few hours before it really is gone.

I am also fortunate to have insurance and for really bad migraines I take Maxalt MLX.

I hope you find something that helps you soon.

[silverlining23]

Originally Posted by Nobodyandnothing

I have used excedrin migraine, combined woth dark room snd I alternate ice packs on the affected side of my head with a heating pad. I know the heating pad sounds weird but the combination sometimes works for me but usually I need to sleep for a few hours before it really is gone.

I am also fortunate to have insurance and for really bad migraines I take Maxalt MLX.

I hope you find something that helps you soon.

Thank you! I think I actually was given a sample of Maxalt a few years back by my Dr. It's nice to have something that works very effectively right away.

[hamster-bamster]

I use a cheap, old medication called Elavil, 40 mg at night, to prevent migraines. It is not a perfect solution, but it does help some, and, it does not cause the awful side effects that other migraine prevention drugs - Depakote and Topamax - caused in me (I could not tolerate either). this drug is not causing any side effects.

I also do not have insurance. I get a three month supply of Elavil from Target. I do not remember off the top of my head for how much, but I know that it is cheap.

A GP can prescribe it - you do not need to see a neurologist for it.

I have been having migraines since age 3.

Apparently, extremes of temperatures both help - ice has been mentioned on the thread, but I use the opposite solution my mother taught me when I was little - I take a very hot shower, making the water hit the back of my head (the nape). I would stand in a hot showed for 15-20 minutes to get temporary relief.

Imitrex and other triptans work well enough to stop an attack if you notice the precursors of an attack and use triptans right away. Once you are already inside a full-blown migraine, Triptans tend to be useless. Also, they are expensive.

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

I actually take naproxin and two extra strength tylenol

[hamster-bamster]

I want to warn everybody who uses OTC medicines: they can cause "rebound headaches". And, did to me for sure. Triptans do not do that. When I lost my insurance, I tried buying OTC medicines, and my headaches increased in frequency. I now get prescription Triptans from abroad - it is less expensive than in the US without insurance but more expensive than the OTC medications in the US. But worth the expense to me, because they work so much better.