Migraines?

Does anyone else suffer from migraines? I hate them!!!!! They make me sick. Anyone have any good things to try for them?

Hi...mel I have them and they are awful. I just went to the hospital last wed because I took imitrex and had a bad reaction (although rare in my case) I've heard people do very well on it.

I'm on topomax, which is preventative care and has helped me immensly.

This site was extremely informative and you might find some help here www.headaches.org

There is a specific diet that the montiefore hospital in the bronx gives out for free. There are foods that specifically trigger migraines that I was unaware of.

Larry King did an interview with them back I believe on April 26 and if you go to his site you can see the whole transcripts.

I hope you are feeling better and that this was of some help.

Good luck
*hugs*
Eva

Mel, I get them rarely (thank goodness). I don't have Rx meds for them, so I have to try and nip them in the bud as best I can.

I take 800 mg of ibuprofen and put an ice pack on the back of my neck (or whatever frozen veggies are in the fridge) ASAP. Another thing I've tried is alternating hot and cold application on my neck. Messy, but it works best - stick your head under the bathtub faucet and alternate the hottest water you can stand with the coldest water. Tiger Balm rubbted on my neck and temples helps too.

I try laying down in a dark room, but for some reason staying still seems to accentuate the pain for me.

Lately they have been worse than normal! I have some pain meds for them but they dont seem to work... I guess it is time to go back to the dr for a check up . Thanks for the tips I will try them. My migraines are right above my right eye at least that is where they start. I can feel the pressure and I know what is happening before I see the lights and the ringing in my ears.

I get bad migranes that last for days. I can't afford the prescription drugs so I take Exedrin Migrane and just lay in my bed with the covers pulled over my head and my toes peeking out with the fan blowing on me. I know kind of counter productive to have the blanket over me and the fan on but it seems to work for me.

Janniebug

Mine also got worse than usual, I finally got back to doctor, now doing well on Propranolol daily and Amerge as needed. This regime shifted my routine of nearly daily migraines back to 2-3 a month, much better.

Do I ever! And I live on the edge of break through pain ...so anything can trip off a migraine. I have 8 - 10 of them a month. Some are due to the bone spurs in my neck, some from the myelopathy, some from the wrong or not enough food... some from the physical therapy... some are opthalmalgic ... some are from fluorescent lighting or bright sunlight... you name it!

I used to that Imitrex and that was a God send. Now I take Zomig disintegrating tablets (no water required) and they work faster. The nasal spray works the fastest, and I save that for when a migraine wakes me at night, since it is then well on it's way. (They are easier to handle if you catch them quickly.)

Ginger is great for migraines also... in ANY form. I had my pain meds stolen years ago on a flight to Boston. Someone there said their mother used ginger. All I could put my hands on was regular ground ginger used as a spice. I dumped a few teaspoonsful into hot water and drank half of it... no it didn't fully dissolve but it took care of the migraine.

feel better.

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Mel,

I probably have the worst case migraines. Until I finally found the right med, I was having migraines or was it a migraine 24/7 at a level 10 pain for years. It never went away.

In bed, dark, no sound, no smells, nausea, whole head hurt, no life except to go to the ER for a Demoral shot that would give me releif for 8 hrs, but then it would be right back. The Dr's tried every med for the migraines, but the imitrex med & class of meds really messed with my heart, others had no effect. The blood pressure meds had no effect, nor did any of the other migraine meds, except to cause horrible side effects. They began to think that it wasn't a migraine since the meds didn't work. They then did a neck fusion since I did have a problem when I was thrown off a horse about 30 yrs before. There really was a problem that needed fixed, but that didn't work either.

That was when they decided that narcotics were the only thing that would help & started me on the Duragesic patch with Fentynal. The level they gave me wasn't sufficient, & went through several yrs trying to find what would work, along with more Demerol shots. Just about 2 yrs ago, the pain specialist I was going to gave up & told me to find someone else (story of my life) because he wouldn't provide the meds that would work. I found a new pain specialist that had another MRI done. He found leisons/white spots in the brain which he said indicated serious migrains. He ended up giving me 200ug of the Duragesic Fentynal pacthes & I haven't had a migraine since....just about 2 years.

This solution isn't one I would have liked since I don't like being on that level of narcotics (even more than my mother was on with cancer when she died). Luckily, I haven't had to change the dose & he defined the rules that are used for narcotics: TOLERANCE is when you have to up the dose because it no longer works at the level you are on, ADDICTION is when you up the dose because you want the feel that the drug gives you. I'm glad that neither has occured. I do have some problems when I get hot because I weigh about 20 lbs light of what is required for the med, the skin absorbs too much of the med so I have to be careful during the summer. The pain specialist is continuing with the treatment since I have no bad reaction & I now have my quality of life back & no more Demoral shots.

If all else fails, try going to a pain specialist that works with migraines...they usually have the answers...one of the latest treatments is Botox injections into the neck about every 6 months.

Hoping you can find the solution that works for you,
Debbie

I do once in a while. Thankfully most are mild to moderate--but not all. Don't you have a prescription to take when they occur? I was given Maxalt samples once, but I wasn't real impressed with it. I used to be given a steroid prescription and Vicodin or Tylenol #3's, can't remember which. Probably the T3's until I became allergic, then the Vicodins. Caffeine can be good or bad. A few prescriptions have caffeine in, like Fioricet. I was given that for my last migraines episode by the ER doctor. I wasn't impressed with that one either, but it did help a tad more when I doubled the dose. It's best to avoid certain foods during a migraine crisis, like alcohol, cheese, and other trigger foods. And don't smoke if you do. I'm sorry that I can't be more help. Just try and get lots of rest. It will do good if you can.

I used to take Inderal, but it made my heart race and made me feel strange. I take Duradrin for the pain, I have tried Maxalt, but It mad em feel like I was floating and I hated that. I stay away from alcohol, I don't like the taste. I dont't smoke. And Caffiene seems to be a cause. I have them at least 2 to 3 times a month.
The ones that are really bad are the ones I get when my horomones are at their highest. Tried birth control to no avail.

Thanks for all of your help I appreciate any help I can get