Migraine - feedback and ideas?

[Sweepinghand]

Ok so I've suffered in and off for years
No funny halos of lights dancing in my eyes
Just nausea and bad stomach etc

The dark is always my friend
As to is the drug migraleve

So why the thread today?
Well being woken at 6-30am with horrendous nausea feelings yet not throwing up, I also had bad pain down the back of my head and neck etc and went for a hot hot shower

I realised yet again this is a good move and by concentrating the shower head to the points of pain it really did help
Yes I took meds
Yes I slept
But it helped by over 50% I reckon

I used to use ice but apparently this is exactly what you shouldn't do? As ice constricts the blood flow?


Anyway - any mythical cures or helps we could share?
Oh and sweet tea helps too for me

[zelig]

Had them since I was 12-13.

Back then I found the trigger was chocolate - since avoiding that I've had far fewer.
Other things now trigger the same response with me - Aspartame, Acesulfame (the newer artificial sweeteners) - maybe try to avoid these.
Mostly found in diet drinks - but more lately in cheapo non-diet drinks
Apparently, it's cheaper than sugar for the same sweetening effect. It's also found in chewing gum (which is mostly sugar free).

Check the ingredients - it crops up in lots of unexpected places.

Once I get one - the only thing is the dark room, meds and about 24h to 'come back'
Then about 24h feeling totally washed out.

I hope you find the trigger for yours, once you know what to avoid it really makes a difference - well reduces the frequency - if not the severity.

best,

z

[Wallasey Runner]

I have suffered with them for years. The trigger isn't one single thing as such. Image each item is 20 points, cheese, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, stress etc and when your combination of items exceeds 100 points - then bang, it kicks in.

It is always useful to analyse what you have had and done in the last 24 hours for the use of future management.

When one kicks in I take two ibuprofen and two paracetamol at the same time and retreat to a dark room.

[stevec]

Used to get them a lot, infrequent now. I tend to get the halo/sparkles/split vision to start. If I don't take action I get the amature brain surgeon using a spade on my brain, nausea etc. I find the low sun in winter can trigger it. Consistent sleep patterns really really helped for me. Once I get the sparkles or vision effects then its pills, dark and quite. Cross fingers it was caught in time.

[Zolawinston]

I feel your pain. Catch it early, for me once the star bursts start. Keep hydrated, the dark as mentioned and Zomig Basel spray as per below:

http://zomig.com/Zomig-Nasal-Spray

My trigger is inconsistent light, like flashing or sudden changes and it's really difficult to avoid. Good luck and sometimes you just have to cope but never try and carry on, get in a dark room ASAP.

[Phil Lee]

Get a proper prescription for the condition. Migraleve is not effective compared with other drugs only available on prescription.

[paule23]

I've got Sumatriptan on prescription. The idea is migraine is caused by vaso-dilation (blood vessels too wide) and sumatriptan acts to narrow the vessels (this might be one of the reasons you were advised to use ice previously).

For me they do not prevent a migraine, but I think they help reduce the symptoms. I'm luck I only get them about 3 times a year, they last 8-12 hours and it's horrendous for that time period, although a little less horrendous with these tablets.

If anyone else has a magic cure I'm all ears!

[Bristolian]

I've suffered since my teens. Mine involve the flashing lights in the eyes - not nice.

I can control the headache with paracetamol with codeine. I do feel sorry for anyone who needs more than this.

Ive noticed mine are linked to irregular eating - say going most of a day being too busy to eat and then pigging out when I realise Im hungry. Stress generally doesn't help either.

Proper eating, lots of fruit & fibre etc seems to keep them at bay.

[Franky Four Fingers]

Stress is the trigger for me, as soon as the lights start its 2 paracetamols ASAP and a dark room. If I'm lucky it'll pass within half an hour if not the lights will stay with me for well over an hour and then finally left with sore eyes and a bad headache around the forehead.

[burnside]

Depending on the severity. A combination of 4Head, Paracetamol and ibuprofen. If really bad, 4Head and soluble co-codamol. See below.


http://www.boots.com/boots-pharmaceu...ets-co-codamol

[guinea]

I got them in my early teens. I had Sanomigran and painkillers.

Then they just disappeared and haven't come back. Touch wood.

Mine were more visually annoying than super painful. Pretty uncomfortable more than agonising.

[100thmonkey]

Could I suggest a Daith piercing

[odyseus10]

Like others stress is a trigger - which is why I tend to get them at the weekend into the early part of the week.

Low dose of anti-anxiety tablets work for me Citalopram 20mg - although this can make you tired.

If I get a stiff neck in the morning then I take a big dose of Anadin Extra!!!

Aspirin works the best according to my Doctor BUT you have to take your pain relief ASAP because when the migraine starts, your digestive system shuts down and any tablets wont get absorbed into the blood stream.

I find most lagers can be a trigger but red wine is fine??

BTW Do you suffer from "brain freeze" when eating cold stuff - migraine sufferers get this because it's the same mechanism ie the blood vessels in the brain suddenly dilating :(

[Phil Lee]

I have Naratriptan. I take it as soon as I get the aura. It doesn't cure the migraine but it does shorten it considerably. Before I took it a migraine lasted 8-10 hours, now I can function in 2-4 hours. I also take paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain.

[walkerwek1958]

I suffered with fairly mild but frequent migraine attacks for years. Retiring early at 52 fixed it for me, and it also fixed my elevated blood pressure. I guess both conditions were stress-related........ironically I was always considered to handle pressure and stress well at work!

Sufferers have my sympathy, it's a miserable affliction. Stress probably plays a major role for many people and it's not easy to manage.

Paul

[mindforge]

I think it's because you're perceived to be handling stress well that it comes out in other physiological ways. I get them probably a few times a year, and it's usually after a period of stress when it's finally relieved. Then I find sumitrapan and three aspirin reduce the symptoms down to manageable and I just feel hungover and drowsy the next day. But you need to take the drugs as soon as you feel the symptoms coming on.

Interesting about the brain freeze as I sometimes get an unpleasant feeling in the ears and head from drinking white wine that I wonder if it's related.

Recommend the book by Oliver Sacks on migraines.

[Artistmike]

Recommend the book by Oliver Sacks on migraines.

Me too, it's probably the Seminal piece of writing on the subject and is a must read for sufferers . ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Migraine-Ol...e+oliver+sacks

I would also advise anyone who suffers to get themselves referred to a Migraine Clinic by your doctor where you will get specialised help and drugs. Over the counter drugs are virtually worthless from my experience and a prescription from your doctor is needed for one of the triptans, or 5HT1 agonists, that are these days the most widely used anti-migraine drugs.

[Jimnic007]

I get very similar symptoms to your latest bout, have suffered for years with 3 or 4 per year. The pain is in the back of my head and top of neck and it is an intense thudding, and I can't find a comfortable position to relieve the pain.

I was recommended to take 3x300mg of soluble aspirin and to rest. I find if I hold my head right back and trap the pain it helps. The aspirin gets into your system faster if it is the soluble form.

[zelig]

Recommend the book by Oliver Sacks on migraines.

Just ordered - thanks !

z

[Sweepinghand]

I get very similar symptoms to your latest bout, have suffered for years with 3 or 4 per year. The pain is in the back of my head and top of neck and it is an intense thudding, and I can't find a comfortable position to relieve the pain.

I was recommended to take 3x300mg of soluble aspirin and to rest. I find if I hold my head right back and trap the pain it helps. The aspirin gets into your system faster if it is the soluble form.

I hear you
I'm allergic to aspirin and it's friends though

Pressure on the area helps but the reason I posted was to share the shower head and hit wTer thing as it really does ease it

[raringtogo]

I've suffered since about aged 7. Blinding flashes, feeling of swollen eyes being too big for the sockets, dizziness, nausea and slurring of my speech (as if drunk) .
Even at that tender age I was prescribed Sanomigran which it turns out is actually a heavy duty tranquilliser for epileptics!
I once spent 3 days on the floor in the bathroom with the blinds pulled and my head against the cold porcelain (which helped cool me down as I burn up)
If I get one nowadays I take 1200 - 1600g of ibuprofen and go to bed. Normally takes 12 hours and my brain has done a reset and I'm OK.

[odyseus10]

Another drug I take occasionally is Propananol, which is a Beta Blocker (reduces the amount of Adrenoline produced by the body) definitely reduces the throbbing headache!

[zelig]

Even at that tender age I was prescribed Sanomigran which it turns out is actually a heavy duty tranquilliser for epileptics!

I was given that at 11-12 years old - gave me the munchies / made me eat much more that usual.

z

[tempfort]

I started to have migraine attacks as a child, they were truly awful and would start with an uneasy feeling, then visual disturbance, nausea, confusion, altered speech, hell of a headache and washed out for a couple of days. Now I luckily have them infrequently, maybe once a month. Very rarely I will have between three and five back to back over a few days or a week. Sometimes I will only be aware of the swirling dinosaur tails, followed by a 'bruised' head the next day.
About two weeks ago I caught part of a TV programme that seemed quite informative. The gist of it was that we believe that certain foods have triggered the episode, chocolate, coffee etc. But these are not the triggers, and that we craved them as we were already suffering an attack with symptoms or early warnings that start upto a day before. The advice was to be tested for food and environmental allergies, and alter habits accordingly.
I have always hated low light through trees, venetian blinds etc, but again it was suggested that the migraine attack is already underway and we attribute it to these triggers.

This link covers some of what was in the programme. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/gu...fect-migraines
Nigel

[Jimnic007]

I hear you
I'm allergic to aspirin and it's friends though

Pressure on the area helps but the reason I posted was to share the shower head and hit wTer thing as it really does ease it

I will try it next time, thanks for the top tip.

[zelig]

This link covers some of what was in the programme. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/gu...fect-migraines
Nigel

Interesting theory, but doesn't fit with my experience... & my migraines were so debilitating I wouldn't risk eating chocolate again.
Not even once.

I am OK with alcohol though - so I count my blessings


z

[Wallasey Runner]

I got them a lot when I joined a running club years ago. Basically having lunch at 12 to 1 o'clock and then running from 6:30 to 7:30 and having a meal about 8:30 at night. I went to the doctors at the time and they diagnosed low blood sugar levels causing the problem. They advised me to eat something like a banana butty on two rounds of brown bread about 4:30 and that would top up my blood sugar levels before going running and wasn't heavy enough to be a digestive problem whilst running. It did the trick, peanut butter butties also worked.

Don't run anymore, but still get the occasional migraine for other reasons, but hopefully useful information to anyone who can link theirs to heavy sports activity.

[watchlovr]

Sumatriptin works for me.

[Essexman]

Like others I’ve suffered from my early teens. Classic migraine, disturbed vision, feeling sick, headache for hours, aversion to bright light, feeling washed out/apathetic the next next 24 to 48 hrs. Over the years (I’m near 50 now) the effects of the migraine have changed. Still end up taking pain killers and go to bed in a dark room.

I don’t get many, maybe a few a year now. My main trigger is stress gone, more like the sudden end of something stressful. When buying a house I was fine, until a week after it all went through, job done, migraine attack!

[Jimnic007]

I agree that stress is a trigger and the days after a highly stressful time is usually the point when you relax and then a migraine hits me.

I think lack of sleep is also a contributing factor to me, but as others have said, it is a culmination of events that tally up and then jump up and hit you!!

[Essexman]

I agree that stress is a trigger and the days after a highly stressful time is usually the point when you relax and then a migraine hits me.

I think lack of sleep is also a contributing factor to me, but as others have said, it is a culmination of events that tally up and then jump up and hit you!!

Yes lack of good sleep has been a factor at times too, spot on.

[odyseus10]

Yes lack of good sleep has been a factor at times too, spot on.

Also too much sleep can be a trigger??
Ironically, I've had a mild migraine over the last two days - the pain reduced by Anadin Extra. My head still feels a pit puffy, nose a bit blocked and my vision a bit blurred.
I don't feel too bad first thing but the headache tends to worsen as the day progresses..
I now have that washed out feeling but a least the craving for sweet things has now gone :) - I decided to take a days holiday to rest a bit :(

[patrick]

Reading through the thread I feel very lucky to only suffer the ocular (silent) variety of this horrible affliction.

[Essexman]

Also too much sleep can be a trigger??
Ironically, I've had a mild migraine over the last two days - the pain reduced by Anadin Extra. My head still feels a pit puffy, nose a bit blocked and my vision a bit blurred.
I don't feel too bad first thing but the headache tends to worsen as the day progresses..
I now have that washed out feeling but a least the craving for sweet things has now gone :) - I decided to take a days holiday to rest a bit :(

I don't think I've ever had too much sleep to find out if it's a trigger for me.

Hope things improve soon.

[waynertron]

My symptoms are like yours, terrible headache and nausea. I'm not convinced that mine are actually migraines, but much worse than a headache.

For me the triggers are dark chocolate - if I eat some, I usually wake up with a 'migraine' in the morning, and caffeine. I gave up caffeine a few years ago, which meant I now get a much better nights sleep, but if I have too much caffeine in the day (sometimes unavoidable), then I usually wake up the next day with a migraine.

Perversely the cure to both of these, after much head scratching and tablet trying (remember Syndol? they were the only thing that worked), is coffee. If I wake up in the morning with a 'migraine', it will be gone within an hour of having a cup of caffeienated coffee. Every time.

Yours may be unrelated, but maybe worth a thought.

[odyseus10]

Day 3 still with a stiff neck and a throbbing left side temple but manageable :)

Coffee is a strange one though. When I have a Migraine I go off coffee and switch to tea with sugar. I also try and pain relief with caffeine. Of course I know many people who get headaches if they miss their coffee fix and some who say coffee improves the headache (as mentioned in an earlier post)

[odyseus10]

I don't think I've ever had too much sleep to find out if it's a trigger for me.

Hope things improve soon.

Many thanks !! I hope so too :)