Migraines

AmyM

AmyM

New member
Any of you that have migraines, what do you do for them? Any changes in diet, lifestyle, etc.. that you can recommend? After dd was born I was having them like twice a week for two years and it about drove me nuts. I think the docs had a good time using me as a guinea pig trying all sorts of different meds to stop them. Nothing worked that didn't have unbearable side effects. Eventually they just sorta tapered off to one a month and for years they've been under control. Now they're coming back to about once a week and it's getting frustrating. I have a high tolerance for pain meds so the usual stuff doesn't work and I'm really squeamish over narcotics. I hate taking them unless I absolutely can't stand it anymore. I don't drink red wine, eat a lot of cheese, stuff like that.....I can't think of the other usual triggers right now.
Any suggestions?
 
My SIL use to get them all the time. No meds could help her, but she stopped eating after losing a bet. Lo and behold - her migraines stopped. She hasn't had a single one after she gave up meat. She was only supposed to do it for a week, but she's permanently a vegetarian because of it.
 
Are you expecting? Or changed birth control?

My mom never had migraines until after I was born. Then she had my sister and they went away. Then she had my brother and they came back. Then she went on BC and they went away. Now she's on BC but menopausal, and they're back. For her (and most likely myself) it's all about the hormones.

I never had migraines until the spring of my senior year in college. I don't have a clue what triggered it then, but since then I got them semi-often, but the frequency increased until I got them 3/4/5 times a week and finally had to give in and go to the Dr. I now see a neurologist for them. I'm on a preventative for them, called Amitriptyline - 25mg every day. I take it before bed because drowsiness is a side effect. Now that it's built up into my system, I'm generally migraine free. I get 1 every 6 weeks or so, but there are also triggers. If I cry, like a really hard cry, I get an almost instant migraine. Even if I don't cry, but I'm super emotional, migraine. If I'm out on the beach for more than 4 hours or so, migraine.

I should add that before I went to the Dr, I tracked my foods, my activities, cut things out, replaced things, etc. Nothing worked. So the dr was my last resort. My MRI showed nothing either.

Mine could still be hormonal, even though I've been on the same BC for 7 years. My own internal hormones have probably shifted (and did probably shift 3 years ago when I first started getting them). For now, the ami works, so I'm sticking with it. My only concern is for the future when we start trying to conceive. You can not under any circumstances be on ami if you're pregant, or ttc. So I'm worried that when I go off it, the migraines will come back big time. But that's just something I'll have to deal wtih I suppose.
 
The only times I've gotten migraines (thankfully) was when I cut out all the junk food - I went through major caffeine withdrawals and they sucked bad! So, I don't have any helpful advice for you, I can say that I feel sorry for you having to deal with them regularly...I was happy when mine stopped after 2 weeks (though it was a constant migraine, it never really went away for 2 whole weeks).
 
My friend has deep tissue massages for her migraines and she says it really helps (her insurance even covers part of the cost!). For me, it's totally hormonal. Get one every month at that time of the month.
 
I used to have them BAD...2-3x weekly. Some of mine was stress some wsa hormonal. I took amitriptyline for awhile until Topamax came out. I've been on it now over 5 years. I've taken it while pregnant too, as going off brought them back and my OB said it was safe to take. She did lower my dose until my babies were born. I do have the occasional one still and take Imitrex for onset of them.
 
I get them, for me, there is no rhyme or reason to them, which makes them frustrating. I get the whole aura, numbness, slurred speech, confusion, dizziness. Each time I get one, I write it in my "migraine" journal, and there is NOTHING in common any time.

Usually I take some meds with codeine, it doesn't stop it, but it makes me go to sleep for awhile so I can forget it. It's the only thing that I can do. I do get the aura about 15 mim to 1/2 hour before, so I get a "warning" and can take the meds and go lie down.
 
I get them! I actually woke up w/one this morning! Do you have any neck or back problems? When my back is out, I get a migraine almost every morning. When my back is in alignment, I don't get them at all. My back is out now so I'm getting them! It's nice to know that reason behind mine now. I had MRIs and all these different brain scans and stuff to make sure it wasn't a tumor. I love that I can just go to the chiropractor & he takes care of the back/neck pain & the migraines! As far as meds, my DR put me on a prescription strength, but I couldn't take it. It always made me sick to my stomach. But, Excedrin Migraine works amazingly for me! If I feel one coming on, I take 2 of them & I don't get the headache. Or If I already have a migraine I take 2 of them and it's gone usually within an hour! Anyway. Hope you get it figured out! Migraines are the worst!!!
 
Well, I'm caffeine-phobic (haven't had it since highschool) so I'm always one to cheerlead the removal of caffeine from your diet. And I know that can be a cause of migraines, but I'm sure you've thought of that already.
I've also heard of artifical sweeteners (aspertame, sacharin, etc) being the cause of migraines because they are chemicals that mess with our bodies. If you drink diet sodas, crystal light, etc that has equal, sweet n low, etc in it, I would definately try to get those out of your diet. Other than that, I can't think of anything else obvious. I hope you start feeling better soon!!
 
I did the Amitriptyline for a short period of time too but couldn't stand how it made me feel in the am when I got up (drugged and very groggy) after years of getting them a few times a month lasting 5 days I went to a neuro and they put me on Topomax. I was on it for about 3 years and just went off it recently because my neuro said I should not stay on it too long. When I was on it I only got migraines when it was that TOM and took Relpax for those few I did get and it worked awesome. I am starting to get them more frequent so I'm headed back on the topomax.

Good luck, migraines stink!
 
I used to get them like once a month or so - the root cause of most of mine was my birth control medication. I switched to a lower hormone level BC pill. I still get them, but only once or twice a year, which is bearable. The problem is when I get them, there's nothing to help me - I can't take anything with caffeine or aspirin/ibuprofen in it, so there goes nearly every medicine to treat it out there. I can only take Tylenol, which takes a little of the edge off, but for the most part I just go home, strip down to a t-shirt and climb into bed with the lights out and the covers over and wait the storm out.
My husband though used to get them more often (at least once a month if not a couple times a week). He started taking Topamax to prevent them and Imitrex to treat them. He rarely gets them now thanks to the Topamax, but Topamax does encourage weight gain.
 
Black coffee can actually help the migraine for some people, because it's straight caffeine. Most of the "migraine meds", like Excedrin Migraine - which is my only relief when I get one that's unbearable, are a combination of caffeine and acetaminophen. The caffeine opens the blood vessles in the brain, which are often the cause. Which is why caffeine withdrawal gives people migraines.

My mom takes Imitrex when she feels one coming on. I actually wish I had an sort of "aura" or warning Jamie. I usually wake up with them, or they come on suddenly and make me want to cry, it's a nice stabbing sort of pain behind my left eye. Anywhere else is just a bad headache and will go away wtih tylenol or whatever. But that left eye is definite migraine city.
 
It usually isn't caffeine that causes migraines, it is when your body is used to having it and then it doesn't get the caffeine for some reason. That is way Excedrin with caffeine or coffee helps some people - it gives their bodies that caffeine that it wants.

I get migraines and have for years. I stay away from caffeine and if I cheat and have some it is inevitable I will get a headache when my body comes down off the caffeine.
 
I did the amytryptilene (mocked that spelling LOL) and for some reason stopped that, side effect I guess. I did the topamax and I had a bad reaction to it. I started having blurred vision and numbness in my arms and hands, ever since then have had off and on muscle weakness and weird muscle stuff- the topamax was not nice to me. Let's see.... MRI, nerve conduction therapy (that was a PITA and not fun :thumbdown: ) dealt with a mean old neurologist......uh.....about everything everybody here has mentioned. I don't do birth control pills, they made the migraines worse and then hubby and I just decided against it- personal reason stuff too.
I don't think I'm pregnant but I haven't been on birth control in 6 years LMAO so who knows. I really don't think so though. Been a busy month and haven't been "busy" much lately. AHA! That is the cause! Need babysitter and Scott. ASAP :p

Jamie I used to get the aura and all that but haven't in a while. Last night my arm and hand was all tingly and numb so that was a sign.

Thanks girls, I appreciate your suggestions. Like Meg, the caffeine helps mine too. Mom left me some midrin until I get mine refilled and I just took some of that and it's helping. But vicodin and other hard core stuff does absolutely nothing for my migraines. MIght as well drink water. I'm all bassackwards and weird anyways.
 
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Yuck! I'm sorry Amy! Maybe just go lie down with a cold compress on your head and try to relax in a dark quiet room? That's what my mom always suggested, lol.
 
WOW, I lost weight on Topomax and was told my my neuro that weight loss was a side effect not weight gain.

As for the numbness, I got the tingles in my fingertips, tops of my toes and the end of my nose for about a month or so when I first went on the Topomax but it eventually went away.

I tried Imitrex, Fioroset (sp), Fiorinol (sp again!), and one other med I can't remember right now and they didn't do a thing for me, maybe ask your doc for a sample of Relpax as it really works but it does make you a bit groggy/tired.
 
Relpax worked like imitrex for me..but was more $$ on my insurance so I switched back. I've taken Maxalt-MLT too. They have all worked about the same for me.
 
Wow we should start a support group! My mom has had them forever - wound up in the hospital at one point, then finally went off birth control several years ago and that helped some, but she still gets them. And since I'm her carbon copy, of course I started getting them a few years ago. She keeps a food journal, based on the book that truly helped her and she sends to anyone who asks - Managing Your Migraine by Susan Burks. A lot of the triggers can be food, big time. We also track the barometric pressure, because it seems if there's a major change in weather (and thus the pressure) we both wind up with migraines. Anybody else notice that?

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned alcohol - I stay away from wine entirely now, after not liking red to begin with (and it's a major trigger, according to the book, because of the sulfites), and then noticing white always gave me one too. I take Maxalt when I really need it, but it makes me feel a bit disconnected so I only take it when it's really bad. Otherwise I try to take the edge off with Advil Migraine gelcaps. And of course with any hormone surge, I can expect one.

I've also been taking plain ol' magnesium based on the book's recommendation, and I've actually noticed a decrease in the frequency. I was looking back at this month, and I haven't had to take a sick day - a first for 2008! :D
 
I don't get migraines but I get headaches pretty much every day. I haven't tried taking caffeine out of my diet yet so it could be that. I think it might be a catch 22 type of thing...I get the headaches because I take the meds constantly, but I'm taking the meds because I get the headaches! I have one right now and it's so annoying...
 
I started getting migraines regularly after my daughter was born...same time that I developed allergies to nearly everything. With some experimenting, we finally figured out that my migraines are triggered by my allergies which lead to serious sinus headaches and then migraines. So, I now try to prevent the allergy and if I'm not successful (certain seasons are just really bad like now), then I have to take something for the sinus headached immediately, or it's just a matter of an hour or so before I'm totally non-functioning, puking my guts out.

I've tried tons of different meds (prescription and non), but the thing that works 95% of the time for my headache is a little coctail of Excedrine Migraine, Sudafed (the original one with the psuedoephedrine), and Benadryl. The new Sudafed doesn't work worth crap and neither do other allergy meds.

I don't consume caffeine in any other part of my diet (other than what's in chocolate), so I think the caffeine in the Excedrine really helps to make the other meds work quickly and efficiently. Other people that have a lot of caffeine in their diets might not find it as effective.
 
I have noticed the barometric pressure thing! Whenever a big front comes through and it starts raining I get a migraine! So weird and we joke about it all the time - that I am as good as the weatherman at predicting weather changes! LOL
 
I get huge sinus issues when the weather changes, they make popping and snapping noises, that *sometimes* trigger the migraine, but not always. This is what ticks me off about mine, it seems like everything can trigger them, but who knows what and when. I will go 3 years without one, then get 5 in a month. It's nuts and I hate that!

Heather, that would be so hard here, we get so much rain, I'd be in headache hell LOL
 
Man I had no idea so many of you dealt with these monsters too. I'm thankful for all the suggestions, but really sorry to see so many of us here talking about it. Looks like if we can put a man on the moon somebody could cure migraines. And a lot of other stuff too. Oh well. Mine is finally completely gone. I'm just kinda icky feeling- you know, y'all have them. It comes with the territory. Hope nobody is plagued by them this weekend. We've got some shopping to do here Fri night (or Sat morning) LOL!
 
Heather Roselli said:
I have noticed the barometric pressure thing! Whenever a big front comes through and it starts raining I get a migraine! So weird and we joke about it all the time - that I am as good as the weatherman at predicting weather changes! LOL
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That is so weird - I get them too when the weather changes - I get real migraines - since I was 14 - I have taken everything - the BEST that worked for me for years was imatrex - but my dr switched me to Zomig - not so good .... I have heard tale that there is a pill that you can take that is a preventative - I am making an appt to go on something else -
My triggers are:
Red Wine - especially cheap table wine (sux because I love me some sangria!!!)
too much Chocolate
My "time of the month"
Corona - I think its something in it - (***Hmmm maybe I drink too much)
My MIL - I swear - I think its her perfume -
Cheese
 
newfiemountiewife said:
I get them, for me, there is no rhyme or reason to them, which makes them frustrating. I get the whole aura, numbness, slurred speech, confusion, dizziness. Each time I get one, I write it in my "migraine" journal, and there is NOTHING in common any time.

Usually I take some meds with codeine, it doesn't stop it, but it makes me go to sleep for awhile so I can forget it. It's the only thing that I can do. I do get the aura about 15 mim to 1/2 hour before, so I get a "warning" and can take the meds and go lie down.
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Same thing with me. The only cure is to sleep. I wake up and it's gone.
 
I get migraines all the time. The only thing that works for me is cool rags on my eyes and darkness. No medicine has helped me at all.
 
BrodoNY0123 said:
I'm gonna look into that book Trude, thanks for posting about it. :)
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You're welcome! :)

I've always had serious allergies, but really there seems to be no relation in terms of when I get migraines and when my allergies flare up (besides the usual stuffiness - I take Flonase daily and other stuff as needed). Glad to hear I'm not alone when it comes to barometric pressure! :)
 
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