Any migraine sufferers out there?
I thought I had my (severe, daily) migraines beaten. I (and my doctor) felt that they were probably caused by exposure to toxic chemicals (art supplies)...and after giving up printmaking, and then enjoying almost 6 months with minimal headaches ( only once or twice a month) I figure that was my solution....well...apparently not . Its now looking like the inks may just be a trigger (the smell) not the cause. I haven't touched ink in months, and over the past two weeks Ive started having daily migraines again, in increasing severity. Yesterday, I had to turn the tear-down of my art-fair booth over to my husband, while a friend drove me home, because my headache was so bad that I couldnt stand, or move without danger of throwing up! 
I havent seen a neurologist yet, as the waiting list in this town to get in is 6 months long 
Im worried that Im going to be back to a non-functional state again, if this keeps getting worse. Anybody have any ideas of how I can figure this out, or function around it? It doesnt appear to be food related, hormone induced or anything bacterial/viral. |
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| I am too - but I think you know this.
Mine are triggered by some of the same, but also some things you haven't mentioned. Primarily homonal - that's my biggy. Got my period, spent my whole b-day yesterday refusing to be beaten by it. But - other things are: going too long without eating, change in sleep patterns (less sleep or more sleep), stress (even good stress - like going on a trip), fluorescent lighting, lack of caffeine (if you are used to a certain amount), wine, processed meats (ham, salami, etc), and I am now suspecting avacadoes (and I LOVE guacamole!! )
Maybe more, but those came right to mind. I hope you get things figured out.  |
got sheep wrote: I am too - but I think you know this.
Mine are triggered by some of the same, but also some things you haven't mentioned. Primarily homonal - that's my biggy. Got my period, spent my whole b-day yesterday refusing to be beaten by it. But - other things are: going too long without eating, change in sleep patterns (less sleep or more sleep), stress (even good stress - like going on a trip), fluorescent lighting, lack of caffeine (if you are used to a certain amount), wine, processed meats (ham, salami, etc), and I am now suspecting avacadoes (and I LOVE guacamole!! )Yeah, the sleep (too much, too little) thing definitely makes a difference! Ive found I do best on about 6 hours a night. If florescent lights are a trigger, Ive really got problems!!! Compact florescents are all that we use, both in the house and the studio, to save on electric! Maybe thats why it seems kinda seasonal????  |
| the lights have ALWAYS done it to me.
I would come home from school with migraines from the lights - all the way from elementary through HS. Add a bus ride home - I was praying to get home before I puked my guts out! Better in college, but maybe because the class schedule wasn't so long every day? Going to all day meetings for work and committees have always done it too - the lights, eating odd times, stress - guaranteed triggers.... |
| My life revolves around my headaches. I've spent the last year in and out of the neurologist for my migraines. I was getting them every few days for days at a time and I'm totally non-functional while they occur and mostly blind. I have some neurological issues that play a part but one of the things that the doctor suggested was dropping all hormonal birth control to see if that helped. It did. Immensely. I went from having headaches every 3 days to about 14-16 (still crappy but sooo much better). My body is still adjusting to the IUD that I got and, in a sick twist of irony, can also cause migraines for the first few months. I'm going on month two so we'll see if it continues to improve. |
| I get hormonal migraines which haven't been too bad the last few months (knock wood).
I remember hearing something about the mineral Chromium, you may want to do a quick search and see if maybe adding this supplement might help? |
ButtersStotch wrote: My life revolves around my headaches.
I've spent the last year in and out of the neurologist for my migraines. I was getting them every few days for days at a time and I'm totally non-functional while they occur and mostly blind. I have some neurological issues that play a part but one of the things that the doctor suggested was dropping all hormonal birth control to see if that helped. It did. Immensely. I went from having headaches every 3 days to about 14-16 (still crappy but sooo much better). My body is still adjusting to the IUD that I got and, in a sick twist of irony, can also cause migraines for the first few months. I'm going on month two so we'll see if it continues to improve.Yeah...my DR. said no birth-control pills for me either, although that didnt really make a lot of difference ...a little, not much. She also had me try an estrogen cream (cant recall the name) again...maybe a bit better, but not a lot.
How do you deal (in terms of making a living, taking care of your dogs, not just curling up and giving up on life  ) when you are having frequent, bad headaches?
Anything that makes me move my head off of a specific angle (that sounds odd, I realize...but folks who have migraines will understand!  ) is very hard, and that unfortunately includes grooming my dogs. Summer was ok, because I just had Scott shave them down, but now its a real problem. |
| My job is very understanding of the situation and I just take work home to make my deadlines. I lose a lot of evening and weekend time some weeks. It sucks but it's the only way.
Dogs are not always as easy. Ask me why I'm not showing Owen in Canada right now. I had a couple of bad weeks and really missed out on some grooming with him (as he's changing coat) so I had to clip him. It was a bummer but, in a way, a huge relief. I can just kind of relax for a few months and, hopefully, enjoy some non-headache time. He'll be ready again in the spring so no big deal.
Sometimes it's hard to not want to curl up and just give up. I try not to complain about it much but sometimes I'm in so much pain, getting behind on life and so frustrated, I get really upset. It's hard not to be depressed. I feel like it's a major hinderance in my life on top of making me miserable. Even on heavy pain medication, it doesn't take away all the pain but it can sometimes help me sleep them off. I've given up on migraine medication. It doesn't work for me. Don't be surprised if your neurologist puts you on anti-depressants. Apparently, it's a pretty common preventative treatment for migraines these days. Like I said, that coupled with dropping the hormones has made a considerable difference. I just feel better all around. |
| Yikes, Jill A lot of that sounds so much like how I feel. Ive been trying so hard not to give in to depression, but its tough.
On the bright side, I really dont mind the idea of going on anti-depressants...Ive taken them before, years ago (for panic attacks) and did fine with a low dose of prozac. Ugh...maybe if Id just kept taking the dumb things this wouldnt have come up (???) .
I actually think my dogs like the migraine days...Im a completely helpless and non-moving lump for them to snuggle up with on the couch  Plus Im sure they fully approve of less brushing...even if it means spending an Alaskan winter with NO hair! |
| When I lived in MI I used to get alot of migraines....many times on the way home from work had to pull to the side of the road and.....
Mine seemed to get worse when I was in a house/building with closed windows. When I was in bed because of a migraine, I would open my bedroom window no matter how cold it was...it did seem to help, In the Spring/Summer/Fall I used to leave my windows open as often as I could and most of the time left the bedroom windows open at night. That did seem to help somewhat. Mmy hubby worked in a shop and would come home with that oil smell on him and he got migraines constantly. Since we moved to FL when we where running our construction business he rarely had migraines. Now he is back in a shop, working a desk job, but has started to have migraines again, not often, but they are back. Laurel, I hope you find a solution to your migraines soon. |
| As far as meds - I have found one that works a lot of the time. It's called Relpax. Worth a try maybe. None of the others I tried work for me - and most made me very lightheaded and more nauseous.
I got another one last night - after having one all day Sunday. It was nagging for a few hours - then I sneezed twice. I barely got into bed before I was ready to vomit and have my head explode.
Working - it does affect mine a bit. It was worse when I was working the 12 hour nights - the whole sleep pattern issue. I had more than the allowed "1st days of illness", but thankfully I had a nurse manager who was understanding and didn't let it affect my evaluations. Also, me working 12 hour shifts means less days I have to work - and that improves the odds I will get one on my day off and not need to call in sick to work! And the Relpax has allowed me to make it through most days when I get one in the afternoon, thank goodness. |
I haven't tried Relpax yet... although the 3 other migraine meds I have been on dont seem to help much. They all are supposed to work best if you take them just as (or before) a migraine hits, and I dont get any kind of warning signs . Mine mostly come on during the night, and I wake up already too far gone for migraine meds to do any good. Right now, all Im taking is a painkiller (Fioreset...im sure that spelling is wrong  )
Thank you, everyone! Im sorry so many of you are dealing with this too. It sucks . Violet: you are so right about the fresh air. Sadly, open windows at night are not an option in November here!  It makes the idea of living in a warmer clime much more attractive to me than usual! |
| The Relpax even works on the ones I wake up with - most of the time. Enough that if I get awakened by the pain in the early am, I can be functional in a few hours. That is amazing to me, as I never was able to do that before. I have a bit of side effect - mostly a lightheaded or drowsy feeling, but it is manageable. After the migraine pain, almost anything is good in comparison!
Fioricet does nothing for me at all - I might as well be using a placebo! But it works wonderful for my mom's migraines. Imitrex makes me feel worse than the migraine....if that's even possible. I've tried a few others too - names are escaping me....but they were duds for me. Yes, fresh air helps me too. Maybe you need to take up carting and mushing too, like me! It gets me out in the air, even in the cold weather.  |
ravenmoonart wrote: I haven't tried Relpax yet... although the 3 other migraine meds I have been on dont seem to help much. They all are supposed to work best if you take them just as (or before) a migraine hits, and I dont get any kind of warning signs
. Mine mostly come on during the night, and I wake up already too far gone for migraine meds to do any good. Right now, all Im taking is a painkiller (Fioreset...im sure that spelling is wrong )Me too. 90% of mine I wake up with and I have the same issue as you. I miss the window of meds. Nice way to start the day, huh? |
| Laurel, I don't post here often, but I saw your post and wanted to reply. I suffer from migraines as well. My neurologist put me on Topamax which is an anticonvulsant. It helped temendously. I also take Inderal and Norvasc which are blood pressure meds. Those help as well, but they are more to prevent a migraine - they don't treat it once I actually have one. The Topamax did make my fingers tingle but that side effect was worth the relief. I have a hard time pin pointing triggers for my headaches, but I do know that not enough sleep or going too long without eating will bring one on for sure. Migraines run in my family, I have an older sister who gets them as well. I guess just more information for you when you do get a chance to see your doctor. Good luck, and I hope you start to feel better.
Terri Stone |
| One other thing I forgot to mention...I always leave a fan on in my bedroom when I'm sleeping no matter how cold it is. It seems having the air moving does help some. |
TerriS wrote: My neurologist put me on Topamax which is an anticonvulsant. It helped temendously. I also take Inderal and Norvasc which are blood pressure meds.
This is very interesting, because, for me, 2 of my additional migraine symptoms (along with the headache, nausea etc) are muscle spasms and elevated blood pressure. Im coming down off of a 4 day long headache today, which means the muscle twitches and spasms are at their worst...like charly-horses. Ill happily take twitching like a spaz, over the headache, anyday though! |
| The three medications that I take are to try and prevent a migraine from occurring. So far they have helped a lot. I was getting very frequent headaches that lasted for days and would wake me up during the night. While I was not a fan of taking so much medication, I also needed to be able to function.
I am sorry you are dealing with this. I hope you feel better and are able to enjoy some of the holiday. |
| My friend has bad migranes as well. She takes the imitrex when they are really bad. She was also on a beta-blocker for sometime which worked however it won't let your heart rate get very high so it interfered with her and trying to jog. It might be an option for you.
Hers also seem to be dependant on the weather. Any big fronts or pressure changes will bring on a headache. When she knows that it is coming she will take one or her tablets before the front moves into the area |
| I'm sure you've tried this but I just wanna mention that the research says that AAC is a very effective treatment for migraine in some cases.
AAC stands for Aspirin Acetominophen (Tylenol) Caffeine Total dose: One 500 mg Aspirin One 500 mg Tylenol 130 mg Caffeine (about a good cup of coffee) take as soon as possible after first sign of migraine. Of course check with your doctor.... |
Ron wrote: I'm sure you've tried this but I just wanna mention that the research says that AAC is a very effective treatment for migraine in some cases.
AAC stands for Aspirin Acetominophen (Tylenol) Caffeine Total dose: One 500 mg Aspirin One 500 mg Tylenol 130 mg Caffeine (about a good cup of coffee) take as soon as possible after first sign of migraine. Of course check with your doctor.... That is my 1st course of med. It is Exedrin Migraine. (I use the generic as it's way cheaper) If I have one starting, I always take 2 right away. I have them in the bathroom, in my purse, in my workbag......
If I wake up with a mild one, I try them then too, as it keeps me more functional. (no comments!) If it's already exploding (like this morning) I go right to the Relpax. But I agree with Ron - if you can take it (no medical contraindications), it is a good one to try. |
Ron wrote: I'm sure you've tried this but I just wanna mention that the research says that AAC is a very effective treatment for migraine in some cases.
AAC stands for Aspirin Acetominophen (Tylenol) Caffeine Total dose: One 500 mg Aspirin One 500 mg Tylenol 130 mg Caffeine (about a good cup of coffee) take as soon as possible after first sign of migraine. Of course check with your doctor.... This is pretty much the formula of Excedrin Migraine pills.  And yeah...they are wonderful as an inexpensive over the counter med! I take them when I feel pretty sure a headache is on the way, or a mild one is going on that I dont want to waste an uber-expensive prescription pill on.
Coffee helps me more that ANY med does, so its a good thing I love the stuff!!! 
Here's my procedure for a bad (usually woke up with it) migraine: Scott makes a pot of STRONG coffee, and brings my (unbreakable) mug full of it up to me...I climb into a very hot shower (coffee in hand!) with a towel wrapped around my head, and sit on the tub floor with the water coming down to drink it. I stay there until I feel I can stand without puking. Then, I go downstairs and force myself to eat a piece of toast, so I can take a pill with something in my stomach. Then I prop myself up at exactly the right angle in my special spot on the couch (carefully arranged so that no light from the windows is in my eyes) with a second cup of coffee. The sheepies snuggle up on the couch with me (Bert usually draped over me, in fact ), and we wait it out
Weirdly, the shower (a trick my friend Liz, who also gets migraines, taught me) is also a big help. I have no clue why it works. |
| And at our house I have Todd stop the pendulum on the cuckoo clock as well. It sounds like it is splitting my head open. |
| Migraines also run in my family. I tended to get what I called 'optic' migraines: First the aura, then nausea, then almost total blindness but very little pain. They'd last about an hour, then subside. However, the downside to that was I could get 2 to 3 of those in a single day, which really sucked when I was driving. I spent quite a bit of time on the side of he road waiting them out.
Mine were hormone related - The only time I didn't have them for 40 years was when I was pregnant with my boys. That was a nice respite, but not nice enough to make me want to have more kids.
But here's some hopeful news for you - Menopause has killed my migraines I haven't had one in almost a year. The only time I can almost guarantee I'll still get one is if I'm in a room with fluorescent lighting - I avoid it like the plague. I can tolerate department store lighting for a short period because the ceilings are so high, but if they're at normal ceiling height or eye level it's almost instantaneous. Fluorescents strobe, and that's instant migraine for me. |
TerriS wrote: My neurologist put me on Topamax which is an anticonvulsant. It helped temendously. I also take Inderal and Norvasc which are blood pressure meds.
I also take Topamax and have had some luck with it. However, has anyone else had the experience of side effects where they feel like they're slightly slowed down mentally? I've been on it for maybe three years now, and I notice I will struggle to find a word or something simple, it's like clearing out a fog in my brain. Eventually the word usually comes, but I certainly don't feel as sharp as I once did before I took it. In addition to the Topamax, I also take Imitrex (100 mg) when I get a migraine, and I also combine the Imitrex with 800 mg of Advil and caffeine. I'm always trying to perfect my remedy it seems for how much caffeine, when to take the Imitrex and Advil, etc. Now here's another question - has anyone taking Imitrex experienced rebound headaches? I have been taking Imitrex for probably close to eight years, and am noticing recently that when I take it I feel better for around 12 hours and then my headache eventually comes back. This can go on for 2-3 days of taking the medication and the headache rebounding back. I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to try a new medication other than Imitrex. I know one thing for sure, I sympathize with all of you who suffer. Migraines suck. |
| i spent years suffering migraines, mostly hormonal, so i came off the pill and they stopped. but after about 2 yrs they came back. i recently discovered that they might not be migraines, they are caused by high histamine levels, brought on by things like, coffee, cheese, chocolate, wine, bananas etc, you know all those usual triggers. i find taking an anti histamine as soon as i feel a headache coming on stops it dead. amazing discovery after all this time |
| I get headaches a few times a month that I wonder if they are migraines. I tend to wake up with them. On the left side of my head (the side with the bad sinuses, so I always assumed they were sinus headaches). I don't get an aura, no nausea. But the whole left side of my head throbs, especially my eyeball. Lasts about a day. If I sneeze while the headache is subsiding, it comes back again. I used to get them in the early evening, then I'd take 2 Benadryl, a hit of Afrin (nasal decongestant) and go to bed. But I can't do that during the day. Excedrin Migraine is now on my shopping list. |
Paula O. wrote: I get headaches a few times a month that I wonder if they are migraines. I tend to wake up with them. On the left side of my head (the side with the bad sinuses, so I always assumed they were sinus headaches). I don't get an aura, no nausea. But the whole left side of my head throbs, especially my eyeball. Lasts about a day. If I sneeze while the headache is subsiding, it comes back again. I used to get them in the early evening, then I'd take 2 Benadryl, a hit of Afrin (nasal decongestant) and go to bed. But I can't do that during the day. Excedrin Migraine is now on my shopping list. My migraines often seem to start as sinus headaches. I was told early on by my doctor that sinus headaches can trigger migraines I always have a humidifier going by my bed at night, and that helps a lot.Charlysez: Thats really interesting!  Ill try an antihistamine to see how that affects mine. Ive been so happy these past couple of months...only a couple of bad headaches, each only lasting a day or so!  Im starting to finally feel like my old self again. Im still not completely sure what caused almost 2 years worth of severe, constant migraines, but I suppose that since I have to do some printmaking this spring, Ill find out for sure if that is my main cause  |
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