Migraine sufferers unite!
 

So, who else here suffers from migraines? I have one right now, and it is killing me. My Imitrex perscription pills won't kick in for another half hour or so. What do you do for your migraines?

i do. I get the kind from low cerebrospinal fluid (csf), so here's what i do when i feel one comin':

1. drink several glasses of water (rehydrates)
2. drink several cups of coffee (rehydrates + vasoconstrictor)
3. take ibuprofen (vasoconstrictor + painkiller)

usually does the job, especially if I then lie down for 20 minutes.

now and then, though, they're just too fast moving. :(

hate to go back to the pot thing but,my mother in-law has a toke or two and hers are gone in 10 to 20 mins.

I've had them so bad before that I feel like the guy from PI...although I never took a drill to my head (thought about it sometimes tho)

I get them. Not that often though. But when they DO come.

I get them, there's no way to stop them.


Damnit, I lost my creative and artistic description of a migraine when the old board died. Anyone have a thread with it saved, by any chance? Or do I have to re=create it?

I had one Friday, was killer. First in a LONG time too.

I used to get them until I figured out they were caused by mold spores in the Springtime. I don't get them anymore, because I keep the AC ducts clean.

well, i just had a fun migraine this weekend. i ended up throwing up it was so bad. man, i haven't had one like that in a long time. migraines aren't very fun. :-(

If I had a migraine right now, there's no way I could be looking at a monitor. Consider yourself blessed that you are not experiencing the full wrath of the Migraine God.

I have a prescription which I take when I feel/see one coming on. It always works. I'd tell you the name of it, but I must have left it at home today. crap.

PM me and I'll get you the name of it tonight. Hang in there.

i could not agree more!
when mine come on... i crawl into a dark room, close all blinds, doors and anythiing else that might let the slightest amount of light or noise enter... take my pills, (Zomig and/or Midrin)... and if i am lucky... i won't spend the next 5 + hours puking my guts out and praying that someone kills me before the day/night is over...

Midrin doesn't work as well on the MIGRAINE persay as the Zomig does... but it is a vaso-contrictor, relaxant, and has some good painkilling medication built into one pill. So I combine the Midrin with Zomig (which you technically are not supposed to do). That is really the only thing that i have found works.

i get them only about once ever few years, but they are harsh when they hit. i have an imitrex injection kit for it. if the headache is weak enough where i can stand up then i usually reach for my bong. the stronger the weed the better it works :)

i don't get warning signs before my headaches but if i just have a "hunch" that im getting one (like if i sleep for more than 12 hours straight and wake up with a stiff neck) then i drink a beer. that keeps my neck and head nice and relaxed.

I find the darkest room I can, try to blank out as much noise , and suffer.

I use to get them constantly. Could never figure out what the hell was causing them. Then I graduated high school, and now I only get them whenever work gets REALLY crazy. That, and I got a sane girlfriend, which helped out like I never could have dreamt.

Now I just keep my life as stress free (yeah right!) as possable.

right on homerstop. Thats about all i can do also. The said thing about migraines is you know its coming. So you have to prepare for the evil that is about to hit you in an hour or so. When i have one, i take excedrin (3 or 4 of them) and go in a room, shut off everything that puts out a noise or a light, and they pray for my sweet release.

Wayngo

*siteplug removed*

degrawj have you tried the Imitrex injectables or the nasal spray they work much quicker.
Ad get away from the dame computer when you get one of those things :)

well i used to get migraines... really bad.. i would usually feel them coming on mid afternoon... and if i took a large dose of ibprofin and took a nap usually they would go away... but when they didnt it was terrible... i would ache all over and my head would pound and my vision would flash bright lights... and if there was a light source in my room it would just seem like it was burning and insanely bright... sounds were really terrible too just so loud seeming... and i would usually throw up... and i would just sit there and dry heave for 30 minutes at a time...

but thank god ive pretty much grown out of them... i havnt had one for a couple years... but i always keep that bottle of ibprofin near by... just in case...

I used to get migraines all the time, turns out it was high blood pressure...go figure, I'm only 33. The drugs I'm on now seem to work nicely. I have only had 3 in the last 6 months! WOO-HOO!!

I used to take everything I could on top of Midrin. I mostly took Excedrin on top of Midrin and drank copius amounts of coffee, coke and anything else caffeinated. Then I would lay down in the darkest, coolest place possible with a bag of ice on my head. Thank God those days seem to be over.

I get them too often. Taking Elavil to prevent them. Its a anti-depressant that has shown to minimze migraines. Not depressed but it seems to work. I still get them but not as often and sometimes not as severe. Any kind of 'mood enhancer' can trigger them for me. I've had occassions when even one beer was enough to set one off. My problem is that I deal with stress fine during the week but on the weekends when I unwind, I get migraines. Usually late at night, vomit for hours to the point of dry heaves. My head feels like it should explode, and I usually wish it would. Incredible pain. Next day I'm in a fog. No fcuking fun at all. Have had these off and on for over 30 years. Originally was on Cafergot which knocked me out. Need to speak to my Dr. about Imitrex. This is bad shit.

I don't suffer from migraines but my g/f does. I read an article on migraines (can't remember what mag.) anyhoo a University in Italy did a study and found that eating PLAIN YOGURT helped migraine sufferers considerably.

I suggested this to my g/f and since then she eats 2 plain yogurts everyday and her migraines have been not so bad and not as many.

Hope this helps someone

I hate migraines I just got over one. My solution is to take lots of vicodine and lay down if i run out of vic i take tylenol 3's and lay down.

I don't get migraines, but I do know a lot of people who claim to get them, when in truth they are really just bad headaches. Most migraines are accompanied by blurred vision, nausea, etc., and can really prevent you from doing the most routine things. I think a lot of folks say they get migraines when they haven't been diagnosed with them.

When I feel or see one coming on, I do a few things: take an Advil, take a hot shower, and try to relax.

I find that caffine withdrawl is one cause, as is high blood pressure.

Back in school, I used to wonder why I got them after drinking lots of Diet Coke, working on original Macs (@ 60Hz) under florescent lights, with a "borderline" blood pressure.

For a time, I'd take Fiorinol for migraine. It worked for me.

More recently, I've noticed that my body temperature is often way low when I have a full-blown migraine, which explains why the hot shower works. Also, delaying on taking pills makes it worse. So I've arrived at what I said in the first paragraph as my solution. If I see an optical migraine, I take a pill and hop in the shower.

Re: Migraine sufferers unite!
 

Curl up in a ball and wait for the nausea and motion induced pain to go away, if I'm lucky my medication will have caught it before it hasgone past the point of no return. If it didnt I could be looking at up to a week of agony

"take a hot shower" That draws the blood into the body, away from your head. My migraines are from the rapid dilation of blood vessels in the head - maybe most or all are. I have heard that plunging your hands into hot water also helps, temporarily. The next time I have one coming on, its to the showers. Thanks for the tip.

I just hope it helps.

I used to get them once a month (for obvious reasons). My doctor put me on Birthcontrol and told me not to stop taking and just take the placebos except for every 3 months. But that still leaves me with one every 3 months. I also got cluster headaches that come at lightning speed with no warning. They actually make me dizzy, nauseated and are the intensity of migranes. So to combat the headaches I'm left with after changing BC she gives me Naproxin 500 Mg twice daily and then when I migrane actually gets through that I take Codine (actually Hydrocodone to be specific) I have been given Darvocet and Demerol too but those knock me out so bad that I can't funtion at all. I have a small toddler so I have to at least be fuctional. The Codine cuts the headache enough that I can function but didn't hamper my alertness as much as the Morphine.

An over the counter amino acid called D-PA (dextro-phenylalalnine) is as effective for non-malignant pain relief as morphine without opiate-like side-effects (drowsyness, euphoria, etc.).

BH, could you expand on this? If I want to buy this, what would I be looking for? What's the dosage? thanks

Hmm, hold on, it appears I may be incorrect.

I haven't ever had migraines, but almost all in women in my family have. My mom's had them for about 10 years. Not so much any more. But even worse, my 13 year old and 12 year old sisters both have real bad migrains. They see auras and all that stuff too.

I HATE MIGRAINES, ARRRG!!!

Mine always start with an "aura" or spots in my vision. When that happens, I pop a couple excedrin migraine pills as soon as I can, sometimes it helps loads, sometimes it doesn't do a damn thing.

Then I just crawl into my closet with a bag of ice, close the door, and stuff a pillow under the door so the evil white light doesn't get in. Then I just hold on for dear life.

It's awful when I get a migraine when I'm not at home. I can't see a damn thing cause of the "aura" in my eyes. Then I can't hear a damn thing because the pain is so bad. Plus I get all hot and sweaty and really ugly looking.

Usually dramatic changes in my sleep schedule trigger them, such as getting 7 hours of sleep all week, then getting 10 hours of sleep on the weekend. Other times they're allergy related, those are the ones that hurt the most.

It's comforting to know that other people suffer from this horrible pain :P

You can D-PA or DLPA (50% as effective) at vitamin shops and health food stores (easily found online too). I would start with 250-500mg and work up from there. Don't take it antidepressants or stimulant drugs. Also take on an empty stomach or it will be ineffective. Consult your doctor first (if (s)he doesn't know or has to use a reference, do a google search or tell me).

It works by inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down endorphins and enkephalins (naturally occuring opiate-like pain relieving and pleasurable chemicals) and I think it also augments release or production of.

Thanks butthead. I will look into this. I see my Doc again in a month and will check on it with her. So many docs I've had don't accept anything vitamin or suppliment related as being valid or truely effective. I've only recently found her and I'm so thankful for her because she listens to what I have to say.

A dark quiet room and Excedrin Migraine usually help me. If not, I also have a cup of strong coffee.

I was predisposed to get migraines because both my parents get them.

Someone in my office goes for acupuncture to control migraines. Still waiting to see if it works before I let someone make a pincushion out of me.

water, water,water....then drink more water. sounds dumb but it works for me.

well i just got over mine. two days of hell. doc says that they are cluster headaches. i only get about one a year that lasts for about a day or two. the meds cost to much so i just pop motrin and hide in a dark room until its over.

man i feel for yea

How can you tell the difference between cluster headaches and a migraine?

I grit my teeth as hard as I can (works, but it's fucking tiring and eventually transfers the pain to yer jaw!!!)

Sometimes I find I can 'tell' it to go away-sorta mentally make it piss off. Otherwise, I drink drink drink and sleep sleep sleep. I rarely take medication...

Cluster headaches come on without warning. Sometimes they last only 20-30 min but other times they can seem to go on for days. They are often the intensity of migrane headaches. They are often accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and weakness. They are are to pinpoint any cause usually. Whereas some migranes are sinus or tension induced initially but grow to be more. I have had both. My Dr gives me Naproxin 500 mg daily dose to prevent the cluster headaches and reduce the severity of the Migranes. She gave me a prescription for it but I could have just taken 3 Aleve every morning and it would have been the same dose. It has prevented my headaches completely so far. Prior to getting the new prescription of Naproxin I was having 3-4 cluster headaches every week. Now for 2 months I haven't had any cluster headaches or migranes.

Often I find that for my migranes pure unsweetened chocolete helps. Maybe it's because I love it and it relaxes me but the caffene helps too. I have taken vivarin at times when I didn't have access to coffee (on a trip) the caffene in that helped too. Exedrine migrane or just plain Exedrin is just Tylenol and caffene. I don't bother paying the extra for that stuff. I'm a cheapskate I guess.

800milligrams of ibuprofen, 1000 milligrams of acetaminaphine, some hardcore caffeine, and my wifes oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips. and sex if i can swing it. the cookies keep me from hurling, and the sex is for something to do!

As long as the coffee has no caffeine this might be true, I am not sure what a vasoconstrictor is, but I do know caffiene tricks your body into thinking it has more than enough water, causing you to pee out water you need, i.e., dehydrates you.

As for me, I take 5 advil migraines and drink lots of water and gatorade.

I'm experiencing the warning signs right now. My vision is deminished - my blind spot is nearly my entire right side. It'll be another 1/2 hour before the pain starts and then I'll be out of commision for another 45 minutes or so. Kind of sucks that I'm at work...

This what works for me and my brother
 

I was originally prescribed 4 Alleve (naproxim sodium) by my doctor which is double the "recommended dosage" but it worked, and I add a double tall mocha or double shot something and the caffeine proves to be a good fixer.

This fall I was getting hardcore migraines about 4 days out of the week, last year around fourth of July I had one that lasted four days, I ended up getting a vicodeine from a friend just so I could sleep.
My new doctor put my on effexor then paxil for stress and since then(I am now of those meds) I haven't had one in a long time

THANK GOODNESS!!! :)

i have several prescriptions for migraines... ive had them several times a week since i was about 12 years old... I mainly use Maxalt. if that doesnt work i either take hydrocodone or percocet just to knock me out! I have definately put my neurologist's kids through college with the amt of money i have paid for his help.

Five hours later and it's almost all past. A bit of a fore-brain headache but I'm functional and am now ok to drive. I should talk to my Dr. about this...

I suffer from them also. I get them about once a week. I've tried everything, but nothing works.

Finally, my docotor prescribed Lortab for it. That works wonders. I don't like taking painkillers like that, but when you get a headache of that magnitude, you'll take just about anything to get relief.

I use sumatriptan/naratriptan which is usually pretty awesome stuff if I remember to take it early enough.

One thing I've been wanting to know - how many people get bad 'aura' symptoms beforehand. I find I sometimes get almost completely aphasic (unable to speak). Before ppl knew what was going on they thought I was just being really stroppy with them! :)

I take Sandomigran and Deralin on a daily basis to stop headaches/migraines.

I don't get auras much at all. Actually, only once that I can think of.

uhm... correct me if i'm wrong, but coffee, with lots of caffiene in it, dehydrates you. caffiene is a diuretic, and makes you piss a lot more.

again, slap me if i'm wrong, but... hot showers should actually dilate your blood vessels and keep the blood in your head. it will actually draw blood away from your body to your extremities which include your head. this is because the hot water raises your body temp. and to keep from overheating your body will constrict the blood vessels in your body while dilating the ones in your extremities, allowing heat to transfer out of the body through the skin. when it's cold, it constricts the vessels in the extremities to trap heat in the body keeping the vital organs warm. i'm just pointing this out so you have your reason right.


i don't have migraines, well, maybe mini ones. i seem to have daily headaches though. mostly located around my temples and ear area. i think it's caused by stress. when i'm stressed, i sometimes gnaw/gnash my teeth in my sleep. i have a bite gaurd for it, but rarely wear it. i had my tounge pierced, and started having this problem a little while after getting it done. then i took it out, they went away. got it done again 6 weeks ago, and guess what, they're back! so i'm gonna try this bite guard thing, hopefully that'll work. otherwise i guess i'll just have to buy something that will keep the hole open while not having my normal bar in. switch it every morning and night. it'll be a pain, but worth it.

Me and Shyla have damn migranes all the time.. We use Maxalt and Motrin 800, but damn is Maxalt expensive. Yay for insurance! :)

They hurt like hell :(

I get em all the time in varying degrees of pain. Lately the only thing that helps me is Excedrin migrane or something like that.

i sit in a dark cool room and lay there waiting until i die from the pain. or just take a bunch of loratabs or some liquid hydracodin. that usually at least knocks me out so i can sleep at night. other than that ice packs after a hot steamy shower. let the water hit your back and neck, helps relax muscles.(guess you could hop in a hot tube) hmmm good luck. . .

I've discovered that mind come from low blood pressure. Before I get one I always notice a feeling wash over me as though all the energy has drained out and I notice dizziness whenever I stand up. I have checked my blood pressure immediately after that feeling comes over me and found every time that it is very low. The last time it was 75 over 50. I am unsure as to what is causing it and none of my Dr's have ever been concerned about my cronically low blood pressure. Two of them checked me out to make sure there was no internal bleeding but otherwise nothing is wrong. When I sense that feeling I take my Maxalt (a newer version of Imitrex) and any headache that began with the dizziness is gone in about 15-20 minutes. I also make sure I lay down since the blood pressure won't affect me as much then.

I guess listening to your body and learning what triggers the headaches can help you head them off. Also when I did have headaches that took over before I got my prescription for Maxalt I would use ice packs on the back of my neck. Laying down is always better than standing up and continuing doing stuff.

I've be getting them daily for the last 6 weeks. I just had it diagnosed today. ugh. It sucks.

When I start seeing the warning signs of feeling dizzy and just wierd and my vision isn't as good as it can be, I go into my room. Make sure everything is pitch black and then try going to bed. The worse part is when you can't go to bed and the pain is there for hours, and your praying your head gets crushed to relieve the pain...

man, i'm sorry spectre. i feel for you, i really do. i suggest Imitrex if you can get ahold of any. if you want to share experiences or need some advice, feel free to PM me.

Thanks. I'm taking Amitriptyline for it now, but I appreciate the offer and advice. :)

The only thing that works on my migrains is Mersyndol. It is the most powerfull over the counter analgesic. I walked in the chemist today to buy a couple of packs. This is how it went:
Me: Hi. I would like 2 packs of Mersyndol please
Chemist: How often do you use them?
Me: Quite a fair bit.
Chemist: Why do you want 2 packs?
Me: One for my house and one for my car
Chemist: Have you been to a doctor about it?
Me: Yes
Chemist: And he is OK with you taking this?
Me: Yes
Chemist: Have you looked into any alternative treatments?
Me: I have been getting migraines since I was 5. I have done everything several times over.
Chemist: There are other treatments
Me: Ive tried them all. Give me the packs.
Chemist: Here you go.


I felt really upset that I had to justify my need for medication for my migraines. Its not like I love having migraines. Its not like I choose to have my head explode every few days. If I had my way I would never get them and thus never need Mersyndol but thats not a fucking choice of mine. Why should I need to justify my condition? Im the one who suffers from them. It matters to no one but me.

I don't get them often, but when I do, they're misery. I often get the aura and the strange metallic taste, and then (and this was scary the first time it happened) the left side of my body goes numb and tingly. And then I just want to bash my head in to make the pain stop. Nothing to do but take something to knock me out till it's gone. My sister gets them even worse - we thought she had a stroke the first time she had one. She had the one-sided numbness, slurred speech, altered mental state. She couldn't speak properly - knew what things were but couldn't think of the words for them, etc. She takes Midrin for them, but she gets them much more frequently than I do. Since I started taking bc pills constantly, and only have a period 3 times/year, I hardly have them at all, maybe once/year. Thank god.

I posted about my migraine in my journal the other day. I have only had two full-on deadly migraines in my life, almost a year to the day apart. I was able to head one off at the pass a few months ago, but Sunday night, I was on the subway on the way to the city, and the aura hit...my head was already pounding but I thought maybe it was just a bad headache...then a cold sweat, then I got home and was curled up in a ball by the toilet for hours. It was unbearable. I'm currently trying to find a doctor that accepts my insurance. Unreal that a headache could cause this much damage.

Ohhh yeah.... I get them about once a month...the whole thrill, cold sweat, shakes, vomiting...great fun. :|

Naproxen used to help, now nothing does.