For people who get alot of migraines!!

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Can anyone suggest a good migraine treatment? I've been tried on allsorts by the ER and Drs office and can't seem to find one that works any longer than a couple of months. The past few months i've been taking migraines regularly and just recently over the past 2 weeks been having migraines daily. I end up at the ER twice a week and Drs office more times than i have ever been before but nothing seems to work very long. Just last night i was back at the ER again!! I was put on an IV and given some medicine then i was given a shot of Thorazine in my butt.

I've had CT scans done on my head but all it showed was severely blocked sinuses.

To cut a long story short: I'm due to have sinus surgery next month for severely blocked sinuses.

I also have some neck problems that causing some of my migraines coz my neck keeps cracking and i hear grinding noises at the top of my neck, is a trip to a chiropractor needed?

ER Dr so far has given me Taradol by injection and a prescription for toradol pills, last night he gave me a shot of Thorazine and a prescription for antibiotics.

So far i've tried the following meds, by my Family Dr..... Topamax, Zomig, Imitrex.

I've also tried taking Hydrocodone, naproxen, tylenol and a few others.

I really at the end of my rope and these migraines are driving me crazy

Can anyone offer me a solution?

Thanks,

Maria

[Mags 112]

OKay, I saw a neurologist about 2 years ago regarding migraines. He suggested to stop eating the following:

Citrus fruits,

Chocolate,

Caffeine,

Tomatoes,

Red wine,

Cheese.

Prevention is better than cure and, I'm afraid to say, that since I cut out these items my headaches and migraines reduced to almost none at all. That's alot of nice stuff to cut out but it IS worth it, I assure you.

The migraine medications that they have here in the USA contain Caffeine. Considering caffeine is a main trigger I can't quite fathom why this item is in the meds. The only migraine medication that worked for me was Nurofen Migraine in the UK. Over here, if I DO get a migraine I take 2 tylenol and 2 ibuprofen at the same time. That takes the edge off of it.

[Amby 490]

I got botox shots in the back of my neck at the base of my skull 5yrs ago and haven't had a migraine since

[Oosie 1]

About 20 years ago my doctor suggested Mefanamic Acid for migraines. It's normally prescribed for period pain. His logic at the time was that the drug has been around for a long time and it's side effects are well known. I find it works well enough, it can delay the onset of a migraine until I am in a place I can just let it happen and takes the edge of the pain of a full blown migraine. He also offered Prochlorperazine, as an anti-emetic to deal with related nausea. I decided to live without that part of the prescription as though the side effects are well known, I didn't want to deal with them.

I have an atypical type of migraine known as cluster headaches and tend to get migraines on a daily basis for six or eight weeks at a time then have a few pain free months.

Edit to add: It's also useful to learn your own triggers, I kept a diary for a year and noted everything from how much sleep I got, what I ate and the weather. I found that one trigger I can't control is weather, a sudden change can be enough to start me off. The more triggers that happen, the higher the risk of a migraine. I've learned I can deal with 2 or 3 triggers but not more than that. If you picture the triggers as a ladder with a migraine at the top, everyone has different triggers that take them one step closer to the pain and everyone hits that pain at their own level.

Edited March 17, 2008 by Oosie

[Sinergy 3]

When i was 13 i had horrible severe migranes, and my dr put me on coffee and espresso, since then as long as i have espresso once a day im ok, and if one does happen to come on, i drink a cup of strong coffee and its gone

[JenT 0]

I have had migraines for 19 years. You do need to try to identify your triggers. Food, for me, is not one of them. I used to have them during my menses week too, so my doc put my on low dose birth control 7 days/wk, 52 weeks a year with no off-weeks... there is no medical reason for a woman to have a period, unless she is trying to conceive. That has prevented the hormone-related migraines.

I've been to numerous doctors, and 2 neurologists, most recently an internist, and have been to the ER several times (once by ambulance because I thought I had an aneurysm... had a spinal tap done - horrible). Toradol does not work for me. I take phenergan or reglan for the nausea but that causes drowsiness, so I'm careful when I take it.

I went the Imitrex route for a long time. I stopped taking it because I seemed to have more bounce-back migraines as a result. I now take Maxalt with two Naproxin Sodium tablets and that helps a great deal. The trick is catching it early enough before it becomes a full-blown migraine.

I also get a massage by a certified medical massage therapist every few weeks - back, shoulders, and neck only - and that seems to really help. I tried physical therapy once for a while but that didn't seem to make a difference.

The reason caffiene is effective for some is because it contricts the blood vessels in the brain, so if one is bulging and pumping blood, caffiene will restrict the vessel and the pain goes away. If caffiene is in your medication, then you need to eliminate caffiene in the rest of your diet so that it is effective when you need it. Unfortunately, you can become addicted to it as Sinergy has discovered. As soon as you reduce your caffiene intake, the headaches are horrible because the blood vessels just scream.... You have to tough out the withdrawal symptoms if you want to eliminate the caffiene. Many people who drink a lot of coffee during their work week find that they get weekend headaches because their caffiene levels drop.... I take Fioricet too, which is a combination of caffiene, acetaminophen, and codiene. If I catch it early enough, I often don't need the Maxalt.

Whatever you do, don't waste your $$ buying Excedrin Migraine.... if you look at the ingredients, they are exactly the same as regular Excedrin.

Hope this has helped....

Jen

edited to add that a friend of mine had migraines much worse than mine and she swears by acupuncture. I really has helped her, but insurance does not cover it.

Edited March 17, 2008 by JenT

[Ban Hammer 13,332]

When i was 13 i had horrible severe migranes, and my dr put me on coffee and espresso, since then as long as i have espresso once a day im ok, and if one does happen to come on, i drink a cup of strong coffee and its gone

[Krikit 1,164]

Years ago I suffered through horrible, debilitating, migraines. Nothing that the doctor prescribed worked. Out of desperation I went to see a hypnotherapist. I have not had a single migraine since.

[Sinergy 3]

When i was 13 i had horrible severe migranes, and my dr put me on coffee and espresso, since then as long as i have espresso once a day im ok, and if one does happen to come on, i drink a cup of strong coffee and its gone

the espresso/coffee works, so ..................bite me

[Ban Hammer 13,332]

When i was 13 i had horrible severe migranes, and my dr put me on coffee and espresso, since then as long as i have espresso once a day im ok, and if one does happen to come on, i drink a cup of strong coffee and its gone

the espresso/coffee works, so ..................bite me

well darn. i guess i better hide this

[Marlita 0]

I get migraines at least once a week. If I don't take some sort of medicine for them within the first 30 minutes, I am down for the day or next 2 days.

I've noticed that when I go to yoga, and chiroprator I get them less frequently. Try some of those natual methods. I am more into natural remedies vs more pills.

Oh yeah and accupuncture.

Edited March 17, 2008 by Marlita

[Sinergy 3]

When i was 13 i had horrible severe migranes, and my dr put me on coffee and espresso, since then as long as i have espresso once a day im ok, and if one does happen to come on, i drink a cup of strong coffee and its gone

the espresso/coffee works, so ..................bite me

well darn. i guess i better hide this

[Mags 112]

The reason caffiene is effective for some is because it contricts the blood vessels in the brain, so if one is bulging and pumping blood, caffiene will restrict the vessel and the pain goes away. If caffiene is in your medication, then you need to eliminate caffiene in the rest of your diet so that it is effective when you need it. Unfortunately, you can become addicted to it as Sinergy has discovered. As soon as you reduce your caffiene intake, the headaches are horrible because the blood vessels just scream.... You have to tough out the withdrawal symptoms if you want to eliminate the caffiene. Many people who drink a lot of coffee during their work week find that they get weekend headaches because their caffiene levels drop.... I take Fioricet too, which is a combination of caffiene, acetaminophen, and codiene. If I catch it early enough, I often don't need the Maxalt.

Thanks for filling me in on that, Jen. I always wondered why it was in the meds and yet it is my major trigger. Orange juice is my other main trigger. If I drink a glass of that, within 3 minutes I feel a migraine coming on.

A friend of mine wrote this in regards to sinus migraines, which might help you Maria:

Headaches triggered in the sinuses or behind the eye - you can get a lidocaine nasal spray to use when these hits. It numbs your sinuses and gets absorbed to the nerves and trigger point behind the eye that causes that pain. (Not all pharmacies make this solution though). This stuff tastes nasty - but it works.

And this as a quick fix:

Here's a way to break some migraines: Setup two foot baths - one with hot water then one with ice water. First use the hot one for a few minutes then put your feet in the ice water for 5 minutes. What this does is force the blood flow to change and can release certain vascular type migraines. It sounds rather hokey but it does work.

Worth a shot!

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Thank you so much for the info guys

Mags, i cut out my main triggers which were cheese, anything dairy, i dont drink coffee anymore and seldom drink pop (for caffeine). I thought i had cut out all the triggers but i guess there's more than i knew about. I'm off back to see my Dr in 20 mins and i've set up an appointment with a chiropractor for tonight.

Thanks for the info on sinus migraines, i know some of them are caused my the serious condition with my sinuses, some with my neck problems and other's with the triggers i havent figured out yet.

My sinus surgery has been brought forward 1 week to April 10th, i called my ENT specialist and and they changed my surgery date on the fact i'm having daily chronic migraines now.

Not sure about the hot water/ice water thingy, i don't like putting any part of my body into ice water

Tried the ice pack on my head and neck, alls i get is a very cold head/neck with no relief.

I'm guessing the Triptan meds i've been trying just aint for me, thats the 2nd triptan med i've tried and didnt work........ Imitrex then Zomig.

I was seeing a neurologist while i was still in Scotland, i had 3 routes to go, one was propylactic treatment, if that didnt work then next thing was regular injections.

Here's hoping the dr can give me something that will work combined with a neck adjustment from the chiropractor.

[perfect 39]

Get your blood pressure checked!

My husband had frequent "chronic migraines" for 30 years with auras, dizziness, - the works. Nothing seemed to work and after we were married he was literally getting migraines every 2-3 days and was confined to bed in the dark for much of the time. Life was utterly miserable.

I told him that he was going back to the doctor whether he liked it or not because it's no existence and having worked in medicine all my life, told him that I thought his blood pressure may be a factor. Even though he had been to multiple doctors previously, had MRI's - everything - nothing had shown up, but this time when he went his blood pressure was through the roof such that he was immediately put on blood pressure pills and diuretics. Within about three days he was almost perfectly well.

We discovered that many of the medications that he had been taking when he got a migraine actually increase blood pressure. Also, we found that as long as his bowel cleanse tablets every day he doesn't get migraines. He was told by one doctor that migraines are triggered when you get a build-up of toxins that your body is sensitive to. SO now we make sure that he always has his bowel cleanse tablets and his blood pressure medications and as long as he takes all of those - he doesn't get migraines at all. If he forgets to take them - then he does.