Migraines

I have suffered from migraines for 6 years now.  Usually 1 sided, but can switch from left to right.  Nothing helps, most meds make me very ill.  The day before I get them, I feel exhausted and yawn excessively.  The next morning, I awake with one.  It can last from 48 hours up to an entire week.

I would like to know if anyone else out there suffers from them.  What has worked for you and if you can give me any advice.  I could really use some right now. 

I am finally seeing a neurologist in June, but I wonder if they will know the cause or have a cure. 

So if anyone out there could share their expereince with me, I would greatly appreciate it.

brooksbp,

Don't stop talking.  I'm listening!  I have been trying make processed foods the least part of my diet.  Where we have moved, I do have trouble getting organics, but the store I shop at is now carrying a new line called Nature's place.  There isn't much, but I think it is a suggestion well looking into!  Thank you very much.

OK...oooo that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

I'm not saying the other suggestions arent absolutely correct, because i'm SURE they work very, very well.  Naturals just happen to be some kind of magic for me.

Basically when we eat processed, treated, and unnatural food, it takes longer for them to get through our digestive tract.  The bacteria housed in most of our small and large intestine (in many people's systems) is probably horribly out of whack, and it makes life very, very tough for our liver and gall bladder to do their jobs.

If the liver can't cleanse the body of all of the toxins contained in foods, then it gets pissed, and sort of turns against you in the manner of unsupported immune system and things like headaches, poor skin, and so on.  Many, many illnesses, I believe, can be avoided if people didn't shove unnatural food into their bodies.  I simply don't think it's the way God intended it to be, ya know?

So, as far as not having access...here are some ideas:

• THere is currently a great debate about local foods vs. organic foods.  Do you have a market around your house that you could hit up occasionally? (not all of it is untreated, depending on where you live that is unavoidable)
• I try to stick to cage free eggs because a. they taste better! and b. they are typically grain fed chickens (not given hormones and the like)
• Meat is VERY VERY important with a natural diet.  Be sure to stick to lean cuts and if you can find anyone that sells *pasture-fed* meats, then you are in serious business.

Theres a TON more...I could go on and on....shoot me an email if you'd like to hear more granola babble!

With me it's smells, sometimes, but not always.  Sometimes I have no idea about the trigger.  But mercifully, less often as I get older.

Someone mentioned Maxalt and Imitrex - these are newer prescription drugs called "triptans".  The ones I prefer are Zomig and Frova.   Maxalt worked for me as well.  They all have different side effects and vary a lot from person to person, so you may have to try a few.  Suggest buying them one pill as a time, to try, as they're expensive ($10-18 each pill) -- Imitrex is the least expensive so you might try it first.  If you get nauseous (can't keep pills down) when you have a migraine, the Zomig comes in a Nasal Spray. 

I've had migraines since I was eight years old and since I've started eating healthier they have very much diminished.  My doctor says it could be because I am eating alot less sugar and refined carbs.

I also have pills called Amerge that I take when it's really bad, sometimes excess sunshine on my unprotected head can cause me to have a severe migraine.

I started getting Migraines during Puberty in High School...Figured out it was from Caffiene...Eventually I was able to have caffiene, But then once I quite drinking coffee "cold turkey" after years of drinking it...The migraines came back...

What a creul, creul world...

anyway, i am not sure what causes them now...I think stress...Haven't really had any since joining this site and watching what I eat and increasing my activity level...

*bump*

Hoping this will help "pygirl"

I've had migraines since I was a teenager.  I used to get 2-3 a month and the best prescription I have ever taken for them is Imitrex nasal spray.  The relief was often immediate (although I continued to vomit for about 30 minutes after the pain was gone - but I'd rather vomit without the pain than with it).  I also started seeing a chiropractor 1-2 times a week who would adjust my neck (my spine was poorly aligned perhaps due to an injury or car accident as a child).  I also started taking birth control pills, which helped keep my hormones steady.  Now, I haven't had one in about a year.  I've had regular headaches, but none that were migraine strength and all were treated with ibuprofen.  

I used to get migraines as a teenager, but didn't know they were migraines.  They stopped after I left school and I didn't get them for over 14 yrs.  Then the last couple of years I've started getting them.  Not too often, luckily, maybe 2 or 3 in a year.  But when I do get them, they're bad.  There's no specific trigger either.  It's definiately nothing I eat, sometimes I'm tired or on a period, sometimes I can be feeling perfectly normal and happy and one will start.  I normally take Migralieve as soon as the flashing "aura" begins and that helps, but doesn't get rid of it altogether.  What annoys me is people who've never had a migraine and say it's just a headache, ignore it.  I tell them it's like your worst hangover trippled.

Helenc,

What is Migralieve?

Update:

Okay, so I travel almost 300 miles to see this neurologist that is supposed to be really good?!?  Anyhow, the options were pretty slim.  Option 1-the old drugs that I have tried or some new ones that work the same, closing off the blood vessels in the head and other parts of the body. (No, not for me, they make me very ill) Option 2- Migrvent and other suppliments.  Option 3- antihypertension drugs, (No my blood pressue is 120/60.  Do they want me to pass out every thime I stand up?)  Options 3-Bipolar/anti seizure meds, Depakote and Topamax.  Option 4-Anitdepressants.

I chose the supplements and the diet change.  Has anyone used Migravent?

So $288-plus lodging, plus gas, plus meals.  They didn't have my ER records.  They said that MR didn't fax them, but what was worse was that they rushed through and acted like they didn't care.  I felt like they were thinking, big deal, you have a headache.  I was really dissappointed.  Plus they gave me this whole deal about finding a doctor in my area.  My PCP referred me to them! 

I must say that I got better advice from the contributors on this site than from the neurologist. 

I have been getting migraines every few months for the past 5-6 years (starting when I was 17 or so). Everyone has different triggers, these are some of the most common ones:

-artificial sweeteners (esp. aspartame)
-sharp cheeses
-red wine
-orange/citrus juice
-chocolate
-alcohol and/or caffeine

I have found that going to yoga helps prevent them. I get migraines with neck spasms, and I think they're sometimes triggered in me by shoulder/neck tension. I noticed someone posted about getting them after a car accident with whiplash, maybe this would help? If I go regularly (once a week or so) I almost never get them, but if I slack off and don't go for a few weeks, I'll tend to get them (and also gain weight faster).

okay so, this is going to sound retarted but supposedly was the only thing that the doctor told my moms friends kid and it worked for her.

Take advil with Dr.pepper, I have not tried it myslef because I dont get headaches often, but supposedly theres some chemical in it they makes them go away....it's worth a try, and i mean the doctor told her about it so?

My migraines started at age 14 (I'm 20 now), and when I went to the emergency room for a horrible one, they found a brain hemmorhage.  the blood dried up and went away, but the migraines stayed with me.  I was given everything. Oxycodon, thorazine, phenol patches (basically morphine), topomax, zomif, imatrex, topomax, seroquil.... soo many others, hell if I can remember all the names. I have seen over 4 neurologist over the course of the 6 years, and have had a 5-day thorizine IV drip (knocked out the whole time) to try to 'reset' my migraines and even gone to Spaulding rehab hospital in Boston to try to work through them, but those didn't help.  (BTW, I was diagnosed with constant, chronic migraine, meaning if I had one it lasted a month or more, with maybe 2 days off, then another uber long one).

Finally, about 2-3 years ago, my Drs started me on hydroxyzine, it's a anti-histamine of all things (I was already on zyrtec before getting migraines, so who would have thought more would help). It stops the blood vessels from spasming bu opening them up, and it helped so much that a year ago I was released from my neurologist visits completely, and was able to work full time and do college. It was great...

But, on June 2nd (last month) I ended up in the ER with a awful migraine again, I had been throwing up constantly, and in unbearable pain for about 5 hours, so they gave me the normal, compazine and toridol and I went home to sleep.  Now I am scheduled for another MRI, and neurology appointment because my family Dr. fears another hemmorhage is to blame.   Lately I have been sleeping almost constantly, though I exercise every single day, which Spaulding taught me will help.  Also eating more often should help too.
Though I don't feel quite as bad as I did in the beginning, I think this migraine is due to last a while more.  But, since my outlook on life has changed, I know I'll work through it.

pickleberry,

Thanks for the trigger list.  I am due to have another one and I have been trying to be careful.  Chocolate is difficult, I see to crave it right before.  Would it make sense to crave whatever is going to trigger it?

Gosh, karliann, I will try it!  The neurolgist started me on Aleve again, but I've had an allergic reatcion.  Advil is one drug I can take.

Lala,

Let us know how you make out on your MRI.  Do they know what is causeing the rupture?  I pray that everything will be okay for you this time.  Good luck to you.

Thanks again to everyone, I appreciate hearing everyones experiences. 

The only thing I can figure out about the Dr Pepper and Advil is the caffeine.  Caffeine is one drug that is in meds to RELIEVE headaches.
Go figure.

let me know how it goes with the Dr.Pepper!

As for the Dr. Pepper thing, yes some types of migraines can be helped by caffine.  When I was in the hospital for mine, they told me to stock up on caffine and chocolate, as they both should help.... two days later they old me to stop having caffine, cause I don't have the type of migraines that would be helped by it, it could make mine worse.


Beachwalker- They never figured out what caused the bleed in the first place- they said it has rarely been heard of in anyone under the age of 40 to have one without a previous brain injury.... Even moreso they said for a 14 year old to have one, it was never seen before, even after my dr. called around to John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic neurologists.  I know my case was presented to a bunch of med students at Dartmouth (where I was in the hospital) just so they could get more opinions, or ideas they hadn't thought of.

And I don't think I have a bleed this time, though I am just as lethargic as list time, I don't feel the urgent nagging feeling like somethings wrong-which I did before.

I just recently returned from a week-long hospitalization through the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, IL.  I have had migraine episodes for my entire life.  It is really a neurological disorder.  I learned a lot about my migraines from the people at the clinic, but one thing that I have really been following and that I have noticed that has caused a HUGE difference is adhering to a VERY STRICT low tyramine diet and NO MSG diet.  Here is a site about low tyramine foods:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets /LowTyramineDiet.pdf

It has been difficult to follow this diet, but it has been worth it.  Also, if there is any way that you could get a referral from your doctor to the Diamond Headache Clinic, I doubt you would regret it.  They have helped me so, so much.  I had migraines every single day and I too would frequently end up in the emergency room and I would pass out.  I have been on Imitrex injections and a ton of other things, but they all either never did work or they eventually stopped working.  I take a ton of pills every day now, but to me it is worth it to be able to have my life back.  I am able to work every day now and I don't freak out if I do feel like I am getting a migraine because I know I can do something about it.  I have had to majorly change my lifestyle and way of eating, but I'm glad that I have.  I feel so much better!  Now if only I could lose that extra weight!! LOL :)

Thank you, this list is better and more detailed than the one I got from the neurologist. 

What did you do while in the clinic?  Just curious.

While I was at the clinic, they put me on a DHE (have you heard of DHE?  I think it is pretty common for use in migraines.  They used to give it to me all the time at the ER.) regimen through an IV every eight hours.  The point of that was to break up the cycle of headaches that I had going on.  The only problem is that in the meantime, until it breaks the cycle, it can give you a headache.  Weird. 

They also switched around a lot of my meds.  I was not on narcotic pain relievers, but the other people that were on them were taken off of them and helped through the withdrawal process that is involved with that.  The first couple of days that I was there, I had the worst migraines of my life.  Honestly, I just wished I was dead.  But I still knew that, in the long run, it would be best for me.  I know this doesn't sound like a "glowing recommendation" right now, but they really do know what they are doing.  They were very sympathetic and they explained to me that it's different for everyone, but at some point in time, the DHE would just suddenly break the headaches.  And they were right!  It seemed like it took forever, but one time when they gave me the DHE, I suddenly felt better instead of worse! 

The Diamond Headache Clinic also addresses other aspects that have an effect on your migraines.  They have different class sessions that you go to throughout the time you are there that teach you about changing your diet and food triggers, how to manage stress, give info about different common migraine medications, etc.  I also went to Physical Therapy every day while I was there and to Biofeedback. 

In Biofeedback, they teach you about how the blood leaves your extremeties to rush to the site of the migraine.  That is why a lot of people get tingly and cold in their fingers, toes, nose, etc when they get a migraine.  They teach you how to focus on getting the blood back to your extremities and also a lot of relaxation techniques.  They taught me the importance of a simple breathing technique that really helped me get through the pain while I was there.  They also have patients speak with a psychologist who deals with the emotional toll that migraines can take on your life and an art therapy student came into my room and I got to release some stress by painting. :)  The entire unit is a low-tyramine, caffeine-free unit.  All of the food that we could order for our meals were low-tyramine.  Before I left, someone from the pharmacy came in and went over all of my medications to make sure that I knew what they were, what they were for and when and how to take them.  Then, they called all of them into my pharmacy at home so that they would be ready for me.  Also, the nurse taught me how to give myself Toradol shots.  It was sooo helpful to me.  I am really glad I went, even though it was really hard at first.  It was very, very worth it.

i've had migraines for about 10 years now. initially, a paracetamol took care of it, then i graduated on to 250mg advil, then 250mg mefenamic acid, then finally on 500mg mefenamic acid. then last year my migraines worsened and i had attacks everyday. i went to a neurologist and he prescribed Topamax for me. i took it every night for 60 days, and it worked. i still have migraines once in a while, but not not at the frequency it was before.

it's also good to take note of what your triggers are. mine are food with high MSG content, lack of sleep and skipped meals.

i hope your migraines improve. good luck!