Ways to stop the Migraines

There is no doubt that if you have been having migraines for any length of time you have ways to deal with getting through the pain. Here is your opportunity to share with us ways to stop the migraines or minimize the pain. All solutions welcomed.

Check with your physician to see if the methods will best work for you.

I have a gel cold press pack that I have in the freezer waiting to wrap around my forehead to crush the migraine. Sometimes it works real good and quick. But it is so cold! The pack is reusable and shapes to the head easily.

When I feel like the migraine is inevitable (prodrome is often quite lengthy for me), I take a Relpax.  If I waited a little too long, and the pain is already pretty bad, I chase it with a Tylenol 3 (the Relpax takes 1-2 hours to kick in, so the codeine bridges me across).

If I waited way too long, the Relpax won't do it.  I'll climb into the shower, angle the head appropriately, and sit in a corner with the stream on my head until the hot water starts to run out.  Then I'll sit in a recliner with headphones on and play some mellow music in a darkened room (Dido, Steely Dan, Cowboy Junkies, typically), plus another Tylenol 3, and then I can usually get to sleep.

The *really* bad ones, for which nothing helps and it feels like my head wants to split open and I want to die, and the nausea comes in waves, fortunately do not happen often.  For those, I do all of the above, plus just pace around and cry until they let go.

I can't emphasize enough how worth it it is to work with your doctor to find a preventive regimen.  This can be controlling triggers (sleep habits, in my case, are the biggest) as well as using medications "off-label" for their beneficial side effects (e.g., for me, metoprolol, a beta blocker developed for controlling blood pressure, works wonders for reducing the frequency and intensity of my migraines).  I can actually live my life with this stuff, instead of losing days out of each week to the pain.

Right now I am taking Imitrex (pill form).  I tried the nose spray ones and I really didn't like that.  It tasted bad and would drain in my mouth all day.  Ew.  I'm still working on figuring out a way to prevent them, I hate the thought of taking medicine all the time.  My doctor figured out that hormones really affect them (go figure!) and he changed my birth control.  He laughed when I came back to say that I only got them a few times a month instead of a few times a week, because he said I must have been in constant PMS.  Sorry guys, no fix for you all there.  So I'm on a lower dose of hormones with Birth Control and lately I've been figuring out that if I lower my intake of caffeine, instead of several cups of coffee in the morning, just one, and also if I lower my sugar and sodium, it seems to help.  I still get headaches but they aren't migraines. 

My husband thought for the longest time that it was my sleeping patterns but I've disproven that theory.  In fact sometimes the only way to escape from a migraine is to sleep. (I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime)

Are any of you guys finding similar patterns?

Wow...I have never found a way to stop a migraine. I have been dealing with them for 9 years now and they have only gotten worse.

After all these years though, last year I finally found a neurologist that found the cause of my migraines (at least he says he did). I was in an accident 9 years ago (go figure) and my car was spun 360 degress +. He said it caused a spasm in one of my large neck muscles. So...if this muscle gets irritated for any FREAKIN reason, I get a migraine. I never get headaches its straight to the migraine or nothing at all. I always know when I'm getting one because of the pressure in my neck before it begins. Soo weird. I have tried every pill in the market (at least it feels that way..currently on maltrex and naproxen) and have been on different preventatives as well (currently nortryptiline). On top of THOSE drugs, he gave me a muscle relaxer (robaxin) that makes me ill. haha. SO, fun days for me.

I did notice when I went off of my birth control (depo-provera..yes yes, I know) that they toned down quite a bit. But I am religious about this shot and will never leave it. haha. Currently, I get migraines 3 - 4 times a week. yes....a week. This last couple of months, I started getting the nausea with the migraines that I had never had before...great news! haha. I have never found anything to stop my migraines. I take the meds they give me, watch a movie as long as I can possibly stand it and then go to bed in a VERY cold and VERY dark and VERY quiet room (except for my concerned cats that try talking to me while walking on me when I'm under the covers).

So...if you know of anything different I can do (I've tried the pills mentioned already), PLEASE let me know. I've never tried the ice pack. Thought maybe if I put it on the back of my neck, maybe it would work. I'll have to buy an ice pack as soon as possible!

the gel/ice pack thing is a real nice helper. very cold and sometimes it can be a problem but i find it helps to rapidly shock the blood vessels.

i had a prescription for maltrex but my last fill of it was solid pill form and didn't do a thing for me. it seemed to help when it was the wafer dissolving type.

right now. just a strong regimen of tylenol extra strength.

your 3-4 times a week might not be separate migraines... just extentions or rebounds or continuations of the first one.

I know for me I try to get a feel of whether this migraine it the same one or a brand new one. And i try to journal it when i can. i give it a scale of pain, what i used to treat, and how long it lasts if longer than a few hours.

How many mg do you take of tylenol extra strength?

I never thought about the migrianes being the same or different. I get them so consistantly that I almost just always have one. Nothing helps mine so once they start, it will continue until I go to bed. Sometimes, I can't even sleep because of the immense pain. Ugh...They rule my life.

It depends on the 'grade' of the migraine. I find that if I feel one coming along and it is early in the stages I would use one Extra Strength Tylenol (500mg) but if I am going to work I would take two (for 1000mg). For the migraines that were in full effect I would either attack straight away with 1000mg of Tylenol or the Maxolt if I still had them. For the Tylenol it wouldn't be uncommon to have the full allowable intake amount 2 every 4hrs to a max of 8.  On average I would just need two doses.

It sure helps to get the quiet dark sleep if you can get it though.

Migraines seem to rule a lot of people's lives.

Original Post by kingmedia:

the gel/ice pack thing is a real nice helper. very cold and sometimes it can be a problem but i find it helps to rapidly shock the blood vessels.

i had a prescription for maltrex but my last fill of it was solid pill form and didn't do a thing for me. it seemed to help when it was the wafer dissolving type.

right now. just a strong regimen of tylenol extra strength.

your 3-4 times a week might not be separate migraines... just extentions or rebounds or continuations of the first one.

I know for me I try to get a feel of whether this migraine it the same one or a brand new one. And i try to journal it when i can. i give it a scale of pain, what i used to treat, and how long it lasts if longer than a few hours.

The ice gel pack is actually a REALLY good idea as is the journalling. Both things help to control the migraines. 

I do journal my migraines but I only record the date because they don't go away and they are usual horrible so no need for levels of pain either. I usually take the same meds, but sometimes will take something different to 'trick' the migraine. I've been through it all and have given up on ridding them or even treating them. But I will try the ice pack. Should I put it on my head or on the back of my neck where it usually starts?

Thanks for the help. :)

Original Post by jessica_neese:

I do journal my migraines but I only record the date because they don't go away and they are usual horrible so no need for levels of pain either. I usually take the same meds, but sometimes will take something different to 'trick' the migraine. I've been through it all and have given up on ridding them or even treating them. But I will try the ice pack. Should I put it on my head or on the back of my neck where it usually starts?

Thanks for the help. :)

I tend to try to put the ice pack where ever it hurts...

With your journalling, it's REALLY important to journal as much as you can about each migraine (onset, severity, potential triggers, etc) EVERY time even if nothing seems to help. Long-term patterns tend to emerge that weren't immediately obvious. I know, I speak from experience. I journalled for almost a solid year of having nearly constant migraines (I would be in one for 9 days, out of one for maybe 24 hours, back into the next 9-day migraine.) before my triggers were discovered and addressed.

For me ice packs are most effective when I alternate between the front of my head over whichever eye my headache is affecting (my headaches usually target one side of my head) and the base of my neck on that same side.

Ya! Mine is almost always on my right side. I feel like Im almost going numb on that side. Its weird..and painful. Its also the side that the neurologist said the muscle that is spasming is located. I wish I could find a med that would take them away. Between school and work, i have no time for migraines. haha.

Original Post by kingmedia:

It depends on the 'grade' of the migraine. I find that if I feel one coming along and it is early in the stages I would use one Extra Strength Tylenol (500mg) but if I am going to work I would take two (for 1000mg). For the migraines that were in full effect I would either attack straight away with 1000mg of Tylenol or the Maxolt if I still had them. For the Tylenol it wouldn't be uncommon to have the full allowable intake amount 2 every 4hrs to a max of 8.  On average I would just need two doses.

It sure helps to get the quiet dark sleep if you can get it though.

Migraines seem to rule a lot of people's lives.

Use of OTC pain relievers (Tylenol, Advil) in this way is setting yourself up for rebound headaches.  I will lean on the Tylenol at most once or twice per week, and I cannot remember the last time I took ibuprofen ("Vitamin I").

I will stress again working with your doctor to find some general preventive medication to knock down the background headache clutter as well as to reduce the frequency and severity of the remaining migraines.  There are tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, blood pressure meds, and even the newer serotonin- and/or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors to try.

It is *so* worth it to find something that works for you (metoprolol, the generic form of the blood pressure med Amlodipine, has been my savior, even taking just half of the lowest dose per day, and it's CHEAP).

Yes, migraines do rule a lot of people's lives.  For many, they don't have to.  Get off your butt and work with your doctor or neurologist.

Original Post by solangeatira:

Original Post by kingmedia:

the gel/ice pack thing is a real nice helper. very cold and sometimes it can be a problem but i find it helps to rapidly shock the blood vessels.

i had a prescription for maltrex but my last fill of it was solid pill form and didn't do a thing for me. it seemed to help when it was the wafer dissolving type.

right now. just a strong regimen of tylenol extra strength.

your 3-4 times a week might not be separate migraines... just extentions or rebounds or continuations of the first one.

I know for me I try to get a feel of whether this migraine it the same one or a brand new one. And i try to journal it when i can. i give it a scale of pain, what i used to treat, and how long it lasts if longer than a few hours.

The ice gel pack is actually a REALLY good idea as is the journalling. Both things help to control the migraines.

Yeah, I like the journal idea. It helps me keep track of any trends or situations that might arise.

Ok...The neurologist is putting on different meds...again.

He's upping my Nortriptalyne from 50mg to 75mg a day.

He's having me try Treximet (can't afford it, but will try it anyway).

He's also replacing my Naproxen with Fioricet.

Hope these work

I've never heard of those prescriptions. Are they 'preventative' or after the fact types of meds?

(Disclaimer:  I'm not a doctor; just an educated patient.)

Nortriptalyne sounds like a tricyclic antidepressant, which is something you'd try not necessarily for depression, but for the hoped-for side effect of preventing the migraines.

Treximet is a combination of sumitriptan (Imitrex) and naproxen sodium.  Sounds gimmicky.

Hence, she's no longer taking additional naproxen.  Floricet is a combination of butalbitol (a barbiturate), caffeine, and acetaminophen; i.e., an alternative to Tylenol 3.  This would be a nice choice to knock out the pain quickly and give relief until the Treximet kicks in (which could be 1 to 2 hours).

For me, tricyclic antidepressants (I tried amitriptyline) only served to give me dry mouth and poor night vision.  I tried Topamax next, but that only made me extraordinarily sleepy and dopey.  Metoprolol got me right, but everyone is different, and different things work for different people.

I've found that, for me, migraines go hand-in-glove with stiffness and pain in the upper back, shoulders, and neck.  Taking a rescue med (Relpax for me) knocks out both the migraine and the stiffness, suggesting to me that the stiffness is a symptom, rather than a cause, of the neurological "storm" involved with a migraine (thought to be a problem with overstimulation of the trigeminal nerve in the skull).  That said, Jessica might give some thought to trigger point massage in the involved muscles of the neck, preferably when a migraine is not present.  Work those suckers out and the migraines *might* be less frequent and less severe.  Claire Davies's book, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, shows you how to do self-massage of the involved muscles.  If nothing else, this can result in a less tight neck, which is improvement in and of itself.

Wow...very good information. thank you.

I have gotten pressure point massages from an experience massuse (ok...I know I spelled that wrong) and every time he has done it, I end up with a migraine. My dad thinks he knows the same pressure point tricks but I always get a migraine when he does it. My experience tells me that when the muscles in my neck get messed with too much, it causes a migraine as well.

I will have to look this book up and see if can benefit me. I appreciate all the help I can get. :)

Trigger points are not pressure points.  A pressure point is where you press to stop blood circulation; e.g., to stop bleeding when giving first aid.  A trigger point is a knot of contracted muscle that won't relax.  Trigger points increase tension in the entire muscle fiber that they're in, putting stress on tendons, ligaments, and joints to which they are attached.

It is not surprising that messing with your neck could trigger a migraine.  You're very sensitive now.  Sticking it out until you get the trigger points worked out might help your migraines, or it might not.  Generally, they will make you feel better, because your neck won't be as stiff, and you won't have other referred pain.

I've been on propandolol (a beta blocker) for about 2 years now.  I still get the same amount of headaches but they are not near as severe.  Before I got treatement, every migraine ended up in vomiting.  It was really ruining my life.  Now that I'm on a preventative, I never throw up.  I still get 3-4 headaches a month, but normally a dose of Imitrex takes care of it.  When I get a really bad one (which normally only happens when I can't take Imitrex early enough because I don't have it with me) I lie down w/ a hot a towel over the temple causing me pain.  I microwave a wet rag and get it as hot as I can stand.  Cold just was never really a reliever for me.  Some headaches I can treat w/ ibuprofen still, but I try to be careful because too much can cause more headaches--but that's the way a lot of medicines are.  Migraines are a much less significant part of my life now.  I think my only trigger is hormones-but I was never very careful about journaling.  I usually journaled just to find out how often I was getting them, or how long the same headache would recurr.