Migranes (anyone have any remedies?)

GuessWhoEh

Has anyone ever suffered with them to the point they can't even get out of bed? All curtains closed, doors closed, lights off, not one bit of noise in the room and constant tossing and turning.

I've gotten so bad that I've gotten sick. Sick basin has been known to make an apeareance.

Since I was a kid I would get migraines at least twice a month, often more. I've had to ring into work sick. Missed out on many occasions. It can become unbareable. I've gone to my GP. Been given 7 day medications then off on my way.

sullivlo

GuessWhoEh wrote: »

Has anyone ever suffered with them to the point they can't even get out of bed? All curtains closed, doors closed, lights off, not one bit of noise in the room and constant tossing and turning.

I've gotten so bad that I've gotten sick. Sick basin has been known to make an apeareance.

Since I was a kid I would get migraines at least twice a month, often more. I've had to ring into work sick. Missed out on many occasions. It can become unbareable. I've gone to my GP. Been given 7 day medications then off on my way.

Have you figured out a potential trigger for your episodes?

When I first got them I had to do a full exclusion diet and slowly reintroduce foods to identify triggers.

When I get them now - straight away I get meds into me. I find migraleve good, and excederin. I take something for the nausea and I lock myself away in the dark until it clears.

Also have you had tests to exclude any other potential causes?

gctest50

Might help someone :

GuessWhoEh

sullivlo wrote:

Also have you had tests to exclude any other potential causes?

My GP did recommend getting a dietary test as I was also getting rashes abs bruises randomly. I just haven't had the time. The DOC office is never open when I'm in work. I have to ring in though and get bloods done

As for triggers, I've stopped drinking normal milk and moved onto lactos free milk as normal milk with leaving me in pain but didn't trigger headaches. I might have to start eliminating foods and reintroducing them to see what it is

sullivlo

GuessWhoEh wrote: »

My GP did recommend getting a dietary test as I was also getting rashes abs bruises randomly. I just haven't had the time. The DOC office is never open when I'm in work. I have to ring in though and get bloods done

As for triggers, I've stopped drinking normal milk and moved onto lactos free milk as normal milk with leaving me in pain but didn't trigger headaches. I might have to start eliminating foods and reintroducing them to see what it is

Firstly, dietary tests will only work if you have a significant immune response to the food. They might identify triggers for the rash but it's unlikely that they would identify triggers for migraine (speaking from experience and with a knowledge of the testing process).

For an exclusion diet my advice would be to cut out everything that could cause a pain for 6 weeks, and then reintroduce foods one by one, one a week.

No dairy. No processed foods. No alcohol. No coffee. No bread. Nothing fun, nice or tasty. I lived off vegetables, potatoes, rice, chicken and water. No spices. No sugar. Nothing that could potentially cause anything. I limited red meat in case anything in it could cause a headache.

Lunches for work were a nightmare - salads, soups all had to be home made. No sandwiches.

And then one by one I would eat a new food and see how I responded.

I won't lie. It was horrific. Like absolutely horrible. But it was worth it to get to the bottom of things.

I've tried it a few times for different things (migraine, tummy trouble, asthma) and had a positive result every time.

*eadaoin

It would be a good idea for you to do some reading up on migraine and potential triggers, there's a lot you can do to minimise the risk of getting one as well as many different types of drugs used to treat them.

If you're getting them quite a lot and it's badly affecting your life, then ask your GP for a referral to a neurologist who can help you get a handle on it. I think there is a specialist migraine clinic in Beaumount hospital.

One of the main pieces of the information about treating migraine is that the migraine brain likes regularity and schedules. Your brain is extra sensitive to certain situations or things and if you're exposed to them it can raise your risk of getting one. With enough triggers happening close together it can build up until it triggers a full on migraine.

The key is to figure out what you react to and how you can manage your life to reduce the risk of you getting one.

Main triggers are: caffeine, certain foods, lack of sleep, too much sleep (lots of people get migraines after sleeping in at the weekend), stress, illness, flourescent or bright/flickering lights, travel, dehydration, using painkillers too much, being extra busy and not taking time to rest, oral contraceptive pills, fluctuating hormones, exercise and hunger/low blood sugar.

Some foods are more likely to trigger migraines than others, for example cheese and red wine, but everyone is unique and what applies to one person may not apply to you at all. This is why a food elimination diet is recommended for you to personally see if there is anything in your diet that triggers them.

It's recommended that you try to keep to a regular schedule with sleep and your daily life. Get up and go to bed at the same times, keep hydrated, don't let yourself get hungry, don't push yourself too hard with certain kinds of exercise.

There's loads of info out there about working out triggers, have a look around.

misstearheus

There is a girl that posts in The Nocturnal Forum; - Addictedtocaffeine is her name. I hope you don't mind me posting this ATC. She got some sort of a cap I think or something to put on her head and I know she has said that she finds it good. Not sure if she frequents this Forum. I will message her about it.

addicted to caffeine

this is the cap I brought https://www.amazon.co.uk/Migra-Cap-Drug-Migraine-Relief-Black/dp/B000VZ3218 you can buy it on amazon (like me) or it's available in most chemists. I suffer from migraines a lot myself so it seems to help when I'm in the middle of one. I'm due to go to a migraine clinic on Friday in Cork to get some help on them as I'm literally sick of having them

Mzo1978

A daith piercing is a piercing through the ear's innermost cartilage fold. The theory of daith piercings helping to alleviate migraine is based on the idea of targeting a specific pressure point and replicating the principle of acupuncture

madmaggie

I suffered from cluster headaches in the 1990's, so I understand your misery. After being diagnosed with coeliac disease in 1999, the headaches went away, never to return. I don't know if if was coincidence, but it's great. Perhaps a gluten free diet is worth a try, but I would recommend talking to your gp about it. I was put on Sanomigran for the headaches, put up nearly two stone, which all came off after going gluten free. Everyone is different, different triggers, different reactions. Good luck.

SATSUMA

I used to suffer terribly and though I'm not cured the frequency and intensity has lessened greatly...

I had all mercury fillings removed and noticed a drastic improvement and I also get treated by a homeopath.

Both wouldn't be believed by a lot of people but I was so desperate I would've tried nearly anything. Nothing else worked for me and the impact of my life was huge.

I still have to be careful of my triggers like over eating on an empty stomach, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, dehydration, overheating, hunger, stress, pmt!

But so far so good it's been about a year now so it's still early days but I'm thankful so far.

Graces7

My migraines are thankfully much rarer in old age, but always with severe vomiting.
Always when I have been pushed beyond my strength ( I have M. E)

One dr told me re a nasal spray, and to my astonishment, this, Imigran, stopped the attack like switching a light off.

Sometimes stops both pain AND vomiting or just the vomiting so I can deal with the pain.

Knowing I have relief to hand takes the stress and fear away too.

The Raptor

I used get them like the OP. Very sick with them. I once vomited for 17 hours. Woke up at 2.30am with a migraine and had to throw up. 7.30pm was the last time I vomited that day. It was awful.

That's only one episode. If I can sleep it off, it wouldn't be so bad but I was drained from so much vomiting.

And anyone that gets them should know, you're drained the next day as well.

I used to get them weekly. They were awful. About a year ago, I got the daith piercing because I was sick of them and would try anything. Since then, I can count on one hand how many migraines I got. I do get the odd 3 day headache but I'm functional with it. I would highly recommend the daith piercing.

looksee

I stopped eating chocolate years ago, none at all, not even white chocolate, and I have not had a migraine since. Red wine has a similar effect but it is much easier to stay away from red wine.

As someone else said though, you have to find your own trigger.

The Raptor

On the subject of triggers. It could also be a combination of triggers that set one off.

Graces7

The Raptor wrote: »

On the subject of triggers. It could also be a combination of triggers that set one off.

Indeed yes. With me now it is extremes of temperature or weather or overdoing things .. Getting soaked on a chilly day or a three day craft fair. THAT 'll do it. I once had an emergency hospital admission as I was starting to bleed through vomiting so much

HOWEVER the Imigran nasal spray has stopped them in their tracks. Like throwing a switch.

MFlack2012

Suffered badly for three years with daily headaches which quickly progressed to full on Migraines with visual disturbances. I saw a Neurologist and was diagnosed as having Migraine with onset visual disturbance and was treated with Amitriptyline. There's lots of significant side effects from the drug but none that caused me too much trouble, except mood swings. The mood swings decreased dramatically once the dose was increased :rolleyes:. After almost two years on the drug, my migraines where gone. I've had one bad relapse in three years, with visual disturbance, but thankfully it seems to be under control. I have been discharged from the Neurology clinic but will have to return if they come back.

Graces7

Just done a very stressful house move and all but had migraines which the Imigran tabs stopped in their tracks.

JustAThought

Graces7 wrote: »

Just done a very stressful house move and all but had migraines which the Imigran tabs stopped in their tracks.

Interesting. Can you buy that over the counter?

Graces7

JustAThought wrote: »

Interesting. Can you buy that over the counter?

No... I gather the nasal spray is not cheap so they issue it in small amounts. I am on a medical card .. If you catch it in time, the tablet works.

And you have to limit it to two doses.

It has interestingly reduced the fear. Knowing there is a sure cure. And reduced the attacks by doing so.

Check with your GP?

Graces7

MFlack2012 wrote: »

Suffered badly for three years with daily headaches which quickly progressed to full on Migraines with visual disturbances. I saw a Neurologist and was diagnosed as having Migraine with onset visual disturbance and was treated with Amitriptyline. There's lots of significant side effects from the drug but none that caused me too much trouble, except mood swings. The mood swings decreased dramatically once the dose was increased :rolleyes:. After almost two years on the drug, my migraines where gone. I've had one bad relapse in three years, with visual disturbance, but thankfully it seems to be under control. I have been discharged from the Neurology clinic but will have to return if they come back.

I baulked at the idea of meds every day. And I was put on amytriptilene for pain when I smashed my wrist. Became a zombie so binned that fast. :rolleyes:

L1985

I tried a lot of different things as had chronic migraines. Gave up sugar the Jan before last and don't know myself since. I didn't eat that much sugary stuff in my opinion before hand but I think it was the highs and lows of it! Made some difference and I'd recommend anyone to try it although it can take a few weeks to have an affect.

L1985

Also I have to be v structured with my sleep pattern-can't sleep in anymore as it's a guaranteed trigger!!

Graces7

L1985 wrote: »

I tried a lot of different things as had chronic migraines. Gave up sugar the Jan before last and don't know myself since. I didn't eat that much sugary stuff in my opinion before hand but I think it was the highs and lows of it! Made some difference and I'd recommend anyone to try it although it can take a few weeks to have an affect.

Are we not contrary! I am the opposite; when my blood sugar drops, headache then migraine. There is some new research into M.E that highlights that we have erratic blood sugar levels and at one stage they thought I had diabetes. Also that caffeine helps us. So my lifelong craving for strong sweet coffee was my body telling me what I needed.

L1985

Now I would have thought the same...when I got a headache and the couple of days after I was craving sweet things. I thought it was from my blood sugar level dropping and sugar wasn't an issue but when I cut it out completely it stopped after around a month -I presume because it became balanced. Now I honestly don't really know the science behind it I'm just grateful it worked even if it means no more icecream
Don't know if that's any help!!

Graces7

L1985 wrote: »

Now I would have thought the same...when I got a headache and the couple of days after I was craving sweet things. I thought it was from my blood sugar level dropping and sugar wasn't an issue but when I cut it out completely it stopped after around a month -I presume because it became balanced. Now I honestly don't really know the science behind it I'm just grateful it worked even if it means no more icecream
Don't know if that's any help!!

lol.... No with me it is the drop. The hardest part was that I would thus wake with a full blown migraine.

Your craving was what some call addiction ; a different thing. I was tested over and again for diabetes because of my erratic levels and when the M.E was finally diagnosed it all made sense.

Interesting thing with me is that since I knew that and cater for it, migraines are rare things. And always a trigger, usually extreme tiredness or getting soaked and chllled. I was careful during the house move and avoided migraine successfully with abundant sweet snacks.

Whatever works for each is what matters. Well doen to you and well done to me!

MFlack2012

Graces7 wrote: »

I baulked at the idea of meds every day. And I was put on amytriptilene for pain when I smashed my wrist. Became a zombie so binned that fast. :rolleyes:

I did become Zombie-like on it and had really bad mood swings, but when the Neurologist increased the dose, it was fine. I was also prescribed Imigran for the pain while on the Amitriptyline but I never took it. I had no problem with taking the daily meds but they were confined to just before bed, so that really helped.

MFlack2012

Graces7 wrote: »

Are we not contrary! I am the opposite; when my blood sugar drops, headache then migraine. There is some new research into M.E that highlights that we have erratic blood sugar levels and at one stage they thought I had diabetes. Also that caffeine helps us. So my lifelong craving for strong sweet coffee was my body telling me what I needed.

This actually makes so much sense. For years I suffered with fainting spells. When I would get really hot or in the shower, I would feel like everything was shutting down, get very jelly legged and completely blackout. I was tested so many times for diabetes and Thyroid function. Nothing was ever diagnosed, but my Neurologist seemed to suggest drop in blood sugar levels! Never had an episode after the migraines stopped, so maybe so!:D