For the past 20 years(age 32 now) I have been getting migraines, and I'm sick and tired of them, been on numerous medications, none that have really helped. Do any of you get them? what are your tricks to deal with them? Do you take prescription meds, and do they help?

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

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as a teenager I would get them frequently, to the point where my vision would be lost (ended up in the hospital because I hit a parked car at Briarwood Mall after work when I had a migraine).

As an adult, I have gotten one migraine (knock on wood), and that was after riding the Mean Streak Roller Coaster at Cedar Point a few years ago... the rattling of that ride caused the headache and me losing vision...I ended up in the hospital after that too!

I really sympathize with you mabear. Have you tried acupuncture? or anything chiropractic?

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SPJRNTGADL!

Not to try and drum up future patients!!!!

My "little" brother used to get these really frequently when he was a young teen.....he still gets them they are just few and far between now. I would suggest going and making sure that your body is holding it's alignment correctly and see what that does.....it isn't going to hurt you and your not having to put medicine in your body that it does not need. My brother knows now when he has to get "put back together" b/c he will feel one coming on!! If its not that then go see your PCP and get some medicine to get some relief. I never have personally had one but, just watching my brother suffer is enough to KNOW how much they hurt!!

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

Have you tracked or logged when you are getting them to help determine what, if anything, might be triggering them?

That may be the key. Figure out what is triggering them and avoiding the triggers.

My triggers include any perfume made by AVON, hormonal changes and some other perfumes. I avoid AVON perfumes like the plague.
If I am able, when I feel one coming on, I lie down in a dark room with a bad of ice on the base of my neck and one on my forehead (in fact, I think I got that bit of advice from here a couple of years ago) and just breath deeply. I prefer to take Execedrin, but sometimes Aleve will help. If I catch it I can usually nip it the bud, if not, I'm sick for a couple of days.

Yes, I have one now!!!


Really though I get them to the point of I have to go to the hospital to make sure it is not a stroke. My face will fall my speech will slur and of course my head hurts terrible.

My trigger is yellow cheese and I think my children. (stress)

I have tried tracking them......It helped me figure out that I usually get a very bad one right before my period, all others I have not been able to pinpoint any exact triggers....though I do still keep a log for my dr. I have horrible sleep patterns, but these are beyond me control, and I know this doesn't help.

Medications I have been on.... tried just about everything over the counter....

Imitrex
Maxalt
Relpax
Migranal
Phenegran or Thorazine (for nausea)
Topamax
Midrin


there are some more that I can't think of off the top of my head....I have done acupuncture once, with no relief and have not felt the need to do it again, have also tried going to a chiropractir, but when I did I ended up with a 4 day migraine, so I will not go back.....I do use ice packs, and they can make a world of difference.......

I have seen some things for some herbal remedies...but I'm afraid to try them, because I'm always afraid that it will make 'em worse and not better

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

One of the newer treatments is Botox injections. They inject the "stuff" in various points of your neck. But, a lot of insurance won't cover it because it isn't a proven method thus far.
Also, beta blocker meds have been used for some people w/ migraines. I forget the exact mechanism of why it works. And, some of the SSRI anti-depressants can be helpful to (and that might also help you sleep patterns as well!)

I am sorry that you have to do other remedies.. .b/c I think chiropractic care is the be all end all We can fix anything...okay UUHHMMM no. But, I do hope you find some relief!! Good Luck

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

The only thing so far that has helped me is Relpax. I usually get a bad migraine a few days before my peroid. I went years not knowing what was wrong. They thought it was a sinus problem. I have a deviated septum and also nasal bone spurs, which I do think impact my mirgaines to some extent. I actually haven't had a migraine in about six weeks, which is the longest stretch in years.

Thanks for the ideas....I wrote them down to discuss with doc! My sleep patterns are off because my oldest DS is an autistic who does not sleep through night, so I am up with him........I will definately be researching these....Thanks

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

I really think I may have not gone to the best person here......but because of the pain I ended up enduring I'm not really ready to try it again......

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

I have them all to often for the last 10 years or so. We have decided that mine are caused by stress. Geez to I have a lot of that, have you seen my myspace blog. LOL

Everytime I end up having to get a shot. I have no idea what it is, Dh knows. It's something with phenegren in it. When I first started having to get the shots they normally knock you out, they didn't touch me never did go to sleep. It was a pain finding something that would work. I've given up on the pills as none seem to work. Although I haven't tried any of the "new" ones.

Laura

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One more thing (and then I'll shut up! ) is there any possibility that you could have some damaged vertebrae in your neck?

I ask that because a simple Chiro adjustment should not have caused you 4 days of pain (no matter how badly I think of most Chiros), and secondly if you have some damage in your neck then it could be compressing certain nerves that could be causing you to develop the migraines.

Just one more thing to consider: One of the newer anti-depressants (Cymbalta and Lyrica are first in my mind) are also commonly used for neurogenic pain (nerve pain) and can be quite effective in helping with the pain, the emotional ups and downs of being in pain (not to mention the ups and downs of having an Autistic child) as well as helping you rest when you actually do sleep.

Hopefully, you can find something that works for you.

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Jesus love me--you he only tolerates!

Toradol is a common one.....I have problems with rebound headaches on this one.....but I know a couple of people that it works wonders for.....If it's different I'd love to know what it is....I love being able to make suggestions to my dr.

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

Mepergan is a combo of Phenergan and Demerol (GOOD STUFF!)

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Jesus love me--you he only tolerates!

imitrex works for me.. it is just sooo expensive.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

I know the feeling.....I went to a doctor that thought I had a cervical tumor and he poke and poke on me until I thought I was going to die......those kinds of experiences makes it soooo hard to go back. I mean geez I don't go back to restaurant if the food isn't good, and I'm not ever going back if you hurt me worse.
I am so sorry!! I really do hope you find some relief soon!

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

Toradol was given to my SO after oral surgery because he hates taking the narcotic painkillers because they make him sick. The oral surgeon said that Toradol was the latest and greatest thing. We ended up in the ER with an allergic reaction to Toradol. The ER staff said it wasn't the first one they had treated, so you might want to be careful with that one.

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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

I have actually tried 3 different chiropractors (who all "promised" they would take away the headaches).

Unfortunately, none of them even "helped" the headaches -- so all they "took away" was a lot of my money

Having said that, though, I absolutely think chiropractors can help a lot of patients.

DH gets them. Most of his are food allergy related so we watch what he eats. It's a pain the butt going out to eat since we have to ask what the ingredients are. He doesn't get them to often anymore since he was put on high blood pressure medicine. I only get one MAYBE once a year and I have NO idea what brings it on. I'll be fine and then all of a sudden I get a bad headache, chills, lights/sound bother me and the only thing that helps is throwing up. I don't know how the DH put up with them. I can take pain, but that's one pain that renders me a big baby.

I had very bad headaches most of my life. I had tried a lot of medications along with chiropractic, supplements, massage, physical therapy, etc. I had a few other symptoms including insomnia and neck/back/shoulder pain.

A couple of years ago, I found out I had chronic Lyme disease. My headaches were greatly reduced after treatment. I still get some headaches and Relpax works really well for them.

The advice I give to my clients is a hydrotherapy trick. You put ice or an ice pack on the back of your neck and head and put your feet in a basin of warm (or hot...depends on you) as you can handle it water.

The reasoning behind it is: When some people get a headache it's due to the the white blood cells (healing cells) rushing to what caused the pain in the first place and then the white blood cells go about their merry little way circulating through your body. But in the case of a migrane, the white blood cells rush to the cause and either 1. too many white blood cells rush there at once causing the migrane -or- 2. the white blood cells stay there (for a number of reasons - that's why dr.'s ask for CAT scans - to see if there is a reason for the cells to be staying there...like a growth or something like that.) -or- 3. too many cells rush there AND they don't remove themselves.

Fever or heat usually indicates infection which triggers the white blood cells to respond to that site in your body. SO... If you put ice on your head while you're having a migrane, you're tricking the cells into thinking that there is no more fever or infection and no cause for them to be there anymore. AND putting your feet into warm (or hot) water helps to draw them away from your head. (I really hope I made sense!)

I used to get them all of the time, but I found out that it had to do with my monthly cycle, stress, and my bra was too tight (putting too much pressure on my trapezius muscles and a few others) restricting blood flow to my head! I took the CAT scan too and they found nothing (haha!)! But if I take an Excedrin Migraine and put ice on my head and my feet in hot water...10 - 15 minutes and it's ALL gone! Mine used to last for 2-3 days. Big improvement!

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Kristee
Kritter0114@aol.com

"Hold on, let me check....YES! I do have a coupon for that!"

I HAD(knock on wood) them for years. Started at age 10 when I got my first period. I had them all the time when I managed a KFC for 14 years(finally gave that stressful job up). Nothing ever helped. I was always down for 2 - 3 days with them. When my Sis started working in Doctors office she brought me some of the Relpax to try. They helped so when I went to my Dr to get prescription he said my blood pressure was high and if it didn't come down naturally in a week he would put me on BP meds which he said wouldhelp the migraines(as Ladystrange said about her hubby). Needless to say I haven't had a migraine since I started the meds 3 years ago. I still get headaches(a lot of sinus headaches ) but I can live with a headache. Makes my stomach hurt just thinking about how sick I used to get and how much time I missed because of them. I hope you get some relief SOON.

Mine used to be triggered by the weather. I could track a storm before it showed up on radar. They were getting to about once a week. One trick I was told from a neuro that my DH was seeing is to take phenergen or anything to settle your stomach at the onset of a migrane. Wait 30mins before taking a pain killer. The reason being that migranes in people that feel sick, the stomach is churning and everything that you put into it is a waste. It helped me. I tried all and I mean all the medicines, nothing worked as well as a phenergen and a pain killer. About 3 years ago, I had really bad sinus headaches as well. I ended up having surgery and the results are amazing. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My sinus headaches are all but gone, and my migranes are down to every couple of months or so.
On the Chiropactor thing,I used to see one. I picked him out of the yellow pages based on his picture. He was really cute, not sure if the adjustment helped, or just him doing it to me. I love the chiropractor. In fact I could use an adjustment now. Pity I moved 1000 miles away.

My son is 13 and he started getting them about a year ago. We are going to try him on imitrex. I will keep in mind the ice and hot water thing.

This is what scares me the most.....I notice my oldest DD starting to get a lot of headaches, and I know the pain that I'm in, and how hard it was when i was younger, especially since my parents always thought I was faking......I really don't want her to suffer like this...defiantely not fun.

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

My kids have pseudo-tumor cerebri (increased intracranial pressure). They have constant, severe headaches. It's very hard to watch your kids in extreme pain.