Migraines, any one else get them?

[JennifersHope]

Migraines are a newer thing that I have been dealing with, I am already taking a vasodilator to help prevent vasospasm, but it doesn't seem to always work. I am still getting breakthrough migraines on occasion.

I can't take Imitrex because of my blessed heart... (heart disease) just wondering if anyone else gets migraines and what you do and take?

Right now the thing that works best for me is a dark quiet room, with ice packs on my head...... Narcotics make me throw up almost instantly too.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[NoExcuses]

1. Make sure i'm hydrated. I have an awful habit of never drinking enough fluids

2. Make sure I'm eating a balanced diet. I also have a nasty habit of eating the same foods over and over again. I miss out on a good balance of nutrients.

3. Sleeping enough - every night of the week.


Hope this helps!

 

[JennifersHope]

THanks I will try those, though getting a good nights sleep every night of the week isn't an option for me with my work schedule.

 

[NoExcuses]

i definitely understand. i just notice that when i do all these things, it helps a ton. unfortunatley every body is different so what may work for me, may not for u.

 

[Purplelungz]

I have read that taking pain meds like tylenol for a migrane can make it worse...because even though it lessens the pain for a little while it constricts the vessles even more and thats the reason for migrain pain. What I read suggested if you cant take migraine medication try basically toughing it out...or acupuncture, i have heard this helps migraines alot from several people. Maybe talk with your doctor or read your drug book and see if their is a migraine med that wont interfer with your heart...but I am thinking maybe not since thy all deal with dialating the vessels?
Have you noticed an increase in sinus problems? maybe more blockage you cant get out? or sinus pressure...maybe even some sensitive teeth? If so check to see if you dont have a sinus infection....or just overly packed sinuses or polyps causing the sinuses not to drain. I know when my migraines get worse its generally related to my sinuses. I have bad sinuses and they get packed and well the mucus keeps coming and just packing away up there causing more and more pressure triggering my migraines.
Keep those ice packs handy those really are nice. Nice quiet room with a pillow or stuffed animal to hug and cry on. Thats what i have to do. Sometimes my migraine meds dont even work so I hae to just bear with it.

 

[Nicole]

I have found that when I feel a migraine coming on if I drink something with a lot of caffine (like Mtn Dew) sometimes it will help lessen the pain.

 

[JennifersHope]

Thanks Manda,

Come to think of it, I have a huge sinus infection, my teeth do hurt etc.. Maybe this triggered my migraine?

I don't know, I also take three other cardiac meds to help with my blood pressure and I know some of them are supposed to help with the migraines..

Miss you Manda, Nicole I love the MT Dew idea though the sugar would send me into a coma.. HA

Jennifer

 

[Kanake676]

I was having migraines a long time ago and my neurologist put me on
very low doses (can't remember how much) of Amytriptiline (sp?).
 It is actually an antidepressant, but in low doses it can
work as a preventative for migraines, according to him.  And
yes, check out your sinuses too..they can trigger all sorts of
wonderful things! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><br>

 

[JazzysMom]

The only thing that eases migrains for me when I do get them is the touch of my husband hand right on top of my head. I know it sounds corny, but it works. I dont get them often, but when I do EVERYTHING bothers me, but nothing really helps it except his (only his, not jamzines or mine) hand touching my head! Want to borrow him??? LOL!

 

[Diane]

I started getting migraines when i was around 20. I started going to a chiropractor for relief and it did work, but they kept coming anyway. I never figured to look into any of the medicines i was on but when my doctor took me off of Bactrim ( i was on it as a maintenance deal for months) the headaches subsided greatly. I do still get migraines here and there and only take tylenol for them, ( if they are really bad i have to try to sleep them off )~( doesnt always work). I now know 2 of my triggers for a migraine........aspartame ( nutrasweet) and bactrim. I stopped taking bactrim for years and have recently started taking it again and the migraines havent come back, ( but i do still get some headache with it sometimes). I always drink one iced tea a day and days with a headache it does seem to help my headaches. ( I read that caffeine can help migraines ) Maybe look into what medicines you are taking or if you are eating something new in your diet. You never know................

 

[JennifersHope]

Thanks for the great suggestions.. Yes Mel send your husband UPS to me so I can borrow his hand....

I was prescribed a low dose of Amitriptylin 10 mgs but I refused to take it.. HA.. The reason I refused is dumb but it is a tricycle antidepressent and when they do a normal urine drug screen on you it shows up.

Being that I am a nurse, and I deal with narcotics on a regular basis, I didn't want to take something that if my urine was ever tested would show up.... Paranoid I know......

Did the med work for you though? I wonder if mine is linked to aspertame, I do drink a lot of that.. I also know red wine triggers it as well...

Thanks again for you advice..

Jennifer

 

[CFHockeyMom]

Learning your triggers is the best thing you can do. My oldest son's triggers are dehydration and lack of sleep. Other common triggers are red wine, NutraSweet and hormones.

Many women suffer from monthly migraines due to fluctuations in hormones. To lessen the effects of hormones, my Dr. suggested cutting down on caffeine, alcohol, eating a well balanced diet, plus taking calcium and soy supplements.

Another thing that both my Dr. and my son's suggested is to make sure you treat a migraine when it first comes on. Don't wait and hope it gets better. Whether your treatment is medication (Ibuprofen is preferred OTC for migraines), a dark room, or whatever, make sure you take/do it immeadiately.

 

[JennifersHope]

Yes I know my migraines are comming monthly and are related to my period timing.... Oh what fun it is to be a hormonal living being.. HA

I am learning a lot from you guys, pulling stuff together.. You guys have great advice....


Thanks, SO I will drink plenty, rest plenty, take advil at the start, and try to eat better.. I will let you know if it works.. This month is out because I am in the middle of cycling with it.. I also have a sinus infection adding to it. Hope I am better for work tomorrow, I would hate to have to work 14 hours with a migraine.. UGGg

Thanks..

 

[Rokiss12]

i've never gotten one (thank God) but both my brother and mom get HORRIBLE ones. this may sound werid, but my mom gets botox for hers, and it actually works! i think our insurance has even started covering it (or saying that they'll think about it)

so maybe, if your okay with idea, and the $ works for you, try it! because it seriously helps her!

other then that, they both just load on the meds (but my bro avoids them at all costs, he just doesnt like medication) and stay in a dark rook untill it goes away.

hope i helped!

 

[NoExcuses]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JennifersHope</b></i>



Thanks, SO I will drink plenty, rest plenty, take advil at the start, and try to eat better.. I will let you know if it works.. This month is out because I am in the middle of cycling with it.. I also have a sinus infection adding to it. Hope I am better for work tomorrow, I would hate to have to work 14 hours with a migraine.. UGGg



Thanks..</end quote></div>

careful with advil. it gives me bleeders. i know your lungs are generally healthy but just a heads up in case you suffer from that (i can't remember if you ever siad that you have)

 

[EnergyGal]

I did not read all the above so not sure if this was mentioned. essential oils help me if I get headaches. I use migrane stick. It is great because you can refill it with your own essential oil. I buy this at whole foods market. It is a green tiny bottle that is the size of a ladies pinky.

 

[Kanake676]

Amitriptylin worked very well for me.  It turned out to be
really helpful and got rid of my migraines entirely.
 Perhaps there is some way you can clear it with your
supervisor/boss if you are interested in trying it so that you
would not get in trouble for it showing on a urine test?

 

[JennifersHope]

Thanks. I could take the drug, and if I was ever drug tested I could show them the prescription for it.. I actually have it at my bedside, I think I will call my neruologist tomorrow to ask him if I can take it.

Thanks again... I don't know what I would do without this website,


Jennifer

 

[Ratatosk]

I used to get horrible, horrible headaches that would make me dizzy and nothing would seem to help. Always assumed they were sinus headaches and if I caught them soon enough with sudafed sinus (decongestant with advil or tylenol), I could usually nip them in the bud.

After having the "summer of dizziness" and going to see several doctors, prescriptions for nasal irrigation, flonase... had CT scans 'cuz I felt as if I had someone else's hangover for several months -- I had my tonsils removed. I also had chronically infected/cryptic tonsils. I've gone from taking something for my headaches on a daily basis, several times a day to once every month or so. In my case, I'm assuming my chronically infected tonsils were making me sick. Horrible surgery for an adult btw, wouldn't recommend it just to see if your headaches go away. Nasty recovery time. Bleah!

I had a coworker with similar symptoms -- she was told she had "rocks in her head" -- calcium deposits in her eustacian tubes that caused dizziness and nausea and headaches. Basically an inner ear disorder. She went to a specialist who did adustments -- basically moved her head gently into different positions to help drain, get rid of the "rocks in her head". So maybe instead of migraines, you've just got rocks in your head <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There is a technical term for this disorder and eventually it goes away on its own. L

 

[JazzysMom]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Ratatosk</b></i>

I used to get horrible, horrible headaches that would make me dizzy and nothing would seem to help. Always assumed they were sinus headaches and if I caught them soon enough with sudafed sinus (decongestant with advil or tylenol), I could usually nip them in the bud.



After having the "summer of dizziness" and going to see several doctors, prescriptions for nasal irrigation, flonase... had CT scans 'cuz I felt as if I had someone else's hangover for several months -- I had my tonsils removed. I also had chronically infected/cryptic tonsils. I've gone from taking something for my headaches on a daily basis, several times a day to once every month or so. In my case, I'm assuming my chronically infected tonsils were making me sick. Horrible surgery for an adult btw, wouldn't recommend it just to see if your headaches go away. Nasty recovery time. Bleah!



I had a coworker with similar symptoms -- she was told she had "rocks in her head" -- calcium deposits in her eustacian tubes that caused dizziness and nausea and headaches. Basically an inner ear disorder. She went to a specialist who did adustments -- basically moved her head gently into different positions to help drain, get rid of the "rocks in her head". So maybe instead of migraines, you've just got rocks in your head <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There is a technical term for this disorder and eventually it goes away on its own. L</end quote></div>


I know this was a serious post with a jolt of humour, but I really cracked up over it!!!!!!!!!!