Migraine misery

I find full fat coke helps too! though the blue pepsi is even better

GrandyMa I feel your pain, I get migraines too, sometimes what’s known as ‘suicide migraines’ that last weeks or months at a time where I have to sign off sick (thankfully now self employed so it’s more flexible).

I tried the nerve block, which actually made it worse, but apparently that’s a rare reaction and many people find it life changing, sumatriptan which was effective up until the pandemic, then I switched to the migraine nasal spray ‘zomig’, that one I found the best.
Like JaneJudge I find Coke when I can first sense them coming on very helpful.

I take Amitriptyline daily (low dose) and this has certainly decreased the number of attacks and the severity. I then use Almogran if I do get an attack and it works fairly quickly.

I have had migraine since childhood, So i sympathise and at the same time am thankful mine were relatively infrequent, even though they knocked me out for several days.

Since the menopause they have become erratic in occurrence and unpredictable in form. I have had vestibular migraine, which I hadn't even heard about before I had an attack, a recurrence of classic migrane where sight goes and then returns with the pain, a migraine where I spent 15 hours vomiting and then runs when I have migraine every few days for 3 or 4 weeks, but only very mild attacks.

JaneJudge, I used to take migraleve, but I was commenting to a pharmacist about how expensive it was and she told me it was only paracetamol and codeine with an anti nauseant. Since nausea has never played a large part in my migraine, I stopped buying migaleve and now use straight paracetetamol and codeine, which is much cheaper.

mayisay

I had regular nauseous migraines for more than thirty years, and eventually discovered, by sheer chance, that I had an intolerance of any foods, or drinks, flavoured with orange, and of course the fruit itself. Since omitting this completely from my diet, I haven't had any migraines, so it would be well worth keeping a note of what you're eating, and see if there is a connection.
You have my full sympathy, as I know only too well, how debilitating migraines are.

My DD1 had an intolerance of all citrus fruits, mayisay, and suffered migraines and vomiting if she had even the smallest amount of juice, or a slice of lemon in a drink. She was lucky in that she realised early what it was causing her problems, and then she grew out of it altogether in her 30s.

My life was ruled by migraines, I spent about three days in every three weeks in bed almost unable to move my head.
I missed several Christmas’s my sons twenty first, many school events, several holidays were ruined.
I lived in fear of them striking when we were due to fly back from a holiday because I knew I couldn’t have done it.
I tried homeopathy, acupuncture, osteopathy, every combination of drugs imaginable.
Eventually I was put on propranolol, these tablets changed my life, migraines literally stopped.
I was taken off them a few years ago with the reassurance that if they came back, I could resume taking them, so far so good, no more migraines.

When you get the warning signs, try taking a couple of anti inflammatory pills, and remember to stay hydrated so always have water or some juice near you. A cool and quiet, dark room if available.
And your usual medication - but please check you can use anti inflammatory pills with your usual meds!

You don’t need to see a neurologist normally and there is a long wait generally. Neurology is reserved for severe refractory to treatment headache. GPs are well
Placed to manage migraine. Lots of preventative methods to try and lots of symptomatic relief.
Go with a headache diary, try and list any triggers and avoid these. Look at things like nutrition, sleep, device use, exercise as these can play a role.
Patient.co.uk and the migraine trust have some useful leaflets.
Good luck!

I get awful nausea Monica. I have tried taking just co-codamol but I need the initial pink migraleve tablets to take off the nausea

Before I was put on propranolol I found the only thing that took the edge off was nurofen plus. I never found migraleve very helpful.
The other thing which brought a bit of temporary relief was an ice pack on the back of my neck, but apparently you shouldn’t do this for too long.

Just an update. Spoke to GP today. I explained about the migraines nausea etc. he prescribed a triptan tablet. To make matters worse I’ve now got a urine infection and the antibiotic he’s given me has caused nausea and vomiting. I’ll be going back tomorrow. This is sheer misery. The triptan has got rid of the headache but now on top of the nausea I’m vomiting. Sorry for the rant.

It never rains but it pours, Grandyma. . I hope you’ll feel better by tomorrow.

DH is 76 tomorrow and has had migraines since he was a child. Not quite the crippling 3 day ones of his 30s but nevertheless painful and disruptive. Sadly he finds he now cannot tolerate alcohol at all but can enjoy some 0% beers occasionally.

Ladywee Sorry to disagree but having suffered since childhood and eventually a referral in my 50s to a neurologist before I saw any respite in migraine. Then yes sometimes it is necessary.

I have never seen a doctor about my migraine, even though I have had it since childhood.

It runs in the family and was just seen as some thing you get and deal with.

The majority of my migraines have no recogniseable cause. Sometimes stress is a cause, and in the days when lots of people smoked, cigarette smoke triggered them, but the majority come out of the blue for no discernable cause

Oh no that’s sounds terrible. Ask him for something for the nausea. Hope you feel better soon .

I didn’t see a doctor about migraines until one of my DC started getting them at the age of seven. By the time he was a teenager he could have as many as five a week and it was severely affecting his - and everyone’s - life. I joined the Migraine Trust and that’s when I realised there are things available to help so why wouldn’t you avail yourself of them, and went to the doctor.

Migraine is a drain on the workplace, apart from anything else, and there are many more remedies nowadays, so there’s no need to suffer as much as there used to be.

The main reason I haven't seen a doctor is because for most of my life my migraines, though severe, have not been that frequent and OTC remedies dealt with it.

Had I had the very frequent and severe migraine attacks many have, I would been down at the surgery like a shot.

I remember my mum taking me to the GP when I was Primary School age. She and dad both suffered with migraines too. All the GP could say was to go to bed in a darkened room! Panadol or aspirin never worked. It wasn’t until I was in my 40s and sumatriptan came on the scene that I could finally control them a bit.

Yes, the intensity of a migraine can vary wildly. Many of mine are just a bit of a nuisance but others make me want to tear my head off. No rhyme nor reason to it and I’ve never been able to identify triggers, except sometimes it’s missing a meal.

My friend has them so badly that she is paralysed down one side of her body, which is very frightening. She’s been given Botox treatment which has been a marvel for her and allowed her to go back to work again.

I know someone that had Botox for migraines. Orange juice used to trigger mine. And sleeping late at weekends. I always had one on a Saturday.

So did my dh, when he was younger, Maybee! I wonder if it was due to ‘decompressing’ from the working week or something.

I suffered dreadfully from migraine from my early teens until about ten years ago when I finally agreed to try Pizotifen, a prophylactic drug that was recommended by my GP. It literally gave me my life back!

I can count on one hand the few migraine attacks I’ve had since starting Pizotifen whereas before I was having two a week! The major downside is weight gain as a side effect, but for me it’s totally worth it. There is a newer prophylactic drug that doesn’t have the same side effects, but I’m afraid to upset the apple cart.

Grannyactivist
I had exactly the same experience with propranolol, it did put on weight, although the doctor said it was more a matter of increased appetite, but frankly it changed my life, liberated me, what’s a few pounds?

dogsmother

Ladywee Sorry to disagree but having suffered since childhood and eventually a referral in my 50s to a neurologist before I saw any respite in migraine. Then yes sometimes it is necessary.

Yes…… as I said it is reserved for refractory migraines. Some people do need referring, the vast majority do not as all
The usual measures can be worked through by the GP ( it’s very common but refractory migraine much less so) .Plus if she is waiting 2 years for a referral it’s not much help to her now.
When posters write ‘get a referral
To xyz’ it can promote unrealistic expectations and actually be unhelpful to the OP.
Triptan is first line treatment so she has started on the right treatment course.