Migraines

crazyforinfo

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
6,773
Purraise
4
Location
Philly
So my migraine started at 1pm today just after my shower. I didn't even have a chance to dry my hair. I took 3 Advil's and slept for 2 hours. I then woke up with a kink in my neck that shot pain to my eye ball. I then took Excedrin migraine. Two hours later I got up to eat a plain bagel with butter. The headache was still there so I took an Advil sinus cause of the pressure I am having. It's been almost 2 hours since I took the sinus pill. It's a tiny better but not much. Light bothers me as much as darkness. I am so tired of being in the dark not doing anything.

What works for you that isn't a prescription? I am hungry but afraid to eat anything. I am in dire need of ideas. Oh I tried an ice pack after the Excedrin & that didn't help either.
 

kiwideus

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 4, 2002
Messages
13,901
Purraise
12
Location
Aotearoa
Oh I feel for you - a couple of weeks ago, I had a migraine that lasted 2 weeks, before I finally went to the doctor - I couldn't avoid it anymore and the doctor prescribed me some migraine medicine and thank goodness for them - they acted so fast and I felt SO much better. Nothing had worked before - it was the worst one I ever had.

The best thing to do for migraines is to see the doctor. Basically OTC migraine medicine is just caffeine with ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

I know there are several migraine sufferers out there and they may have better advice.
 

crittermom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 26, 2005
Messages
6,437
Purraise
2
Try throwing up.I know it sounds silly, but sometimes it works.
Also, as someone said try some chocolate or pop.
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
oh wow. i'm soooo sorry you have a migraine! i hate those
have you seen a neurologist about this? does it happen often? i'd go see a specialist about this sweetie- it's nothing to mess around with and it's interfering with your day to day life if you're unable to function with one.
please go get an experet's opinion on this
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

crazyforinfo

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
6,773
Purraise
4
Location
Philly
Originally Posted by crittermom

Try throwing up.I know it sounds silly, but sometimes it works.
Hubby said the samething but I hate that more than the migraines. Not to be gross but it always comes out my nose and then my eyes start to water. hehe I used to get those a lot but this is the 2nd time since the holidays. I went to the docs before and it was caused by a dormant sinus infection combined with the pills I was taking at home. I fear it might be the same again cause it's hard to get to my doctor. I went to the ER twice in the bast but I hate the altered state their drugs put me in. BTW when someone has a migraine why do they leave you in the bright waiting room for hours without meds? ugh!
 

crittermom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 26, 2005
Messages
6,437
Purraise
2
I feel for you sweetie!!
When mine hit me for 2 weeks, I had 3 shots at the ER and still had to drive myself home.
I have to take Amerge for mine now.
 

bella713

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
18,441
Purraise
3
Location
In a state of misery w/o my Bella
My friend had horrible migraines she went to a Holistic Doc and he prescribed some natural herb/s, that was over 9 years ago she has never had another migraine. I hope you are feeling better soon!
 

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
I only get tension headaches, but my other half does get severe migraines. The only non prescript i can think of is homeopathy (doesnt work for everyone)

Tristan started taking Neurofen migraine a few months ago, when he feels its going to hit and that way it works. It took him many different doctors and things before he found something right. Before that a full blown migraine he would sleep for a few days, not talk to anyone and have all the lights off and curtains shut. I cant imagine the pain but it's horrible to watch


There are also those oil rollons that are applied to the temples/forehead. But like i said it depends on the person and if you can catch it before it starts.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
I have I think migrane headaches where light bothers me-Excedrin migrane helps but I have to take it pretty quickly after symptoms. Trying to take a nap in a darkened room helps too.
 

abbycats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2005
Messages
2,544
Purraise
19
Location
Nebraska
I get horrible headaches. I went to a massage therapist that also did foot massage for different areas of the body. The chinese have charts on the foot and where the points are. My massage therapist told me when you get a migrane headache a good pressure point is your big toe. Massage your big toe all the way up to the top of it!!!!! I haven't tried it yet but it's worth a shot
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
Migraines are horrible
I used to get them 2 to 3 times a week but luckily now I only get them 5 or 6 times a year. However the trade off has been nearly daily tension headaches. OTC meds do nothing for me, as one person has already said.. throwing up does seem to help.

Taking too much medicine, OTC or prescription, can cause rebound migraines and headaches. Caffeine is actually a common trigger for migraines. It constricts blood vessels, and if I remember correctly, migraines themselves cause constriction. Another thing to remember, acetaminophen is toxic at lower levels than some other OTC NSAID.

For migraines I've always retreated to a dark quiet room with a cool wash cloth and tried to sleep through it, avoided caffeine and drank plenty of water.
 

catloverin_ks

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
10,177
Purraise
1
Location
Podunk, Kansas
Aww-I feel for you!! I have migraines often and they suck!! I usually have to lay down with a cool rag on my head and that takes the pressure off, sometimes.........
 

lunasmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
8,801
Purraise
12
Location
Jersey Shore
If Excedrin-migraine doesn't help, then just sleep!

That's the only other remedy I will use.
 

godiva

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
2,219
Purraise
14
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Do you have health insurance? If so, I would suggest getting a prescription like Zomig or Amerge (this class of drugs is called the triptans... pick the one your insurance covers
). They won't put you in an altered state.
You can take them just as you notice the aura. There are also a lot of drugs they are using now to prevent migraines (Topamax, blood pressure meds, Neurontin), but you have to take them daily, and most of them are expensive enough that you will need insurance to afford it.

If you don't have insurance, and you want to stay over-the-counter, try some of the herbal remedies. A daily magnesium supplement is supposed to help prevent migraines, but it can give you cramps and gas. If you can pay for a doctor visit, try to get a prescription for a drug called Midrin (that's the brand name). It has acetaminophen, a drug that helps constrict blood vessels in your brain (like how Zomig and Amerge work), and a mild muscle relaxant in it. I don't have insurance right now, and this is what I use. It's wonderful.
I have to take it as soon as I notice an aura, but if I do, the headache never develops! It's awesome.

Anyway, I feel for you... I know how frustrating having migraines on a regular basis is! I hope that info helps you out.
 

godiva

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
2,219
Purraise
14
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Originally Posted by strange_wings

Migraines are horrible
I used to get them 2 to 3 times a week but luckily now I only get them 5 or 6 times a year. However the trade off has been nearly daily tension headaches. OTC meds do nothing for me, as one person has already said.. throwing up does seem to help.

Taking too much medicine, OTC or prescription, can cause rebound migraines and headaches. Caffeine is actually a common trigger for migraines. It constricts blood vessels, and if I remember correctly, migraines themselves cause constriction. Another thing to remember, acetaminophen is toxic at lower levels than some other OTC NSAID.

For migraines I've always retreated to a dark quiet room with a cool wash cloth and tried to sleep through it, avoided caffeine and drank plenty of water.
Actually, they aren't too sure what causes a migraine, but they think for some reason that there is a excess release of seratonin, which then causes massive vasodilation in the vessels surrounding the brain, so caffeine helps by constricting those vessels (mildly). The triptans are seratonin antagonists specifically on blood vessels in the brain, so that is why they work so well! They cause constriction of those blood vessels that were dilated by seratonin.


But you are right, all the OTC meds can cause rebound migraines, any drug with caffeine, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen can.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

crazyforinfo

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
6,773
Purraise
4
Location
Philly
I usually get them from salty foods, red wine and too much shrimp. This last time I don't know what triggered it. It's funny cause I have low blood pressure. I know it isn't caffiene. I didn't have my second cup just. I just heated it up.

Any ideas on what could cause " excess release of seratonin"?
If I get one more I will see my doctor. I went several months without having one.

I wonder if it is tied to my menstral cycle. I just checked DH's calendar and the last one I got 8 days before my period started. It looks like I get mine in 10 days. If so I hate being a woman.

Oh another thing, I started getting these just after being diagnosed with HPV. Kinda weird.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

crazyforinfo

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
6,773
Purraise
4
Location
Philly
Well I found one thing that increases seratonin: 5-HTP. But I took one a day for two days which is less than the bottle says and serotonin syndrome or toxicity is usually in higher dosages. Hmmm
 

godiva

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
2,219
Purraise
14
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

I usually get them from salty foods, red wine and too much shrimp. This last time I don't know what triggered it. It's funny cause I have low blood pressure. I know it isn't caffiene. I didn't have my second cup just. I just heated it up.

Any ideas on what could cause " excess release of seratonin"?
If I get one more I will see my doctor. I went several months without having one.

I wonder if it is tied to my menstral cycle. I just checked DH's calendar and the last one I got 8 days before my period started. It looks like I get mine in 10 days. If so I hate being a woman.

Oh another thing, I started getting these just after being diagnosed with HPV. Kinda weird.
Well, for women, I think it has to do with hormones a lot of times. Hormones affect seratonin levels, both increasing and decreasing them. I used to take a blood pressure medication that helped decrease the number of migraines I get, now I take something else. Paradoxically, taking an SSRI like Prozac can also help with migraines (but that only increases seratonin in the brain, not around the brain and the rest of the body, which what I think the difference is).

Different foods and chemicals cause them in some people. Like I said, they don't know what causes the change in seratonin levels, but they are pretty sure it is associated (along with the blood vessel dilation) for some reason. It's weird! I know there's more to it, but I forget it all at the moment.
Something about there being a really low level of seratonin detectable in the blood before an aura, increased levels during the aura... I forget. It's so dang complicated!
I know a lot more about the drugs than I do the pathophysiology!
 

godiva

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
2,219
Purraise
14
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Oh, about the 5-HTP... I *think* I remember learning in class that while it is adsorbed by the body, it can't cross the blood-brain-barrier because it is too polar or something like that... so if you're taking it for depression, it won't get to the place it needs to to work. Does that make sense?


But, IF seratonin in the rest of the body has something to do with the blood vessel constriction around the brain (which I don't know if it does or not) it might be a plausible cause of your migraine if you're sensitive.

Who knows! LOL I have too much fun thinking about this stuff.
 
Top