Does anyone else suffer from horrendous migraines?

duchess15

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My head started to hurt this morning, but it was really mild. All week long I have felt this dull pain in my head due to sinus pressure. Today I have a full blown migraine. It hurts so bad it is making my ears hurt. I've already taken Tylenol and Advil within 2 hours.

Does anyone else suffer from migraines? It seems like my head is hurting all the time. Whether it be a headache, migraine, or sinus headache. I had a sinus headache for a month straight last year.
 

emrldsky

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Originally Posted by Duchess15

My head started to hurt this morning, but it was really mild. All week long I have felt this dull pain in my head due to sinus pressure. Today I have a full blown migraine. It hurts so bad it is making my ears hurt. I've already taken Tylenol and Advil within 2 hours.

Does anyone else suffer from migraines? It seems like my head is hurting all the time. Whether it be a headache, migraine, or sinus headache. I had a sinus headache for a month straight last year.
I used to, until I was diagnosed with TMJ (grinding and clenching my teeth at night) and got a device to stop that. I have gotten some sinus/tension headaches, but no more migraines.


You might want to look into Excedrin for your migraines if Tylenol and Advil aren't helping. Be careful with Excedrin Migraine or Tension Headache though...both have quite a bit of caffeine in them and can make you jittery. Also, laying down in a dark room with your eyes covered can help as well.

for your migraine to go away!
 
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duchess15

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I've tried excedrin migraine, and sometimes it works and sometimes not.
Since I am making pizza tonight, I bought a Dr. Pepper so that should help since it has caffeine.
 

forensic

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Excedrine Migraine works for me, but only if I take it early (I get fair warning with mine, auras and sparkly bits...). If I can't take it (either don't have any or am in the lab (no food or drink!)) then it really doesn't help.

The only thing that helps then is lots and lots of water and sleep.

My mother got prescription meds for hers I think. She says they help more than the other stuff. *shrug*
 

strange_wings

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I used to have them all the time, now it's only occasionally - but at least I know what caused mine now.

Since you mentioned having sinus problems all week try a cold&allergy med or an OTC allergy med - after the dose of tylenol wears off.


Have you had yourself checked to see if it's allergies? Any blood pressure problems - high or low?
 

katachtig

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You also may want to look into deep tissue massage. I had chronic headaches for the longest time. After I started getting massages for some tendinitis, the headaches started going away. My neck and shoulders were so tight that the pain was referring to the top of my sinuses.
 

KittenKrazy

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I have the occasional one....every few years or so. But hub has frequent ones, can be set off as someone stated by allergies, TMJ, and tense muscles, but also by abnormal sleep patterns, chocolate, aged cheeses, weather changes(when the barometric pressure goes up and down, hub goes nuts) also Monosodium Glutamate (MSG, a flavor enhancer found in 95% of all processed foods under one name or another).

Standard treatment around here, numero uno start as soon as you have any idea that its a migraine......dr agrees, the sooner you start, the easier it is to get rid of. Try two Tyleno or Advil Migriane along with two naproxen(Aleve). In an hour if it isn't better/gone, take either two Tylenol or Advil Migriane (whichever one you didn't take first) plus another naproxen . If not better, then on to the prescription meds that he has(too long of a list here), half the time I wind up with him in the dr's office for a shot that knocks him AND the migraine out.
 

lunasmom

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I use to have them while earning my bachelor's. However since I went on birth control they are now far and few between. I also find that my headaches (in general) will occur more often if I have a lot of sugar and little water. I also grind my teeth at night.

Have you had an allergy test? A roommate I had in college had several allergies to food that would trigger her migraines. Among them were chocolate, caffiene, and cheese.
 

kaleetha

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Yes, I had one today actually, and I get them about once a week. I started using Imitrex for my migraines (only tried it twice though, the pills are really expensive). The first time it worked great, the second time (today) not so much. I find I get mine when I'm stressed, dehydrated, overly tired, overly emotional, MSG, or combinations of all of the above. I think I may be allergic to garlic and onions too, but I haven't been tested for that yet. Best thing to do is catch it early....

Excedrin is pretty much caffeine, Tylenol and aspirin all mixed up (so I've heard) and it did work for me for a while, but I think my body got used to it. Good luck with yours....
 

ldg

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Remaining hydrated is really important.

Get tested for allergies to check for triggers.

Treat them early. There are a lot of various prescription meds you can - best to work with a Doc on that.

Caffeine is a great vasoconstrictor, so can really help shut them down. But it often causes rebounds.

I don't have migraines (thank goodness), but my husband suffers from cluster headaches. He's been chronic for two years now. I know all about migraine meds because that's what they use to try to treat clusters. None of them worked for hubby, but for many migraine sufferers, some of the drugs work really well.

Laurie
 

pookie-poo

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I get migraines, at least one a week....lately quite a few more. The only thing that works for me is Imitrex and laying down. Sometimes I get the visual scotoma without the pain, but that's fairly rare. Midrin used to work, but no longer does. I can't take any NSAIDS because of kidney problems, so Imitrex is my first line of defense. I have many triggers, but barometric pressure changes, red wine and processed meats are the biggest triggers. The next time I visit my doctor, I want to ask about a trial of Topamax, which is something that is taken daily to prevent migraine headaches......considering that I get so many, I think it would be worth trying!
 

strange_wings

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Hydration really is important. If I go too many hours, even just sleeping at night, I get a bad headache.

I've read of one person that has chronic unrelenting migraines had luck using an antihistamine and another medication - But their migraines are a bit different that what the average person suffers, it's caused by a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system -making it very complicated to treat. (ANS controls GI as well, so a lot of medications had horrible side effect on the digestive system that wasn't working properly to begin with)
Guess my point is - find a good doctor that will work with you. Likely a combination of a neurologist and an allergist - who will be willing to try unconventional treatments if the better known ones don't work. An MRI wouldn't hurt either.

Blood pressure can be a big trigger as well - dehydration can play in here. Too low or too high and there's a problem.
While my migraines are rare now, I still get daily headaches. Most are caused by low blood pressure, low blood volume, and a dysfunctional ANS.
 

meownstuff

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I have suffered with migraines for close to 16 years now and have been in and out of hospitals and doctors offices with no real answers. I do know that mine can be triggered by stress, lack of sleep, lack of water and a whole list of over things. They have dramatically affected my quality of life. I've tried everything under the sun and the only thing that really works for me is Butalbital which a doc has to perscribe you. I haven't had any luck at all with over the counter medications not saying that they wouldn't work for you though.

When I do find myself with a bad one I take a piping hot shower, drink a cup of coffee with a pill and lay in a quiet dark room. This works for me 9 times out of ten and the other 10% of the time I end up in the hospital getting a shot in the rear.

So sorry your having to deal with a nasty ole' migraine. Hopefully you will find something soon to help cope with the pain.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by meownstuff

When I do find myself with a bad one I take a piping hot shower, drink a cup of coffee with a pill and lay in a quiet dark room. This works for me 9 times out of ten and the other 10% of the time I end up in the hospital getting a shot in the rear.
I wouldn't dare try combining heat with any of my bad headaches - I end up dizzy and probably fall.
Heat dilates blood vessels. When there's enough problems getting blood and oxygen to the brain that makes things so much worse for me.
 
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duchess15

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I can normally take advil with a soda and it will get better, but sometimes it can take hours. There are very few times where I can try everything and nothing will work, not even codeine.
When I am at that point, I take a sleeping pill. I don't do that very often, but sometimes the pain is horrendous.
 

kittkatt

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I get migraines, which usually go away when I take Excedrin (usually, but not always). If my neck is out of whack, I'll usually get headaches from that, too, or if the barometric pressure is low - like when a storm is coming..

I've noticed that since my doc put me on blood pressure meds for my high blood pressure, I haven't been getting as many headaches - so I'm assuming that high blood pressure may cause severe headaches..


I received one of those "home remedies" e-mails once that had a list of things you could take for various ailments. In the e-mail, Gatorade was mentioned as a remedy for migraines/headaches. I don't know if it really works or not though, b/c I never tried it. But I do know that Gatorade is good for dehydration, and as someone else mentioned, if you stay hydrated your headaches won't be as severe - so maybe there's some truth to it..


~KK~
 

abbycats

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Yes, I have had a bad headache all day today. I take advil for the normal headaches, when I get migrane headaches they get so bad my Dr gives me pain killers. I have noticed that I will get the severe ones before a weather change. My headaches stem from my neck, I have chronic pain in my neck that moves right up the back of my neck into my scull and then my eyes. I have tried a chiropractor and massage and nothing works.
 
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