Health / writers and migraine

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ATP

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[Roundtable seemed to be the best place for this thread and its type. Mods - feel free to move it should you consider otherwise]

I am a migraine sufferer, just like my mother. I know what the chief cause of my migraines are (such as cold wind on forehead and back of neck) and so am able to generally avoid them.

Unfortunately, I had a 'mild' attack during the night. The best medicine
I have available is ordinary headache tablets eg. Bufferin. Helpful, but only a bit.

Do any other writers out there suffer migraines? If so, what methods do you use to deal with / combat them? What medicine do you take for this, if any? What is the active ingredient/s? And what trade names do they/ does it go by?

Thanks.
 

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ATP said:
[Roundtable seemed to be the best place for this thread and its type. Mods - feel free to move it should you consider otherwise]

I am a migraine sufferer, just like my mother. I know what the chief cause of my migraines are (such as cold wind on forehead and back of neck) and so am able to generally avoid them.

Unfortunately, I had a 'mild' attack during the night. The best medicine
I have available is ordinary headache tablets eg. Bufferin. Helpful, but only a bit.

Do any other writers out there suffer migraines? If so, what methods do you use to deal with / combat them? What medicine do you take for this, if any? What is the active ingredient/s? And what trade names do they/ does it go by?

Thanks.

I had them so badly for two years following a pregnancy that I was frankly very nearly suicidal. They are extremely painful and seem to last forever. I would have them often for a week at a time..they would start out as an aura (the little twinkly spermy lookin things) and gradually start as a pain in my left eye..after a week of pain it got more intense until I would throw up and then I could go about another week or so before I had another one. Thankfully I no longer suffer from them but I DO HAVE a handful of suggestions because GOD i so understand how painful that is.

1. Imitrex - ask your doctor about this one. It is by far the most effective cure for a migraine ive found but if you suffer from high blood pressure its probably not a good idea to take it. There are other forms of Imetrex - they are known as "triptans". If Imitrex doesnt work for you one of the others might.

2. Excedrin - works well for me now as I dont get them as severely as I used to.

3. If you are on birth control pills, try taking a lower dose pill as hormones play a HUGE factor in these things with women. Again MAKE SURE and talk to your doctor before you do any of these things!

4. Coffee. Caffeine sometimes helps

5. Ice or Heat to the affected area. Which ever seems better. Lock yourself up in a dark, quiet room and apply!

6. I would recommend you go see your doctor during a particularly bad attack and ask him if it would be ok to try a Toradol/Vistaril injection combo. The Vistaril will make you sleepy, but in combination with the Toradol it seems to knock out migraines cold.

7. Beta Blockers - another route that works for some migraine sufferers. Ask your doc

8. Anti Depressants - Depression can exaserbate(spelling?) the effects of a migraine. Sometimes getting on a good anti - depressant gets rid of migraines all together.

9. Vicoden - I hate narcs so I always considered it a last resort, but during my bad phase I always had some on hand. It took the edge off the pain at least.

I so feel for you! I thank god every day that I dont get them like I used to. Mine were totally related to my first pregnancy and I actually ceased to get them altogether after the second one.

I hope something here helps you!
 

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ATP said:
[Roundtable seemed to be the best place for this thread and its type. Mods - feel free to move it should you consider otherwise]

I am a migraine sufferer, just like my mother. I know what the chief cause of my migraines are (such as cold wind on forehead and back of neck) and so am able to generally avoid them.

Unfortunately, I had a 'mild' attack during the night. The best medicine
I have available is ordinary headache tablets eg. Bufferin. Helpful, but only a bit.

Do any other writers out there suffer migraines? If so, what methods do you use to deal with / combat them? What medicine do you take for this, if any? What is the active ingredient/s? And what trade names do they/ does it go by?

Thanks.


I usually have a problem with migraines if I do not have my coffee on time in the early morning. Sometimes, however, I have the problem regardless of what I do, and in those cases I try to have a bottle of Exedrin Migraine with me.

My only problem with this med is that I end up using it so much that I run out and forget to buy more.

Which reminds me: I probably should buy some at the supermarket tomorrow.

If I do not have the aforementioned med, I usually rest, keeping all the blinds closed and the lights off. Most of the time, this takes away the pain although it takes awhile, as my migraines generally center around my optic nerves.


I hope this helps, and I wish you well in treating your migraines.
 
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I don't have bad headaches very often, and this might sound crazy, but if I get one and it isn't too bad, I run on the treadmill. Just a solid mile or two. Maybe 8-10 minutes.

For some reason, the endorphin release makes the headache go away.

I discovered this accidentally.

But as always, please seek a physicians advice before undergoing any type of training routine.
 
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I've had migraines since I was around 11 - so that's nearly 20 years now.

Every so often, the pattern changes, whether it be down to hormonal changes in my body or my general health going up and down, or just circumstances.

I read somewhere that the smell of apples helps headaches, though as we all know, migraines aren't just headaches...still, it seems to help with the nausea a little.

Sometimes I burn scented oils or candles, as each time I get a migraine my senses are affected. I have colour flashes, distorted vision, and I can taste the things that I smell (did that make sense)?

Anyway...my trick is to take painkillers in soluble form as pills make me gag. Also, indigestion tablets such as rennies can help with mild nausea, but not the plain mint ones, as they're rather chalky. I prefer the fruit-flavoured ones.

That said, all treatments I've discovered or developed only seem to work if I catch it early. If it gets past a certain point, I'm in for a night of vomiting (my last one was six trips to the bathroom...) and not being able to eat properly for days.

I know there are several 'big guns' available on the NHS but every time I speak to my GP about them, he pleads poverty. :(

So anyway...my suggestion? Catch it early. Recognise the signs. Be vigilant about your symptoms changing so you can learn what treatments work. Look into things that affect each of your senses - perhaps certain smells or tastes will help settle your stomach? And don't be afraid, when people refer to it as 'a headache' to say, "No, it's a migraine, and I have to go lie down now. Everything else can go hang, 'til I feel better."
 

Sheryl Nantus

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it's run in my family for generations - however, it wasn't until this one that we got a "real" diagnosis other than just bad headaches and nerves.

while my sister and I can and do get prescription drugs (tylenol 3!) we more often than not try to hit it with peppermint tea (the REAL stuff with peppermint leaves, not flavoring!) and just curl up in a nice dark room with tea and toast from our hubbys until we recover. The problem with the drugs is that you become tolerant of them and end up taking higher and higher doses. At one point I could take two T3's and you'd think I had taken nothing and was able to function perfectly normally.

coffee/pop/tea for the caffeine, peppermint tea and a dark room is pretty well what I fall back on - try to keep away from the hard drugs until you have to take them, imo.

:(
 

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ATP, I suffer migraines as well, but mine are linked to my contraceptive pill. If you're based in the UK, then there's an over-the-counter product called Propain, which is v. strong ibuprofen, which I'd recommend (but speak to your pharmacist first). I also recommend cutting the amount of caffeine in your diet - not just coffee and tea but also diet soda drinks. Diet Coke and Coca Cola Zero are real beggars for caffeine additives and I found that cutting them out really reduced the incidents and intensity of my migraines. Increase the amount of water that you drink and limit the amount of time you spend staring at a computer screen as that can really exacerbate things as well.
 

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Me, me! I'm a fellow migraine sufferer.

First, Excedrin Migraine is the EXACT same thing as "regular" Extra Strength Excedrin. It's just different packaging.

That said, the best combination of OTC meds I've found is 2 Excedrin (and actually I use generics - active ingredients are asprin, acetaminophen & caffeine. Please note that's the only caffeine I injest, otherwise I stay away from caffeine as much as possible. Okay, I also get it from chocolate, but that doesn't count <G>) and a Benedryl (diphenhydramine). (I use generics for that, too.) The Benedryl may make you a little sleepy, but I find that's generally part of what helps. Lie down, take a snooze and let the headache break.

I'm a big fan of heat instead of cold. I like to wet a hand towel, wring it out, and heat it up in the microwave. Be careful! Usually a minute is enough. Make it as hot as you can stand it because they cool down pretty quickly. Lay it over your forehead and I usually cover my eyes as well -- the darkness helps. When I have a really bad headache, hubby will bring me fresh hot towels every 10-15 minutes or so, until the pain eases enough that I can drop off to sleep.

But seriously, the combo of Excedrin and Benedryl is fantastic. I don't leave home without those two meds with me.

Susan G.
 
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I suffer from sinus headaches that turn into migraines. They get bad during the winter season from the dry air. The only medication that helps me is Excedrin Migraine (caffeine, aspirin, and acetaminophen). I also keep peppermint tea around, make a cup and breathe it in when I feel a headache coming on. It helps relieve the pressure and pain. Also, a cup of coffee sometimes takes gets rid of it. Good luck and I feel your pain.
 

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Migraine triggers and their remedies are as varied as the people who get them. A neurologist friend of mine has a special interest in them, and tells me each migraineur is unique.

A mixture of ergotamine and caffeine (Cafergot) works best for me. Both of these constrict blood vessels, counteracting the blood vessel dilation that causes migraine headache.
 
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ColoradoGuy said:
Migraine triggers and their remedies are as varied as the people who get them. A neurologist friend of mine has a special interest in them, and tells me each migraineur is unique.

Love that word. :D

ColoradoGuy said:
A mixture of ergotamine and caffeine (Cafergot) works best for me. Both of these constrict blood vessels, counteracting the blood vessel dilation that causes migraine headache.

Isn't that in the LSD family of drugs?!
 

WackAMole

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Imitrex is a prescription drug that actually stops migraines before they get bad. It is non narcotic, and has a few small side effects that occur relatively quickly after you take it, but nothing long lasting. The "triptan" series of drugs are by far the best thing (and most successful) for treatment of migraines.

I agree, the trick is to catch it early. With mine, I always got an "aura".

And yeah, the excedrin migraine is the same thing as extra strength excedrin. Just the packaging is different..and the price LOL.
 

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WackAMole said:
And yeah, the excedrin migraine is the same thing as extra strength excedrin. Just the packaging is different..and the price LOL.

Since Excedrin has always worked well for me, I was so excited when "Excedrin Migraine" came out. Then I stood in the store aisle and compared the packages, because I wanted to see what was going help my migraine more. I was shocked and more than a little angry to discover that there was no difference. How many people don't make the comparison? If they are charging more for the migraine label, what a blatent rip-off that is! Migraine suffers are in enough pain, they don't need to add that to it.

That's why I made sure I pointed it out in this thread. <G> Don't let them trick you. :)

Susan G.
 

WackAMole

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Susan Gable said:
Since Excedrin has always worked well for me, I was so excited when "Excedrin Migraine" came out. Then I stood in the store aisle and compared the packages, because I wanted to see what was going help my migraine more. I was shocked and more than a little angry to discover that there was no difference. How many people don't make the comparison? If they are charging more for the migraine label, what a blatent rip-off that is! Migraine suffers are in enough pain, they don't need to add that to it.

That's why I made sure I pointed it out in this thread. <G> Don't let them trick you. :)

Susan G.

Heh yeah I had the same excitement level too until I read the ingredients
 

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I always got the visual disturbances first - then took my Imitrex and stopped the thing from happening.

Now I get migraines much less frequently and take a tongue-dissolve prescription med called Maxalt at the first sign of the horror.

Without the prescription medication, I don't think I could have survived the regular, severe migraines I used to get.
 

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For me, a very simple (and cheap) but effective headache remedy is to take some magnesium. Either a pill or a teaspoon or so of epsom salts. One of the functions of the mineral is to serve as a muscle relaxant, and I remember reading somewhere that the majority of people have at least a mild deficiency.
 

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I get a headache of some kind every day. The doctors have not been able to figure out why and nothing they've given me has helped with the pain. I even had an MRI of my head done in case there was a physical reason for the headaches. No problems there.
But, I get a fair number of migraines mixed in with the rest. Just came off a three day migraine whose pain ebbed and flowed, but never totally went away.
I have found that my triggers for migraine headaches are monosodium glutamate (MSG-a flavor enhancer for foods), dark chocolate, and a messed up sleep schedule. The latter two I can control easily, but having to read the ingredients panels of all the foods I buy is a royal pain. Lots of things I can't have. It's surprising how many foods have MSG.
But, your trigger may be something else entirely. Use a search engine and try to find a list online and see if there is anything on it that might be causing you trouble. Sometimes the only way to narrow it down is to eliminate them from your diet one by one.
I have found that sometimes Excederin does give some relief, but to save money I usually buy a store or off brand. Same ingredients and same strength for a lot less.
 

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Most docs will recommend keeping a food diary so you can better track what foods you can associate with the onset of a migraine.

And ya, the dissolvable maxalt is great! I remember when Imitrex first came out and it was only in injectable form. I had to stick myself in the leg every time i felt one coming on..i HATED that..but it worked...maxalt is one of the "triptan" family. There is also Zomig, which also comes in dissolvable forms. The thing about the triptans is they dont make you sleepy and they stop the migraine dead.
 

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ATP said:
[Roundtable seemed to be the best place for this thread and its type. Mods - feel free to move it should you consider otherwise]

I am a migraine sufferer, just like my mother. I know what the chief cause of my migraines are (such as cold wind on forehead and back of neck) and so am able to generally avoid them.

Unfortunately, I had a 'mild' attack during the night. The best medicine
I have available is ordinary headache tablets eg. Bufferin. Helpful, but only a bit.

Do any other writers out there suffer migraines? If so, what methods do you use to deal with / combat them? What medicine do you take for this, if any? What is the active ingredient/s? And what trade names do they/ does it go by?

Thanks.

Have you ever tried looking at it from a different light? Perhaps questioning why you receive them in a pattern? Or even looking at alternative natural remedies? Any form of pain in the body is directly linked with how you feel inside.
 
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UK migraine sufferer

Hi All,

I'm in the Uk and take a pill known as Propain

Propain can be used for the treatment of migraine, headache, muscular pain , period pain and toothache. Propain can also be used for symptomatic relief of influenza, feverishness and colds.

Paracetamol and Codeine phosphate are analgesics ('pain killers'). Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine and is used for it's ability to reduce feelings of sickness which can be associated with migraine. Caffeine is a stimulant which is used to counteract the possible sedative effects of the analgesics.

Do not use Propain caplets if :

You are allergic to paracetamol, codeine, diphenhydramine, caffeine or any of the other ingredients in Propain.
You are taking any other medicines containing paracetamol, codeine, antihistamine or caffeine (without consulting your doctor)

My migraines are triggered by change in hormone levels around the time of my period, tooooo much red wine or lack of sleep. I've recently been prescribed mefanamic acid tablets for my problematic periods and they seem to have had an effect on my migraines - reducing the frequency and the intensity.

Propain works for me when I do get one, but they're quite expensive.

Migraines seem to run in families, my grandmother, mother, sister, me and my daughter, all suffer from them. None of us get an aura, and very rarely get sickliness with it, but the pain is extreme at times.

It seems to be suffered by the female of the species more than the male - am I right?

Millie
 

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Of course as a fellow sufferer I found this thread quite interesting. I started getting Migraines at 15 (which is a pretty long time ago), I would get a couple a year, come home, lay down, perhaps lose my lunch a few times, sleep and a few hours later it was gone. However 4 years ago, I suffered a medically induced thyroid storm and since that point I am strapped with a head ache (usually lasting three days each) 6-9 days a month or more. I've tried the immitrex and a variety of the others, only to suffer chest pressure 24 hours later-so they're out! I even had an arrogant doctor put me on a birth control pill (his thoughts-all hormonally based) (wrong hormone doc!), I ended up going to the emergency room several times with the worst headaches of my life. After months of torture, I told him I was stopping. Those severe (Emergency room) headaches stopped, but the occurences increased. I usually will take Extra Strength excedrin (I am so drug sensitive)and I too discovered the same ingredients in both pills, and if I get IT in time, I can deal. Otherwise, nothing to do but try to keep moving as long as possible, until I finally have to lay down and ride it out. I never had aura Pre-storm, but now I get them all the time; lights flashing, squiggling lines going across my eye, light and smell sensitivity and the list goes on. One time, scared the daylights out of me, I had an aura of clear rushing water running across my entire left eye-it was horrible! I considered topamax for daily use, but haven't been that brave yet. Also, when my thyroid levels are off, migraines occur more frequently, also dizziness is always rearing its ugly head at any time. One would think that in this day and age, they would be a miraculaous discovery for treating/possibly curing mirgraines-would be nice! I just read an article (I think it was the American Journal of Medicine), that reported that people who get auras with their migraines, should be monitored for stroke and heart issues-as they seemingly have found some connection with auras and possible furture strokes and heart issues. If I can find the article, I will come back to post. Best to all, Dana
 

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Yes, it does seem to be more females than males who suffer with them. Although my son's best friend also gets them. Hormones tend to be a trigger for me, too. And birth control pills made my migraines worse, too. Stress is also a trigger.

I started getting migraines when I was about 8.

I think everyone ought to get one at least once in their lives so they can understand the difference between "I have a mild tension/sinus headache, but with some OTC meds, I can continue to function," and "I have a migraine, don't talk to me, don't breathe near me, pull the shades, I think I'll throw up and take a nap and hope I feel better when I wake up, if not, someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery."

:)

Is anybody else a hair-puller with some of the bad ones? I usualy end up with my hair standing straight up afterwards because tugging on my hair seems to create distrationary pain.

I had an occular migraine for the first time last year. Got this funky little thing in my eye, like when you look at a light and then look away. But it didn't go away. Then it got bigger and started moving across my field of vision, and it was still there when I closed my eyes. Freaked me out! All I thought think of was, this is very bad! Called my eye doc's office, and they told to come in, and they checked everything out, then told me it was an occular migraine. But I had absolutely no pain, so to label it migraine seemed weird to me.

Eventually the "spot" moves all the way across my field of vision and vanishes. I've had one or two more of them since the original. Very strange.

Susan G.
 

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I have atypical migraines--either I have the visual disturbance with a very mild headache to follow, or I have the intense headache with all the trimmings--light and sound sensitivity, nausea--but without the visual disturbance.

The first ocular migraine I ever had was in college--a gray veil that started at the corner of my vision and eventually blanked out the whole right side. It was freaky; I thought I was going blind. I didn't connect it till later with my mother's migraines, because her visual disturbances are very different.

I never had another ocular migraine until I was about 45. This time, it was a sparkling spot that began on the right, and expanded over the right side of my vision--like sunlight on crinkly tinfoil, with flashing iridescent geometric patterns. I was in a store at the time; obviously I couldn't drive, and had to sit there for half an hour till I could see again. For a while I had one of these every six months or so, but for the past couple of years I haven't had any at all.

My mother's migraines, which were pretty severe, pretty much vanished on menopause, so I'm hopeful.

- Victoria
 

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Ive also lost vision in my eyes because of this. It is very scary the first time it happens. I too thought I was going blind.
 
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