Migraines , who suffers from them here?

[Andre]

That's called a wife not a migraine.

I only wish 'twere true (wife has been around a heck of a lot longer )

 

[Breeny]

I'm one of those people who never used to get headaches and always thought badly about people who did actually get them (skivers, pansies etc)

That all changed when I had some cycles of chemotherapy - my god they're bad, I can't stand any light or any noise, even people talking quietly. So I now deeply sympathise with those of you who do get them, they are truly horrid!

I'm quite lucky to be honest, as I use oral morphine for pain relief in other areas and it usually works a treat for the migraines too.

 

[ringo747]

I actually got prescribed these wafer thingies that you put on your tongue and they boost your serotonin and defeat the migraine that way.

The only problem was I had to have someone else open them because I can't get the things open when in the early aura stages of having a blind spot and I can see everything except what I am trying to look at.

I had those things too. I found them totally useless. Can't remember the name of them though.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I get migraines when I am low on serotonin. This usually occurs within a month of a bad hangover and the chance subsides after I have built it back up by walking around in the sunlight etc....the usual indicator that I am low on serotonin is that the muscle under my left eye will twitch.

I suffer migraines, I certainly know one of my triggers, its a cheese flavouring, basically a strong mature flavour used on crisps for sure but not sure where else. I can guarantee if I eat this flavouring(s) I will get a migraine in less than 15 minutes. Once I realised the trigger I avoided these types of crisps, a year later I thought I would risk some again, BIG mistake, same gen almost instant migraine.
What I HATE is when people think its extra sophisticated to mix up crisps in a bowl (eg catered events etc), so I tentatively grab a few and casually sniff them, "ah good, safe salt n vinegar". Munch my way through some and grab some more then WTF! thats cheese flavour...

Neway this post clip was interesting, I also get a twitch under my left eye at times and I have never linked it to anything, I may well diarise any twitches in future and see if there is any possible early warning of a migraine.

My main, non fake cheese flavour, trigger I think is dehydration, almost certainly this is boosted by some mild travel sickness. So long journeys with limited drink are a real recipe for disaster for me. I now actively ensure that I stop every 2 hours and plan for this on any journeys, I find the 5-10 min walking around helps to wake me up even without getting a coffee or something. I've stopped the macho driving 400 miles without stopping nonsense, and find that generally I do arrive in much better shape for the sake of 1 or 2 quick breaks.

I take Cocodamol, even though not prescribed I find they take the edge off the really sharp pain, enough to allow sleep. As most have said for me the only real cure is dark room with quiet and get some shuteye, 1 hour may take the edge off, about 3 will often "make it go away" but I generally find the next day my head still feels tender and its not until the day after that that I am feeling normal.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Neway this post clip was interesting, I also get a twitch under my left eye at times and I have never linked it to anything, I may well diarise any twitches in future and see if there is any possible early warning of a migraine.

I take Cocodamol, even though not prescribed I find they take the edge off the really sharp pain, enough to allow sleep. As most have said for me the only real cure is dark room with quiet and get some shuteye, 1 hour may take the edge off, about 3 will often "make it go away" but I generally find the next day my head still feels tender and its not until the day after that that I am feeling normal.

Generally speaking eye twitching is pretty common and usually just a sign of tiredness.

Thats the worst things about migraines I find, its not that I get a 3 hour headache, take some pills and they go away, I find I'm prone to "normal" headaches aswell that aren't very bad and a little ibuprofen will deal with no problem. When I get a bad migraine its that my head feels bad the whole day I get it, the next day and sometimes the day after. A really really bad migraine can just make me feel "off" for 2-3 whole days.

Though for me codeine is more a take the edge off it than a kill it completely, but I tend to only have to take it once, even with a very long headache its normally only the first few hours that are insanely painful, pain pills once and the rest is more than manageable, just not pleasant.

 

[bhavv]

I can get several a week with or without vertigo, but also go for 2-3 weeks without any. Vertigo attacks without migraine last around 8 hours, vertigo + migraine attacks last for 3-4 days.

They started in my teens when I only had like two or three attacks. When I got to uni they started happening every 1-2 months. After I finished uni, very shortly after they started recurring several times a week and have been like that ever since.

I also had hearing loss since around 12, and the attacks began happening weekly after I started losing hearing in my second ear. The vertigo attacks make me feel like I'm going to collapse and pass out unconscious, or like I am bouncing up and down / front to back and going to be sick, and I keep on feeling it all day. I also get migraines causing severe pressure and pounding pain in both temples and ear region extending all the way down both sides of the head and they last several days.

It took docs over 6 years to give me a diagnosis. CT + MRI scans showed nothing wrong and they couldnt tell what it was. I diagnosed it myself two years before the docs did with a simple google search for hearing loss + dizzyness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ménière's_disease

I went through 4 NHS's and it was in the last one, Leeds General Infirmary I went to that two doctors agreed that it was Meniere's disease and finally gave me diagnosis letter.

I also started getting cognitive dysfunction with confusion and forgetfulness and near constant fatigue and wobbliness which is characteristic of my left ear being in the last stage of the thing. Its also almost completely deaf, only my right one still works ok enough. My left ear stayed in the early stages of the illness for 12-14 years before sharply declining in hearing + balance, and my right ear has been in the same early stage for about 5 years. After that ones gone I can say bye bye to enjoying sound and will need a walking stick.

I have an all in one med though that fixes it good, but it cant be taken for more than 3 days at a time due to potentially nasty side effects:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stemetil

This isnt medical advice for anyone else though, you really dont want to be on those pills.

Its OTC use is strictly restricted to a maximum of 2 days, because of the potentially severe side effects of prochlorperazine, which mandate supervision by a health care provider.

The prescription dose says I can have 9 over 3 days, but I limit myself to no more than 2-4 a week. One pill completely gets rid of any migraine + vertigo for around 4-6 hours.

 

[Neil79]

Woke up this morning with a headache either side and a little dizzy, had to do some errands then I felt sick and couldn't focus on anything. Came back and my head was really bad and just got worse, My hearing kept on going in one ear then the other. Finally the sickness, omg was i sick It was like the entire contents of my stomach from the last two days ended up in the toilet. Feel really groggy now and still a head pain. I could feel my Hitial Hernia being pulled on my insides and now I have bad heartburn.

I'm so off with all this

 

[Destination]

You get a thick acrylic biteguard made to wear at night yet?

 

[Neil79]

You get a thick acrylic biteguard made to wear at night yet?

Na it's my neck... because of the discomfort internally when I sleep my body can sleep in an akward position this then can cause a migraine.

 

[HNR1]

I get focal migraines not very often thankgod, i just go to bed.

I hardly ever get normal headaches.

 

[Hyburnate]

I've had them since I was 2. They wore off in my early teens but now I get them in spates. As soon as I'm getting a headache I take tablets to try and control it but other then that it always leads to me being sick.

Oh the joys.

This is the same as me, at one point I even had to wear glasses to try and control them.

I used to be badly sick and it really put me off the sun.

 

[Cosmic182]

I get migraines, with the aura, Its horrible, I remember one time it being so bad I puked so much it left me feeling like I had been on a booze binge

 

[MooMoo444]

I get them from time to time. Usually so bad that I can't move my head an inch without agony.

So I suffer and make it to the kitchen to take some pills with a glass of water.

About 30 mins later, I puke it all up anyway.

Every time, without fail ^^

 

[triggerthat]

Does hayfever tabs work?

 

[Tibbz2]

The only time I remember suffering one was about 5 or 6 years ago in Primary School. It was horrible, and i was convinced for about 3 days i was going to die.

 

[Neil79]

Why does Puking help migraines?, It's like the ultimate goal with my body unless I puke i'll suffer for hours on end.

 

[Destination]

Na it's my neck... because of the discomfort internally when I sleep my body can sleep in an akward position this then can cause a migraine.

No, it isn't.
It is stress, mostly, this causes you to clench your teeth.
When you clench your teeth you tongue thrust, activating a chain of muscles.
When you do this you arch your neck, putting the bodyweight through your neck.
Giving you the mpression it all comes from the neck, when it is the end set of muscles recruited, not the lead set.

Get a guard made, a proper one, perservere wearing it, and ..... Profit. No more migranes.
Good luck.

 

[adamau5]

i use triptans.... kils them dead if i catch it in the visual stage. Not a nice drug though - make you feel like you are having a heartattack for 5 mins.

 

[Deception]

Ive had them for 5 years now. They range from the minor ones that I can cope with or the good ol throbbing ones which means I cant really do anything without the feeling of my head imploding.

 

[Musty Pie]

I get them when a storms coming too (like others in this thread)

If i take some tablets early enough I can controll it to a headache-esqu type feeling, Usually sleeping afterwards helps a bit too.