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Bwacac

Chatty Member
I suffer from horrendous migraines. Have done for years. I’ve seen a neurologist about 10 years ago and since then I’ve been on sumatriptan injections for when I got an attack. I take a beta blocker slow release medication every day as a preventative measure and because my migraines are hormonal I also take a medication called pizotifen which is a antihistamine at bed times because it makes me drowsy, during my PMT week when I just feel all fuzzy and headachey. You know that feeling you get where one is imminent.

Its taken years and years of trial and error to find something that suits me, and on the whole my migraines are far more under control now than ever.

One thing the neurologist did suggest which sometimes if taken in good time can really take a huge edge of an attack and that’s simply 3x300mg dissolvable aspirin (a slightly higher dose than advised on the box) dissolved in a full sugary coke. The caffeine helps the tablets work quicker and they get dissolved through the lining of the stomach so work quicker than say taking other tablets. He explained to me that a true migraine shuts down your digestive system so whatever pain relief you take like anadin or whatever just sits in your stomach for the duration and this is what then causes the sickness associated with migraine.

Sorry for the long post but I hope what I’ve been told and described above helps someone because migraines really are the devil.
 
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Lolly505

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I get migraines where the head pain is at least manageable (though it can vary) but my god, the nausea! 😷 Makes me feel so sick and nothing seems to relieve it until it decides to go away (which can last days). Currently suffering right now and I just feel awful.

Not worked out what my triggers are - sometimes it seems to be dehydration but sometimes I just have no idea. Doesn't help that I take medication now that can have withdrawal-like symptoms if you miss doses so now it's even harder to tell if it's a 'proper' migraine or because of that dose I missed two days earlier. 🤦
 
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2017MaMa

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I too suffer from hormonal migraines and 3 months ago I saw a neurologist. He recommended the B2 vitamin Riboflavin. I take 400mg every morning and have already noticed a difference in frequency and severity. He also suggested Asprin at the first sign of an attack. Good luck 🤞
 
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sleepingsatellite

Chatty Member
Lifelong migraine sufferer here, sympathy to all fellow sufferers. I can vouch for the Coke trick, sometimes a really good strong latte makes my naproxen go down well too. Mine are caused by environmental factors (light, noise, smell) and I found a daith piercing made a big difference in terms of the daily pain. I still get migraines, but not as many as before. You can get acupunture dots that do the same apparently.
 
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pinkypurr

Chatty Member
This is a great thread! I'm picking up so many tips to try. I am a long term migraine sufferer. Mine started in puberty and have a strong hormonal driver as well as other factors like stress and sometimes getting too hungry can make me ill, which is a total PITA as I need to lose weight!

I am a sumatriptan user too, it takes 200mg two days in a row to sort me out. I also have trigeminal neuralgia on the left side, which is the migraine side for me, so one attack can trigger another. For the TN I take gabapentin, its not great but I had an increasing allergic reaction to carbamazepine which was more effective, so I had to come off it.

My food trigger is oranges so I check labels very carefully. I have even discovered orange oil in sushi! The only time I get sick is if I have eaten it accidentally. Most of the time my problem is the pump in my head and I feel like I cannot move without excruciating pain so I have no choice but to rest and it makes you so angry as you feel like you are wasting your life and the migraine is controlling you. I have lost count of the special occasions and holidays migraine has ruined for me. I seem to get them at peak stress but if I take time off, that seems to release the floodgates too.

During the lockdown I have had really terrible headaches. I have seen a neurologist, who also recommended the 1000mg aspirin trick but not with Coca Cola and that made me puke immediately. I suppose I could try it again in the coke. Like everyone else a sugary snack or a dry biscuit or something seems to help medication absorption as does the caffeine.

The other thing I have had success with is a Cefaly. I bought it myself its not cheap and it really hurts when you wear it but you persist and it can break up a big cycle of headaches, like I have had in lockdown. It basically wears your trigeminal nerve out, so it's painful but effective.

I am really interested in exploring new vitamins so I will read with interest. I hear magnesium is good but I don't know the dosages.

I am also a big fan of an ice pack during a migraine. I buy the jelly ones from the chemist and keep loads in the freezer, when your head is delicate and you can feel the blood pumping and its agony the ice seems to oppose the pain and take the edge off. I like lavender wheat bags for TN as that pain is best soothed by heat. The other thing I try to do is distracting myself -e.g listening to something and trying to sleep, breathing techniques and baths flower remedy to calm myself down. I find if I get anxious and fight it it gets worse and theres only a limited time window that the sumatriptan is effective, and its also best to sleep the tablets off as they work better.

Hope this helps and will read everyone's with interest
 
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karenjet

VIP Member
I’m being tortured with migraines at the minute. I have the permanent throb behind my eye. It’s bearable at the minute but gets worse.

My doctor told me about Aspirin but the Coke has never been mentioned, so I’ll try that. Thank you.

I have a telephone appointment with my GP on Thursday. She’s given me a migraine preventer, an anti-emetic and doubled my sumitriptan. But I can’t bloody get them! The script was faxed to the chemist inside Sainsbury’s. I’ve gone 4 times and there must be 200 bloody people queued to get in. I can’t stand for that long. There should be a separate queue for the chemist as I don’t need any shopping. Maybe I’ll be lucky with the queue today 🙄

I can’t find another food trigger apart from eggs. I’m drinking loads. Been wearing my glasses when I’m supposed to. I think my pillows might be a factor as I’m having a lot of neck pain. But I’ve bought like 10 different ones and can’t find a comfortable one. It’s hard as you don’t really know until you try and once you’ve used it to you can’t return.
 
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Countrybumpkingirl

Chatty Member
Basically the thing with the full fat coke is the caffeine will help get the aspirin to work quicker and I think the sugar helps in some way as well. Good luck to all hope it helps. I feel your pain it is the most debilitating pain
 
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PenelopePitstop

VIP Member
I have suffered from migraines since a child, triggers are Coffee, Cheese, chocolate, citrus, and red wine. Had anti sickness tablets from the doctor. But usually the only thing that works is sleeping it off in a dark room and taking ibuprofen. Tiredness and stress makes them worse..... I have noticed I don’t have frequent outbreaks, but when I do get one it lasts for 5 days 😨😨
 
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Countrybumpkingirl

Chatty Member
Wow, it seems like there’s a fair few of us in the same boat doesn’t it 😘
I'd like to think I am on the other side of the really bad part (I had nearly 18 months of daily ones) and now they only really crop up if thunderstorms or my trigger points are rock solid. So I can say to all, it does get better! Xx
 
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bubbadabut

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I suffered with debilitating migraines in my teens. My doctor at the time told me to avoid 'the 4 C's...cheese, chocolate, caffeine and citrus fruits. I was also on a drug called Sanomigran. I'm sure mine were hormone related too, I had not long started my periods but then I had amennorhea due to anorexia. I wouldn't say I get migraines now I'm older, just bad headaches, usually triggered by dehydration.
 
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Kmh1987

Well-known member
I’ve suffered with migraines near daily since my oldest was born 12 years ago , tried various things .

I was recently prescribed voltarol ampules to inject and they are the only thing that helps , migraine shifts within a hour
 
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Shoegal17

Chatty Member
I think my migraines are mostly hormonal I do have some neck pain sometimes and notice an attack can happen after that. While seeing an osteopath for something else she worked on my neck, she said while it wouldn’t help for hormonal Migraines is can for mechanical ones, I did feel it made a difference.

I take triply aspirin but not tried with cola, will give that a try thanks. Always looking for new tips. I think it’s really hard to explain how debilitating they can be to people that haven’t experienced them and there are so many variations. I find doctors very dismissive. Thankfully I only get one or so a month but with a young child to look after it’s really hard to take the time to get a good sleep which helps me.

Sending hugs to all suffering just now xx
 
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soberpanda

Well-known member
I get ocular migraines, had a SUPER bad one last month which led to me being taken to hospital in an ambulance. Not fun. I go numb down one side usually but it goes away once the head pain kicks in and nausea but it didn't go this time. Couldn't see, speak or hear properly. Was the worst one I've ever had and i've had some bad ones. Started with them when I was a kid but they presented differently then and have only gotten worse. They last at least 2 days. Head pain, extreme neusea and vomiting that keeps me from being able to sleep, numbness down one side, sometimes both sides...

Paramedics were surprised by my meds. I'm on 80mg of propranolol. They suggested I see a neurologist which I haven't yet somehow so I think I'll try and do that soon. But with the pandemic I'm not sure when that will happen but I think it is definitely time I get a proper opinion rather than just another med adjustment from the GP
 
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theghosttown

VIP Member
I definitely would speak to your doctor. I have had awful side affects taking it today. If you have any issues with blood pressure, breathing, heart problems etc I imagine it could be dangerous.
 
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Until you start talking about migraine headaches you don’t actually realise how many people suffer from them do you. I’ve suffered with them for about 10 years now, came to a peak 3 years ago when they basically controlled my life - this was my lowest point. Like many of you I’d worked my way through various different meds to try and find what worked best for me but what I struggled with most was the vomiting that could go on for 48hours and take 3 days to recover and then within a day or so another attack would flare up. Even Anti sickness meds were useless in the end. So now I’m on daily preventative tabs morning and night - which are in fact normally prescribed to those with Epilepsy to stop attacks - I guess it’s all linked - And they’ve given me back my life. I still have migraines but I can count them on one hand each month and they no longer make me sick and I can control them with strong pain killers. I believe mine are hereditary as both my dad and sister used to suffer bad with them but I’ve noticed mine are also linked to the time of the month too. I had a Merina coil fitted and I’m now on HRT so I’m interested to see if this will have any effect on them too.
 
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slugella

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People are usually so dismissive whenever I mention migraines so it's so nice to see other people who get it! Not that I would wish a migraine on anyone, I just mean it's nice to be able to talk about it and be understood, hopefully that makes sense!

I've had migraines since I was around 15. I have found it impossible to work out my triggers. I will think I've pinpointed one, and then I get a migraine that can't be explained by that. I do think that lack of eating and extreme weather changes set them off for me though. Usually when I start to get the sense that one is coming, if I take an ibuprofen I can usually manage to stay at work and not be sick, but just feels like a horrific hangover. But if i don't take anything, once the migraine arrives properly then all that helps is sleep.
 
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jharpz

Member
Long term migraine sufferer. Couldn't pinpoint a cause at all.
Tried amitriptyline as a preventative but couldn't tolerate the side effects (spaced out and don't remember the 3 1/2 months I was on it). Also tried Topiramate and had the best few days but sadly had an allergic reaction and had to stop. I couldn't have Propanolol because of a history of asthma.
Wait time for first neurology appointment in Belfast is currently around 5 years so I went private to the most amazing neurologist. He listened carefully to my history, looked at my migraine diaries and did a thorough examination and concluded that I have C1/C2 hypomobility and should have a course of physio. He also prescribed me Celecoxib for two weeks to try and break the cycle and I also took Candesartan for 6 months.
After an intensive course of neck physio and Celecoxib and Candesartan, I am relatively migraine free. I have neck physio consisting of deep tissue massage and manipulation once a month and can nearly predict a migraine or two the week before physio is due. I now find during an attack that the pain in my neck is nearly worse than the pain in my head, and can sometimes be unbearable, but its worth it!
Sorry for the long post but when anyone talks to me about migraines I always point them in the direction of good certified neck and back physio!!
 
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Hatshepsut

Moderator
Moderator
Hi, can you let me know where you get this? Is it from the pharmacy or prescribed? Hope you feel better
You can now get Sumatriptan at most chemists. Speak to the pharmacist if you take other medication or need advice.

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theghosttown

VIP Member
i was! sorry i have been to so many different clinics so i don't remember which is from neurology and which from otorhinolaryngology, but they told me it was a few different issues, with sinuses, my nose, some foreign body above my sinuses, allergies, stress, etc.
the neurologist i believe sent me to do an eeg and saw that i had right hemispheric epilepsy, i didn't have seizures but instead of that migraines (alongisde fainting often and insomnia), and he put me on antiepileptics for over a year. this made me lose a lot of weight and A LOT of hair which i never grew back. as soon as i stopped taking the antiepileptics, the migraines came back so they didn't properly treat them but only supressed them. so my main tip would be not to immediately start taking whatever they prescribe you if they do, but definitely look for a second opinion first
This is really helpful. Thank you. My migraines are not life debilitating by any means, I am lucky in that respect. But my concern is the frequency I have had of late is very unusual for me. I was offered beta blockers today but I categorically won’t take them due to my job - it’s just not viable. It’s hard because on one hand I’m like oh they are just aura and only last 45 mins but then on the other hand I just want to be confident it is literally just that. Particularly as at the moment I am extremely tired and sleeping about 10 hours a night and super, super deeply. I’m sorry to hear that they have started up and the issues you have had with hair loss. I can imagine that is really difficult for you. Sending you lots of good vibes and love x

I feel you 100% 2019 I started getting migraines with aura and it was awful. It would start as shadows in my vision then next thing you know I couldn't see at all. I got the prescription for the ajovy injections from my neurologist and have them delivered to my house through the pharmacy. My husband puts them in my arm for me, I can't bear to look at needles lol.
It’s terrible, it’s really interesting when you google what an aura migraines looks like as virtually every single picture is something I have suffered from. You’re husband is a good egg!!!x
 
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Marmaladethecat

Well-known member
I suffered with them since I was in primary school and I'm now nearly 40. For me it's chocolate, milk, citric fruit including fruit juice, red wine and dehydration.
I have sumatriptan in tablet and injection form and buccastem for nausea. I've found Naproxen helps at the beginning with me but I'll try aspirin if I don't have any in. Never knew that!
I have water with a rehydration tablet in everyday (only from home bargains) and 2 if I can feel an attack coming on.
I've just had a mirena coil fitted so I'm hoping that helps as I'm sure they're hormonal. I've found vitamin b6 has helped a little so might be worth a try. I also sleep with a V-shaped pillow which has helped my neck alignment. They're just awful though and I'm so glad I'm not alone!
 
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