The Migraineur's Support Thread - How do you manage them?

[Phreon]

I seem to remember on the old site there were quite a few migraine sufferers. I've had them since I was 9 or so, thankfully had almost none in my late teens and 20s, but as I move into my 40s, they seem to be back with a vengeance. Steadily increasing in frequency and duration, most recently culminating in a 12 hour long, brutal pain-fest that left me completely unable to think, function or hold any meds in my stomach long enough for them to do any good and neck muscles so thoroughly over-spasmed that they still hurt days later. Think, "If this goes on much longer, I'm so tired of agony and vomiting, I might have a mental breakdown, please, I just want to pass out" kind of pain.

I have an appointment with a neurologist finally, but that isn't till November. I know my triggers, etc, but it seems I'm getting behind the curve. What do you do manage your migraines? To prevent them? To abort them? How do you make sure your life isn't ruled by them? Out of the box thinking is welcome here, but please, back it up with science and / or repeatable experience.

I've had a trifecta of Imitrex, fioricet and vicodin that when used intelligently, used to reliably kill my headaches - this is no longer the case. I've played with racetams as a preventative with varying success, but am wary about long term, off schedule use of them. Besides, they so amp up my thought processes I drive my friends / co-workers nuts and often can't sleep for the barrage of ideas.

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[NK612]

There's certain trigger points to release in the occipital region that helps. There's books for massage therapists you can get that aren't too technical or maybe download a chart online. Give pressure enough to feel but not enough to be super ouch. Count 5 one thousands. Massage a few minutes and then repeat. YouTube vids has footage.

You can also try aromatherapy. It does work but it's best to purchase the better quality. And try small amounts. Some people are super sensitive to smell.

There's other techniques in massage therapy that help so you could always see a therapist but get one experienced with the proper certification in whatever technique they're offering.

Meditation too, although I myself can't get into it so it seems silly to be advocating that

[lethe]

Migraine headaches are different from regular headaches, the pain is not from tense head/scalp muscles. It's a different process.

[Light Leak]

What do you do manage your migraines? To prevent them? To abort them? How do you make sure your life isn't ruled by them? Out of the box thinking is welcome here, but please, back it up with science and / or repeatable experience.

Ugh... sorry your migraines are back. They suck. I've also had mine since I was about 9 or 10. I don't consider mine managed well at all. At least as far as preventing them goes. I can get rid of mine easily enough but they may only stay gone for a day before they come back.

I've tried every class of preventative medication (antidepressants, beta-blockers, anti seizure medications, etc.) used for migraines. Now all I can do is try different medications that are part of the same class. At this point I've sort of given up hope that I'll ever find a preventative medication that works for me. Every neurologist I see keeps recommending that I try them though... so I do.

Imitrex works as an abortive for me. It has to be the 100mg dose. The lower ones are useless. Having caffeine with the imitrex helps. One neurologist suggested that I always take it with a caffeinated beverage when I told him that the imitrex helped, but didn't always completely get rid of the pain. I've done that ever since and now it consistently gets rid of the pain.

I also take zofran for the ones that are so bad that they cause vomiting.

[Fitz]

Migraine headaches are different from regular headaches, the pain is not from tense head/scalp muscles. It's a different process.

ehhh, it might be possible. more research is needed though. I'd certainly give it a shot.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22553478

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3072494/

[lethe]

Yeah, I wouldn't call giving ten guys a massage very conclusive. Then again, I also wouldn't say massages don't make you feel good. Massages feel great. But I'd bet you see similar results if those guys got blow jobs instead.

Migraine headaches are vascular. Most headaches are muscular so benefit greatly from massaging the head.


Edit to add... I used to take zomig and that worked. For prevention I've found a connection with caffiene, blood sugar, and magnesium. Hormones as well.

[Fitz]

Yeah, I wouldn't call giving ten guys a massage very conclusive.

no one did. let's disregard everything!

Then again, I also wouldn't say massages don't make you feel good. Massages feel great. But I'd bet you see similar results if those guys got blow jobs instead.

I'm going to side with the people doing actual research saying it warrants additional studies.

Migraine headaches are vascular. Most headaches are muscular so benefit greatly from massaging the head.

You should publish your findings and set the record straight. Not everyone else is so certain.

Pathophysiology

Migraines are believed to be a neurovascular disorder^[5] with evidence supporting its mechanisms starting within the brain and then spreading to the blood vessels.^[49] Some researchers feel neuronal mechanisms play a greater role,^[50] while others feel blood vessels play the key role.^[51] Others feel both are likely important.^[52] High levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine, are believed to be involved.^[49]

[lethe]

Yeah, I'm not arguing with you about it. I agree more studies would be nice, but I'll also stand by the idea that blow jobs would be just as effective.

It's a category of headaches, nothing there contradicted what I'm saying.

There are four types of headache: vascular, muscle contraction (tension), traction, and inflammatory. The most common type of vascular headache is migraine.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/m...09pg18-19.html

vascular headache,
a classification for certain types of headaches, based on a proposed cause involving abnormal functioning of the blood vessels or vascular system of the brain; included are migraine, cluster headache, toxic headache, and headache caused by elevated blood pressure.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.

Calling it "vascular" is not inaccurate, it is the term for those headaches.
The pathophysiology is still being explored. So? The point I was making, and still make is that a migraine is not a "Regular" headache, in that it is not a result of tense head/scalp muscles like the majority. Advice to rub the head works for regular headaches. Migraines do not work that way. They are a different kind of headache. A kind called vascular. Simple.

[MuseedesBeauxArts]

Has anyone gone down the Botox pathway?

I avoid triggers as best I can, and lately I've been relying on whopping doses of caffeine + ibuprofen if I have to, or compazine + Benadryl if I can sleep. The medication that worked best for me (Midrin) is no longer carried by several local pharmacies, not covered by my insurance, and reluctantly prescribed because it is now more tightly regulated. I have tried and failed sumatriptan, and other triptans have been too expensive for me to try (after probably a week of prior authorization, it came to $15/pill). I was also on amitriptyline for prevention early on (this was when I knew my triggers less well), but I did not notice a difference and was also bad at taking it daily (which may be why I didn't notice a difference, of course).

[Fitz]

Yeah, I'm not arguing with you about it. I agree more studies would be nice, but I'll also stand by the idea that blow jobs would be just as effective.


It's a category of headaches, nothing there contradicted what I'm saying.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/m...09pg18-19.html





Calling it "vascular" is not inaccurate, it is the term for those headaches.
The pathophysiology is still being explored. So? The point I was making, and still make is that a migraine is not a "Regular" headache, in that it is not a result of tense head/scalp muscles like the majority. Advice to rub the head works for regular headaches. Migraines do not work that way. They are a different kind of headache. A kind called vascular. Simple.

So, like I said, disregard everything.

it must be sweet getting to ignore everything you don't agree with despite evidence to the contrary.