Any migraine sufferers here?

[lattelady]

I have been suffering from migraines for about 11 years now...and have been to doctors and specialists to try and figure out how to fix them. I've had sinus surgery thinking it was my sinuses acting up, I've had my wisdom teeth removed thinking they were causing my pain, I've worn bite splints for TMJ, innumerable procedures done that didn't work (physical therayp, TENS unit, lidocaine dripped into my sinuses through a catheter, etc.); I've tried so many medications over the years and dealt with their awful side effects.

I'm currently taking a preventative medication (an anti-seizure med.), and a high blood pressure med.--both to try and control the headaches that I now get about 5 out of 7 days of the week. Some are not true migraines, but bad headaches that make it hard to function. I also take pain medication for the actual headaches themselves. I can't take triptans, like Imitrex or Zomig, as they cause the blood vessels in my head to spasm and my head feels like it will explode.

Sorry for the length of this post, but I was wondering any other migraine sufferers out there had tried anything that I haven't mentioned here that they are getting relief from. I'm beginning to feel as though I'll never be headache-free.

Thanks in advance.

[applepansy]

yes I suffer from migraines too.

Sometimes and often with women, they are hormone related.

After doing a lot of the same things you've done we stumbled on what works for me. I take a diurectic (a water pill). My doctor didn't want to prescribe it. But I have FMS and my ankles were swelling which caused more pain to walk. The side effect of the diurectic was that it helped my migraines.

I didn't realize how well it was working until a month ago. I ran out of meds and couldn't get the refilled right away. So I went without two of my regular maintenance meds. The migraines came back with a vengence and didn't leave until I started the Diurectic again.

Good Luck...its mostly trial and error. What works for one person won't work for another, and visa versa.

[lattelady]

That's so true--we don't realize how much a medication is actually working until we stop taking it. I slowly but surely quit taking my preventative meds awhile back, finding myself discouraged that my headaches were not going away. Soon, I was having debilitating headaches that would not let up. I realized that while ON the meds, I was still having headaches, but they were milder than they would be if I weren't taking my medication. The regimen I'm on IS working, it's just not taking them away. Instead of laying me out flat on my back or writhing in pain, I can still function as long as I catch the headache early on with the pain medication. My migraines are not hormone-related, but mostly triggered by changes in barometric pressure. I can tell a storm is coming without watching the weather on the news. My head knows. Thanks, Applepansy.

[pam]

Lattelady not to take away from your post and concern. I'm just curious. Since we know a huge storm is going to hit the wasatch front Saturday night..have you already started to feel it? I can usually feel it in my knees. Haven't yet but I know I will.

[Tarnished]

I used to have headaches that worked their way up to migraines, I visited my grandmother and she talked me into trying magnessium (it is a vitamin) I thought, well what will it hurt. So I started taking two magnessium pills a day and the headaches stopped. I think a lot of my headaches also come from stress and muscle tension, I have found that doing a bit of yoga each day helps to keep my muscles more relaxed and it has helped with my back pain too! Try magnessium and see if it works for you.

[lattelady]

Tarnished, Wow! That's interesting--someone else recently suggested that vitamin to me. Also, my husband's grandma visits Mayo Clinic as she's dealing with breast cancer. They are doing a study on migraines and have suggested niacin, another vitamin, for them. I should give them both a try!

Pam, I absolutely am feeling the storm--we have one that has moved in today, and I had to take something this morning already. VERY interesting that you feel it in your knees. I get terrible leg aches (I just asked my husband to rub my legs last night) that start just above my knees and feel like I have lead weights laying across both legs. My headaches typically start behing my eyes and/or cheeks. Lots of pressure. Sometimes my upper teeth will ache, sometimes I'll have an earache. In the last month I've had a new symptom that is scaring me. After I bend down to get something and my head has been down, I get up and suddenly water drips from my right nostril! Not snot (sorry), but WATER. Not to be gross, but out of sheer curiosity, I've tasted it before and it tastes like saltwater. Bizarre. There's ALWAYS something...

[applepansy]

Malic Acid helps the Magnesium absorb. Its often suggested for FMS pain patients. Tarnished, I'm not surprised it works for migraine.

Its amazing how many vitamins and herbs are helpful for our illnesses and pains. Heavenly Father gave us everything we need if we just figure out how to use it.

Lattelady, I to have more pain when the barometer goes up or down. Spring and Fall are the worst times for me because the barometer jumps around more and it goes up farther and down farther with each storm coming and going.

[candyprpl]

Is this where I sign up for the migraine sufferers club? Count me in! I have been struggling with them for 35 years.

When those LOWS come rolling in -- look out! Winter is the worse time for me because of the lows we get and I've noticed that if they roll in real fast that's when my headache is worse.

I too suffer mixed headaches -- not always a true migraine. I can't take the migraine meds because of a heart murmur. Before they knew about my heart I had tried some but nothing seem to help. I've been poked prodded and done all the same you've done except the sinus surgery. Acupuncture works sort of.

Both my sisters had migraines but when they went through menopause they stopped. So far that has not been the case for me. The only difference I've noticed is I don't get them as often or as severe.

10 years ago I finally went on disability and not having the pressures of having to work has helped. I've tried some herbs and vitamins -- no noticeable difference -- maybe -- I don't know:confused:

I don't want this post to be to long so I'll just end with -- be careful with the pain meds. I know you know what I'm saying, but I'm saying this because I was using pain meds and before long they were doing me -- if you know what I mean. And all the while I was convinced that I had control and was convinced that my life would not be worth living if I didn't have something to help with the pain. Through some horrible circumstances I finally realized that I was hooked. I stopped and have not taken anything stronger than Excedrine for 5 years now.

Post is pretty long -- but it's nice to know others out there know what you're going through.

I'd be interested to know how your headaches affect family life?

[ttribe]

I suffer from periodic migraines as well. Had my first one 12 years ago, but I've been seeing a neurologist for 2+ years about it, had CT and MRI scans, done a lot of reading, etc. It seems, unlike many migraine sufferers, my triggers aren't nearly as predictable as others. For me, it may be after a period of significant stress, or when my blood sugar is low, or for no apparent reason. However, if I get to my Relpax, followed immediately by two Aleve, as soon as the "flashing lights" start in my eyes, I usually don't experience the otherwise excruciating pain. However, I'll still have all the after effects - mini migraines, fatigue, sensitivity to loud noises, etc. - for about the next 24 hours.

Sometimes I'll only have one per month, and other times I'll have a whole string of them - had 8 in the last 4.5 weeks, actually. I've kind of just resigned myself to the fact that I get them...there just really isn't much I can do about it other than manage the pain when they happen and I'm fortunate that Relpax is very effective for me.

[lattelady]

Oh Candyprpl,

I'm so sorry--you've been suffering for a LONG time! Thankyou for your post. Thankyou. I DO know what you're talking about with your caution on pain meds. I've taken MANY. I've finally settled on one that works just about every time. You're SO right, we have to be careful. The one that began to control ME was a nasal spray called Stadol. It is a STRONG pain medication that is used in labor and delivery to control the mother's pain. My neurologist was convinced it wasn't addictive because it wasn't an opiate. It, however, got ahold of me and I became very dependant on it. And ALL of the pain meds I'd tried had that thing where: the amount I was originally presribed worked for AWHILE and then we'd have to up the dose because my body became almose immune to it. I have a pain med. contract with my dr. now and it keeps me safe. I'm so grateful for a dr. who understands what I'm going through and believes me.

As far as family life goes, my headaches have been a robber--a thief. They've stolen so much from me. I've spent more time in bed than I want to think about, but "it is what it is." Chronic pain can be devastating. I praise God for my husband who is SO gracious and understanding. We have 5 kids and when they were much younger I felt like such a failure as a mom, (still do sometimes) because I'd be flat on my back alot and they'd want me to play with them. This is where the medication came in: for me it became the lesser of two evils. NO, I don't want to be taking pain medication the rest of my life; BUT, I want to LIVE LIFE! If I don't take medication to beat the excruciating pain and ward off a terrible headache, I will be out of commission. So, I choose to treat my headaches with pain meds and live as normal a life as possible. No pain meds=being in bed (but not dealing with side effects of medications). Pain meds=being up out of bed and functioning (but dealing with side effects of meds). I just choose to treat the headaches and be a part of family life again! I'm tired of feeling guilty--feeling that I'm a bad mom and wife and housekeeper! God was so good to give me a very forgiving man--and gracious, gracious, loving kids.

[Ammonite]

I have only had a few "true" migraines--enough to feel empathy for chronic sufferers, but I do have daily headaches. I've noticed that mine get worse depending on what I eat. I have a lot of food allergies and suspect that most of my headaches are related to them---I am too much of a wimp to convert to a strictly hypoallergenic diet of plain rice, pears, and unseasoned chicken breast.

Corn allergy has been connected to headaches and some sort of corn derivitive is in nearly everything (shampoo, deoderant, medications, every processed food, and as a coating on fruits and veggies). Many people have allergies they are never aware of because they don't sneeze or break out in hives.

I recently started drinking collodial minerals and have noticed some improvement. It has Magnesium and 59 other minerals. I found it at GNC and Sam's Club.

[lattelady]

Ammonite, that's interesting! I knew about the prevalence of gluten allergy (I don't have it), but wasn't aware of corn allergy and headaches. Some of the worst non-migraine headaches I've had have been a result of my msg allergy. It's a very fast-onset headache, right after eating something containing msg, and has some other symptoms with it that are VERY disconcerting (like feeling as though you're going to die...). I wouldn't doubt that your headaches could be food allergy related if you have SO many things you're allergic to. I'm sorry...that's awful. How expensive is the liquid colloidal mineral drink you get at GNC and Sam's Club?

[Connie]

Magnesium is not a vitamin. It is a mineral. Okay, carry on, just had to get that off my chest.

[lattelady]

Thanks Connie...science/biology was never my strong suit. :) Well, math either...or geography, or history. I think I lump every nasting-tasting pill into the "vitamin" catagory.

[Maya]

..... I can tell a storm is coming without watching the weather on the news. My head knows. Thanks, Applepansy.

Lattelady not to take away from your post and concern. I'm just curious. Since we know a huge storm is going to hit the wasatch front Saturday night..have you already started to feel it? I can usually feel it in my knees. Haven't yet but I know I will.

I too feel storm in my knees and sometimes in my ancles and wrists. Sometimes I get a headace or feel really weird.

My 17 year old son gets sometimes terrible migrens then he sleeps almost all day and it is over. It is so bad as he misses the school then. I used to get migrens because of my sinuses I think... maybe not... but I have not had one for long.

We are really trying to find out waht causes his migren. He has got a medication like a nose spray that helps after a hour or so. Yesterday he had no medication left so he slept all day.

[lattelady]

Maya,

So sorry about your son...I, too, am worried about my second oldest son, who has been getting migraines that are storm related--just like me--for about a year now. I do believe migraines are hereditary. Both of my parents and my grandpa on my mother's side had/or still have migraines.

What medication does your son use? Being out of medication is one of the most frightening experiences a migraine-sufferer can have! I'm sorry he had to deal with that...

[beefche]

Have you considered part of the problem is the source of your name? Caffeine can do a number on people.

[candyprpl]

I used Stadol too and was told the same thing by my doctor about it not being addictive. It's not like the opiates but I still became too dependent on it. The times that I would have to go to the emergency room with out of control pain I would ask for the stadol shot vs morphine -- it worked better and didn't leave me too hung over the next day. It basically just put me out so I could sleep through the pain. I'm fortunate/blessed not to have the migraines that bad anymore. The difference now is they last a minimum of three days. I know that sounds awful but still the pain is not as severe as it used to be. So it's a tradeoff.

I used to get severely depressed with my headaches and the more I got depressed the worse my headaches became and round and round we go, so it was always a downward spiral.

Heavenly Father has healed my depression and given me ways to deal. (it's all in my member profile, so I won't go into it here).

When my children were young I went through times of feeling robbed and that my sweet children didn't deserve a mom who couldn't be there for them a lot of the time. I often felt very guilty too. I still struggle with that guilt feeling. I had a therapist (who was Jewish) tell me that I would make the perfect Jewish mom - haha!

My first husband is a doctor and he had very little patience with me. We didn't have the gospel and I think that would have made a difference. It hurt so much to see how much empathy he had for his patients but not for me. Oh well.......whole other story. I now have a husband who I'm sealed to and he's wonderful! He sometimes drives me crazy 'cause he goes into 'man-mode' and wants to try and fix it, lol. That's okay, I love him!

Anyway -- I may have bored everyone with my rant but it feels good to sometimes talk about it. People in my ward are kind but I get tired of always saying, 'oh I'm fine' or going into a whole conversation about 'poor me.' Yuck!

So thanks lattelady for this thread.

[candyprpl]

My son used to get migraines and he grew out of them -- (doctor said that's common) he hasn't had one since he was around 18. He could always sleep through them. My daughter would get one every now and then and it started when she started getting that time of the month thing. She doesn't get them but maybe once a year.

Speaking of caffeine -- I do get some headaches that was helped by a cup of coffee. But I stick to the WoW. The only medicine that helps control those headaches is Excedrine extra strength. It has caffeine as an ingredient.

[lattelady]

Beefche, contrary to my name--"Lattelady"--, I drink very little caffeine. I actually cut it out of my diet completely for about 6 months to see if it was causing my headaches, in the early years of my suffering--to no avail. It made no difference. And as Candyprpl mentioned, there have been times that caffeine has helped a migraine--due to the opening up of blood vessels, I assume. I glass of wine has also helped at times--I suppose because it helped to release tension.

Candyprpl, thanks for relating to me. I appreciate you sharing with me and being transparent. It means alot. Sometimes I feel very alone and helpless with my chronic pain--it helps to know others understand. Thankyou! I hope and pray that my son, too, will grow out of his headaches. It's hard to see him in pain and to fear that he may struggle as I have...

[Iggy]

I started having migraines when I was in the 8th grade. They were so bad I had to be put in a separate room with heavy theater curtains over the window and door to block light, sound and smells.

My migraines were mostly food triggered, along with extremely heavy long hair, and needing reading glasses.

The food that triggers my migraines: Extra Sharp Cheese, dark wines, any alcohol beverage that is 'cured' in smoked oak kegs, aged foods, smoked in real smoke foods (not that liquid smoke stuff).

All through middle and high school I suffered from migraines. Some would knock me down for a week or two. I never could function when I was in the throes of a migraine. Had to wear a diaper if I was out for more than 8 hours too!

Once I cut my hair, got reading glasses, stopped eating sharp cheeses, and the aged and smoked foods, the headaches only occurred during quarterly test time at school. STRESS!!

Later on I found that when I drank Burgundy wine I got a migraine. Same for whiskey. Took me longer to quit the cheeses and smoked meats, fish, etc.

Also going through menopause I don't get the migraines very often now. The last one I got was about 3 years ago. That was a combination of stress, Extra Sharp Tillamook Cheddar and smoked salmon eaten the night before.

The first migraine I got after this second marriage I don't know what triggered it, but Husband took me to his chiropractor and after manipulating my head/neck and working on my back (pushing on either side of my spine), I could feel the pain slide down and out my toes!!!

I wasn't even left in the typical euphoric phase I normally have after the pain subsides. I was able to drive home, and then do house work. Normally I would have to be driven home and then I would sleep for at least 10 hours or more.

NOW I get to the chiropractor as soon as I can when my head/neck/jaws start to ache in that migraine pre-pain.

Find yourself a Doctor of Chiropractic and give it a try. I went to him 3X a week for 4 weeks- stopped my shoulder, elbows, hips, knees and lower back pain too. I am very fortunate that our insurance pays for 20 visits per year, and our co-pay is just $10.00 a visit. I now see him about once a month- or sooner if I can't take the neck pain or lower back pain.

[Maya]

His medicine is Imigram 20... what ever that means....

[spirettedotter]

I've had migraines off and on since I was 13, sometimes days and nights for months straight at a time. They went away for about 10 years during my childbearing years, then came back with added stress and traumas. I've tried just about everything at least once, either on an as needed basis or as a preventative med. I can't take the stronger meds either, and the ones I've tried haven't worked for me. But the second time around using Midrin, as needed, has been helping for the last 6 months.

Magnesium by injection or IV has sometimes been helpful. Feverfew is an herb that did work for me after taking it steady for several months. It worked so well, I stopped using it because I wasn't haven't any more migraines. I'm ready to try it again now though.

Another thing that I don't think was mentioned here is being on top of our self-care, nutrition, and fluids. Migraines and stress headaches are directly related to our ability to handle life's and daily stressors, so taking proper care of ourselves: getting enough sleep and relaxation time; eating before the point of hunger; and getting enough fluids to flush the system really do help.

Hope you all feel better. :)

[Maya]

My DH has had terrible headace/migrene for over 30 years!

He has been without it for 20 minutes after that.

[Tarnished]

I second the chiropractor comment. I had a chiropractor that I was seeing who was really helping me with my headaches, however we were not able to afford for me to keep seeing him. Our insurance doesnt cover the visits.