Migraines

[UrbanFool]

I used to have migraines, and I moved up here and have had very few. I would guess mine were somewhat stress related since I got them every time I traveled. I had to leave for everything a day early so I could spend the first day of any trip in bed with a bucket.

It's really irritating to listen to people complain about migraines while walking around fully functional and probably clueless as to how miserable a migraine actually is.

[KosherForClothes]

I totally agree with you Urban Fool. It took my wife at least 3 years to fully understand what migraines did to me and why I acted the way I did (I tended to get short tempered during and after a migraine which thankfully I have managed to control a lot better now). From that I can understand why people find it so difficult to understand what people go through when they have a "headache". There are so many triggers and even more symptoms that it is difficult for a non-sufferer to grasp it all. Thankfully whilst I get 2 or 3 a week, I can live through most of them and get on with my life. I only get 1 every few months that really force me to bed and that is from the pain and no other symptoms.

I am really glad that you have so few now. It must make you appreciate life so much more.

[ruthiechan]

I must say, however, that caffeine withdrawal can cause migraines. So those of you who OD on Excedrin, or take caffeine to reduce symptoms must do so with caution. Otherwise, the medicine that is supposed to help you will start to be the cause of the migraine instead in its absence.

Make sense?

[LDSJewess]

Ok I'm not a Doctor so this is just an opinion from personal experience.

I used to suffer terribly for migraines. Visual disturbances, pain, vertigo and over all feeling very ill. I don't need to discribe the symptoms to others who get them because you know when you have one that is for certain.

I am happy to say, I don't have migranes anymore and they stopped right around the completion of manopause so I can only assume that mine could have been hormone related.

In any event, there is an herb found in all health food stores called FEverfew. It has to be taken in larger doses than recommended and preferably in the liquid tincture (concentrated) form.

At one time the Vitamin Word (chain vitamin store) carried it in a gel cap and one capsule contained 2,000 mg of liquid feverfew. This used to knock them right out. Of course the FDA is not fond of inexpensive herbs that can do more than expensive perscription drugs that are lining the pockets of drug companies and lobbyists, so those higher dose gel caps were removed from the stores. Sigh!!!!

But you can still find the herb in smaller dose capsules or tinctures and to make larger doses take more or make the concentrate into a tea. My thinking and that of herbalists is take it and increase the amount. If a side effect occurs be aware of it and if a side effect such as nausea, diahrea etc: occue then cut back the dose or discontinue. Overall the drugs prescribed by Doctors are far more risky to your health than the mirgaine itself.

Hope this info helps.

[slamjet]

I must say, however, that caffeine withdrawal can cause migraines. So those of you who OD on Excedrin, or take caffeine to reduce symptoms must do so with caution. Otherwise, the medicine that is supposed to help you will start to be the cause of the migraine instead in its absence.

Make sense?

I agree, from personal experience.

As of late, I was taking an exorbitant amount of Excedrin every day and I was still getting headaches (about 8-10 pills daily). So I stopped. MAN! I got headaches galore, not migraines, but headaches. I suffered through it for over two weeks. It's been a couple of months since I stopped taking so many and my head feels much better. I still take maybe one to three every few days (more when the migraine kicks in) because of my other meds. But I noticed that since I stopped taking OD'ing off the stuff, when I do get a migraine, I don't need so many.

[Guest DeborahC]

Do you get as many migraines when you are out in nature where there is fresh air?

I gently suggest you look into Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.

I have been unable to attend church for over 14 years because of migraines and other symptoms lasting up to 4 days after attending on a Sunday.

I get migraines when I'm exposed to the following:

Perfume, cologne, aftershave, scented fabric softener, scented detergents, air fresheners, and pretty much any scented product.

Try an experiment.

Get rid of your fragranced dishwashing soap and buy something with no fragrance.

Same with your bath soap.

Buy Arm & Hammer Fragrance FREE laundry detergent and wash your clothes with it.

Use a completely fragrance free fabric softener also. Be careful! Some STATE they are fragrance free and they are NOT, like Bounce, which is highly scented, although it says otherwise. You may have to go to a natural food store like Natures, or New Seasons to find truly unscented products.

Stop slathering on scented products in the morning. Forget the cologne. Instead of a perfumed after shave, use Witch Hazel.

Get rid of all the air fresheners, especially anything with FEBREZE (which is a neurotoxin) or those nasty plug in things.

If you're married, ask your wife to comply for a week.

If your headaches ease up... you may have to do a serious search and destroy through your entire house. ALL of the clothing in your closet will have to be washed in unscented soap. Some will never recover and will have to be donated.

Lastly, buy some Alka Selzer GOLD - it has to be the GOLD - and next time you begin to feel the migraine coming on, take it.

If all this works.. or eases your migraine.. you may have chemical sensitivities. A LOT of people are getting them.

Your allopath physician will not agree, I'll warn you now.

You will need to go to a naturopath or find a specialist who deals with MCS.

If you want links to read, PM me.

Oh, and yes, when I have a REALLY bad migraine, I drink a shot of espresso and it eases up.

Please don't just take a pill for your migraines. All the pill does is block the symptoms of the pain.

God gave us pain for a REASON - to tell us something in our body is out of balance.

Find out WHAT is causing the migraines, don't be fooled into being satisfied with numbing yourself.

In the end, all those pills do is ruin your liver and kidneys... honest.

Good luck.

Edited May 22, 2011 by DeborahC

[ruthiechan]

Chiropractic also helps my migraines, as well as getting sufficient sleep, and drinking enough water. I really hate it when I realize I'm having migraine because I haven't been drinking enough water. >_<

[shdwlkr]

My migraines seem to come when I get over stressed or just have to much on my plate and yes I do let it get way to full sometimes. Sometimes they come with no related issue and they are the worst my ex used to laugh at me when I would take my Excedrin for migraines and go into a dark room and just lie there for hours sometimes with my bottle of coke and that hurt sometimes more than the migraine but she is gone now so that issue has been cleared up now to just find the rest of the reasons that trigger my migraines. I am lucky as I usually only 4-6 a year but this last year there have been many more and I know a lot because of what the ex was not willing to give me in the divorce basically access to my kids.

I hope one day they find something that works for all migraines and we can all be free of them.