Anyone have migrane's? Update!

**baxjul** · 10-02-2005, 12:26 PM

I never had one before, but I think that I do now. It started yesterday, and nothing will take the pain away. I've been sick to my stomach twice. What do I do?

I still had it this morning, I went to work (Dr.'s office) and Doc gave me some Zomig and two Celebrex, and it worked.

**AmyMCGS** · 10-02-2005, 12:38 PM

I have to lay down in a quiet, dark room--- the light is the worst part for me. I get blinding pain from any light or noise when I have a migrane.

There are over-the-counter migrane pills that are good-- I like the Motrin Migrane one, and my friend swears by the Excedrin Migrane formula.

I hope it goes away soon! :hug:

**Mamawolf** · 10-02-2005, 12:47 PM

Talk to your doctor. There are lots of great meds out there that will stop them if you take it soon enough. My all-time fave is Relpax. Imitrex didn't work for me, but some people experience vice-versa. If I can't take meds (I'm pregnant now, no meds for me) I take whatever I can (tylenol) and take a cool shower by candlelight. The idea is that the cool water will help shrink the blood vessels which is what causes all the pain. Doesn't help much for the nausea, but anything is something! If all else fails, get comfortable enough to try and sleep it off. Mine usually last 72 hours. I can't lie down, or sit straight up, I have to recline.

**canadian gardener** · 10-02-2005, 12:59 PM

I ditto Mama wolf.

Talk to your dr when it's over, meanwhile avoid light, noise and movement. Computer monitors and flourescent lights make it worse. Sleep it off.

cold cloth and OTC pain relievers for now. I ditto, get to the dr and get one of the prescription migraine pills. Imitrex works for me, but I'm thinking of switching as ds gets them, and he is on a new one that works better than Imitrex. It might be Mamawolf's one, but I don't recall the name.

For women one of the biggest causes is hormone fluctuations. Your estrogen drops at a point in your cycle and surges at other points.

One of my big triggers was too low estrogen and most of mine disappeared when the dr upped the dose on my patch (I had a total hyst, no ovaries anymore 2 years back).

Other big triggers are weather changes (the remaining migraines I get are related to that and the next one)

Sleep changes-- too late, too early, too little, too much. Stick to a regular schedule even on weekends.

Stress is another biggy. Often the migraine waits till after the stress is over. the hormonal changes after stress trigger it.

and then Wine, chocolate and aged cheese all are common triggers in migraine sensitive people.

**Mamawolf** · 10-02-2005, 01:24 PM

and then Wine, chocolate and aged cheese all are common triggers in migraine sensitive people.

I found mine were food allergies... Milk, wheat, soy, and eggs. Mostly I got mine from milk. I didn't find out they were actual allergies instead of intolerances until I had an allergy test done.

**seatosea** · 10-02-2005, 01:54 PM

Hugs to you, I suffer from migraines and I ditto what everyone else had said. I always feel better after vomiting, just get super tired!
Just lay down with a cold cloth and try to relax and nap. Hope you feel better soon!

**Mom23boys** · 10-02-2005, 05:53 PM

I also have migraines. I have to lay down in a quiet, dark room. I even put a pillow over my eyes. Sometimes putting a cold rag on the back of my neck helps, sometimes not.

I would definately talk to your doctor.

**canadian gardener** · 10-02-2005, 06:02 PM

It's doubly important that if you didn't have them before, if it's new, that you get them checked out. Getting a migraine out of the blue when you didn't ever have one, is a significant sign that something needs looking at.

That may be as simple as a hormonal shift, or it may be a bit more complicated.

Don't neglect to check back with your Dr.

**KKCondrey** · 10-02-2005, 10:10 PM

I get them every month right around my cycle. The Dr. was worried that I would get them while I was pregnant and I wouldn't be able to take anything but tylenol but luckily I didn't have any (the only headache I had while pregnant was the day I tried to give up caffine.....and that only lasted a few hours and after that I decided that giving up all caffine wouldn't work for me.

The first one I had after having Paige about knocked me for a loop, but I had some excedrin drank a coke and went to sleep for a few hours.

At one time I had the Imetrix shots and they worked great. I never took the pill form though.

A cool cloth drapped over your eye's & forehead while you rest is good too.

**Missy** · 10-02-2005, 10:44 PM

I get them. They pull me right to the floor. I find the best thing to do is lay in a cool, dark room. The quieter the better. Even the lights from my alarm clock hurt, so i either cover them or turn them around. Sometimes my bedroom is too warm so i lay in the cool bathroom tub (empty). Cool rags on my head help. But I have also discovered the advantages of the kids fever patch things...called "Be Cool" strips. THey are sold in the childrens tylenol section. Put one on and it stays cool for something like 6 hrs, they're great! The kids know, when mom is laying down during the day, mom is sick. And it helps that they play quietly when i need to relax off a migraine. Ds2 hasn't yet figured it out, lol. Take a long time for them to ease off for me, but once i can function again, i can generally push them back with OTC Migraine stuff. Orrudis KT helps me.

**Mamawolf** · 10-05-2005, 11:17 AM

Glad to hear you got some relief!! Did he give you some to keep onhand in case they come to visit again? You should also try keeping a migraine diary to see if you start getting them around certain times in your cycle!

**baxjul** · 10-07-2005, 10:05 PM

He gave me some Zomig and Imitrex to keep at home.

I kind of feel like one is coming on now, so I just took a Zomig, and I'll be going to bed.

Thanks everyone!

**canadian gardener** · 10-08-2005, 05:12 PM

Baxjul, I still think you should see a specialist because if you've never had them before, and you are out of the late teens early twenties which is the usual age of onset, this could be a sign that something else is going on, and needs checking.

That said, they are probably simple ordinary migraines, especially if Imitrex or the like is working well on them.

But I've had 2 friends, whose headaches were signs of serious illness, and initially they were just told they were migraines.

And this summer I've had a sudden increase in mine, so I went to my dr to get further checking done. That is still ongoing, but with me it's likely some auto immune thing going on.

Please check further, and don't just accept the diagnosis.

Hugs and hoping you feel better soon.

**UPSyours2** · 10-12-2005, 08:04 AM

It is best to go to a migraine specialist to get them diagnosed?
What causes them? Do you get migraines from food additives too?

I gotta watch out for MSG "monosodium glutamate." it's a big no no lots of food has this even my favorite Campbell's soups. Also MSG is labeled as hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast extract. Carrageenan gives me a stomach ache (it's in alot of ready made dairy puddings, and some soy milk, ice cream, etc.) I try to read labels before buying everything but it's not always easy especially going shopping when you can't think straight having a headache.

The worst food additives I get migraines from are

~ MSG ~
~ ASPARTAME ~
~ CARRAGEENAN ~ (stomach ache)

Sorry to say but while I was hospitalized for a really bad asthma attack in 2003 (week before Halloween) I had to consult the dietician about my food since I got a really bad migraine just after eating why does it matter if they ask you questions about allergies, etc. & make you wear the extra hospital bracelets that say NO MSG, NO ASPARTAME so after chating w/the dietician she told me the beef gravy has MSG but I can oder the diet gravy which doesn't have it!

I had such a bad migraine & they said they'll call my Dr. in the hospital & he says he'll give me TYLENOL I said that doesn't work for me. I have my own meds w/me since they were packed in my bag but I know I'm not allowed to take anything unless prescribed so I got a cool wash cloth w/ an ice pack & it helped. Later on DH brought me my own cool wrap. It's got those crystal beads that soak up water & swell keeping the cool in (similar to the ones they use in diapers) I couldn't live w/out this item. I bought from QVC.

Being in the hospital was enough stress worried about everything getting done @ home!

I get them from the MSG,weather changes, stress, hormonal, right after sex, I get the aura before sometimes to warn me, they are always double-sided I've never had just one side and what was strange is kids get abdominal migraines (I get these too. Dr. thought it was strange but he saw the symptoms the day I was there. I've never heard of these before that day. I'm beginning to think now since reading this article carrageenan may have been the cause!

If you want to find out if there is processed free glutamic acid
(MSG) in a product, you must ask the manufacturer for information about "free glutamic acid." Don't ask about "MSG." Manufacturers find it convenient, when speaking to consumers, to tell them that there is no "MSG" in their product, meaning that there is no ingredient called "monosodium glutamate." Even if a manufacturer tells you there is no MSG in a product, there may be autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein, carrageenan, sodium caseinate, enzymes, and awhole slew of other ingredients that contain or create processed free glutamic acid (MSG) during manufacture.

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/nomsg.html

This is my doctor Dr. Arthur H. Elkind As director of the Elkind
Headache Center in Westchester County, N.Y., Dr. Elkind is one of the country's top headache experts and leading researchers. He helps about 2,500 patients every year work out their pain, mostly through drug therapy, much of it cutting edge and experimental. I've done a few studies w/him. I also take regular meds too I need 600MG Ibuprofen for pain that's not that bad as some of the worst migraines
I've had taking the sumatriptans RX and sometimes I'd take Midrin.

I'm not saying to go to him but letting you know.about my
experience Mount Vernon is far but for me it helped I heard of the study on the radio called an 800# & found out more info since taking Fiorecet, Fiorinal, etc. meds my PT dr. prescribed after my car accident in 1994. I couldn't do anything it made me soo tired, but helped the pain a bit. This is also part of the blame for waiting to have kids. PT was in a pool w/water over 100 degrees & this made my migraines worse.

I use cold packs for my head & lie down in a dark room this helps
too!

I saw on QVC sniffing Chinese hot mustard the kind w/horse radish in it helps Grandma in the Grandma Kitchen Wisdom's book by Dr. Myles Bader. I haven't tried it yet! I bought the book for other tips...but there's soo much to read.

Sorry this is soo long lots of info to go through.

Feel better!

http://www.headaches.org/

He also travels and lectures extensively and serves as vice president of the National Headache Foundation based in Chicago.

http://healingwell.healthology.com/healingwell/1283.htm

http://www.thejournalnews.com/mindbo...migraines.html

http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/510130.html

http://www.health24.com/medical/Cond...1714,19925.asp

http://www.healthgrades.com/director...e/NewYork/alph

http://www.achenet.org/articles/53.phpa23.cfm

http://www.achenet.org/women/

http://www.achenet.org/resources/books.php

http://www.migraines.org/about_media/washtime.htm

http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/con...stract/7/3/234

Pharmaceutical Companies Links
http://www.headaches.org/consumer/linksindex.html

National Headache Awareness Week June 5-11

**pita1213** · 10-20-2005, 12:07 AM

thanks for the info about other names for msg andrea. it's something i have to look out for as well.

when you start a new med, please make sure you read the warnings about side effects carefully. doc gave me imitrex and i thought i would die after i took it. pains in my chest like something was sitting on my chest and just felt awful. but since i knew it was a possible side effect, i didn't freak out, but did talk to the doc about a different med.
read teh info that comes with your meds so you know what possible reactions can happen.