Migraines: Tips to ease suffering

YmirGF · Mar 11, 2006

Migraines are perhaps one of the most horrid things one can experience, imho.
There are times I would merrily thank someone for taking a gun and blowing my head off... anything to ease the intense pain.

I first began to encounter migraines when I was in my late teens. Time and experience has taught me that I do not get the "worst" type, but even then, mine are very intense.

Normally, I encounter one or two a month. Curiously, several years ago, I had the lead fillings in my mouth removed and replaced with the newer non-lead type. This affected my headaches a lot, and probably cut down my headaches fully by half. Prior to this I got one, about once a week, now perhaps once or twice a month.

So, what I propose is that this thread be used as a dumping zone for advice.

I currently find a cold headband strip is very good, as well as 3 extra strength Advil or Extra strenth Tylenol. The odd thing with these meds is that if I do not take them in time, then they have absolutely no effect.

Suggestions and thoughts?

standing_on_one_foot · Mar 11, 2006

Hmm. I don't get migraines, but I find that alternating between cold and warm wet washclothes on your forehead helps a lot with your average occasional oh-lord-kill-me-now headache. More so than just cold or just hot, dunno why.

Buttercup · Mar 11, 2006

YmirGF said:
Normally, I encounter one or two a month. Curiously, several years ago, I had the lead fillings in my mouth removed and replaced with the newer non-lead type. This affected my headaches a lot, and probably cut down my headaches fully by half. Prior to this I got one, about once a week, now perhaps once or twice a month.

I did not know fillings could affect headaches. Interesting. I do have a headache practically every day in the winter from who knows what. But, I wouldn't classify it as a migraine. I'm sorry you suffer from these. I have a dear friend with the same problem. She tried acupuncture and has found relief that way after much trial and error. I'll have to ask her for some more helpful hints.

mrscardero · Mar 11, 2006

My only problem, I was getting headaches every day. It's a constant annoying pain. I woke up with it in the morning and went to bed with it. I had to constantly wear sunglasses to keep the lights out. I purchased prescription sunglasses and wore it unless I was home where the lights were low.

The pain started in October. It got worse and I started loosing my balance. I ended up in the hospital for 8 days because I was walking lop-sided. I was tested for MS, they did all sorts of tests while I was there. Tested my heart and found nothing. All they did was drug me up. They gave me maximum dose of Percoset (not sure if the spelling is right) and made me sleep for 4 hours and pain was still there. I had a sign on my door that said, "High Risk Faller." :biglaugh: I signed myself out.

I did everything outside the hospital. I went to see a Neurologist that had me get a spinal tap. (I would not wish this on anyone) Had more tests done. They found I lost some hearing in both ears and also found weakness on my left side. What did they do? Prescribe more medications. I was finally diagnosed with Pseudo-tumor cerebri. A false brain tumor. Pretty much saying, "We don't know what is wrong with you." I have too much fluid in my spine. Had to see another doctor to see if I had a tumor behind my eyes. They said that it might not show up right away so come back in 3 months, give us more money and we can run another test on you.

Still nothing helped. I went for a second opinion. Went to see another neurologist and did more tests. cardero would see me constantly looking at the wall or was not able to turn up the tv because it bothered me. I coudn't go to the movies or work because I couldn't drive.

It is now March and I am finally starting to feel a little better. cardero recommended Chiropractor. I have been going to a Chiropractor for a few weeks now and the headaches are not as bad. I wake up in the morning and not feel the pain. The only time I feel it, is at night but it's not as bad. I have followed every instructions that the Chiropractor has recommended. Watching what I eat, drink a lot of water and stop taking my meds.

Still have a long ways to go though. The proper allignment of your spine can do wonders. If your spine is not properly alligned, it can cause problems. He said that I have something wrong with my kneck from a previous accident that might be causing some pinching in the nerve that leads to my head. I was in a car accident when I was younger and after that accident, I use to get massive headaches ever day. I was in so much pain that I couldn't think. But it went away. Guess it came back.

But now I can actually get up and not feel anything until the end of the night. I have had some days where I couldn't talk or even stand up, but the Chiropractor said that it will be worse before it gets better. The massive pain I think has subsided.

Paul? Were you in any accident?

ChrisP · Mar 11, 2006

I wonder if any of you have seen an Acupuncture/Acupressure expert? Or perhaps a Chinese medical practitioner.

mrscardero · Mar 11, 2006

ChrisP said:
I wonder if any of you have seen an Acupuncture/Acupressure expert? Or perhaps a Chinese medical practitioner.

Well, if the Chiropractor doesn't work, cardero suggested Acupuncture. He even suggested living in Florida with some family until summer comes. I said, "Ok. When are we going?" He said, "Who said we pale face?"

Majikthise · Mar 11, 2006

I get a severe migraine once every three or four months, just had one last week.
I wanted to take a spoon ,scoop out my eyeballs and remove the offending grey matter.
I have found no way to ease this pain and it usually lasts about 24 hours and just stops. Other than this I never get headaches at all. Weird.

mrscardero · Mar 11, 2006

YmirGF said:
My GP has suggested a few approaches but is not a "pill happy" fellow and I appreciate and respect that. He is a bit odd, in that he is more interested in preventative therapy. IE. Excercise, good fresh food, moderation to the hilt, really. He just has a good common sense approach that certainly appeals to my own thinking.

Pills are yucky. I don't like pills and I was never sick to take pills. I think it has something to do with what we eat. If we eat right, no sugar, no caffeen, no junk food, and plenty of water, I think it will help. It's somewhat helping me now. Exercise also is a good thing. I have to walk because if I do anything strenuous, it gives me a headache. Like I am not getting enough oxygen in my brain. Not that I want to be an air head or anything...

Fresh food is even better. I started eating nothing but vegetables and fruits. I am not really into too much fruits so I have more vegetables. I don't eat pasta or anything with starch. I have given up meat but will sometimes eat fish. I am going back to my old ways where all I ate was fruits and vegetables. I was healthier then and never had any problems. I guess Chinese and Japanese food will be out of the question

. But I won't stop making them for cardero or going out with him. They serve salads...:bonk:

Majikthise · Mar 11, 2006

Sometimes hanging upsidedown oner the edge of a bed or couch will alleviate some of the worst throbbing , but I can't stay that way too long without hurting my back and neck. Pain displacement also works temporarily. I bite a knuckle until that pain overides the pain in my skull, but it doesn't last long at all. Relaxing or sleeping does nothing as I cannot sleep during these episodes.

Buttercup · Mar 11, 2006

Another thing I just remembered but not sure if it will help you.....I can't seem to wear spray perfume anymore. I have to dab it around my neck or else the fragrance gives me an immediate headache if it's sprayed on. Do you wear cologne Paul? My friend who has the migraines says she had to drop wearing perfume. I don't want to give it up so I switched to dab on. Also, she says nuts are a migraine inducer. Have you heard that?

ChrisP · Mar 11, 2006

Sugar is a major thing!!! Diets these days are full of it, and it definitely causes people problems.

My Mum's migraines are sugar induced, several people I know get eczma from having too much, and it sets off my mania too

sadly this includes chocolate

(except the 70% cocoa stuff

)

Bastet · Mar 11, 2006

I've found that the best course for me when I get a migrane is to dope myself to the eyeballs with the strongest over-the-counter pain killer I can get, then to go to bed. I have to sleep it off, no other course of action will work once a migrane has kicked in. I am lucky to get them only about 4 times a year...and I head off a couple more before they get really bad (as soon as I become light-sensitive or have 'little lights' in my peripheral vision, I know one is coming and take some pain killers, if I have them handy - sometimes I don't).

I've never really worked out what triggers them. I think stress and lack of sleep is a factor for me. One of the managers at work gets migranes if he eats chocolate on an empty stomach. If I was getting them more frequently, the first thing I'd be doing is writing down everything I eat to try to work out if there's a pattern.

jeffrey · Mar 11, 2006

ChrisP said:
My Mum's migraines are sugar induced, several people I know get eczma from having too much, and it sets off my mania too sadly this includes chocolate (except the 70% cocoa stuff )

You know, I think that might very well be my problem. It seems I give alot of people headaches, but I think it's because I'm to frickin' sweet!... YmisGF, Great post. I'll have Rebecca read this when she wakes up. Got to wait to frubal you, passed out to much.. But I will be back!

ChrisP · Mar 11, 2006

jeffrey said:
You know, I think that might very well be my problem. It seems I give alot of people headaches, but I think it's because I'm to frickin' sweet!

No Smilie can truly show the amount of eye rolling that went on on my side of the intramaweb when I read that.... jeff ya great galoot

mrscardero · Mar 11, 2006

Paul? Have you gone to see a Neurologist? Sometimes it's caused from too much or little fluid in the spine.

I find leaning my head back on something like a pillow causes pressure in the back of my head. I feel like a construction man is jack hammering at the back of my head.

Suzy · Mar 11, 2006

Have you tried taking a Magnesium supplement? I suggested this to a friend of mine and she says it has helped her alot.

michel · Mar 11, 2006

This isn't a tip as such. I know a lady who suffered from Migraines; she used to have one virtually every day. One day she went to a chiropractor (because she had strained her back), and in the conversation, it came up that she suffered from migraines.

The chap told her to avoid certain foodstuffs......I am sure she was to have no sugar whatsoever (I also remember she was told she could'nt have a glass of sherry in the evening as she always did ...she wasnt too pleased by that).

Seriously though, have you tried finding out if you have food allergies ?

Draka · Mar 11, 2006

I was diagnosed with severe acute migraines when I was 19. I was actually in extreme pain for about a week before the diagnosis. I could not function worth anything. I was prescribed Midrin. I now have Maxalt, but I can't take it anyway since I am pregnant now. Tylenol has absolutely no affect on me whatsoever and it, unfortunately, is the only thing they let pregos take. I had a headache most of yesterday...not as severe as I usually get, but still pretty bad and radiating through my neck as well. I eventually just decided to sort of meditate as well as I could. I went to my bedroom and had all the lights out except for a couple candles I lit on my altar. I burned some incense (frankincence&myrrh, I love it for relaxation) and some sage. I put on a cd of nature sounds (rain, waves, and birds and such) and just lay there on my bed and tried to concentrate on flushing out the pain. After about a half an hour or so I was feeling better. But this is just my way. Seems to work well enough for me when they aren't extremely bad. I don't like taking medication anyway.

jamaesi · Mar 11, 2006

I rarely get actual migraines but I've had the visual patterns since I was wee little.

One of my first Fun Doctor Experiences when I was younger was being rushed to the ER after I asked my mother why "my vison kept going black." It was my first MRI and when we first found out sedatives/anesthesia give me seizures and hallucinations and it takes about six people to hold me down to a table.

Nothing seems to work for my migraines except sleep. (And I'm foooond of sleep.) Mine usually last about two weeks, at the end of which I'm usually at the hospital begging for drugs or anything to kill the pain.

dawny0826 · Mar 11, 2006

Ibuprofen (perhaps 3 or 4) and something caffeinated.

Then...I have to try sleep it off.

I can't function with migraines at all. I am sensitive to light, sound and smells. Sounds make me feel like I'm going to be sick to my stomach...any movement around me makes me sick.

Sometimes they last for days.

Migraines: Tips to ease suffering

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