A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Migraines

Weezie, I have "warning signals" before I start up with a migraine. Sometimes it starts with just an odd feeling behind my left eye that doesn't hurt, it is just maybe a "twitch". Other times I will have what the doctors call an "aura". That is where my vision gets "screwy". I can see zig-zag lines, waves of light, or what looks like highlighting of objects that I am looking at. It is really weird. I, also, get very nauseated.

If I am paying attention to these warning signals, I can take pain pills (usually a couple of Lortabs) and get in a quiet room to lay down and rest to avoid feeling like my eye needs to be dug out with a spoon.

If I miss my signs or ignore them and hope they go away, I usually end up too late to take the pain pills and have to go for the injections. By then the shot will not work as effectively as it could have if I had started with the pain pills first.

About 10 years ago, I had an awful time with migraines. I had one migraine for nearly three months. My family doctor kept me doped up until I could get in to see the neurologist. Even with pain pills 24/7, I had very little relief. I made several trips to the ER to be "knocked out". My mother had to stay with me to tend to my children.

The neurologist had all kinds of tests done on me (CT scans, MRI's, etc...) to make sure I did not have an aneurysm or a tumor of some type because the headache was always located right behind my left eye. After the tests were over and proved it was just static (one that lingers) classic migraine, the neurologist started me on preventative medicine (anti-depressant and blood pressure pills). It took a good two months of juggling my meds to find out what the right combination was to give me relief. He was, also, the first one to put me on the Imitrex injections because the Imitrex pills did not even put a dent in my pain.

Last night, I took a pain pill before I went to bed because I had my "not right" signals. Two hours later a mini-migraine hit me. If I had not taken the pain pill when I should have, it would have been a lot worse. As it was the pain was intense, but short-lived. I felt calmer because I knew that if the pain didn't go away in 30 minutes or less, I could give myself a shot for relief. The migraine only lasted 20 minutes and I was able to go back to sleep. About two hours after going back to sleep, I was again awakened by migraine pain. This one lasted only 15 minutes before easing off enough to let me go back to sleep. If I had not taken the pain med before I went to bed when I had the first sign, I would have been racked with pain.

I feel a lot better knowing that I have some meds in the house now for the pain and I think I will be able to catch up on all the sleep I have been missing in the past month. It may take awhile to get my meds adjusted, but relief is on the way....

Dianna

My friend takes Zomig, but i'm not sure if that is preventative or for the migraine.

When I was pregnant with my youngest I experienced a loss of peripheral vision and nausea and I thought I was going to have a stroke, very scary, my doctor called it a visual migraine. I only had four of them, all during the pregnancy.

I do have occasional migraines, the only thing I do is try to sleep it off, so so sorry for you that have chronic ones.

The shot made her violently sick...BAD!

I had migraines for many, many years...so bad that if I was out driving and had one, I would literally have to pull over to the side of the road and lay down in the seat sometimes with something covering my head because I couldn't stand the light. When I was home I'd put quilts over the windows and keep all the lights off. It was horrible. But, thank God they just stopped a few years ago. They had gotten so bad I just didn't think I could stand it anymore...then all of a sudden I realized "Hey! I haven't had a migraine in a month!" Then, it was MONTHS, and now it's been over 2 years (knock on wood!). I still have an occasional head-ache, but can usually get rid of it with a few Motrin and laying down for a little while. And, a head-ache is NOTHING compared to a migraine!


Cindy Sue

Melcon, Zomig is a triptan used for migraine pain relief. I have tried it and it didn't work for me...

I have been awakened from a deep sleep by migraine pain. Unless I am "doped up" there is no way I could sleep it off.

I hadn't had a migraine in years until a month or so ago. The doctor says that it is possible that the changing of my hormones is the culprit that is triggering them now...

I go back to the doctor next week for a blood pressure check because he didn't like 158/98 on me. My blood pressure normally runs about 100/60 or 70. I think he is, also, gonna run a hormone panel on me and do some other blood work. He promised me he would get me fixed...

Been there, done that, too!

Dianna

Thanks for posting this Dianna..

My niece has had these for quite sometime..

So, I know, in essance what you're going thru...

I had one when I was pregnant, about 3 1/2 months in to the pregnancy for a month and 1/2, from the
top of my eyebrows to the tip of my spine....

And I had a 5 year old going to kindergarden for the first time.. And his mommy with a headache...I felt bad for him...
We didn't do a whole heck of alot that summer..

Anyhow, I get skull crushing barameter one's now,
on occasion, just lately as a matter of fact.....
But I can usually ignor mine, and if that doesn't work, I finally take a aspirin... and a hot shower..

But it's only because of storms moving in and out
and I can feel the pressure of it..
Nothing as like's of my nieces', your's, Loz's...

The Demerol shots at the hospital make me sicker than the Imitrex does. The Imitrex makes me feel sicker to my stomach at the time, but the migraine pain getting easier is worth it. The doctor, also, prescribed an anti-nausea drug for me. Maybe that would help Rachel. I take the anti-nausea with the pain pill and with the injection (if I have to have it).

Migraines have taken a lot of precious and priceless moments away from me, too, Weezie.

Dianna

Here are some preventatives stay away from cheese, red wine and changing your caffine intake. to much or not enough caffiene can trigger a migraine.

Ladies are more suceptible to a migraine during their cycle. And yes as soon as you get the funny vision or feeling odd go for the pain medication don't wait. I've gotten it down to the point where I can take 800mg of ibuprofen and knock it out before it is a problem.

I used to get them so bad I would be bedridden for 3 days and had to be in a darkened quiet room unable to move at all.

Hey, Tammy!

When I first started getting the migraines again, my first thought was that it was being caused by my dropping caffeinated coffee from my diet. I started drinking coffee again to combat it, but it didn't do anything except start my arrythmias up again. Back to decaf for me again now...

Dianna

That is exactly what I went through. When I would get a migrain I would end up in the ER...they would shoot me full of demerol and send me home to "sleep" it off....which is good at the time...but they have found that doing that make the migrain "rebound" back as soon as you get up and around!
When I went to the ear, nose & throat Doc...they did X~Rays and found that my sinus cavities were way blocked...they did some surgery, scraped out my sinus cavities,,,took out some cartlege out of my nose and craped the inside of me cheek bones. It was a horrid surgery and took almost 6 months to totally recover from it...BUT...I haven't had a migrain in 8 or 9 years now...not even a headache...so it was well worth it to me!
I have just started getting headaches since we moved into this funk ridden house!

WOW, you guys, you have HORRIBLE migraines. I used to have them, but nowhere NEAR like what you guys have said. I also used the "take something at the first sign of nausea/shakiness/light sensitivitity and go immediately to bed in a DARK room" method, and that usually worked okay. Even if I was too late, though, they would only last for a few hours. Occasionally I'd get one that would come off-and-on over a couple of days.
I can't imagine having one that lasted for WEEKS or MONTHS! How awful.
Why do they go away, though? I had them through childhood up to about mid 20's, then they pretty much stopped except when I was pregnant with my son. I had 4 when pregnant with him, and haven't had one since. With this baby, I had sinus headaches.

Geegeeburr, I think fluctuating hormones cause a lot of the migraines. I know I would rather have the "hot flashes" of my inner child playing with matches (Thanks, Vanessa!) than to have these headaches...

Dianna

Hello everyone! I get migraines but not often but when I do it starts off as a headachne with the feeling of a upset stomach like if I can catch it before it gets bad I can take excedrine for migraines if not got to suffer with it? I just climb into bed,don't want any noise, light,nothing I get sick and vomit till there if nothing to vomit up then still will vomit,I do not get out of bed even when the phones rings! It usual last all day and into the night then the next day I'm tired real tired and it takes me days to get my strength back so girl if you get them often I feel for you girl cause there are times when I plea to God just let me die God! it is a feeling like someone is hitting you with a hammer and I can not lay in bed I'm sitting up I'm in a ball like,I rock anything to find a place that I can sleep maybe? If I got it all the time I would not think I could keep going on??? Bye Rita

OMG I feel sorry for you all. I am so glad I get the occasional headache. I think I have had 1 migraine where I have been sick and someone is hitting my head with a hammer. So Dianna I really feel for you especially being woken from your sleep with them.
My Auntie suffered with really bad migraines, and she had high blood pressure, so they put her on tablets for the blood pressure. Do you think that could be the problem? Another question Dianna
Do you wear glasses?

I used to get alot of migraines. I was given Naproxin to take for them...its an anti-inflamatory drug, actually. Mine would start at the base of my neck and work upward, stretching out like fingers going across my skull. I would usually take the Naproxin and then lay down and try to sleep it off.

ok, my two cents worth...after several neurologist, it's more than 2 cents, but you know what i mean

migraines can be caused by:
food (aged cheese, red wine, chocolate, caffiene, and citrus fruits being the top culprits)

hormones (cycles, pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid imbalances being the top culprits, but other hormones can play a hand...)

tmj and or other skeletal issues

blood pressure

stress (incuding what is called "happy stress")

barometric changes

illness

and Lord knows what else, those are just the "documented, studied" causes. me? i suffer from all of the above. and, i am allergic to triptans.

the funny thing is that while caffeine and chocolate are triggers, they are also treatments. and lortabs and anti-nausua (reglan being a favorite of one of my neurologists) pills are my only recourse. that and a tmj splint, dietary monitoring (mozzerella cheese is my #1 dietary culprit) careful monitoring of my thyroid meds, and like diana and the rest, IMMEDIATE action when one is threatening.

now, one more thing. they also have a triptan available as a nasal spray, and supposedly it is good. don't know, can't use it, but i have a friend who's daughter has.

hope this helps at least one person. i do have one cautionary statement about the reglan. another neurologist said that it can cause tremors if it is over/mis-used.

ok. my 2 cents worth!

Lisa, I wear glasses while I am on the computer. With the blood pressure thing, my blood pressure usually runs low (100/60 or 100/70). The only time I have had high blood pressure is when I am suffering from a migraine. Pain raises my blood pressure quickly. After the migraines get under control again, I will revert back to my normal pressure if past happenings are any indication.

Jiffy, I didn't know that TMJ could cause migraines, also, until you told me. I do have TMJ but the dentist has never given me a bite guard for sleep. He did mention surgery as an option at one time, but I don't do surgery well. I can't stand to be put to sleep. Puts me in a major panic attack.

Last night was a rough one for me. I had a migraine that lasted an hour and 20 minutes even though I had taken a pain pill before it started and took another one during it. I hate the thought of taking so much medicine because I am worried about rebound headaches, too. I did manage to get through it (barely) without an injection.

Jiffy, you told me when you were visiting about the Imitrex nasal spray. Do you know if it works as good as an injection? Has your friend's daughter tried both? The pills don't even phase my migraines...

Dianna

Jiff, when I get a headache...I take a BC powder, drink a coke and eat a chocolate bar...and that is my cure all! Usually! But it hasn't worked on these headaches I have been having here...but I think it is because these are caused by all this funk in this house.

Dianna...why did you try to make it WITHOUT the injection? If it is what will spare you the pain..TAKE IT!!! I hate it when you are hurting so bad!!!

i've heard the spray is much better than the pills because the meds go right into the blood vessels of the nasal passages and lungs and don't have to dissolved into the system.