Update on migraines.

[AprilBaby]

i saw the neurologist who was very very helpful! She started me on 500 mg magnesium, 400 mg vit b2, 500 mg coq10. Also propanolol 1 in the morning and 2 at night. I was getting 5-6 headaches a week. After two weeks I was down to about 3 a week and less severe. She sent authorization for a aimovig but it was denied till I did 6 mo of Botox. About 3 weeks ago I did the 31 Botox shots. It was painful! The first week I had continuous headaches. The second week it stopped. Now I have 1-2 minor headaches a week. My liver is happy I am not living on painkillers. The only down side is sensitivity to light , I can’t move my forehead, my eyelids swell a bit. I’m glad I did it. I don’t think I will move on to aimovig unless the Botox stops working.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I'm happy this worked for you. My sister has had similar results with Botox recently and is very grateful she could get off the painkillers.

Only downside is that the doc keeps trying to sell her cosmetic procedures on top of her migraine treatments

 

[Matata]

Happy to hear that the treatment protocol has brought you some relief.

 

[Bonfire]

Wow, thanks for the update! I’m glad you are finding some success and relief with the Botox. How many mg. Of the Propanolol are you taking if I may ask? I started taking Butterbur 5 weeks ago and that has really helped me, but I don’t have the frequency you have. The 500mg. of Mag. and Coq10 and Metoprolol weren’t cutting it. I wish you continued success and relief!

 

[AprilBaby]

Bonfire, add the B2. 20 mg propanolol in the morning and 40 at night. She said it would be at least a month to kick in. At first I was exhausted because I have low BP and it lowers it more. At 6 weeks I’m much better. Today is cloudy and 43. Sprinkles off and on. I have a small headache, 3/10 . Normally I would be downing tons of excedrine. Last big snowstorm, last Sunday, no headache at all.

 

[Bonfire]

I’m in your neck of the woods so I share the weather factor
I’ve been taking Metoprolol for a long time to try and help with migraines. I got as high as 75mg. and it was way too much! I’m like you and don’t have high BP to begin with and it lowered mine too much . Cut way back as it didn’t seem to make a difference with my migraines anyway. I’m glad you are seeing a neurologist and are working towards relief and a better quality life! I’m glad you updated your progress with us.

 

[AprilBaby]

It’s been day and night. Have you seen a neuro? Highly recommend dr grace Chen at Dupage medical.

 

[Tekate]

April, I've had several migraines in my life and spent 40 years with severe menstrual migraines, so I feel for you. I am happy to read this protocol is working for you. Hugs to you.

 

[Bonfire]

It’s been day and night. Have you seen a neuro? Highly recommend dr grace Chen at Dupage medical.

I do have a good Neurologist. Thanks for the recommendation though. I don’t have the frequency that qualifies for Botox injections. I’m happy to hear that it’s helping you!

 

[AprilBaby]

Btw, Botox is not a walk in the park. It hurts like the blazes during the injections and it freezes your face and gives you droopy eyes. I would not do it for cosmetic reasons because of this.

 

[Arcadian]

I'm so glad you're being helped with botox. I have unfortunately had several migrains the last couple of weeks. I'm on MM but I don't always take it, and, while it helps, it can also make me a bit loopy during the day (which is why I don't take unless very severe) I'm sure its more of less because of seasonal stress that migraines are worse/more than usual.

 

[caf]

I am sticking with Botox until it no longer helps. I started it some years ago and it really works for me. Without it I can get a migraine a day. I have even gotten used to the shots. My neurologist is very quick doing them and we just chat while he does them. Good luck on whatever your favorite treatment is. Migraines are awful. They are hereditary in my family. My grandmother (got before she passed), mom, me and my daughter get them. Ugh.

 

[GliderPoss]

Great to hear stories form others with migraines and what works for them!
I've lived with mine since I was a small child and the frequency/severity vary but I still seem to get a headache of some kind, at some point every day. Mine also seem hereditary as my father and sister also get them. I went to neurologist who essentially told me nothing I didn't already know but my dentist looked at my xrays and said straight away my jaw/skull/spine weren't perfectly aligned which was most likely the cause!

I manage mine with:
- Trigger avoidance (stress, dehydration, loud noises etc)
- Multi-vitamin with plenty of magnesium
- Botox every 6 months, mainly upper forehead and temples area. Will try neck too next time.

When I get them I:
- Take 2 Mercyndol & a sedative if need be (I don't actually want to be conscious for them! LOL)
- Gel or wheat ice pack on head
- Lie down in dark quiet room

I did try beta-blockers but hated them, also tried tricyclic antidepressants (Dothep I think it was called?) which DID help a lot but also made me incredibly sleepy all the bloody time... which wasn't great for work. I figure if I can manage the migraines down to a few each month I'm doing pretty well.

 

[AprilBaby]

I am down to one a week.

 

[Bonfire]

@AprilBaby I saw a new neurologist today because of an uptick in my migraine frequency (with aura).
She wants to start me on amitriptyline, an antidepressant, as a preventive. Do you or anyone have experience with it? She mentioned sleepiness as a side effect so to take it at bedtime. My “natural” supplements aren’t cutting it. I know you’ve started botox, that’s not a first line treatment for my situation. Tia

 

[GliderPoss]

Hi @Bonfire,

I've tried that and yes the anti-depressant does make you sleepy! Even though I was taking them at night, I felt very drowsy and lethargic each morning which made work a real struggle (lots of coffee required!) so it's definitely a trade-off. Probably depends on each person & dosage but that was my experience.

 

[Bonfire]

Thanks for chiming in @HotPozzum! That sounds yucky! Do you remember your dosage? Did you have other side effects that you remember? I’m assuming you no longer take this med? Sorry for the interrogation. It’s a slippery slope, I want migraine prevention but at what cost. Thanks for responding!

 

[House Cat]

I have stopped Botox because the last dose I had....well...the doctor made my eye droop. Damn. I just can’t.

Since stopping it a few months ago, I’ve had about four migraines. I used to have that many in four days. I think the Botox stopped the pain cycle or something.

I’m going to ride this wave for as long as I can. Yes, the few migraines I get really suck but I’m happy to go drug free for now.



Amitriptyline is used for a sleep aid in the mental health world. I’ve had doctors try to prescribe it to me many times. A lot of times meds like this will make you feel drowsy during the day, but that should subside in a week or so. Hopefully it will work for your migraines.

 

[Bonfire]

Hi @House Cat I’m glad you are experiencing some relief with Botox. As much as I hate getting migraines, I’m not sure I want to start Amitriptyline. I don’t want to be sleepy or dopey. I’m really torn on what to do. Thanks for chiming in!

 

[House Cat]

Hi @House Cat I’m glad you are experiencing some relief with Botox. As much as I hate getting migraines, I’m not sure I want to start Amitriptyline. I don’t want to be sleepy or dopey. I’m really torn on what to do. Thanks for chiming in!

This is understandable.

A question for you..

Do your migraines affect your thinking? If so, you might find that the medication affects you less. As i said, the sleepiness should be something that wears off after about a week. If it doesn’t, you can always discontinue.

Because of my mental health issues, i’ve taken my share of sedating meds. My advice would be to try it on a Friday night so that you have saturday to see how doped up you will feel. If the feeling is too much for you, at least you dont have weekday obligations to deal with. If it is something you can handle, then you have the whole weekend to help with time for adjustment. My most sedating med...and it was crazy sedating, took ten days to adjust back to normal. I would say if you are still out of it at that point, it isn’t the med for you. Of course, you have to weigh the benefits vs the side effects. Some people can’t deal with any sedation for any period of time.

 

[HS4S_2]

@AprilBaby I saw a new neurologist today because of an uptick in my migraine frequency (with aura).
She wants to start me on amitriptyline, an antidepressant, as a preventive. Do you or anyone have experience with it? She mentioned sleepiness as a side effect so to take it at bedtime. My “natural” supplements aren’t cutting it. I know you’ve started botox, that’s not a first line treatment for my situation. Tia

I have also used Amitriptyline for migraines. While it did help, the side effects were too much for me. It can cause dry mouth and weight gain. I was also very sleepy. With my normal diet and exercise I gained about 15 lbs. It's definitely a trade off.

 

[Bonfire]

I have also used Amitriptyline for migraines. While it did help, the side effects were too much for me. It can cause dry mouth and weight gain. I was also very sleepy. With my normal diet and exercise I gained about 15 lbs. It's definitely a trade off.

Oh wow. It sounds like those that have used this didn’t like the side effects and no longer take it. May I ask how long were you taking it and are you trying something else? Thank you, this feedback is so helpful!

 

[Bonfire]

This is understandable.

A question for you..

Do your migraines affect your thinking? If so, you might find that the medication affects you less. As i said, the sleepiness should be something that wears off after about a week. If it doesn’t, you can always discontinue.

Because of my mental health issues, i’ve taken my share of sedating meds. My advice would be to try it on a Friday night so that you have saturday to see how doped up you will feel. If the feeling is too much for you, at least you dont have weekday obligations to deal with. If it is something you can handle, then you have the whole weekend to help with time for adjustment. My most sedating med...and it was crazy sedating, took ten days to adjust back to normal. I would say if you are still out of it at that point, it isn’t the med for you. Of course, you have to weigh the benefits vs the side effects. Some people can’t deal with any sedation for any period of time.

Good advice HC. Thank you for sharing, it’s very helpful.

 

[HS4S_2]

Oh wow. It sounds like those that have used this didn’t like the side effects and no longer take it. May I ask how long were you taking it and are you trying something else? Thank you, this feedback is so helpful!

I took it for about 6 months. The sleepiness eventually got better but the weight gain and dry mouth did not. It was frustrating because I eat very healthy and exercise daily and still gained weight. Once I stopped taking it the weight dropped. I have great success with the botox for migraines and eating a very clean diet. Nitrates and certain foods trigger my migraines. Between the botox and paying close attention to triggers I am down to very few migraines. It was a struggle before because I had several bad days a week. I hope you are able to find a good plan for your migraines!

 

[MeowMeow]

Hi @House Cat I’m glad you are experiencing some relief with Botox. As much as I hate getting migraines, I’m not sure I want to start Amitriptyline. I don’t want to be sleepy or dopey. I’m really torn on what to do. Thanks for chiming in!

I'm not who you were talking to but I'm gunna poke my nose in. I did take that medicine for a bit but ultimately went with Lyrica/Gabapentin for my migraines. This still makes me tired during the day if I try to split it up so they just have me take my 600mg or whatever I am on at night when I would be pooped out and sleeping anyway. I feel like we had to do this on every medicine I tried. Could you ask and see of that might be possible if you do try it?

 

[House Cat]

Interesting, I started taking gabapentin recently for nerve pain in my arms. Maybe that is what is helping my migraines

 

[MeowMeow]

Interesting, I started taking gabapentin recently for nerve pain in my arms. Maybe that is what is helping my migraines

Possible. New neurologists are usually surprised I take it for migraines. It's an off label use and uses a smaller amount. It works for me well enough so I just keep on using it. Even if its a wierd one lmao. Whatever is helping your migraines, hopefully continues!

 

[AprilBaby]

amitriptolene totally stopped the headaches for my son. I was already on venalfaxine for something else and that didn’t stop them. Did they suggest the supplement regime mine did? Stopped 75% of my migraines in a week. 400 vit B2, 500 magnesium, 500coq10. Also added propanolol Rx twice a day.

 

[Bonfire]

amitriptolene totally stopped the headaches for my son. I was already on venalfaxine for something else and that didn’t stop them. Did they suggest the supplement regime mine did? Stopped 75% of my migraines in a week. 400 vit B2, 500 magnesium, 500coq10. Also added propanolol Rx twice a day.

Hi Aprilbaby! Has your son had many side effects with Amitriptyline?
I already take 500mg of magnesium, only 200mg of Ubiqinol (coq10] I just started adding B-2 only 75mg (maybe need to pump that up) and tumeric.
I’ve taken Metoprolol (beta blocker) for a long time with no results there. I’m concerned about the negative sid effect of Amitriptyline. Thanks for responding, I really appreciate any and all thoughts, recommendations and experiences!

 

[AprilBaby]

Sorry, very busy month for me at work! No, he had no side effects from the amitriptyline. He used it all thru high school and college. He is a new daddy and I just asked him tonight if he was still getting headaches. He said he gets about 1/mo now that he can control because he usually gets an aura 1/2 hr before. Hasn’t been on the rx for about 5 years. Up the coq10 and go to 400 vit b2. I think propanolol is metaproperol. I take 20 in the morning and 40 at night.