Migraine help

[luvthemstrawberries]

I sincerely hope you guys can offer some advice here - any would be so much appreciated. I'm so tired of pain.

I've had headaches for years. For the past ~6 months to a year, I get at least 1 a week. Half of the week, I wake up with mild pain, usually just in my temples and eyes. That may stay around all day, but it's bearable/ignorable. But the bad ones spread the pain everywhere - in the jaw, teeth, back of the head, neck, temples, eyes, nose/face, and ears - my head feels like it's in a vice. And they get worse as the day goes on. Sometimes, on days like today, it surges when I get up and move. Or it randomly throbs intensely for a few minutes at a time. Sometimes I'm congested too, and the bad ones include pain to most noises. I'm very rarely nauseous, and haven't had auras as far as I know. Pain management consists of going home and laying down in silence with an icepak on my head. Ibuprofen doesn't help the bad ones. I took an Aleve today, but it's not doing anything either.

In the past 2 months, I've been to the following:
- Ear/Nose/Throat doctor - he looked in sinuses, said it looked fine, checked my hearing and it was fine
- MRI was done - brain is normal, inner ear and sinuses are normal
- Allergist - no specific allergies, he didn't do food allergy tests (which I wanted)
- Neurologist - he said I sound like I have classic migraines.

Neurologist told me aboue Imitrex and gave me samples of Treximet (Imitrex + Aleve). I took one Treximet this weekend with a bad headache, and I proceeded to be more nauseous for the next few hours than I've ever felt unless I was sick. It was terrible.

I'm so tired of doctors (and shelling out $). And even more tired of the pain and trying to play detective. I think my body is really sensitive to strong meds like the Treximet, so I'd really like to find what is making these happen. I'd love to do it more naturally, but who knows if that's even possible. I read some of the past threads on here about migraines, and I found some interesting info. A few of you listed wheat, sugar, cheese, caffeine, or even flourescent lights as triggers. I've been keeping a food/headache journal for months, but nothing stands out. I do work under flour. lights and stare at the computer screen every day. And I eat healthy, which includes a lot of grains/wheat, and very little caffeine (a few coffees a week at most, no soft drinks). I think I do clench my teeth at night, but I don't see how that can make a headache flare up more through the day. (If this pertains to anything, I had my wisdom teeth out years ago, I think before all this began.) My mom supposedly has a lot of sinus problems/infections and gets very nauseous with them - I've had one or two infections before, but that was just what the doc assumed (no cultures/tests done).

Does anything here stand out to any of you? Or is there any advice you can give - meds, how you found your trigger, or even just what your trigger is? How would I go about trying to narrow down to one trigger? Or if this even sounds like migraines at all?

(I'm sorry this turned out so long.)

 

[Erin]

I know when I had them in college they put me on the same medicine as those with high blood pressure (Propranolol?) - even though I wasn''t. They called it a vascular migraine. I took the meds for one year and never had another so I stopped taking them and have never since - 14 years now.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 6/2/2009 12:49:26 PM
Author:luvthemstrawberries
I sincerely hope you guys can offer some advice here - any would be so much appreciated. I''m so tired of pain.

I''ve had headaches for years. For the past ~6 months to a year, I get at least 1 a week. Half of the week, I wake up with mild pain, usually just in my temples and eyes. That may stay around all day, but it''s bearable/ignorable. But the bad ones spread the pain everywhere - in the jaw, teeth, back of the head, neck, temples, eyes, nose/face, and ears - my head feels like it''s in a vice. And they get worse as the day goes on. Sometimes, on days like today, it surges when I get up and move. Or it randomly throbs intensely for a few minutes at a time. Sometimes I''m congested too, and the bad ones include pain to most noises. I''m very rarely nauseous, and haven''t had auras as far as I know. Pain management consists of going home and laying down in silence with an icepak on my head. Ibuprofen doesn''t help the bad ones. I took an Aleve today, but it''s not doing anything either.

In the past 2 months, I''ve been to the following:
- Ear/Nose/Throat doctor - he looked in sinuses, said it looked fine, checked my hearing and it was fine
- MRI was done - brain is normal, inner ear and sinuses are normal
- Allergist - no specific allergies, he didn''t do food allergy tests (which I wanted)
- Neurologist - he said I sound like I have classic migraines.

Neurologist told me aboue Imitrex and gave me samples of Treximet (Imitrex + Aleve). I took one Treximet this weekend with a bad headache, and I proceeded to be more nauseous for the next few hours than I''ve ever felt unless I was sick. It was terrible.

I''m so tired of doctors (and shelling out $). And even more tired of the pain and trying to play detective. I think my body is really sensitive to strong meds like the Treximet, so I''d really like to find what is making these happen. I''d love to do it more naturally, but who knows if that''s even possible. I read some of the past threads on here about migraines, and I found some interesting info. A few of you listed wheat, sugar, cheese, caffeine, or even flourescent lights as triggers. I''ve been keeping a food/headache journal for months, but nothing stands out. I do work under flour. lights and stare at the computer screen every day. And I eat healthy, which includes a lot of grains/wheat, and very little caffeine (a few coffees a week at most, no soft drinks). I think I do clench my teeth at night, but I don''t see how that can make a headache flare up more through the day. (If this pertains to anything, I had my wisdom teeth out years ago, I think before all this began.) My mom supposedly has a lot of sinus problems/infections and gets very nauseous with them - I''ve had one or two infections before, but that was just what the doc assumed (no cultures/tests done).

Does anything here stand out to any of you? Or is there any advice you can give - meds, how you found your trigger, or even just what your trigger is? How would I go about trying to narrow down to one trigger? Or if this even sounds like migraines at all?

(I''m sorry this turned out so long.)

I competely understand...suffered from migraines when i was a child to the point I would lose speech and ability to see well...what helped me...a low suger,high protein diet and daily meditation to relieve stress...I found that I was hypoclycymic(sp)and had to eat every 4 hours...the diet is a big key to my headaches!

 

[Lilac]

I wish I could offer some advice or help, but I''ve suffered the same problems and have yet to find an answer or solution! I do feel your pain though

The only thing I will say is that I also clench my teeth at night and I''ve been told by multiple doctors that it can impact the amount of headaches I get during the day. Not sure how, but that''s what they all say. My dentist gave me a mouth guard to wear at night to prevent teeth clenching/grinding and I think it helped the headaches for a while but the mouth guard got uncomfortable to wear so I stopped. Maybe you could try that to see if it would help at all...?

I took Imitrex for a while for the migraines but it made me very nauseous, nervous, and shaky. I''m allergic to aspirin, naproxen, advil, motrin, aleve, so all I can take is Tylenol which of course never EVER seems to work.

I''m sorry you''re having these headaches, I wish I could help you! I hope they feel better soon.

 

[kittybean]

I''m so sorry you''re dealing with this kind of pain, luvthemstrawberries! I have suffered from bad headaches for over 10 years, so I know how awful it is, and how it can affect everything in your life. I''ve dragged myself from doctor to doctor, and I still feel like my headaches aren''t under control. Here are some suggestions/things I''ve learned in the process of trying to find treatment for my headaches. By the way, I am not a doctor, so please don''t interpret any of the following as medical advice--you should ultimately talk with a physician about any treatment plan you are implementing.

If you have classic migraines, the drugs that will likely work best are triptans, like Imitrex. Other triptan drugs include Zomig, Relpax, Maxalt and Frova (there are more, but I can''t think of all the names). If you experience nausea from these drugs, you could potentially quell it with anti-nausea drugs--I use Zofran because it doesn''t make me sleepy like Phenergen, for example. I personally like Zomig nasal spray. If it''s going to work for me (it doesn''t work for every headache), it works within 15-20 minutes.

Does your neurologist specialize in headaches? The one I see currently does, and it has made a huge difference. I take several preventative medications--one antidepressant and an antihistamine. Antidepressants are good for some migraine sufferers as many have low levels of serotonin in the brain, and medicine that increases serotonin (like SSRIs, which inhibit the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain) can decrease migraine severity or frequency. Beta-blockers can also be helpful as a preventative, but I personally can''t take them because I also have asthma. It might be good for you to discuss preventative treatment options with your current neurologist, or find someone who specializes in headaches and discuss it with them.

As far as diet goes, I have found that I need to eat more frequently to prevent "hunger headaches." It seems my body gets hungry way before my actual physical hunger kicks in, and I often get headaches if I don''t eat often enough. It is probably some sort of mild hypoglycemia, like jewelerman suggested.

Also, can you put a non-fluorescent lamp in your office? I recently did this, and it helps on the days where I''m teetering on the edge of an awful headache. I don''t think fluorescent lights trigger the headaches for me, but they definitely aggravate existing symptoms.

I hope this helps you a little, and I really hope you start experiencing some relief soon!

 

[Inanna]

Can I ask how old you are? I've had migraines since I was a child, but I didn't start getting auras until I was about 22-23. For me, the experience of visual aura is terrifying, but it does give me a warning that I need to get in a dark room and take some medicine.

A few years ago I also had the allergy tests, MRI, neurology appointments and nothing significant was revealed. Blood pressure medicine was not an option for me since I already have quite low BP.

I have a prescription for Maxalt, which is extremely expensive, but it does usually work. However, it makes me very jittery and anxious immediately after taking it... I'll admit I've even taken a Xanax in combination with the Maxalt to ease the hyperactivity - I'm absolutely not recommending this, but I wanted to give you an idea of how intense the effect of Maxalt is for me. I really do hate taking migraine drugs.

For the most part I've tried, pretty successfully, to make lifestyle changes to reduce the frequency of the migraines. Lately I'll be fine for 3-6 months and then I'll have an episode where I'll have 4-5 migraines in one week. My work knows about this, so I try to warn them when I'm on my "migraine week" and reschedule as many meetings as possible.

Things that seem to help to prevent my migraines:

-Yoga, Pilates, and any other full-body exercise that works out the spine and neck.
-Going to the chiropractor at least every 2 weeks (my FI insisted and it really has helped)
-Lots of water and lots of white and green tea
-Eating regularly and well-balanced (low blood sugar seems to provoke migraines)
-Taking a liquid multi-vitamin (recommended by my physician and chiropractor) - I use Nature's Plus Source of Life Liquid
-Limiting my alcohol intake
-Avoiding offensive "chemical" odors (basically, if I get a whiff of something offensive, I try to leave and/or get outdoors)

The only trigger that I'm 100% sure about is artificial sweetener. If I have anything with Nutrasweet or saccarin (sp?) in it, I definitely will get a migraine. I'm not sure if Splenda is also a trigger. Coffee doesn't have any effect on my migraine frequency.

I try to keep my computer screen fairly dim as I am sensitive to bright lights... same with my phone screen. Every couple of hours I always take at least a 15-20 minute break from the computer.

This is really weird, but the florescent lights in Wal-Mart will almost always trigger a migraine. In fact, the first time I recall having a migraine I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my mom (I was about 10 years old). Target is A-ok

I think its really good that you're monitoring your diet to try and narrow down triggers. Whenever you get a migraine, take notes about your environment, diet, liquid-intake, what you were doing, stress-level, length of time sitting in front of the computer without a break, etc. Keep a calendar and see if you notice any patterns (menstrual perhaps). My headaches used to be much more frequent, but after taking notes and experimenting with different lifestyle changes it's improved dramatically.

 

[laine]

Migraines are no fun. For me its pain in one temple (it can be either side), some sensitivity to light, sometimes nausea, and definitely sensitivity to movement. One of my triggers seems to be not eating, and once I realize I'm starting to get a headache from not eating, its too late. Imitrex made me nauseous as well, so now I take Maxalt (I could take the imitrex if I ate something right after I took it--it seemed to cut the sick feeling a bit). Pressure on my head makes it feel a bit better, so I'll use a wet washcloth (or my hand), and visualizing the pain either compressing to a tiny point or dissipating out with each breath I take helps take the edge off the pain when it gets bad.

I quit taking Advil for my headaches long ago since it never worked for me, but more recently, I've found that some of my headaches (that feel like a migraine--pain in my left temple) are actually caused by my neck muscles being all out of wack, so Advil does help sometimes (as do massages).

 

[laine]

Date: 6/2/2009 2:12:29 PM
Author: Inanna
Lately I''ll be fine for 3-6 months and then I''ll have an episode where I''ll have 4-5 migraines in one week.

Mine are the same! I''ll be fine for months, and then BAM--migraines 3 days in row.

 

[NovemberBride]

I don''t have a lot of advice to add, but I do symphathize. I have suffered from migraines for years. I saw several doctors and kept a food journal and was never able to find a trigger food. It was also not hormonal (i.e. did not fall during a particular part in my cycle). According to my doctor a lot of migraines are not explainable. However, Imitrex works for me so I just take it as needed. Except for now, since I am pregnant. I am pretty sure I''ve seen you on the TTC thread as well, I just wanted to make sure you know that all migraine drugs are unsafe for use during pregnancy and my doctor suggested I stop using them while TTC.

 

[LamborghiniGirl]

luvthemstrawberries, I am so sorry you are in so much pain!

I know everyone is different- but here is my experience.

I am in my early twenties right now and have been getting migraines since I was about 15/16. It started as 1 migraine a month, and they have become more frequent over the years. As of now, I get them usually every other day, and on some days, I get migraines twice per day.

I have aura sometimes. I am severely sensitive to light as well as sound when they happen. I have to be in a dark room, alone, no phone or music or talking near me.

I have been to multiple migraine specialists and I have tried 3 prescription oral meds as well as 2 injection meds- none worked.

HERE IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME: 3 Bufferin, 325 mg each, coated tablets. Not 1 or 2, but 3 at once. So a total of 975mg-- and I think the surface area of 3 pills, as opposed to 1 950 mg pill makes a difference in how fast they work. They are in the pain aisle at any drug store. I don''t know why, but these pills work when no other pain medicine, over-the-counter or prescription has.

It may be worth trying.. since it is such an easy fix if it works.

You MUST take them though, at the first sign of any pain-- don''t wait 10,15 or 30 minutes to see if it gets bad.

If you take them immediately, I have found, the migraine will be 100% gone within 20 minutes. For me, it has been a lifesaver.

Again, this worked for me, and I am so thankful for it. But everyone is different! I hope you find a cure soon

 

[LamborghiniGirl]

Also I will add that I as well, did a food/perfume/activity/temperature/stress journal. I was never able to find the trigger either, and for now I have given up since the journaling was so time consuming. With migraines 3-5 times per week, I have settled on the fact that it will be hard to prevent them, but at least I can cure them once they happen.

Again I feel for you! Hopefully someone''s insight in this thread will lead you to the end of migraine trouble! *hugs*

 

[Pandora II]

Check how they correspond to your cycle - when I started TTC and charting, I saw that my migraines always corresponded with any oestrogen drop. If and when they come back now I''ve had the sprog, I hope to fix the migraines hormonally.

Otherwise, Zomig is my drug of choice - but I only take half doses as a full dose makes me feel sick. It stops the migraine dead if I take it in the first 20 minutes from the aura beginning, if I take it a bit later it takes longer to work but is still effective.

Tried beta blockers, amitriptyline, ergotamine, etc etc you name it, I''ve taken it and Zomig is the only success I''ve had so far.

 

[AGBF]

My neurologist has me on a drug the brand name of which is Topamax. It is (or was originally), I believe, an anti-convulsive drug. (I wouldn't swear to that. I can look it up.) It is preventative. One takes it every night before going to bed. One also takes Amerge or Maxalt if a headache starts. This has worked miracles for me.

PS-At the suggestion of my neurologist I gave up artificial sweeteners. You said you, "eat healthy", so perhaps you don't use them. I gave up diet soda, however. That may have helped me, too. Apparently some artificial sweeteners bring on migraines.


AGBF

 

[Linda W]

I agree with Deb. I am also on Topamax. I haven''t had a migraine since. I take one in the morning and one before I go to bed.

I used to suffer horribly with those awful migraine headaches. Sometimes, they would keep me in bed for days.

I was also told to stay away from too much cheese (which I love), red wine, (which I don''t drink anyway) and too much caffeine.

I do hope you find some relief.


Linda

 

[Lynn B]

I have a long standing history of migraines, too... for many years, since I was a teenager. Believe me, I know how painful they can be,

Have had a complete work-up (several times) by a neurologist, and they found nothing wrong with my brain, which is good.

I try things like aspirin/tylenol/coffee together; I take Fioricet sometimes, Maxalt sometimes... (Maxalt on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster - always take it with food!) and my PCP wanted to put me on Pamelor (an anti-depressent) for prophylaxis. I have so far resisted that... I am not depressed and I don''t like taking a medicine every day when I don''t have a headache every day.

My headaches tend to be somewhat cyclical... several weeks of frequent headaaches, several weeks headache-free.

I know there are lots of triggers, but I have never been able to identify any for me.

I am watching this thread closely for other suggestions, etc, myself!!!

 

[anyname]

Date: 6/2/2009 5:35:47 PM
Author: AGBF




My neurologist has me on a drug the brand name of which is Topamax. It is (or was originally), I believe, an anti-convulsive drug. (I wouldn''t swear to that. I can look it up.) It is preventative. One takes it every night before going to bed. One also takes Amerge or Maxalt if a headache starts. This has worked miracles for me.


PS-At the suggestion of my neurologist I gave up artificial sweeteners. You said you, ''eat healthy'', so perhaps you don''t use them. I gave up diet soda, however. That may have helped me, too. Apparently some artificial sweeteners bring on migraines.



AGBF

yup, i take topomax too. It''s used for a lot of different things, seziures, mirgrains, and i think alcoholism. I can''t take any of the usual migrain medication, since all they do is intensify migrains for me. So i take "isometh-d-chlorlphenz-apapitp" my neurologist said that it''s an older class of migrain med that most people don''t prescribe anymore, but it works for me. But the only thing that really works is going to bed and sleeping it off.

 

[upgrade]

I used to be a migraine sufferer and it wasn''t until I went off the pill that I made the birth control/migraine connection. I haven''t had one since I stopped taking the pill, and my migraines started a few months after I started taking BC. If you are on the pill you may want to ask your doctor about other methods of birth control- it made a huge difference for me. I suffered for years without knowing what was causing it.

When I was getting migraines, the only thing that worked for me was an herbal remedy- feverfew capsules. I took a feverfew capsule along with 2 advil liquigels as soon as the pain started and would lay down and close my eyes for 15 minutes and the migraine was gone. You can get feverfew from any health store but I would check with your doc or pharmacist to make sure it won''t interact with any other meds you may be on (and it''s not safe for pregnant women).

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Wow, thank you ALL SO much for the responses - I appreciate all the advice and hugs more than you can imagine. I apologize for my delayed response - I wanted to get back on here last night, but just felt terrible. I actually started winding down about 7:30 and was in bed at 8:30 with an icepack, slept till 6 this morning. I woke up with pain, but it''s pretty much gone away thoughout the morning so far, which is good. Only random remnants of pain every now and then.

I''m going to try to address some of the questions/advice so far...

I am 24 years old. I remember having headaches through college, but the really bad ones have been within the past year or so. And I do get them in cycles, as some of you have mentioned. Seasons don''t seem to make a difference, but I''ll have a month or so of mostly no headaches, then a month with seeminly constant headaches. And those bad ones are a different pain than just the annoying ones - the pain runs deep in my temples and in the crown of my head.

I was on birth control for years. I would get headaches along with the start of a new cycle, but also at other times too. I think my body is very sensitive to drugs in general, although I was on a low hormone BCP. So a over a month ago, I actually stopped taking the pill. My body''s bounced back pretty normally - fairly regular cycle so far, and my moods are better. Headaches are still around though, and are certainly there during the menstrual cycle, but also at other times. But I do still plan to stay off the BCP. That''s where you''ve seen me in the TTC thread - I was asking about the TCOYF book so I can learn about tracking and all. But I''m not sexually active, so there''s no present concern for drug/pregnancy interactions.

I also have a lot of neck/shoulder tension, mostly from sitting at a computer and desk all day. I''m sure that plays a part - maybe going to get massages or looking into a chiropractor (never have been to one) may help, so maybe that''s something I should consider. That may even help with the teeth clenching problem...? And I haven''t been as responsible with exercise as I should be, so I think getting my rear back in gear would help with some of that also.

As far as diet goes... I don''t think anything I consume has artificial sweetener in it. I rarely even eat things with sugar - the occasional cookie or sweet tea is it. I do eat snacks every few hours between meals usually, but occasionally work prevents that. Yesterday was one of those days, so that may have played a part. I do know I found out a long time ago that I got hunger headaches from low blood sugar, so maybe that''s a trigger for the bad headaches.

The flourescent lights are overhead in my office, but I think I''m going to see what I can do about turning mine off and bringing in a softer lamp of my own. That I think would certainly decrease the annoyances when a headache is already around. I also need some good sound-canceling headphones - haha I have loud officemates sometimes.

For the various meds mentioned... The Treximet (Imitrex) made me feel the same as Lilac said - nauseous, nervous, and shaky. Hot and sweaty too. I''m writing down each and every one of your suggested meds to keep them on record for the future, so thank you for all of them. I may have to look into them if nothing naturally/preventative works. I already have low BP, so I don''t think I could take ones for that. And I don''t know how I feel about taking an antidepressant or daily medication, but we''ll see. But I may look into some of the supplements mentioned. I sometimes take a multivitamin now, so I may make that a daily thing. Do many of you take the feverfew or any other natural supplements?

I guess I need to be even more detailed in my journaling. Right now it''s just food and headache descriptions. I''ll start keeping up with the weather/environment, liquid, and work scenarios also.

 

[House Cat]

I get cluster headaches, which are a form of migraine. They last about two weeks and I usually end up in the ER. Luckily, they only happen once every couple of years.


Anyway, I take Topamax too. My doctor prescribed 300 mg, but the side effects were too severe. I was forgetful and tired. So, I was able to get it down to 100 mg and still keep the migraines away, with minimal side effects.

I should add, I''ve been taking Topamax for three years now and the only time I''ve had a migraine was when I failed to fill my prescription for three days.

 

[laine]

Date: 6/3/2009 9:55:42 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
I also have a lot of neck/shoulder tension, mostly from sitting at a computer and desk all day. I''m sure that plays a part - maybe going to get massages or looking into a chiropractor (never have been to one) may help, so maybe that''s something I should consider. That may even help with the teeth clenching problem...? And I haven''t been as responsible with exercise as I should be, so I think getting my rear back in gear would help with some of that also.

This could be a huge part of it! I had some pretty tense muscles in my neck and so went for a massage. The guy found that my hips were misaligned, which was twisting my back, and then throwing my neck off. Theres a spot on my neck that if you push it, it instantly causes a headache.

My massage guy has been great! He''s been helping to get me aligned and to release the muscles that are so tensed. Its not much fun and often hurts, but I feel much better when he''s done! He specializes in myofascial release and deep tissue (and not the feel good type of stuff--thats no help for this). He also recommended I try going to a rolfer, which I haven''t done yet, but may try. Chiropractors make me nervous, so I''m much happier with this approach.

It may still be migraines, but I bet you have some back and neck stuff going on--its amazing how connected that is. I''d maybe try the Treximet again, but eat and then try to go to sleep right after you take if--that always helped me with imitrex. You can also ask the doctor for samples of other meds to see if they work better for you--ask for lower doses and make sure you eat. And get yourself to a massage therapist. Explain you are having neck and shoulder pain and headaches, and are looking for help with that--and that you don''t want a spa type massage. I''m moving and will need to find someone new

and my massage guy said to look for buzz words like myofascial release or someone who does postural work (or a rolfer, though I have no experience with this).

Hope you find some relief soon!

 

[elrohwen]

I have similar headaches to yours, but I now try to take something when they're not too bad so I avoid the horrible migraine part. I know that different things work for everyone, but the only thing that really works for me is caffeine. It might be because I'm now addicted to caffeine (lots of Excedrin will do that to ya) but even when I've been off of it for months, it was the only thing that helped my headaches. When I was a teenager, I didn't drink coffee or soda, yet caffeine in the form of excedrin still helped immensely, so I don't think my sensitivity is only the result of a dependence on caffeine. My doctor even prescribed me a strong painkiller (can't remember what it is, but if you're interested I can find the bottle when I get home) that had caffeine in it and it worked wonders when I got into that really horrible migraine stage. Most of the time, I just pop an excedrin when I feel the headache getting bad ... after a while the aspirin can give me stomach cramps, so I try to take it with food. I'll also switch to the tylenol version (tension headache I think they call it) from time to time.

My mom has actually found that drinking a diet soda at noon stops her headaches and she's become much better since she's started doing this. I guess our caffeine thing is genetic ... I may even try this because caffeine without the aspirin is probably better if I can get away with it.

I don't know if this gave you any ideas, but I definitely know how you feel! It's awful. I hope you're able to find something that works for you.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Thanks Laine - I just looked up some massage places in my area and found one I might look into. They do medical massages, and mention things like myofacial stretches/release, neuromuscular therapy, deep tissue massage, and trigger-point therapy. They mention body tension and pain, and how habitual patterns of how we hold our neck at the computer, etc can cause a lot of tension. And they use all that to fix chronic pain patterns, like TMJD, tension headaches, and tension-triggered migraines. (<-- sounds kind of like what I could have)

They have therapist bios up and tell what each one specializes in, and a few of them sound great for this type of thing. Do you know the difference in a massage therapist and just a massage practitioner? Sounds like just training/experience.

Do you know if medical massages are covered by medical insurance? I''m going to look into mine, but just curious if it''s a common thing, or if you have to be referred by a doctor, or what. Not sure what doctor would refer me... I haven''t seen my general practice doc about this, so she probably wouldn''t yet... maybe if I explained all the docs I''ve seen already?

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Hey El - thanks for the info. You know, my mom used to say, "Maybe you just need a little bit of caffeine in your system." And I always wondered why that is that it helps some people for headaches, and I''ve never found out why. But I definitely have no caffeine in me, hardly ever. A few mornings a week I may have one small cup of coffee at home, and I make it really weak to begin with anyway. I don''t drink soft drinks, so maybe keeping a coffeemaker at work or something, if I wanted to try caffeine?

Hmmm... so many ideas. Grr I can''t imagine how long it takes to isolate each thing and see if it''s the culprit! Plus you have to wait around for a headache to come in the first place!

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/3/2009 11:39:58 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Hey El - thanks for the info. You know, my mom used to say, ''Maybe you just need a little bit of caffeine in your system.'' And I always wondered why that is that it helps some people for headaches, and I''ve never found out why. But I definitely have no caffeine in me, hardly ever. A few mornings a week I may have one small cup of coffee at home, and I make it really weak to begin with anyway. I don''t drink soft drinks, so maybe keeping a coffeemaker at work or something, if I wanted to try caffeine?

Hmmm... so many ideas. Grr I can''t imagine how long it takes to isolate each thing and see if it''s the culprit! Plus you have to wait around for a headache to come in the first place!

It''s really frustrating that something different works for everyone, so it''s hard for even doctors to give good advice sometimes. I really hope one of these ideas is the key to your headaches. I decided that my success criteria was to know how to get rid of a migraine after it starts, because going into a dark room just isn''t an option most times (I don''t think my boss would look kindly on that if I had to do it all the time). Knowing you have the power to get rid of the headache even after it''s started is really a huge step, in my opinion. Next is working on preventing the headaches in the first place, which is where I am right now.

 

[Inanna]

Date: 6/3/2009 11:35:36 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Thanks Laine - I just looked up some massage places in my area and found one I might look into. They do medical massages, and mention things like myofacial stretches/release, neuromuscular therapy, deep tissue massage, and trigger-point therapy. They mention body tension and pain, and how habitual patterns of how we hold our neck at the computer, etc can cause a lot of tension. And they use all that to fix chronic pain patterns, like TMJD, tension headaches, and tension-triggered migraines. (<-- sounds kind of like what I could have)

They have therapist bios up and tell what each one specializes in, and a few of them sound great for this type of thing. Do you know the difference in a massage therapist and just a massage practitioner? Sounds like just training/experience.

Do you know if medical massages are covered by medical insurance? I'm going to look into mine, but just curious if it's a common thing, or if you have to be referred by a doctor, or what. Not sure what doctor would refer me... I haven't seen my general practice doc about this, so she probably wouldn't yet... maybe if I explained all the docs I've seen already?

luvthemstrawberries - It really depends on your insurance, but I do think coverage is VERY common. My insurance covers massage therapists, chiropractors, and acupuncture and a physician referral is not required. For all of these I am required to pay a $25 co-pay per visit and I think I'm limited to 20 visits per year.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 6/3/2009 11:44:08 AM
Author: elrohwen

It''s really frustrating that something different works for everyone, so it''s hard for even doctors to give good advice sometimes. I really hope one of these ideas is the key to your headaches. I decided that my success criteria was to know how to get rid of a migraine after it starts, because going into a dark room just isn''t an option most times (I don''t think my boss would look kindly on that if I had to do it all the time). Knowing you have the power to get rid of the headache even after it''s started is really a huge step, in my opinion. Next is working on preventing the headaches in the first place, which is where I am right now.

What a great point. I guess I should try to focus on one goal at a time. Thanks for pointing that out, b/c I do have a habit of trying to fix it all at once, haha. OK, so I''m going to focus on treating it first. If something happens to work at preventing them too, then hooray. Haha but actually, I guess it''s hard to know if you prevented them at all or if they just went back into the "dormant" stage, for lack of a better word. Gahhhhh. But yes, thank you for the advice - I will first focus on trying to fix one as it''s coming on, so I know I have the power to do that. That''s the worst part right now - running out of sick leave very quickly, and missing a lot at work. And the pain, of course.

 

[blushingbride]

Ugh, I feel your pain! I used to get migranes at least once a week when I was in elementary and middle school - some of them were so bad that I'd throw up. I finally was diagnosed with a deviated septum and had a septoplasty performed when I was in high school. Now, I rarely get them and if I do, I can honestly blame them on being stressed.

 

[beaujolais]

--- I think I do clench my teeth at night, but I don''t see how that can make a headache flare up more through the day.---

Of course it can ! ! ! Muscle, jaw, neck, tension. (I work in medicine, btw.)

I get migraines, too, from herniated neck discs and from muscle (neck, upper back) from lifting patients. My favorite med is Esgic Plus (no bad side effects for me). It''s a God send. Also, walking outdoors every day, for me, is a must.

I take the Esgic Plus when I first feel one coming on. If I can''t catch it well enough, ice packs on head and half a glass of wine (be way careful if you''ve taken any headache medicine, though).

You need to "talk yourself out" of your teeth clenching. You''ll ruin your teeth. (Not picking, here, btw. I used to do that, too.)

Massage therapy, chiro are great ideas.

xxooo

 

[AsscherGirl]

Sorry you''re suffering! I also had/have migraines. I started getting them when I was around 10-11 (puberty) and they really have subsided after I got into my 20''s (end of puberty). Mine were certainly hormone related as I did get them right around the same time as my period mostly. I tried so many different migraine medicines I can''t even remember all the names of them anymore. I do remember Imitrex though making me extremely naseous and it resulted in throwing up. I did throw up a lot with my migraines, but the imitrex definitely made the nausea worse!

After a while, I did end up taking preventative meds (after having a migraine every day for 2 weeks and missing 27 days of my freshman year of high school). I took amitryptaline which was an anti-depressant and a beta blocker (the name is escaping me right now). That really reduced the number of headaches I was having - it was wonderful! I did however still need a medication for when I did get a migraine and I was taking Migranal. I NEVER see this medication mentioned anywhere, but it really worked for me. It was a nose spray and if I took it especially right when I felt the migraine coming on, it would either make the migraine go away (although with a bit of fogginess) or reduce the severity enough that I could function for the rest of the day. It also really controlled my nausea even though one of the side effects was nausea.

Now that I am the ripe age of 26 , I get probably 3-4 migraines per YEAR and they are not as severe as they were when I was younger. I do not take any prescription meds and can manage my headaches with advil and a cup of coffee usually. If all else fails, sleeping generally helps. I have also found that exercising regularly and eating less processed foods also helps!

I hope you can find something that works for you - migraines certainly are very personal and not everyone has the same triggers. Just keep going back to the doctor, and trying new things.

 

[Tempi]

Active release techniques (a form of myofascial release) and acupuncture have helped me, as well as the traditional adjustments at a chiropractor. I find that if I get the muscle work done, the headaches and nausea decrease in frequency. My triggers are stress and sleeping funny (again, often due to stress!) so having a good pillow that I can roll up to support my neck helps a lot. Some red wines give me a headache the next morning, even if I only had a small glass. Good luck

They can be really devastating.