Splitting migraine for 3 days straight

[Circe]

Thanks, guys - my normal doc thought it was probably just related to the crappy weather (NY has had a nasty bout of humidity and a pressure front). He did tell me to call/come back if it continued or got worse. So, I'm following all of the remedies you suggest: taking magnesium, drinking coffee, etc. Gonna go and buy some Excedrin Migraine, which he recommended, and see if this goes away ....

 

[Dee*Jay]

Circe, I'm glad you got to see your doctor and that it doesn't seem to be anything too serious. Wishing you much relief very soon!

 

[Sparklelu]

BTW can you go to CVS and take your BP? Just to be on the safe side
The sinus pressure bad weather triggers are sometimes the worst because its like 2 headaches in one!!
Try excedrine migraineAND coffee!!

 

[diamondringlover]

Migraines are the worst!!!! I have had them off and on for 25 years.....I hope yours gets better soon.

 

[missy]

Thanks, guys - my normal doc thought it was probably just related to the crappy weather (NY has had a nasty bout of humidity and a pressure front). He did tell me to call/come back if it continued or got worse. So, I'm following all of the remedies you suggest: taking magnesium, drinking coffee, etc. Gonna go and buy some Excedrin Migraine, which he recommended, and see if this goes away ....

Hey Circe, so sorry you are dealing with this and I am relieved for you that it seems not to be serious. I have also had a headache for the last few days but mine is sinus and def related to this crappy weather. I take pseudoephedrine and it helps for a bit as well as cool compresses on my forehead. Sending headache relief dust your way!!!!

 

[House Cat]

Hi Circe,

Peppermint oil.

Mix one or two drops with a few drops of Jojoba oil or another carrier oil. Then, rub it on the back of your neck, your decollete, and if you can handle it, your temples (where it is most effective, but it can burn some people.) Then breathe deep.


I get horrible, awful, cluster headaches, migraines that last months and eventually land me in the ER. The peppermint really helps when no other medication will.

Doterra makes an oil blend for headaches that really helps. Origins has a peppermint oil blend for headaches too, but I have found that it only helps minimally. To be honest, basic peppermint oil mixed with a carrier helps the most.

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[JaneSmith]

Thanks, guys - my normal doc thought it was probably just related to the crappy weather (NY has had a nasty bout of humidity and a pressure front). He did tell me to call/come back if it continued or got worse. So, I'm following all of the remedies you suggest: taking magnesium, drinking coffee, etc. Gonna go and buy some Excedrin Migraine, which he recommended, and see if this goes away ....

Good. I hope you feel better soon.
You haven't been to a chiropractor recently, have you? No neck cracking?

 

[TC1987]

Glad it appears to be something temporary and not really serious, Circe. I sometimes get killer headaches when the barometric pressure hits certain lows. I get actual migraines from exposure to mold, because I worked in a moldy office building and was overexposed to mold and now am sensitized to it (#%#%!)

What I use is analgesics, but I bought one of those ice bags at the drug store and I stuff it full and wrap a towel around it and lie down with it on face, or back of the neck, or whatever it takes. I found that ice works really well, and it knocks the pain level down faster than any OTC med, even if I do look like a '30s cartoon of a hangover cure.

 

[Circe]

Hi Circe,

Peppermint oil.

Mix one or two drops with a few drops of Jojoba oil or another carrier oil. Then, rub it on the back of your neck, your decollete, and if you can handle it, your temples (where it is most effective, but it can burn some people.) Then breathe deep.


I get horrible, awful, cluster headaches, migraines that last months and eventually land me in the ER. The peppermint really helps when no other medication will.

Doterra makes an oil blend for headaches that really helps. Origins has a peppermint oil blend for headaches too, but I have found that it only helps minimally. To be honest, basic peppermint oil mixed with a carrier helps the most.

I hope you feel better soon!

This is the only thing I haven't tred yet! And I actually HAVE some kind of special Body Shop stuff that's worked before ... now if only I could FIND it.

This is starting to get really frustrating. (Well, to be fair, it was frustrating on, like ... Day 2.) I woke up feeling fine yesterday and today, and by ... 11, roughly, it's back in full force, no matter WHAT I do. I'm not taking any new medications, I haven't changed anything about my routine ... ARGH HATE HATE HATE.

I think I'm going to call the doc again.

P.S. - No, no chiropractor or anything like that, though if they can cause this sort of thing, YIKES.

 

[Circe]

SWEET BLISSFUL RELIEF. He gave me a pill of Maxalt in the office and a prescription for more if necessary, and it made the migraine go away almost immediately. Wants me to see a neurologist, which is faintly intimidating ....

... but at present, just happy not to be wincing. Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I REALLY appreciate it.

 

[GemFever]

So glad you are feeling better! What you described sounded awful. I hope it's gone for good (knock on wood).

 

[natascha]

SWEET BLISSFUL RELIEF. He gave me a pill of Maxalt in the office and a prescription for more if necessary, and it made the migraine go away almost immediately. Wants me to see a neurologist, which is faintly intimidating ....

... but at present, just happy not to be wincing. Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I REALLY appreciate it.

Really happy that you feel better . Migraines are really awful.


One thing that really bugs me though is why on earth didn't he give you triptans first? Sorry it just makes me mad, if you have a migraine and suffering for days why let it continue. Zolmigtriptan and sumatriptan are deemed safe enough to be over the counter over here, so a doctor should not be acting like that unless your risk profile contraindicates it.

Oh and don't worry about the neuro, if your doc is so careful with triptans then he probably just wants a second opinion. You just have to go and tell him//her about your lovely last couple of days. If they are worried about something you might need to do an MRI, EKG, blood tests, etc but usually only us special kids have to do that .

 

[natascha]

Must be that time of the month cause Im am literally sitting here fuming about a doctor telling a patient with a migraine to take excedrin... if paracetamol and caffeine didn't help what on earth would adding some aspirin to the mix do? And seriously calling it excedrin migraine? That really makes me mad, migraines are not a typical headache!

 

[Kelinas]

Must be that time of the month cause Im am literally sitting here fuming about a doctor telling a patient with a migraine to take excedrin... if paracetamol and caffeine didn't help what on earth would adding some aspirin to the mix do? And seriously calling it excedrin migraine? That really makes me mad, migraines are not a typical headache!

I agree, I don't quite understand why he didn't offer a triptan during the first visit.

I'd take the RX and keep a Maxalt on you at all times. Rizatriptans (Maxalt) works really quick for most people, ESP the melt aways. You never know if this was a freak migraine or heaven forbid, the start of it.

As for the neuro, I agree with Nat and ill tell you that you have nothing to really be afraid of. I was one of the special cases who had to get CAT scans and MRI's and whilst they found a issue, in my case it's quite rare.
If anything, the neuro will more than likely sit down with you and try to figure out your triggers and such. Quite useful IMO.
Glad you feel much better though!!

 

[Circe]

He seems to be very conservative in his treatment plans: more than once he's sent me to a specialist instead of just writing me a prescription. I applaud his caution, but ....

Right now, though, I'm more irritated with my pharmacy. The medicine is supposed to come in a blister pack - the one the doc gave me in his office had a warning that you should take it within a few minutes of removing it from the pack.

The pharmacy gave me a bunch of loose pills in a vial. Marked "take before 5/21."

While I would love to travel back in time and take these yesterday so as to have spared myself a rather unpleasant morning, instead I'm worrying about whether these are even doing anything now and/or going to get me through the night. THANKS GUYS.

 

[LAJennifer]

Right now, though, I'm more irritated with my pharmacy. The medicine is supposed to come in a blister pack - the one the doc gave me in his office had a warning that you should take it within a few minutes of removing it from the pack.

The pharmacy gave me a bunch of loose pills in a vial. Marked "take before 5/21."

I often order from an online pharmacy in India (All Day Chemist) and they offer triptans in blister packs. I usually order my husband's propecia and things I like to have on hand - Retin A, Naproxen, Latisse, etc. I had a bad migraine the last time I placed an order, so I ordered some sumatriptan. It was blister packed, but I haven't had a headache since I ordered so I've yet to use it. However, I am glad I have it on hand . . . just in case.

ETA - generic Maxalt is listed on the website - 5mg and 10 mg.

 

[Kelinas]

He seems to be very conservative in his treatment plans: more than once he's sent me to a specialist instead of just writing me a prescription. I applaud his caution, but ....

Right now, though, I'm more irritated with my pharmacy. The medicine is supposed to come in a blister pack - the one the doc gave me in his office had a warning that you should take it within a few minutes of removing it from the pack.

The pharmacy gave me a bunch of loose pills in a vial. Marked "take before 5/21."

While I would love to travel back in time and take these yesterday so as to have spared myself a rather unpleasant morning, instead I'm worrying about whether these are even doing anything now and/or going to get me through the night. THANKS GUYS.

Oh no. I've never received any triptans that wasn't in a blister pack. Never ever.
I would not take them. Go back to the pharmacy and ask for ones in the pack. If they say no, make sure you are actually speaking with the pharmacist and not a pharm tech /assistant. If its the assistant, ask to speak with the pharmacist.

 

[Circe]

<null>

Alas, I'm stuck with what I've got, at least for the night - my toddler is down for the night, and I'm the only one home. Tomorrow morning, though, I will be Raising the Hell.

 

[Kelinas]

<null>

Alas, I'm stuck with what I've got, at least for the night - my toddler is down for the night, and I'm the only one home. Tomorrow morning, though, I will be Raising the Hell.

Well hopefully you won't have one tonight (fingers crossed)
And yes yes, raise hell tomorrow. If I was around you, I'd raise hell for you. Asian girl crazy. Lol.

 

[minousbijoux]

Circe: I am so sorry for all that you've been through! As a migraine sufferer for years (interestingly, stopped once I had kids), I hate that you have had to suffer. But even more, I hate what you've had to go through with both your doctor and with the pharmacy - that would be enough to bring on a whole new migraine Makes. No. Sense.

 

[maple2012]

In December I started getting Migranes (or Cluster Headaches as my doc calls them)... worse pain of my life. Since then, they come and go every 3 months (nearly to the day) and when I get them, they last for four days. I went to get an MRI recently because I worried there was a tumor or something else going on. They would get so bad that I'd forget what I was doing or really small stuff like... the name of my colleague who sat right across from me at work.

Here's what works for me:

1) Sleep or at least get yourself in a room with all lights off and lay down (close your eyes)
2) No computer or phone (the light triggers them and makes them worse)
3) I get a spa massage 1-2 times a month now and have them focus on deep tissue around my top back area, neck... and skull massage.
4) drink lots of water
5) no wine or beer (the wine was the worse.. but I think that's one of my triggers along with the computer screen light )
6) Pick these up in the pharmacy area (or on Amazon). I put them on as soon as I start to feel the "tingling" on my skull and then shut myself in a room and turn off the lights. Works wonders! I end up sleeping through the night with them on my forehead: WellPatch Migraine Cooling Patch

Hugs!

 

[Kelinas]

My step-mil has cluster migraines once a year... For 3-4weeks at a time (shudder)
The first time it happened, she thought she had a aneurysm and went to the hospital. She ended up staying there for 2 weeks, pumped full of morphine and other pain meds, felt better enough to get released....2 hrs after getting home, she ended up right back in the hospital.
Happens every year, makes my chronic migraines look like child's play.

 

[baby nurse]

I"m relieved to hear that you got medicine that works! Like other posters, I was really unimpressed with your doc for sending you home the way he did. Don't worry re going to see a neurologist-- migraines are a neurological issue and it's only appropriate that you be seen by someone who specializes in them.
I haven't had a chance to read the previous posts carefully. Is the medicine you received from the pharmacy the name brand one? If so, yes it should be in a blister pack but if it's generic, then it wouldn't be. The triptan which works best for my migraines is Imitrex (that's the name brand). What I receive however from the pharmacy is sumatriptan, which is the generic name for Imitrex, and it's in a bottle, not a blister pack. A new medicine has to be around for awhile before generic versions of it can be made (generics are also much cheaper).

 

[Kelinas]

I have used all 3 forms of sumatriptan - pills,imitrex nasal and Sumavel (injection).
The pills were generic, and in a blister pack.
Maybe it differs state by state? Or maybe because my meds are from a military hospital? (I get them for free and a lot. In Korea, I was given a 6pack box of the nasal spray every 3 months. The Maxalt was 6 or 8 to a blue container at one time. The generic suma came 8 in a blister pack, 2 packs in a box. The shots however, just 2 at a time. Maybe I'm spoiled on this front)

 

[JaneSmith]

SWEET BLISSFUL RELIEF. He gave me a pill of Maxalt in the office and a prescription for more if necessary, and it made the migraine go away almost immediately. Wants me to see a neurologist, which is faintly intimidating ....

... but at present, just happy not to be wincing. Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I REALLY appreciate it.

YAY! I'm glad you're feeling better. Don't let seeing a specialist scare you. It's a good thing to see someone with specific knowledge to help you. Be glad you have access to such doctors.
And yes, a chiropractor cracking your neck can cause terrible injury. Best to avoid high force cervical spine manipulations.