Migraine help

[AGBF]

Watch the caffeine! Caffeine withdrawal causes headaches. Caffeine is put into headache medications because it can help relieve a headache...but if your body gets used to it you will get withdrawal headaches when you don''t take it. Doctors have found that these are common. Then people medicate them and get used to more medication and if they don''t take more they get more withdrawal headaches!

Been there, done that!

AGBF

 

[icekid]

luv- sorry you''re still having headaches! I second a headache specialist. It sounds like they are coming quite frequently, so it really should be time to think about a preventive med rather than just treating when they come.

 

[beaujolais]

--- I guess our caffeine thing is genetic ----

Well, no

.

How it works is that headaches are vasodilation. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. That is why it is in some headache meds.

 

[AprilBaby]

I used to have migraines on a frequent basis and too fiorcet with codiene as soon as I felt one coming on. I now take excedrine migraine (2) with a diet coke if necessary and it works pretty fast, but 9 mo ago my Dr put me on a beta blocker (atenolol) and I havn''t had a migraine since. Atenolol is for BP ( mine is low to start with) but I was given it to prevent anxiety attacks and it has blocked the migraine. My blood pressure has stayed stable. Teeth grinding will NOT cause migraine. Tension headache, yes, but not migraine.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Thanks SO much for the continued responses. Every little bit helps, I promise you. It''s great to know people are so supportive and willing to help.

Sonomacounty - I honestly had no idea clenching teeth during the night could affect a headache coming on 12 hours from then. I guess I just figured if the tension was there already, you''d have the headache. But I guess what happens is something else flares up the tension during the day? I hear you about the damage clenching can do. I just have to figure out a way to quit doing it, then a way to monitor myself during the night and make sure I''m not doing it anymore.

Aprilbaby - that''s what I was thinking about clenching - that it''d cause tension headaches, but not migraines. Which is what makes it so hard to tell if all my headaches are really just tension headaches, or if there''s a mix of them with migraines, or what. It''s very frustrating. I do know on the website I went to for a massage therapist, they said their medical massages will treat many things, including tension-triggered migraine headaches. Haha maybe there is such a thing!

I find the caffeine point very interesting. Some people say it''ll cause headaches by withdrawal if caffeine is part of your daily diet. And others say it could help a headache to put some caffeine in your system if you''re not a caffeine regular. I certainly don''t have it much - at most 1 coffee cup in the morning 4-5 days of the week, and no soft drinks ever. I did try making myself a cup of coffee last night as I felt a headache coming on, and I can''t tell if it really helped or not. It didn''t keep me awake though.

So Sonoma - what does that mean that if I start making caffeine part of my diet? If caffeine helps by constriction, where does the withdrawal part come in?

I think my goal right now is going to be to get my routine as clean as possible. Nix all the pain meds, make sure I''m taking my multivitamin, keep an exercise routine going, maintain a regular sleep schedule. Also may try the massages/myofascial stuff. But once I have a clean routine, when I get a headache, I''ll hopefully be able to narrow down exactly what negative factors impacted me. And I''ll also be able to hopefully use just a little medication (only typical ibuprofen or something) along with more natural remedies (icepak/sleeping/maybe some coffee) to make the headache subside.

 

[beaujolais]

--- Teeth grinding will NOT cause migraine. Tension headache, yes, but not migraine. ---

Yes, April is more correct in her wording then I was. I tend to call all those killer headaches, what ever type, migraines.

I'd try caffeine as the headache is just starting, more so than a preventative.

Sure, you can carry around muscle tension from even one clenching episode for days.

Clenching/grinding: Before bed take 10 minutes and concentrate on "no clenching" (actually they say to make the statement in the affirmative, so "loose jaws" (?) or whatever works for you. Do this every night. It will work eventually. That's how I did it. You'll still wake up and find you've clenched, at times, but you'll get better at it. Put (keep) a Post-it (sticky note, if you prefer) in your purse reminding yourself (with whatever words you choose) on your desk, in your car, etc. It helps sink it into your brain.

Best, Sonoma

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Sonoma - thanks so much!! All the info is very much appreciated. I will DEFINITELY give that a try, because I do know that's something very bad that I do and need to correct. I actually had a little bit of coffee this afternoon as I felt some pain coming on, and I can't tell if the pain went away anyway or due to the coffee. But it went away.

Thanks!!

 

[AprilBaby]

Date: 6/4/2009 1:18:08 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Thanks SO much for the continued responses. Every little bit helps, I promise you. It''s great to know people are so supportive and willing to help.

Sonomacounty - I honestly had no idea clenching teeth during the night could affect a headache coming on 12 hours from then. I guess I just figured if the tension was there already, you''d have the headache. But I guess what happens is something else flares up the tension during the day? I hear you about the damage clenching can do. I just have to figure out a way to quit doing it, then a way to monitor myself during the night and make sure I''m not doing it anymore.


Aprilbaby - that''s what I was thinking about clenching - that it''d cause tension headaches, but not migraines. Which is what makes it so hard to tell if all my headaches are really just tension headaches, or if there''s a mix of them with migraines, or what. It''s very frustrating. I do know on the website I went to for a massage therapist, they said their medical massages will treat many things, including tension-triggered migraine headaches. Haha maybe there is such a thing!


I find the caffeine point very interesting. Some people say it''ll cause headaches by withdrawal if caffeine is part of your daily diet. And others say it could help a headache to put some caffeine in your system if you''re not a caffeine regular. I certainly don''t have it much - at most 1 coffee cup in the morning 4-5 days of the week, and no soft drinks ever. I did try making myself a cup of coffee last night as I felt a headache coming on, and I can''t tell if it really helped or not. It didn''t keep me awake though.


So Sonoma - what does that mean that if I start making caffeine part of my diet? If caffeine helps by constriction, where does the withdrawal part come in?


I think my goal right now is going to be to get my routine as clean as possible. Nix all the pain meds, make sure I''m taking my multivitamin, keep an exercise routine going, maintain a regular sleep schedule. Also may try the massages/myofascial stuff. But once I have a clean routine, when I get a headache, I''ll hopefully be able to narrow down exactly what negative factors impacted me. And I''ll also be able to hopefully use just a little medication (only typical ibuprofen or something) along with more natural remedies (icepak/sleeping/maybe some coffee) to make the headache subside.

You can stop the clenching with a Nightguard. It will save your teeth and relieve tension. It gets made at your dentist. Try the caffiene only when the headache starts. I drink all decaff except when I get the headache.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''ll second trying the chiropractor. Many also have massage therapists, but I''d go to the chiropractor first as they have had 3+ years of training. I have heard of people getting relief from headaches.

I also have a friend whose migraines coincide with her monthly cycle. They haven''t found a solution yet, but I am hopeful they will.

 

[mausketeer]

Hi Strawberries - seems to be a lot of good advice on here. I''m about the same as everyone else who''s chimed in. Teeth clenching seems to be a common theme, huh? (I actually have chipped my front teeth from it at this point) For me it''s caused by everything: menstrual cycle, teeth clenching at night, stress, not enough sleep, too MUCH sleep, wrong foods (which we all know by now so I won''t list them again) etc etc. At this point, from what I understand, migraines seem to be something you are PRONE to so the triggers are simply that. I''ve done everything too: doctors, neurologists, accupuncture, massage therapy, cranial/facial pain specialist, dental specialist. I''ve come to one conclusion: I get migraines. Period. (I''m 43). One thing I can add though. "Scientific American" magazine had a very interesting article about migraines I think last year? I would Google that and get a copy if you can on-line. The quoted a study that found that the brain waves of migraineurs are different from non-migraineurs. They think that has a lot to do with it (but of course, not sure why). They used to think it had to do with blood flow but now they don''t. Anyways, I thought that was very interesting....... Good luck with your treatments (oh, I''m also on Topamax and it''s been a dream. Cut them down by at least ½ in the first week! Also, made me lose weight! Yay!)

 

[tlh]

My family gets migraines... I get them and they get progressively worse due to hormone levels in the body... I''m on a low dosage of BCP and it works for me. Another trigger is caffiene in high doses... esp TEA> I get horrible migraines that knock me out for hours. Also strong purfumes or scents (even garages!) can be a trigger, if I''m at a certain time of the month. But I''ve managed to control mine through the pill, diet, exercise, and watching certain situations that are triggers.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Aprilbaby - Thanks for the coffee tip. Yeah I''ve actually looked into nightguards. I got one of the cheap ($30) ones at the local store, and used it or a while. It just was so thick and bulky in my mouth that it actually made my jaw joint really uncomfortable. I''d even wake up half of the mornings and it''d be laying on my nightstand - I wouldn''t even remember taking it out during the night. The one at the dentist was going to be something like $400, which is just something I can''t do at the time. But maybe it''s something I need to somehow find a way to do, because I know they''re supposed to be custom made and very low profile.

diamondseeker - Thank you! I''d be interested to know if your friend finds a solution also.

mausketeer - Haha maybe that''s it - maybe it''s EVERYTHING!!! That''s a very interesting way to think about it - that you''re simply "prone" to the migraines. Maybe that''s what happens with me, because I''ve got another mild one today. Blah. Sounds like you''re even farther ahead of me in the doctors! Thanks for the article info - I''ll definitely look for that. I''m so glad the Topomax works for you.

tlh - Hmm, yes I do have a glass of my half sweet tea every now and then, maybe once or twice a week at most, which certainly has caffeine. Argh, so much to consider! I have so much I need to get in order, including the exercise regimen. Thanks for the info.

 

[beaujolais]

--- Yeah I''ve actually looked into nightguards. ---

I had both custom made and drug store ones. Couldn''t handle it, either.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 6/5/2009 10:54:31 PM
Author: sonomacounty
--- Yeah I''ve actually looked into nightguards. ---

I had both custom made and drug store ones. Couldn''t handle it, either.

Hmm, so the custom made wasn''t comfortable either? That''s what I was worried about - spending all that money on it and helping just as little as the fat one I boiled and formed myself.

 

[CaliSun]

So sorry to hear about your migraine woes. They sure can be troubling and quite an enigma.

I''ve been suffering from migraines and cluster headaches for over 10 years. As another has said, there was a connection with Birth Control (coming off of it) and actually, having to start taking blood thinners. I never had I migraine before the blood thinners...

anywhoo...

My neurologist has me on Topomax as well. Being on blood thinners means my medication options are pretty limited so it''s very frustrating. I can''t take anything with aspirin in it. Within about 6 months of starting the Topomax, my migraines went from about 1 a week to once a month tops. Quite an improvement!
When I do get one, I take Relpax. There are side effects like nausea, but rather than suffer through a migraine the side effects seem minute. I would caution you to please not plan to drive if you do decide to take Relpax, as it can make you a bit woozy. You''d be better off lying down and letting the migraine pass.
Upon my Neurologist''s request, I''ve kept careful journals for several years noting what I ate, and daily occurrences.
Over the past decade or so, the Neurologists that I have seen have made some very helpful observations:
Sometimes migraines and cluster headaches occur after periods of stress has been resolved. That is to say, sometimes one may get one on a Saturday morning, after completing a long stressful week of work. It''s almost as if your body is letting all the stress go at once in a big way.
Also, my doctors have isolated a few key things that I should stay away from: Red wine, bananas and excess caffeine.
It''s been recommended that I be very diligent about staying hydrated and getting enough sleep. Easier said than done a lot of times....
Again, I am so sorry that you are suffering from this. The awful thing about migraines is that there seems to not be one simple, clear-cut answer. It''s a little different for everyone. It may take a little detective work to see what is best for you. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[beaujolais]

That''s right, Strawberry, the customs were quite annoying also. One option might be that if you do get customs made, ask if they can be made in a way that they could double as bleaching trays (in case this is something you might ever want to do). (But, not at the price of making them less comfortable.) Yeah, it was an expensive no go.

When I get one coming on (although it''s been much better as of late), it would help if I''d go walking outside for 1/2 hour. I''ve been known to take the pre-headache walking at funny hours, in the rain, snow, etc.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Calisun - You make some very good points. I did get them on the offweek when I was on BCP, but also at other times. Now that I''m not on BCP, they still come on that offweek when hormone levels drop, but other times as well. Thanks for your info on the meds. And re: what you said about stress - VERY interesting. My FI has always said that he believes pain is your body''s way of getting rid of stuff in your body that is bad. I had a headache yesterday afternoon (Friday) through this morning, and that would make perfect sense if my body was releasing the stress I''ve had throughout my very busy week. And I know that hydration and sleep are a very important thing for my body too, as is exercise. Thanks so much for your info!!

Sonoma - Good tip about the bleaching trays - that is something I''ll eventually be doing. Stinks though that even the custom made one didn''t work well for you - I wish we could try them and make sure we like them before emptying the wallet for them. Maybe I should try the walking too - is it the exercise/blood flow that helps you, or the fresh air?

 

[beaujolais]

Hi Strawberry. Glad the caffeine helps !

- is it the exercise/blood flow that helps you, or the fresh air? -

I think it''s got to be that it changes blood flow but I find it works much better outside (even though I can do it inside on the stationary bike). I still don''t have it figured out, as exercise is a vasodilator and headaches are vasodilation. You think you''d want to vasoconstrict like you do by having some caffeine. But, what can I say? It''s one of my best weapons.

Do keep us updated. Feel good.

And keep those reminder Post-its all over. Even if they have something cryptic (to keep people from raising eyebrows), such as a big "T". This sinks into your brain, not to clench when you are sleeping. It took a few months but that''s how I stopped.

Best, Sonoma

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Thanks so much Sonoma! I''ll keep that in mind about the walking - it is very interesting how that works. I''ll also be sure to keep reminders around me about the clenching. The more and more I pay attention to all this, I do have a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders. A lot of it is slouching at home on the old couch, and being at my desk at work without the option of the ergonomic products I''d prefer. But I know I clench during the night a lot too. I wake up a lot with headaches.

Thanks!

 

[mochi]

I never had migraines until I was put on birth control pills for ovarian cysts. It was so bad I would get nauseated and so sick to my stomach. My MD put me on a small dosage of Beta-blocker (BP medication) and PUFF...it was gone.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

mochi - very interesting. I was put on BCP around 16, and I'm 24 now. Don't really remember having headaches before I started BCP. I'm off it now though, and still having them. Haha these headaches could have SO many culprits. But that is why I got off the BCP - it may have already done irreversible things to my body, but I got tired of the fake hormones I was pumping in. Trying to be as natural as possible.

 

[jstarfireb]

Good advice given already...I''d just echo that since your migraines are so frequent, severe, and definitely interfere with your functioning, you may really benefit from prophylactic medication. Topamax and propranolol are two of the options (topamax seems to have really good results from what I''ve seen). There are other options too. My advice would be to see a headache specialist...I shadowed a few of them, and they really know their stuff. You also mentioned muscle tension. Sometimes when muscle tension is a big component of the headache, a headache neurologist can do botox injections to the tense muscles in your head and neck.

Also, I''ve heard of the reaction you had to treximet, and it may have something to do with taking the medication too late, after the headache process is already underway. Sometimes these medications don''t work well if you don''t take them in the earliest stage of the headache. I wouldn''t give up on it just yet...next time I''d take right at the first sign of the headache. Don''t give the headache a chance to build up on you. If you''d rather not use this medication again, you can try 2 aleve pills instead of one at the first sign of the headache.