now this too? ... migraine

[ladyfish]

Good thread. Migranes are a real pain (ha, ha). My son has been diagnosed with them (he's 13). It has been a long painful road. We still haven't found a workable solution. He's missed so much school this year. We are trying to narrow down triggers and I think chocolate may be one of his. Also stress.

We've eliminated nitrates and he doesn't eat at school anymore (who knows what is in the food). Some days are good, some days are bad and some days are horrible.

So if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears!

[traveller_62]

I had frequent classic migraines (one sided intense pain, sensitivity to light and noise, lasting three days) for about 30 years. Typically I would have 3 or more attacks each month. What I discovered about 8 months ago was that my primary trigger was disrupted sleep. If I drink...even just a beer or glass of wine...it completely messes up my sleep cycle and I wake up feeling like I drank an entire keg of beer or a cask of wine.

I've stopped drinking at all and in the past 8 months I've had only three migraines (typically would have had about 24 by now). One of the three was caused by food that I ate that I didn't realize was loaded with MSG (to which I react VERY badly).

Figuring this out was an amazing blessing in my life because I am one of the people that react badly to the new super migraine meds like Imitrex.

So in addition to keeping track of how food impacts your migraines, note how well and long you have slept. If you keep well nourished and hydrated and cut out things that keep you from getting good sleep that might help.

I think when young people get migraines it might be because of the sleep issue. Teens, in particular, have very goofy sleep patterns sometimes!

Good luck to anyone who lives with migraines!

-traveller

[Meaux]

My mom told me that she used to get migraines because of changes in her hormones. Right before her period, she would get them. I also worked with a woman who suffered from this as well. I get migraines from stress, I've been having them for the last year or so. (Thankfully, not many.) Good luck on your oral exam, Duck on Wheels, and I hope you don't have anymore migraines!

[Duck on Wheels]

The student's oral went well. He "talked his way up" from a D to a C, knew the litterature well although his term paper was pretty disorganized.

Headaches aplenty, but no new migraines so far. My doctor has them too so we "compared notes" on the psychedelig visuals, then he wrote me a prescription for a nose spray that can (if you're lucky) stop a migraine after it's started. And if I get any more I should write down what I remember of the day (events, food, etc.) to see if I can work out what triggers them. Definitely not periods in my case, since the first migraine was some years after the last period. Too bad, that. If it'd been my periods, I'd be done with migraines now.

[KnottedYet]

Migraine woes. I'm having one right this very moment. Got the ibuprofen in time to stop nearly all the pain, but not in time to stop the pretty visuals and nausea and feeling yucky and stupid and really not wanting to be in bright light.

I've tried 10 or so migraine meds, and really what works the best for me is plain ol' ibuprofen taken before the migraine really gets going. I was a little late on this one today...

[LBTC]

Sorry 'bout your migraine, Knotted....I hope it disappears in no time flat.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[East Hill]

The joys of migraines. I am certain many of you have similar stories, especially if you are over 40 years of age--

Teenager--I've got really bad headaches. Is there something wrong?
Male Doctor--you're a girl.

Young Adult--I've got really bad headaches. Is there something wrong?
Male Doctor--you're a girl.

Adult--I've got really bad headaches. Is there something wrong?
Male Doctor--you're a girl.

Adult who has visited the local emergency room several times in the last few years due to 'really bad headaches'--I've got really bad headaches. Is there something wrong?
Male Doctor--you're a girl, a hypochondriac, and we think you're coming here because you're addicted to Demerol. We're going to recommend that you have a CAT scan.

Adult who has now had CAT scan--I've got really bad headaches. Is there something wrong?
Male Doctor--well, you don't have a brain tumour, so you must be a hypochondriac. Oh, and you're a girl.

Adult who has had second CAT scan--I've got really bad headaches. What is wrong with me?
Male Doctor--after having me point out that the magazine I had just read in his waiting room would seem to indicate that I was suffering from migraines--Oh, do you get really bad headaches? Are they one sided? Do you get nausea? Do you get aura?
AWHHSCATS--yes, yes, yes, no.
Male Doctor--Well, you might have migraines. Here, try this ergot and see if it works.

Sigh.............

Fast forward to the present. Yes, I am a migraineur. Lots of triggers, too numerous to mention. Not chocolate, though!

Oddly, the last year and a half I have started having migraine fortifications, but without getting a migraine following the phenomenom. Here's a simulation for those you who don't know what we are talking about--although the image is static, and the fortifications are moving constantly. Mine also appear more as big jagged zig zag lines (it's about 3/4 of the way down the page):

http://ohiolionseyeresearch.com/simu...n%20Phenomenon

Duck, I hope your doctor will find the cause soon. Migraines are a horrible thing to have to go through, and yes, they can increase your chances for having strokes.

East Hill

[Bikingmomof3]

East Hill,
You have had some terrible experiences with doctors and I am sorry.

I see my Neurologist in 90 minutes. *sigh*

Male Doctor--you're a girl, a hypochondriac, and we think you're coming here because you're addicted to Demerol. We're going to recommend that you have a CAT scan.

Pity they chose Demerol. Again, I am sorry for your experiences. I am glad you received at least a CT-scan.

TheMale Doctor--after having me point out that the magazine I had just read in his waiting room would seem to indicate that I was suffering from migraines--Oh, do you get really bad headaches? Are they one sided? Do you get nausea? Do you get aura?
AWHHSCATS--yes, yes, yes, no.
Male Doctor--Well, you might have migraines. Here, try this ergot and see if it works.

I was in a trial study for ergotomine years ago. It failed me, but I hear it does indeed help many.

TheOddly, the last year and a half I have started having migraine fortifications, but without getting a migraine following the phenonenom. Here's a simulation for those you who don't know what we are talking about--although the image is static, and the fortifications are moving constantly. Mine also appear more as big jagged zig zag lines (it's about 3/4 of the way down the page):

http://ohiolionseyeresearch.com/simu...n%20Phenomenon

Cool picture. My aura is completely different, but they are so many types of migraine out there.

yes, they can increase your chances for having strokes.

I am living proof of that. 2 TIAs( transient ischemic attack) in my early 30s, 1 Stroke (age 37) with partial left sided paralysis, new medication and then 2 more 2 TIAs (transient ischemic attack) (age 37), at my last appoitment the neurologist increased medication and blood thinners.

I strongly recommend anyone with severe migraines or auras, seek out a Neurologist who at the very least should do an MRI with and without contrast.
Keep a migraine journal, so when you go to your doctor, you can take the pages with your for your medical records.

Time to get ready for yet another visit to the Neurologist. Hopefully he will not order more tests.

[East Hill]

I think the funniest part of the whole experience was that I was not addicted to Demerol. I was just tired of the doctors not being able to help me. I mean, if I'm dying of a brain tumour, tell me. And then give me those pain meds, darn it.

My husband tells me that he once, and only once, had a migraine. He was very young, about 13 or so. He had the fortifications, followed by a blinding headache. He has told me that he finally went to sleep, and when he awoke, he had a feeling of euphoria, as if it was the first time he had ever woken up, because he no longer had the migraine.

He's quite empathetic about the migraines, as one might expect.

Luckily for me, Imitrex works like a charm. I couldn't use the ergotamine, as I didn't have aura. Ergot only works well if it's used before the actual onset of the migraine.

East Hill

[Bikingmomof3]

I am so glad Imitrex works well for you. Sadly, as with most migraine medications, I am allergic to it.

I keep procrastinating and my appointment time is drawing near. I am tired. Two and a half decades of this really wears me out sometimes.

Hey, maybe he will show me more pictures of my brain.

[East Hill]

Yes, I consider myself very fortunate that not only does the Imitrex work, it still works. I've been using it since it first became available in the US, around 1993. I've known people who can no longer use it because they built up a tolerance to it.

East Hill

[KnottedYet]

BMo3 - good thoughts for you at your appt!

Ergotamine didn't work for me, either. My visual goodies remind me of those stop-action films of roses blooming; only my "roses" are glowing and blooming backwards. A few times I've gotten blind spots, where it's like someone just "pinched out" part of the world. Those are creepy, because I can't see what's there, and can't tell there's anything missing unless I look around.

[Bikingmomof3]

BMo3 - good thoughts for you at your appt!

Ergotamine didn't work for me, either. My visual goodies remind me of those stop-action films of roses blooming; only my "roses" are glowing and blooming backwards. A few times I've gotten blind spots, where it's like someone just "pinched out" part of the world. Those are creepy, because I can't see what's there, and can't tell there's anything missing unless I look around.

Thanks Knot.

I see black spots which eventually make me temporarily blind.

[Duck on Wheels]

My headaches have almost always been one-sided. So maybe I've had migraines all along, but only figured it out when I got the aura thing. My aura looks kind of like a circle saw blade made of broken glass and mirror bits, turning round and round, expanding, and then opening up in the middle as normal vision returns. Pretty, in a nasty sort of way. As for the headaches -- the old ones I could generally deal with using an acupressure point (pinching hard on the sinew in the web between thumb and first finger on the opposite side hand from the headache), or pain meds, or codeine strength pain meds -- depending on intensity. This new one, though, lasted 14 hours and besides the main pain on one side also had full-surround pressure. Fortunately it was not intense. I was on my way to bed when it started and hoped it would be gone in the morning. I managed to sleep, but it was still there until around noon. Of course, by then there was no point taking anything since your stomach tends to stop functioning during a migraine. I didn't know that then (learned it from the doc later), but decided as long as I could manage without I'd better wait it out and learn what it was like. Now I know to try an ordinary pain med during the aura phase, then the nose spray stuff if that doesn't work. Can't take ibuprofen, tho. It triggers Crohns flareups.

BMo3: How did it go at the neurologist today (was it today?)? I sure hope they find some treatment that'll help!!!

[Bikingmomof3]

Duck on Wheels,
Only 20% of people with migraines have auras. I rarely take meds with mine, but I have a very high threshhold and having 3 babies underfoot made not taking medicine crucial. Coffee always helps. I have pone medicine I take when it is really bad, but it is not a pain killer. I have too many migraines, I would be addicted to pain killers.