Worst Migraine EVER!

[nolemom]

We just had a long conversation with my daughter's pediatrician about migraines. We both suffer from them. He was discussing an article that stressed that since sleep is the "cure" for many people, every migraine sufferer should have some drug that will help induce sleep when the preventative medications don't work. My doctor was of the same opinion and had already prescribed promethazine - it is used to prevent nausea and is also an allergy medication. I have only had to take it twice but it stops the vomiting and I sleep for 2 to 3 hours. Both times, when I woke up the worst of the migraine had passed. I use Relpax as a preventative, but sometimes it just doesn't work or I am delayed to long in taking it. Talk to your doctor about your options. I also recommend reading The Migraine Brain.

[Aggie_Ama]

Sleep is the cure for me, I have to get home, get the room dark and cold, take promethezine if I am nauseated. The plus is promethezine is one of the few things that really sedates me, I even woke up on Ambien. I had a really bad one about a month ago, only my third so I am not yet to taking preventative medicine. My college roommate had the vomit inducing kind and it was get the room dark, quiet and cold that worked for her too. The worst thing for me is feeling hungover and exhausted the next day. It is like you are punished again.

[badger]

I second the chiropractic adjustments. I used to need Tylenol with codeine for my migraines but since going for adjustments they're just isolated to my menstrual cycle (still not fun, though!)

You could look into herbs like feverfew and butterbur to minimize the intensity and to decrease the number, too.

[bmccasland]

Massage therapy is good. A chiropractor is either a good thing or a very bad thing - I've had both. One of my worst migraines ever was caused by a quack-o-practor. Fortunately my neighbor, who was trained by her chiropractor uncle, spent the next four days undoing the damage. I diagress...

When you're in severe pain, and you don't have meds at home, get thee to the ER.

I've found that good old phenergan (sp?) works. Considering most prescription migraine meds have limits on how many you can take in 24 hours or you run the risk of a rebound headache, taking a phenergan suppository helps. Yes it makes you drousy, but it knocks back the nausea, so you can hold down the water. Part of my migraines are brought on with dehydration, so it becomes a vicious cycle. OTC meds don't do diddly for me when it comes to migraine.

I've been put on various prophylactics, anti-seizure meds or anti-depressants depending on the preference of my doctor at the time. Both have worked, but daily meds can have side effects. It all depends on how often you have migraines, and how disruptive they become.

Have you determined if you have any triggers - foods, your period, weather changes, allergies, drinks? Some of them you can control, umm, the weather, not so much.

[colorisnt]

So sorry. I have had these for the last 5-6 days. Today is the first day I feel alive. I think a new preventative I am starting is working. Was on Topomax and it worked great, but it may have caused a kidney stone, so I dropped it at my urologist and neuro's recommendation.

I taken either Darvocet (if I want to be somewhat cognizant and awake) and Vicodin for my pain if both my preventative and quick acting drug (Maxalt) fail. So ridiculous, but sometimes the best you can do is sleep it off.

The ER is usually completely useless, so I wouldn't go unless you cannot see or get some other sort of strange symptom. I often cannot see properly when having a migraine and sometimes I lose the ability to figure out words I want to say. It's scary to some because this is unusual. If it is, go to the ER. For me, it is old hat and part of auras, which I have all the time with migraines.

[KnottedYet]

I often cannot see properly when having a migraine and sometimes I lose the ability to figure out words I want to say.

I also have trouble speaking when it's bad, which is why I've got "migraine" on my medic ID.

***Thread Drift***
Everyone - if you've got a condition that might make it difficult for you to communicate with someone trying to help you, PLEASE, wear a medical ID!

Migraineurs can appear to be stoned, hypogycemics and diabetics can appear to be drunk, and so on. Don't risk being a mystery or risk being assumed to be stupid. Diabetics have died in "drunk tanks."

[Grog]

I hope you feel better now. This sounds terrible. My dad has terrible migraines but thankfully I have been spared so far. (There is supposedly a big genetic component...)

Another reminder for migraine sufferers is to also be familiar with the signs of a stroke, and pay attention to signs that the left side of your body is starting to behave differently than the right side of your body. Tingling feelings, especially on only one side, are a big sign that you need more than pain-killing meds, as can be speech disturbance.

Big hug to all - I hope things get under control shortly....