Comments on: Migraines from hell

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:05:43 +0000

@Cheryl: Thanks for commenting. We have a ways to go before Ness hits menopause, at least that’s what I think.

@Erin: I’ve heard of taking both anti-depressants and blood pressure medicine for migraines. In fact I’ve tried it. It might work for Ness though, so if it comes to that then I’m sure it’ll be one of the options. We’re hoping some yoga and a bit of relaxing will help.

@Esther: Migraines suck

@Mandy: Yea, I remember when you’d get all strung out from your happy pills

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:09:10 +0000

Some of mine are menstrually triggered, birth control helped ease those. Not just any birth control, though, certain kinds can make migraines worse, so you have to be careful. But I’m on a low-dose kind now that works well.

Mine are also stress triggered, which is why my happy caffeine/codeine pills are so awesome. None of the triptans worked for me, so at night I take half of an atenolol (blood pressure medicine, it makes me dizzy and lightheaded if i take it in the morning, because i already have low blood pressure) and when and if I get a migraine that’s when the happy pills come in. Once I have them, the pills and sleep are all that help.

I also avoid basic food triggers, like a lot of citrus, garlic (for me), and red wine, but it should be alcohol in general (hehe…) Caffeine is a big one for me too, I have to have right amount, too much or too little and i get a major one, usually worse than the menstrual or stress ones.

By: Esther

Esther — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:38:39 +0000

I have absolutely no advice to offer on migraines, but you do have my sympathy! That sounds really awful.

By: Erin

Erin — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:58 +0000

I don’t know if this helps for migraines, but I was diagnosed with a chronic headache syndrome when I was about 17. I got debilitating headaches about three times a week and a migraine once or twice a month, occasionally more.

The choice was either a low dose of antidepressants or a low blood pressure medicine. Having already low blood pressure, my only choice was the antidepressants. After about a year of taking one antidepressant and two Alieve daily as headache prevention, the chronic headaches petered out. I now only get one or two tough ones per month, and they’re always manageable.

It’s at least worth a shot asking. Good luck!

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:56:13 +0000

I know this sounds strange, but I’ll offer it anyway. For years, my sister experienced extremely severe migranes and did the things suggested (avoiding caffiene, seeing physicians, getting an MRI, keeping very careful track of diet etc) and a weird thing happened with no medical explaination. Eventually she was of age of menapause. Somehow the hormones changing stopped the migranes! My sister is probably the only woman on the planet that is grateful she can no longer conceive!

By: Josh

Josh — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:04:01 +0000

Thanks Cas. We haven’t been drinking as much, if any, caffiene. We just sort of stopped drinking it about a month ago. We’ll have some once in awhile, but it was at the point we were drinking a bottle of soda every couple of hours. Ness does drink an obscene amount of sugar, and I suggested that earlier today. I think I’m going to investigate a bit further and keep track of our eating habits to make sure it isn’t anything food related. It could be stress; she’s starting a new job tomorrow, and her getting these migraines almost everyday freaks her out because she really can’t function with them so she doesn’t want to screw herself over with the new job by having a migraine. It’s all just one big circle.

By: Cas

Cas — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:48:46 +0000

You have my complete sympathy. I used to get full on migraines (pretty much like yours Josh) on a regular basis when I was younger. We finally worked out that my main triggers are artificial flavours and colourings, especially orange/yellow. Cutting them out of my diet made wonders to the frequency of attacks. Now I only get them sporadically and they are usually stress related, though there are always the odd one that’s totally inexplicable!

From my knowledge, they are usually diet or stress triggered - common foods include chocolate, caffeine, colours, flavourings and sweeteners. Abnormally high blood pressure can also prompt them.

As for lessening them once they’ve started? I’m afraid I know of no cure if medication doesn’t do the trick. For me it’s always been a case of getting home and curling up in a darkened room, waiting for it to go away.

Not exactly reassuring I know, sorry!

I hope Ness gets better and you get to the bottom of them soon