Migraines - any advice?

ToneControl

I've had them since I was a teenager
I thought they were sinus headaches
I had all sorts of investigations, was taking  nasal decongestants for decades
only when I was over 40 did I get a correct diagnosis (when I started having loads of migraines)
Then I got triptans, they work like magic - clear the  1-2 day migraine in 30 mins-1 hour
That's when I found that during the migraines, my IQ was 40+ points lower (since coming out of them with the medicine was such an instant contrast), which explained various sticky days at work
Some people  have done IQ tests during a migraine, and found 40-50 points  down is common

My triggers are chocolate,  orange juice, and a big change toward  relaxation  (i.e. the day after a stressful day, or after a really nice hot sauna)

I tried Botox, it does reduce  them a lot
I tried  Topiramate, it reduced my IQ by 30+ (and made me very drowsy) , but I am now having one dose once a week - which seems to reduce the number of migraines
They also tried me on  propanolol, which made no difference other than making me very sleepy at work
Also  they tried  nortiptyline, but it gave me 2 very weird side effects

read this:
http://www.rcgp.org.uk/courses-and-events/one-day-essentials/~/media/Files/Events/Business-Development-Team/Pain management 2016/Dr Nicholas Silver.ashx
this guy is good, but he has changed the drug treatments a lot in the last 10 years since I first saw his stuff:   all the drugs are intended for other conditions, and they are currently experimenting to see see which help the most

Over-the-counter drugs are not adequate for a proper migraine

octatonic

stickyfiddle said:

I get massive headaches if I go 24 hours without coffee, so am cutting down slowly. No more than 3 cups a day now, which by my standards is really good!

Well I chose a stupid week to reduce my caffeine intake.
I'm finishing up a report I'm writing for some consultancy work I've been doing.
It is about 2 days more work and I am done.
I simply couldn't get my shit together today- was all over the place, grumpy, unable to focus.
Couldn't figure out why.

Thought I'd go for a run to clear my head (still hadn't figured it out)- did the worst time for my 5k that I have done for the last 3 months.

About half way through the run I realised 'oh yeah, I'm withdrawing from coffee'.
Not a lot, but I've had half my usual dose.
Came in, had an espresso and PING! I'm wide awake.
Just did a solid hour of work and I'm absolutely fine.
I think I'm going to have to choose another week to wind down the old demon bean.

ToneControl

RedRabbit said:

I'm back in work today after a migraine.  Still got a bit of a dull ache but the worst of it has passed.  Main issue now is that I'm completely wiped out.

Doctor put me on sumatriptan about 12 months ago.  It works reasonably well if taken in time but I seem to be one of the small percentage who suffer from drowsiness and struggle to concentrate while on it.

I'm yet to figure out what triggers mine.  I get one every couple of months or so and I'm yet to notice any pattern in anything I eat or drink. 

sumatriptan is very slow acting compared to zolmitriptan
I was given it  a few years ago when suma was a cheap generic - it was crap for me
now Zolmi is cheap too,  I use the ones that dissolve on your tongue
you can get a  spray version too for people who  are throwing up I think

Go back to your GP, and say it's slow acting, and not effective, and you've heard from a fellow sufferer that  has  said that Zolmitriptan was more effective

Try having loads of the main triggers, one a  time
chocolate and orange juice for me

ToneControl

gusman2x said:

No joke, heard bad sufferers say that magic mushrooms help. As a preventative measure though, not a painkiller. Google it.

I used to get them, but luckily they tailed off in my early 20s. Had the worst one I ever had just last week by coincidence. Thought I was having an aneurysm.

it's all tied in with serotonin and dopamine

richardhomer

Drink strong coffee, eat a lot of chocolate and strong cheese. That should pretty much guarantee one....

octatonic

richardhomer said:

Drink strong coffee, eat a lot of chocolate and strong cheese. That should pretty much guarantee one....

That describes 80% of my diet.

Hootsmon

axisus said:

I'm very fortunate, I get the swirly aura, loss of vision etc, which goes on for 30-60 minutes, but I get no actual headache pain at all, not the slightest. It is a pain in the ass though as all you can do is lie down and wait for it to go. I can't function with vision.

I also know what my trigger is, and I get a warning! My trigger is high contrast black and white next to each other, usually stripes and usually on other peoples clothing (striped shirts/blouses). If someone comes to work with stripes on and I'm talking to them, within a few seconds I get a slight jitter with my eyes. At this point I look away and tell them that I have to look away when speaking to them. Usually I manage to avoid it. 

I get this ^

ennspek

I used to get them really badly on my early teens. Lost about half of the days every month.
Saw all the doctors, specialists in London etc and they couldn't help.
Now I don't believe in "alternative" medicine but someone recommended Feverfew tablets and I tried them. Took one a day. Never had another migraine....
Its entirely possible it was some sort of placebo effect or a coincidence and I just grew out if them at the same time bit what have you got to lose?
Best of luck, it's a horrible thing to suffer from.

Hootsmon

ennspek said:

I used to get them really badly on my early teens. Lost about half of the days every month.
Saw all the doctors, specialists in London etc and they couldn't help.
Now I don't believe in "alternative" medicine but someone recommended Feverfew tablets and I tried them. Took one a day. Never had another migraine....
Its entirely possible it was some sort of placebo effect or a coincidence and I just grew out if them at the same time bit what have you got to lose?
Best of luck, it's a horrible thing to suffer from.

where can one buy these placebos?

octatonic

hootsmon said:

ennspek said:

I used to get them really badly on my early teens. Lost about half of the days every month.
Saw all the doctors, specialists in London etc and they couldn't help.
Now I don't believe in "alternative" medicine but someone recommended Feverfew tablets and I tried them. Took one a day. Never had another migraine....
Its entirely possible it was some sort of placebo effect or a coincidence and I just grew out if them at the same time bit what have you got to lose?
Best of luck, it's a horrible thing to suffer from.

where can one buy these placebos?

http://edzardernst.com/2015/06/feverfew-hope-for-migraine-sufferers/

Cribbing it for the lazy:

"So, good or bad news for migraine sufferers? I suppose it depends on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist. I would say that, considering the mostly bad news about alternative medicine for migraine, it is relative good news: patients who want to try something ‘natural’ could do so, particularly in view of the lack of serious risks."

Flink_Poyd

axisus said:

I'm very fortunate, I get the swirly aura, loss of vision etc, which goes on for 30-60 minutes, but I get no actual headache pain at all, not the slightest. It is a pain in the ass though as all you can do is lie down and wait for it to go. I can't function with vision.

I also know what my trigger is, and I get a warning! My trigger is high contrast black and white next to each other, usually stripes and usually on other peoples clothing (striped shirts/blouses). If someone comes to work with stripes on and I'm talking to them, within a few seconds I get a slight jitter with my eyes. At this point I look away and tell them that I have to look away when speaking to them. Usually I manage to avoid it. 

I'm the same, ocular migraines. Starts as a small spec then develops into full on kaleidoscope in one eye. Haven't had one for about 2 years and have never discovered what triggers it. 

RobDavies

Had my first while still in junior school....

Touch wood, I've not had one for years - certainly not with vision disturbances anyway, but I do still get severe headaches every now and again. 

I gave up smoking in my mid twenties and had one cigarette when I was about thirty....bang! Instant migraine. Never doing that again.  

mudslide73

My trigger is stress and blood pressure now - in my adolescence it was hormones and stress - interestingly @robdavies I did spend a lot of time with my chainsmoking dad playing Elite and Mercenary. 

ennspek

I was chatting to a GP last night and apparently Feverfew us now a recognised treatment for migraine so it might be worth a bash.

TheMarlin

I saw this.  Might be worth a try.  https://i.imgur.com/DnvMPdx.jpg

cacophony

stress and bright light seem to be my triggers. winter's a bugger with the low sun. am now on beta blockers which have been effective. not had one for best part of a year now touch wood... it's amazing how many people have these (and i mean REAL ones, not the mother-in-law "oooh i'm having a migraine" at the merest hint of a headache) and yet they seem to know so little about what causes them.

RedRabbit

I've decided to put a bit more effort into finding out what my triggers are. Going to cut out some common triggers one by one and see how long I go between attacks. 

First up is alcohol.

ennspek

I cut out caffeine, cheese, chocolate but ultimately I think the were stress triggered. The kicker was though it was not when I was stressed but when I had been and the stress stopped.
Finished exams and going out to celebrate? Boom! Finished work and going out? Boom! Etc. Quite nasty really.

ToneControl

ennspek said:

I cut out caffeine, cheese, chocolate but ultimately I think the were stress triggered. The kicker was though it was not when I was stressed but when I had been and the stress stopped.
Finished exams and going out to celebrate? Boom! Finished work and going out? Boom! Etc. Quite nasty really.

Sometimes I get them the day after a stressful situation is resolved
Cut out orange juice - that's my biggest trigger

koneguitarist

Never really suffered from Migraines, so can't understand the hell some of you go through. However one of our DJ's on station swears as soon as he gets symptoms of a migraine coming on, and he gets seriously bad ones. He keeps salted crisps with him and sucks them, basically licking the salt off them. That and a dark room helps him more than medication.