Anybody get migraines?

Pookeyhead said:
Migraleve Pink tablets. The only thing that works for me, and I get serious migraine headaches... the full tunnel vision, sparkly light and vomiting type.
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I use these too. Used to get migraines very regularly and was violently sick for hours and then sleep for up to 24 hours. Was recommended these and still use them. Only get occasionally now and, providing i take one soon enough, i am not sick. Sleep it off in a few hours. Speak to the pharmacist at you chemist for advice. I hope you feel better soon.
 
Triggers for mine were stress and fluorescent lighting.

I went through a phase of drinking vodka and Red Bull at weekends and would go through about five cans of Red Bull in an evening. I noticed that i'd get bad migranes two or three days after the drinking binge and worked out it was the caffeine in the Red Bull that was causing it.....

.....Roll-on about 15 years and I haven't had one since because I don't drink anything with caffeine in it anymore.
 
I have two treatments depending on the severity.
I get no warning or aura just go from normal to intense pain in about 5 minutes.

I have over th last 40 years tried most pills some helped some made it worse.

Treatment nt one consists of co-codamol and ibuprofen followed by lying in a hot bath with the lights out and blinds/blankets over the window to cut out any light. My ears must be submerged under water to reduce hearing as mine becomes ultra sensitive.

Treatment two is the drastic one, which fortunately only happens 3-4 times a year.
These migraine are so bad they affect both sides of the brain. I also suffer the feeling of a full bladder and need to pee every five minutes. Additionally I lose muscle control in my legs, which twitch violently. all of this means I cannot relax so the migraine worsens, cue more peeing etc. Hearing is ultra sensitive again along with light.

So to fix it I take a large dose of Valium and knock myself out for 12 hours plus. I wake up groggy but generally pain free.

Only thing that works.
 
PsiFox said:
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These migraine are so bad they affect both sides of the brain. I also suffer the feeling of a full bladder and need to pee every five minutes. Additionally I lose muscle control in my legs, which twitch violently. all of this means I cannot relax so the migraine worsens, cue more peeing etc. Hearing is ultra sensitive again along with light...
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have you ever sought medical help with this? Sounds awful.

RE: the twitching - do you have sciatica? Just thinking that sciatica can be attributed to nerve/muscle damage (trapped nerve etc) and of course, trapped nerves and suchlike can be a big contributor to headaches if their in the 'right' place. Might be worth seeing a GP.....

Can't suggest anything for the peeing - I have the bladder of a 90-year-old woman.... god help me when I go out for a few pints, as I spend more time in the bog than drinking :lol:
 
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These threads asking for medical advice are really very inappropriate.
If you mainly want some sympathy then this is an ok place to ask for it. If you really want advice about medication then this is the wrong place to ask. Go and see your GP. If you're not happy with what the GP says/does then you have the right to get a second (or third or fourth) opinion.
 
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PatrickO said:
These threads asking for medical advice are really very inappropriate.
If you mainly want some sympathy then this is an ok place to ask for it. If you really want advice about medication then this is the wrong place to ask. Go and see your GP. If you're not happy with what the GP says/does then you have the right to get a second (or third or fourth) opinion.
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And where exactly did I ask for advice?
I merely asked what treatment others sought for thier migraines. That doesn't mean I'm going to run out and start popping pills.
I then saw my doctor who is now treating me accordingly.
You've interpreted the OP in your own, incorrect way.
 
PatrickO said:
These threads asking for medical advice are really very inappropriate.
If you mainly want some sympathy then this is an ok place to ask for it. If you really want advice about medication then this is the wrong place to ask. Go and see your GP. If you're not happy with what the GP says/does then you have the right to get a second (or third or fourth) opinion.
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I think it's more general chit-chat between those who suffer from what can be a totally depressing and debilitating health issue :thumbs:
 
Headaches are caused by so many things so one cure may never work twice...

BUT...

A common cause is vaso-constriction in the brain, this means that not enough oxygen can pass through and get to the brain thus causing pain.

Serotonin is usually a very good treatment for this as it will diolate the veins allowing more blood and oxygen back into the brain. This can be found in any "treat" such as chocoate, cakes, or pretty much any fast digesting carbohydrate :)

Try it next time you get a headache - you may find it helps!
 
PatrickO said:
These threads asking for medical advice are really very inappropriate.
If you mainly want some sympathy then this is an ok place to ask for it. If you really want advice about medication then this is the wrong place to ask. Go and see your GP. If you're not happy with what the GP says/does then you have the right to get a second (or third or fourth) opinion.
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Ahem...There are some of us that are qualified to give alternative advice - not everything has to be about pills :)

Regarding doctors: on the whole yes I agree...but did one want to give me a prescription for sodium chloride when I was suffering symptoms of low blood pressure? No - apparently salt is bad for you even when you have low BP (doctors words).
 
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Phil Young said:
Headaches are caused by so many things so one cure may never work twice...

BUT...

A common cause is vaso-constriction in the brain, this means that not enough oxygen can pass through and get to the brain thus causing pain.

Serotonin is usually a very good treatment for this as it will diolate the veins allowing more blood and oxygen back into the brain. This can be found in any "treat" such as chocoate, cakes, or pretty much any fast digesting carbohydrate :)

Try it next time you get a headache - you may find it helps!
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Chocolate makes mine worse if I have one and can trigger one if I don't.
 
Phil Young said:
Then your cause is not vaso-constriction.
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Not exactly true. Chocolate is a very common dietary trigger in vaso-constrictive migraine.

*Edit* Also, seratonin isn't found in food, it's produced by the body. Increased production of it can be boosted by certain foods, but it's not in the food itself.
 
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viv1969 said:
Not exactly true. Chocolate is a very common dietary trigger in vaso-constrictive migraine.
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Ruth,

Chocolate (especially dark chocolate) is a vasodilator...it doesn't make sense to trigger a headache caused by vasoconstriction. There are 2 ingredients that help with this diolation, theobromine (mild stimulant) & L-tryptophan (precurser to seretonin - dilator).

What are your sources for chocolate being a trigger for vasoconstrictive headaches? I wouldn't mind taking a look...
 
viv1969 said:
Not exactly true. Chocolate is a very common dietary trigger in vaso-constrictive migraine.

*Edit* Also, seratonin isn't found in food, it's produced by the body. Increased production of it can be boosted by certain foods, but it's not in the food itself.
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See below - the amino acid L-tryptophan is a precurser to serotonin. It is largely found in protein products but is not uptaken in large amounts due to the large profile of other amino acids.

The fountain of all knowledge: wikipedia :)

"5-Hydroxytryptophan is decarboxylated to serotonin"

Happy to step out of the conversation at this point...
 
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specialman said:
have you ever sought medical help with this? Sounds awful.

RE: the twitching - do you have sciatica? Just thinking that sciatica can be attributed to nerve/muscle damage (trapped nerve etc) and of course, trapped nerves and suchlike can be a big contributor to headaches if their in the 'right' place. Might be worth seeing a GP.....

Can't suggest anything for the peeing - I have the bladder of a 90-year-old woman.... god help me when I go out for a few pints, as I spend more time in the bog than drinking :lol:
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Yes sought help, which after trying all other drug treatments I get the valium.
No it isn't sciatica, just an unusual symptom:)
When it happens its awful but fortunately really bad only 3-4 times a year.
Re the bladder, normally I have the storage of a camel, except on these occasions when it feels full but is not.
 
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Phil Young said:
Ruth,

Chocolate (especially dark chocolate) is a vasodilator...it doesn't make sense to trigger a headache caused by vasoconstriction. There are 2 ingredients that help with this diolation, theobromine (mild stimulant) & L-tryptophan (precurser to seretonin - dilator).

What are your sources for chocolate being a trigger for vasoconstrictive headaches? I wouldn't mind taking a look...
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Source is my doctor....A person rather than an internet source. You seem to be lumping Migraine under the simple heading of "headache". They are a bit more complex than that.
 
I find migraine fascinating - never 2 the same and never exactly the same as another person's. Generally for me the first thing is vision going, like a progressive blurring starting right where I focus and gradually getting worse. Then as that starts to fade the pounding headache kicks in. I had that kind during my GCSE Science exam - determined not to let it get in the way I was reading the questions out of the corner of my eye (must have looked comical to anyone watching me) then just writing the answer as best I could without really seeing what I was doing!

The worst one I've ever had started as I was preparing my car for my first driving test, was cleaning it out when the vision went. I had a lesson before the test, and that was anightmare as the headache was just kicking in and to make matters worse I was losing all feeling in my left arm and left side of my face, couldn't talk properly to my instructor and driving was, well, interesting! I failed the test as I just couldn't concentrate due to the headache.

When I was little I had an interesting experience which may have been a migraine - I'd just ridden my bike up a very large hill and was waiting for my mum who was walking the dogs to catch up. Once I got off at the top I noticed my vision start going weird, everything went purple, and gradually darkened until I was just seeing nothing but solid black, and the worst nausea I've ever had. Lasted what seemed like an age but was probably no more than 5 minutes, then my vision slowly cleared, and I was fine again! It's never happened since either.
 
viv1969 said:
Source is my doctor....A person rather than an internet source. You seem to be lumping Migraine under the simple heading of "headache". They are a bit more complex than that.
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Ruth. (Sigh....)

I'm not just a random computer geek that looks up symptoms to migraines. I do actually have extensive knowledge as part of my professional in all areas of nutrition, anatomy & physiology. In certain areas of my knowledge it goes far beyond your GP's but would be very easy to assume they are giving the correct advice because they have been to medical school.

Funnily, I actually trained a GP of 20 years through rehab on her medial cruciate ligament tear in 2009... :)

I understand the difference between a headache and a migraine and what I've said is the truth. I've not stated this is the root cause, one of my books gives me around 15 pages on headache causes alone...I just gave one typical cause and possible treatment.

If my input is not valued, which I'm getting the sense it isn't: I won't stay where I'm not wanted :)
 
Women give me migrane:|.
 
If your migraine is not well controlled after following your GP's advice you should insist on referral to a specialist NHS migraine clinic. There are only about 15-20 such clinics a across the UK so you might have to travel.
 
Can't beat a bit of condescension. :shrug:
 
viv1969 said:
Can't beat a bit of condescension. :shrug:
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Yes you can you just put a drop of water in a saucer and put it on a window ledge.

Sorry I though you said condensation :D
 
Used to get them as a teenager, thankfully only had 1 or 2 in the last 15 years or so.

I worked out the trigger for mine was sunlight........ I would always get them around spring/autumn time. I used to walk to school in an easterly direction, at certain times of the year the sun would be directly in front of me and pretty low in the sky.

I *have* to wear sunglasses even if it's just bright as I find I have no tolerance to bright light. The other weekend I went out to get some pictures, had my Oakleys sitting on my head most of the time got home and realised why I had a thumping headache, luckily I nipped it in the bud before it turned in to a migraine.
 
Go to your GP and ask for Zomig.
If you can take them as the "flashing Lights" start then it can reduce the severity of the migraine.
Zomig dilates the blood vessels in the brain.
Also take 2 30/500 cocodamol.
 
mine always started with swirled/turbulent peripheral vision, like looking over a flame, then the headache, nausea, light sensitivity, hold and cold sweats, hypersensitivity to touch - pretty much every symptom I had

only thing I found for curing them short term was sleep - nothing a doctor prescribed touched them - used to get them once every 2 or 3 months but for a long term fix smashing my leg fixed it - had 3 in the first couple of months after and am now 12 years+ without one
 
Strangely enough I am going through a terrible spell of migraines at the moment. I have had them on and off for years and they are related to a neck problem I have, cervical spondylitis. Various movements can bring them on as can sitting at a computer or using the iPad as I am doing now. I have to limit myself to the time I spend doing this. Photography sadly can exacerbate a migraine, I have to be careful how I stand and look through the viewfinder. Looking up causes problems so I can not spend much time trying to shoot birds etc. so many things seem to aggravate it and bring on the dreaded migraine. I have had three in the past 7 days, I find they always cause me to get nauseous, then I feel I need the lol, then I am sick often several times which causes the neck to flare up even more in turn making the migraine worse. It's a vicious circle really. I have had various treatments both for migraine and the neck problem including surgery. I too have gone down the Valium route as a way of relaxing the muscles and aiding sleep but this's does not always work. Because of the vomiting I can't keep the tablets down and I don't tolerate painkillers very well. The most useful drug for me at these times is Maxalt wafers..on prescription, these at times can help control the awful pains in my head. Blimey what a state to be in!
 
Life long sufferer for whom they have got worse as I have got older.

Had it labeled by GP's as "some people get bad head aches" then moved to Scotland and my GP took it deadly serious, got print outs of many various things known to work though not known why.

Tried Beta Blockers, those where horrid! now on Amitriptyline in small doses and still get the odd bad one and some of the Aura's but compared to one leaving me crippled nearly twice a week to once a month and taking almost NO PAINKILLERS by comparison I would call a monumental result.

Best having a proper sit down with you MP though, what works for one wont for the next, and expect to have to trial with side effects and serious down time between various medications.

Coming off beta blockers was scary.
 
BarryDawsib said:
Life long sufferer for whom they have got worse as I have got older.

Had it labeled by GP's as "some people get bad head aches" then moved to Scotland and my GP took it deadly serious, got print outs of many various things known to work though not known why.

Tried Beta Blockers, those where horrid! now on Amitriptyline in small doses and still get the odd bad one and some of the Aura's but compared to one leaving me crippled nearly twice a week to once a month and taking almost NO PAINKILLERS by comparison I would call a monumental result.

Best having a proper sit down with you MP though, what works for one wont for the next, and expect to have to trial with side effects and serious down time between various medications.


Coming off beta blockers was scary.
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I'll stick with a GP thanks. I don't trust my MP that much :)
 
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