For me stress maintenance and diet regulation is what helps prevents my migraines. I don't know of any medications that help prevent the onset of a migraine seeing as they aren't completely understood and their causation is different person to person. Knowing what causes you to get a migraine and avoiding it is the obvious answer that I'm sure you already know. For me I know that my headaches are caused by stress and anxiety as well as certain foods. I take ibuprofin when I know that I'll be in a migraine causing situation because it's a great NSAID and contains caffeine which is a cerebral vasoconstrictor & it's safe (when used as directed.) I am not so up to date on migraine research because I haven't had to deal with them on a regular basis since I was a kid. But my incidences are increasing and so I'll probably start researching for my own good. I'll repost should I find anything of interest! Hope someone else is of more help to you.

Topomax is a prescription drug that is used for prevention. My Aunt takes it and it works great for her. Talk to you Dr. about it!

For me, when I feel the onset of a migraine coming on, I take Frovatriptan(Frova) along with a Percocet that my neurologist prescribes for me and it works every time. I have to catch it right away though, if I don't.. then it may hit me hard and take a long time to get rid of.

Ask about the Topomax! Good luck.

~bella

Prophylaxis:

Propranolol
Verapamil
Atenolol
Depakote
Topamax
Zonegran
Neurontin
Nortriptyline
Amitriptyline
Prozac
Effexor
Lyrica
Cymbalta
Doxepin
Lamictal
Lisinopril
Lexapro
Celexa
Wellbutrin

i take atenlol every day it may give me one or two in 6 months but it beats 2 a week i used ti have

celtic is right on the money, I have had to try out several of these drugs and be on them for a bit before seeing a differance.Also food journals to find those triggers, and keeping up on the weather.If I do that I can tell when the weather will be affecting me, I see a front moving in I take my Amerge Immitrex or Relpax before anything starts on those days differant weather is forcasted to come though.Another thing to prevent is consistant sleep schedule too much or to little on a few days here and there can thow you off too.Another good preventive is in classrooms or workplace use only half the lights, that also helps as well as keeping the comp screen not too bright.In stores I carry light and dark glasses for preventing or keeping migraine I already have down.Also keeping track of my dietI find new migraine triggers all the time in food.Massage therapy once a week to relive stress also helps.
Hope this helps, print out the list celtic put up, and bring a migraine journal into your doc and they can look at your triggers, how often and how bad they are and give you what he or she thinks will help.Don't give up if one dosn't work, keep trying and pay attention to side effects, some like Topomax can be tricky in their side effects.I am also trying Botox for migraines I have heard it helps cut them down and take them away in some people.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

My son and I both get migraines. The only thing that ever worked, strangely enough, is what my son is on now. His neuro put him on an antihistimine daily about a year and a half ago(periactin) and it has been a godsend. He only gets them once a month or so if that now, and they are shorter on the rare occasions that he does get one. Have you figured out your triggers? I know it's a pain in the you know what process, but once I narrowed both of ours down it did really help. My worst one is lack of sleep and his is too much salt. It's a shame everyone is so different. Good luck!

Cymbalta has cut down the large amount of migraines I was getting. I still get them, but not as often and they don't last for a week now.

i am on zonegran which i take 2x a day to prevent migraines. i first took topamax but i could not handle the side effects. so i started zonegran about a month ago. first i started at 100mg a day and now i am up to 200mg a day. since i have started the 200mg a day i have not had a migraine. the only side effect really is that i have constant dry mouth and every since i started the 200mg i am extremely tired. but i hear that should pass over time.

I have been taking Topamax on and off for a year. I started it and stopped and went back as it does cut down on the freguency,severity and length of my migraines.Have not had one trip to the ER while I am on it and that is a blessing for me.I have not had one migraine that has lasted over 2 days since I have taken the Topamax,it was hard to adjust to,but if you up the dosage slowly and take your time, you can adjust. Good luck, I am praying menopause ends mine also. Thats what the Dr's have been promising me for years. :)
Deb