Migraine Headaches Support Group
Migraine is a neurological disease, of which the most common symptom is an intense and disabling episodic headache. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head and are often accompanied by photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound) and nausea.
hey everyone,
i'm a newbie here and am joining my first support group. migraines for me are all too familiar yet unpredictable. for the past 9 years, i've struggled with ongoing pain that has been challenging and has triggered many changes in my life. i've had work-related issues and have had to leave jobs because i cannot be a consistent worker. when the pain hits, it starts at the base of my skull and pressure builds in my head. the sensation is an aching/burning and my mind becomes fogged. i feel physically oversensative to light, sound and anything else around me. even talking or holding a conversation becomes impossible because the migraine is so painfully overwhelming. almost each episode, it also makes me nauseous and weak. at my worst, i have to lay down and try to fall asleep to get relief, since movement in any way, shape of form is extremely difficult. partially, my migraines are genetic (both my parents). but they are also a result of a muscle spasm in my should blade. i notice they also tend to happen more around that time of the month, and can be further triggered by stress, not enough rest, changes in air pressure due to weather, certain chemicals (bleach, windex, etc.), diet, etc. because i'm naturally sensitive to my environment and i have to maintain an awareness of these things and do the best i can to cope. outside of self-healing, i've been to several doctors and saw a neurologist, who prescribed me topamax and zomig. the topamax worked at first but my body got used to it and upping the dosage made no difference, but strengthed side effects from the meds, such as bleeding gums, hair loss and memory problems. i was on it for over a year and weened myself off. the zomig is the only med i've taken that relieves them when they start, but i dislike taking it because even the lowest dosage upsets my stomach and knocks me out. it's exhausting enough just getting the migraine, and the med just makes me more tired, yet, it gives me the most relief. aside from this, i've been getting acupuncture twice a week for the past couple of months, which has been amazing and has helped with my muscle pain. i also do yoga every day and use other natural remedies like lavender oil, taking magnesium supplements, etc. so what more can i do to ensure i'm in control? i want to be able to hold down a job and be confident that i can function from day to day, but i'm not. one day, i'll feel great and a day or two later, it's another battle. i pray that one day it will be different, even though i feel stuck. would like to hear any of your experiences or how you handle your migraines, if you want to share. maybe there are things i haven't tried. i am open to new ideas!
I was also on Topomax for a while, but it didn't really help me very much. I take a drug called Trokendi XR, which is in the same drug family as Topomax. It's been very helpful, but I also got used to it. However, everyone is different, and it's something you could potentially look into.
On top of the Trokendi, I also have a prescription for Imatrex, which is a painkiller. It's very fast-acting, and it lasts for a long time. I used to take Tramadol, which I was prescribed for endometriosis pain prior to my surgery that I more often than not used for my migraines (shhhhhh). Unlike Imatrex, it's for all-over body pain, so if the muscles in your neck get pulled on and it makes your shoulders and stuff hurt, it's a great option. I know there's another painkiller my dad (who is a pharmacist) takes, which he once said is better than Tramadol, but I can neither remember why that is nor the name of the other drug, and he's busy right now, so I'll get back to you on that.
The thing that's helped me the most is getting a daith piercing. I don't think I can post pictures of it, so you'll just have to Google it. My understanding is that it's an acupuncture, so it's like permanent acupuncture. I will warn you that the actually getting of the piercing is not pleasant, and it will actually probably make it worse for a couple days afterwards because it's so close to your temples. Like anything, it's really helped some people, while others not so much. But I can honestly say it has changed my life. I'm sleeping better, I can handle doing things outside of my house now, I'm less sensitive to things and can really enjoy things like candles now, and I can handle working later. It's something I would definitely recommend.
Get yourself a good chiropractor and massage therapist. I've had "traditional" chiropractors, and they just hurt, so try and find someone with more gentle techniques, because I promise they're out there. Afterwards, drink lots of water. Even more than usual.
A weird natural remedy is drinking a fair bit of grape juice. There's debate over whether red wine is beneficial or not. Red grape juice has all the health benefits of red wine without the alcohol, which is bad for people who get migraines since are lives are basically perpetual hangovers, minus the actual drinking part. It's not a cure by any means, but over time, it should help your cardiovascular system improve. Peppermint tea can also help. It's nice because it's a mellow flavor, and it's easy for you to control how much of that flavor there is. Ginger tea is also good, but I'd save that for when you don't feel like garbage, because it's a pretty intense kick to the gut when you have an in-progress migraine.
I hope some of that helps! Feel free to ask any questions! I'm not expert by any means, but I do live with one, and I'm a pretty open book. :)
Ok, Imitrex is NOT a painkiller. It is a triptan like zomig, which constricts the blood vessels in the body (think in the head) which relieves the migraine.
Tramadol IS a painkiller, but it has narcotic properties. As a rule, narcotics are not great for migraine patients. They tend to bring about migraines if you don't already have one. That's not always the case, but happens more often than not.
Getting a massage therapist is fine, but please DO NOT get a chiropractor. For migraine patients, they can do more harm than good, especially if they are going to crack your neck. There are very delicate blood vessels in the neck, and chiropractors have been known to damage them when they are cracking your neck. Besides the obvious, migraine patients have a higher risk of stroke than your normal everyday person. Damaging these vessels in your neck will only increase the risk. If you go to any reputable headache specialist, they will tell you to NOT see a chiropractor. Some won't even treat you if you see a chiropractor.
Grape juice and red wine. First, I wouldn't even attempt red wine. That is NOTORIOUS for triggering migraine headaches. Most migraine patients can't drink it at all. And grape juice, well any benefit will cancel itself out considering all the sugar you would be ingesting just drinking it. If you want to improve your cardiovascular health, just take resveratrol supplements. No sugar, no headaches.
I absolutely know where you are coming from. I've suffered with migraines since I was 7. Now I'm 40. In the past, I have seen all kinds of doctors and even neurologists. No one helped. The problem with neurologists is that people think they are the experts in headaches, and they are not. They know a bit about them, but they are not up on ALL the latest medications to prevent them and treat them. They are not up on all the latest studies and research on migraines. So they are very limited in how they will treat you. You need to find a headache specialist. They are usually with headache centers and clinics. They really are up on the latest of everything. It wasn't until I went to a headache specialist that I found hope again, and believe relief is close by. Just google headache specialist or headache center to see if there is one around you.
I really do hope you find relief.
If you have any questions on anything, you can message me anytime.
thank you so much for your replies and suggestions. to answer some questions, I remember the migraines starting around 2008-2009. I know its genetic for me as well. my dad used to get them pretty bad and so does my mom. my grandfather suffered from them, too. at the time they started, i was working in commercial cleaning. so i was cleaning homes/offices and used various supplies. i remember the bleach would trigger it almost right away and make it worse if i already felt bad. the muscle spasm in my shoulder blade is another reason and i notice the muscle there gets hard and knotted up usually when I've got a migraine. the neurologist asked me before if i wanted any painkillers, but i declined because they knock me out or make me feel dopey when i take them. i was prescribed fiorcet once to take at the onset of pain, and it worked great. unfortunately, i felt like it was becoming addicting and stopped taking them. I've also heard of the daith piercing and wondered about its effectiveness, so it's great to hear that it worked for someone. like i said, I'm willing to try anything! drinking the teas def. help soothe my stomach. i even recently bought Vervain tea, which is supposed to help with headaches and settle your tummy. i had to cut all alcohol, on the other hand, because even after a small amount, the pressure in my head would start. i'll look into a specialist next, which is one thing i didn't think to do. i appreciate everyone's support and positive feedback so much, so thank you again :-)