Wellness

[ROMARY]

Hi, Sooner.........As soon as I began to feel the pain (usually near one throbbing eye area at first), I'd eat vanilla ice cream. It must calm down the pain in the head and around the eye. Probably reduces the swelling. Probably travels up the nerves in the mouth and upper teeth , upper jaw, and on upward. And it settled my tummy.

[ROMARY]

Hey, this is an excellent thread...........We learn from one another. That's what the word 'experience' means: What has and hasn't worked among a variety of people all across the country. Different weather, different altitudes, different folks, etc. An experienced doc is experienced because she/he has seen (experienced) what most often has worked. in patients. Well, that's my speech for today!

[dooBdoo]

My migraines began when I was 12 or 13, but were intermittent and relatively manageable for years. They gradually became chronic and atypical, happening weekly or daily. Some intractable cycles last for a week or more, I seldom have a day without pain, and I’ve received inpatient and outpatient IV treatments from time to time to break the cycles. I’ve been a patient of Joel Saper, M.D., at the Michigan Headache and Neurological Institute (MHNI, a wonderful resource, and their website also lists other resources), and also fortunate to have a couple of excellent neurologists who specialize in migraine disease.

What works for one of us might be very different from what works for others, and that makes it so much more complex to prevent and treat. What is a help to one of us might be a migraine trigger for another. I’ve tried so many things, prescription and OTC meds, natural methods, acupuncture, PT (and a home traction device and TENS unit), cervical radiofrequency ablation, and more -- too many to list.

Be sure to drink plenty of water. Dehydration is not a friend to a migraineur. And the diminished effects of Excedrin, as mentioned, is probably indicative of what’s known as a “rebound effect” and can happen with many RX and OTC meds.

I second the importance of keeping a detailed headache diary. Find one that works for you, and be diligent in using it. If you have a good doctor, s/he will want you to do this and will want to see the diary. Try to find triggers. Look for a physician (or physicians) with a specific interest in and understanding of migraines, and keep asking questions.

My heart goes out to all of you in this club none of us wanted to join.

link to MHNI: http://www.mhni.com/

[kittytalk1]

I had migraines frequently in my 30s and early 40s. When my blood pressure got a little high my doctor put me on Atenolol, a beta blocker. Beta blockers are used as a migraine preventative as well and it did double duty for me. I still have them occasionally if I don't get enough rest or have a lot of stress.

When I do get them now I take an herb called Butterbur made by Now Foods. I get it from Amazon. It can help with prevention and relief if you take it early. Now is the most affordable. You might look at Drweil.com for more info on Butterbur. That is where I read about it. I find him to be SO helpful with many health issues. I also take 3-4 ibuprofen and use an ice pack on my head when it's really bad.

I wish you well. Migraines are just horrible!

Kittytalk

[dooBdoo]

On 8/28/2014 ROMARY said:

Hi, Sooner.........As soon as I began to feel the pain (usually near one throbbing eye area at first), I'd eat vanilla ice cream. It must calm down the pain in the head and around the eye. Probably reduces the swelling. Probably travels up the nerves in the mouth and upper teeth , upper jaw, and on upward. And it settled my tummy.

Hi, ROMARY!

Yes, you'll find many who get relief from eating (or holding in their mouth) shaved ice or other frozen delights. I believe it's the effect on the blood vessels, and this is something being studied. Most researchers feel migraine often is closely related to blood vessels contracting and expanding which, in turn, irritates or inflames nerves.

And, of course, if it's something soothing to the stomach that's an added bonus!

If you do some internet searches on "brain freeze and migraine" you'll see some of the discussions. (Eating/drinking something cold can also trigger a migraine.)

eta: I almost forgot to say, a friend of mine buys bags of the "nugget ice" from the Sonic Drive-In to keep in her freezer, as part of her migraine arsenal.

[glmama]

This is completely my own, personal testimony here, but over the past few months I have lost a semi-significant amount of weight, and my headaches have greatly diminished. Mine are allergy and sinus related, and I typically take a script nasal spray as well as other, daily meds. But I'm telling you, losing some weight, for whatever reason, has completely coincided with my headaches getting better.

[CherryNGeorgia]

I take 400 mg a day of B2 each day and it usually works extremely well.

[Fona]

I suffer from migraines but only once every few weeks. Like another poster here, I believe my severe allergies/sinus problems are a trigger. Anyway, although I could never compete with vanilla ice cream (which I am definitely going to try - lol), I was speaking to a man recently who had very debilitating migraines and he swore by Midol. I haven't had a migraine since speaking to him (so I don't know if this will help) but I mean to try it next time.

[Pianomama]

When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I started getting "classic" migraines (the kind with auras and limbs & face going to "sleep".) They persisted until I went into menopause, which for me was in my early 40s. During the worst years I would have them about once a month and I would be so sick all I could do was go to bed in a dark room. I was teaching school during that time, and it was just awful because sometimes it would start at work and I was in a carpool. It would make me so nauseated I thought I would die because I couldn't get home. I still would have them ocassionally in my 40s, but they tapered to almost nothing. Now if I get a headache (and they don't feel or act like migraines), I take an Excedrin Migraine. I am 63.

During those early years (1970s), I was put on Dilantin. I don't think it helped at all. I'm not sure how much they knew about migraines back then. Then in the later years, I was given Imitrex. It was ok.

Sadly one of my sons inherited migraines. I inherited them from my mom. She would still get them in her 90s.

[taquito]

Migraines are just awful! I was getting them for three days at a time about three times a month. That really affected my life.

I was in an airport bookstore waiting to pick up someone, and read a bit of a book by Dr. Weil. He listed several things that can cause migraines. I figured out mine are caused by certain food additives. Sodium phosphate being the worst. (Other food additives make me foggy brained, like I have jet-lag for most of the day.)

Sodium phosphate is in a lot of things, and what I found out is I often reached for easy food with this additive during a migraine, so I was making it even worse without knowing it.

By avoiding additives as much as possible, I haven't had a severe migraine in ages. When I get the feeling of a small one starting (small ones are still the pits) I take one Excedrin Migraine, and it seems to knock it down.

I have found out that once opened they did seem to lose potency, so now I only buy the smallest bottle. Luckily, I don't have to use it too often. I feel very fortunate to have figured out what causes my migraines so I didn't have to go on medications.

Message to qvc: I can no longer buy your veggie burgers because you won't list ingredients. I need to know for good reason.