Migraine help!

[StormsDontLastForever]

Have had a terrible migraine for the last 3 days! Today it was too much to handle, dark room didn’t help, painkillers didn’t help, didn’t want to eat, couldn’t sleep. I still have it just now but not as bad as earlier but I still cannot sleep, worried it will return tomorrow. Does anyone have any tips?

100% you need to try plain aspirin and caffeine. This was recommended to me by a GP whose specialty was migraine. And they were right!

Aspirin needs to be a high dose, of 900-1000mg.

www.nhs.uk/news/medication/migraine-relief-from-aspirin/

Different meds work for different people - migrileve is great for me! My trigger is food - so at aged 25 I had a comprehensive allergy test and then relieved those intolerances from my diet for 3 months - no migraines (had one every week before)

Fraid the meds is a bit trial and error! Even when the migrileve kicks in (v fast for me) still left with extreme tiredness for a couple of days. Good luck they are horrid

I've suffered terribly with migraine for years vomiting etc the lot as does my mum. She swore by rubbing vicks or a vapour rub on her forehead, sides of her nose, underneath her top eyes (not the sensitive part) & top lip. I have tried it and weirdly it works, I always keep vicks in my bag so I can put it on as soon as twinges start. I still take my tablets and continue my migraine routine but do this as well.

Also switch to decaff coffee/tea. Sainsbury's do half caff ground coffee which is what I switched to first to wean my body slowly off caffeine. Once the half caff bag finished, then I switched to decaff coffee and didn't experience any withdrawal symptoms.

That's very interesting CornishPorche, thanks, understandably you are fascinated by it all. I've had migraines since early teens so for a very long time (don't want to give my age away!).

I worked out several of my triggers but it is not a fully conclusive list - chocolate, cheese, oranges, dehydration, periods, to name a few but even avoiding those I still get them. They were so bad at one point I was home visited by doctors and given morphine injections.

I'm interested in the VistaMesh glasses you mention as I am sure too much time on computers/screens could be an issue for me. Also, interested in the Botox injections, I had them in the past for a completely different pain problem after a severe life threatening illness and they did work.

As I've got older my migraines symptoms seem to have changed, which has been very alarming in some instances.

You are so right it is far more than just a headache, it is debilitating, as a fellow sufferer you have my sympathy.

@Peopleshouses yes every day 10mg, I have no negative side effects whatsoever

I too was going to suggest triptans from your GP. But you can buy them over the counter in an emergency.

CornishPorsche Very interesting, I use Migraleve as triptans just didn’t work for me and were far more expensive (6 for the NHS prescription charge, compared to about £7 for 24 Migraleve). I got a neurology referral but they decided that I didn’t warrant being seen, based on my answers to a questionnaire. I’m going to look at going private once everything is open again. A lady I used to work with said her daughter had the Botox and it was really good but I’d have to pay for those as well.

Great info here thank you x

I've had some bad headaches this week, bury your head under the pillow but no aura so not sure whether they are migraine or not - how do you tell sometimes? I couldn't function that's for sure, took two pink migraleve and a syndol a bit later but didn't really work. Very interesting re codeine as that's my go to medication mainly because it relaxes the tension element. So sorry for you all suffering 😢

@CornishPorsche Just sent you a pm