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Migraine help

52 replies

loobylou10 · 26/02/2024 20:43

Does anyone who suffers from migraine have any information on prevention/cures please? My son (22) getting them on a regular basis and it's really affecting his life/work. No medication works - wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom?

OP posts:
Homebird8 · 26/02/2024 22:48

Sumatriptan made mine much worse. I'm not usually sick but this medication definitely made me throw up.

Does her have aura with his migraines? I ask because I do and if at the first twinkle of an aura I boost sugar and fluid (mars bar or a load of jelly babies and fruit juice or ribena) and take two paracetamol. I get those down me as quickly as possible and lie down to sleep. I tend to wake groggy after a couple of hours with only the mildest of headaches and can manage the rest of my day. If I push it too much though I tend to get another open the next day or so.

Before I found this I used to lose speech, go numb down one side, have much longer aura, lose all but a small spot of vision, and get the mother of all headaches for 24 hours.

Might be worth the fluids and sugar thing. Can't do any harm and if it helps you can keep the emergency 'kit' with you.

DoubleOuch · 26/02/2024 22:58

I suffered very infrequent migraines - less than one a year - which eventually increased to a few a year. Unusually the only symptom is visual aura, no warning at all, which lasts twenty minutes but leaves me flattened for twenty four hours afterwards. Anyway, a couple of years ago I suddenly had a huge increase in frequency; three in one day once, twice a day a couple of times, more than twenty in a year. Had an urgent scan that showed nothing (Doc actually texted me as soon as she had the results - sometimes the NHS really does its stuff) and put me on topiramate 25mg. I think I've only had two migraines in four months since starting on that, and its a really low dose. Migraines seem to be one of these things that aren't really understood, sowhat works for one may not work at all for someone else, but it might be helful to know about topiramate if its prescribed. Certainly agree that seeing a doctor about it, if the frequency is increasing, is important.

DoubleOuch · 26/02/2024 23:04

@Homebird8 NIce to come across someone else who gets the aphasia!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Homebird8 · 26/02/2024 23:11

DoubleOuch · 26/02/2024 23:04

@Homebird8 NIce to come across someone else who gets the aphasia!

I make even less sense than usual!

GracieNotes · 26/02/2024 23:13

Read 'Managing Your Migraine' by Dr Katy Munro. Lots of helpful advice about working out the cause and different treatment options.
A triptan as a nasal spray is an idea if vomiting is an issue. You can also get anti nausea meds. I get migraines with severe vomiting too so fully sympathise... dreadful affliction!

Bringtheweatherwithyou · 26/02/2024 23:20

Tiredpigeon · 26/02/2024 22:41

I'm on amitriptyline but even with that, I was still getting migraines fairly often (albeit less severe) until I started taking vitamin B complex supplements and magnesium (Floradix one) everyday. It has been genuinely life changing, not to have had a migraine for nearly 8 weeks. I've suffered since I was 11. I hope he finds something that works, migraines seriously affect quality of life.

Can you pls say what dosage Vit B you take and magnesium too and if yours are hormonal migraines? I guess they are if you've had them since you were eleven?

Amitriptylines haven't worked for me and after a few years on them with migraines steadily getting worse, I'm desperate to try something that might work or even just help.

IclimbedSnowdon · 26/02/2024 23:22

I've suffered with migraines for the past 25 years. Diagnosed about 22 years ago. I take Propranolol daily as a prevention, but if I feel one coming on I take Niramig which is really good. Works for me, don't know where I'd be without the meds.

Soonenough · 26/02/2024 23:22

For me, 3 ibuprofen plus full fat Coke at the first sign.

Pokinganose · 26/02/2024 23:30

NCForQuestions · 26/02/2024 20:59

How often is he getting them? Has he tried triptans for attacks?

This is the full guidance on what can be done:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/migraine/management/adults/

Wow that's really useful advice. Thank you so much. I'm sure that will be useful tonso many migraine sufferers on here.

Mollifi · 26/02/2024 23:32

Definitely back to the GP.

I went through various OTC meds and prescribed triptans but bizarrely the thing that has worked best is humble aspirin! I never even thought to try it until a couple of years ago but for me it is much better than even prescribed meds.

Tiredpigeon · 27/02/2024 00:07

Bringtheweatherwithyou · 26/02/2024 23:20

Can you pls say what dosage Vit B you take and magnesium too and if yours are hormonal migraines? I guess they are if you've had them since you were eleven?

Amitriptylines haven't worked for me and after a few years on them with migraines steadily getting worse, I'm desperate to try something that might work or even just help.

I take Nature's Way Alive Vitamin B complex gummies (2 per day) and 20mg Floradix magnesium mineral drink. I definitely get hormonal migraines but have other triggers, too.

loobylou10 · 27/02/2024 09:05

Loads of great advice that I'm sure will be useful to others aswell. Thanks so much everyone.

OP posts:
toomuchfaff · 27/02/2024 14:15

has he tried cutting out any food groups? I used to suffer with migraines all the time - i cut dairy and they have all but stopped.

spiderlight · 27/02/2024 14:28

The thing that has worked best for me is Erenumab injections as a monthly preventative (prescribed via a neurology consultant). I also take pregabalin and nortriptyline every day and Sumatriptan at the start of an attack.

NigelHarmansNewWife · 27/02/2024 14:55

ParrotPirouette · 26/02/2024 22:13

Hi OP, I’ve had dreadful migraines since I was a small child and I’ve tried every medication going with no success. Until I accidentally bought a packet of ibuprofen lysine. I didn’t even know it was a different thing to ordinary ibuprofen, it was a complete fluke.
you can get it everywhere, 99p in discount stores non-branded, in some places it’s actually called ‘migraine relief’
the tablets are 342mg each (normal ibuprofen is 200)
For the first time in my life I can take 2 tablets when a migraine starts and know that the pain won’t come and I can function normally.
(once the aura has cleared, I do rest for 15mins for that to go)

Edited

It's just in a form that's more rapidly absorbed. I've been a migraine sufferer all my adult life and have found ibuprofen totally useless! Everyone's migraine is different though. Sumatriptan has been a game changer for me.

NigelHarmansNewWife · 27/02/2024 15:00

Your son should try keeping a diary of sleep, what he eats and drinks and activities during the day to see if there's a link to his migraine.

For me the triggers are stress, hormones and lack of sleep.

Giraff3 · 27/02/2024 15:14

Sufferer of 30 years here

If meds aren't working. I would advise your son to see a osteopath, to remove tension from the neck and jaw and an all over body realign. I go every 6 months, along with a sports massage every 8 weeks . This has taken my attacks down from multiply a month to 2 x a year. Mine are trigger from tension, posture, stress ect.

I always carry sumatriptan and naproxin in my bag

Also purchased a muscle gun to take the tension out my jaw, neck, arms myself when needed.

Epsom salt bath helps too

Idontjetwashthefucker · 27/02/2024 15:54

Propanalol here too, it's a game changer. Been on it 4 years and haven't had a migraine since, whereas before I was getting 2 or 3 a month

ParrotPirouette · 27/02/2024 16:25

NigelHarmansNewWife · 27/02/2024 14:55

It's just in a form that's more rapidly absorbed. I've been a migraine sufferer all my adult life and have found ibuprofen totally useless! Everyone's migraine is different though. Sumatriptan has been a game changer for me.

I share my experience in the hope that someone else might also be helped.

Triptans have never worked for me, the ibuprofen lysine is literally the only thing that ever has.
Dismissing it as 'just ibuprofen' is kind of completely missing the point of my post.

loobylou10 · 27/02/2024 16:27

Thank you @ParrotPirouette

OP posts:
TooraLoora · 27/02/2024 16:31

@loobylou10 triptans will only work if you catch the migraine before vomiting begins. I'm the same as your son and the only thing that's really helped me is Botox for migraine although i am starting an anti CGRP in the next month or so.
You can get triptan nasal spray and injection too which may help.

NigelHarmansNewWife · 27/02/2024 17:41

ParrotPirouette · 27/02/2024 16:25

I share my experience in the hope that someone else might also be helped.

Triptans have never worked for me, the ibuprofen lysine is literally the only thing that ever has.
Dismissing it as 'just ibuprofen' is kind of completely missing the point of my post.

Edited

And I also stated everyone's migraine is different! That's not taking anything away from what works for you and may work for someone else.

pressedclaycup · 27/02/2024 21:04

Get him to see a GP that is the inital step, the will then be given an abortive medication which might be all he needs however if he has frequent migraines the GP can prescribe preventative medication. If these options don't help then he can be referred to a Neurologist, preferably one specialising in primary headache and migraine. The hospitals have a range of treatment options not available to GP's to try.

Thing that I find useful for my chronic migraines are ice packs or hot water bottles (careful not to freeze or scald yourself), standing in a hot shower, tiger balm, a dark room, sleep, sun glasses and at times a can of full sugar cola and a packet of salty crisps, taking medication with cola and crisps seems to make it work faster. A tip my neurologist gave me was 3 Aspirin and a can of full sugar cola can abort a migraine in a pinch. This works best if you typically avoid caffeine most of the time as caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, and this property helps relieve the pain and you are more sensitive to these effects if you don't consume caffeine daily.

Avoid pain killers with codine, they can help once in a while but any regular use can result in more frequent headaches.

Lifestyle is also critical so keeping regular sleep and meal times, staying hydrated, avoiding alcohol, too much stress, getting regular low impact exercise. Some people find cutting out certain foods helped but to be honest as a chronic sufferer who has tried various elimination diets I have never found any foods which trigger my migraines and my neurologist (a migraine specialist) agrees that food sensitivities that cause migraine constantly are not something he finds in his clinic. Skipping meals or caffeine seems to be more critical. He could try keeping a food diary to see if he can find a trigger but even better would be to keep a diary of all potential triggers and attacks while he waits to see a doctor. However while a period of diary keeping can be useful too much obsessing over triggers and migraines can be counterproductive.

Generally migraines happen when a range of triggers occur so if he is stressed, has skipped a meal and then not slept well a migraine is more likely to happen. He needs to try a limit triggers to avoid triggering attacks as migraine is degenerative i.e. the more migraine attacks you have the more likely you are to have more migraines, effectively your brain wires in the migraine response to stressors. This can of course be reversed by medication and lifestyle changes and migraine is rarely seriously harmful but if he can avoid becoming chronic he should do that so he needs to do the lifestyle stuff as well as medication, years of just using medication and not changing my lifestyle left me disabled with migraines for many years.

AuntiePushpa · 27/02/2024 21:10

Agree with others saying take the triptans earlier, before the migraine has set in. I find lots of rennies and water settle my stomach enough that the sumatriptan has time to work and isn't thrown up.

pressedclaycup · 27/02/2024 21:12

ParrotPirouette · 27/02/2024 16:25

I share my experience in the hope that someone else might also be helped.

Triptans have never worked for me, the ibuprofen lysine is literally the only thing that ever has.
Dismissing it as 'just ibuprofen' is kind of completely missing the point of my post.

Edited

Have you tried Replax / Eletriptan, that is a different class of triptan it interacts with a different receptor to all the other triptans. It is by far the most effective triptan I have used as the others do not work well for me at all. It does cause drowsiness though which is undesirable for many.

I am not sure but I don't think a GP can prescribe it, only a Neurologist. However as you say triptans don't work or are not suitable for everyone, there are also new CGRP abortive drugs available now, again I think they are only via a Neuro.