Best tips for migraine

[Thorilicious]

Every month (thanks period!). I get a headache/migraine. I take painkillers, but it still takes a couple of days to get better. Anyone have any tips to help it go away sooner please? I have also tried cold packs which is help in the short term.

did you have sumatriptan injections? Or just the tablets?

I would have to take Zolmitriptan (prescribed) plus Buccastem antisickness meds. Then four espressos and go to sleep. The only way for me. Weirdly the coffee always made me tired with a migraine and I always slept. The caffeine is supposed to beef up the meds but I don't know if it does.

Other than meds...

A can of proper ice cold coke (full sugar!) as soon as it feels like a migraine is brewing

Carby food or chocolate

Sleep in a dark room

I'm reading this thread and going "oh..."

Fortnightly I have to inject a drug that gives me a fever, severe headache, feel sick, shivery etc and that is exactly how I feel
Once the feverish bit is over and I just have a slight headache/hangover feeling I crave marmite on toast! Anything salty or strong flavoured

The consultant suggested trying triptans but my GP won't prescribe them
Might try aspirin. Paracetamol doesn't touch it

Another vote for aspirin, regular coke with loads of ice, ice pack to back of neck. Sleep then something like mcdonald's fries when you wake

Get naproxen on prescription and take at the onset

Are you sure your injections aren't sumatriptain? As it comes in injections as well.

You can now buy the tablets over the counter at the pharmacy.

Triptains are not painkillers, they are designed to stop a migraine and will only work on migraine and certain types of cluster headaches. But won't work on normal headaches.

Ask your GP for one, I wouldn't really recommend sumatriptain in tablet form, this drug was designed to be used as an injection and isn't absobered by the stomach very well. The other triptains usually work better, so zoming, eletriptain, Alotriptian and as someone else has already mentioned Frovatritain which is licensed to use a short term preventative for menstrual migraine.

I've also gone done the route of just stopping my periods as I have to many other migraines as well. So need to reduce them as much as possible.

Got my ear pierced on the Daith (??) after year of FH migraines. Thought it was a bit woo woo but not had one since!

At the very first sign I take a Sudafed max sinus and if that does not work after half an hour then one codeine tablet. It usually shifts mine. The secret is to catch it early. If I try to brave it out it just gets worse and worse and by tea time I have to go to bed.

Sorry I should have added I take one Sudafed max sinus as one should not mix tablets with paracetamol in them to stay within the correct dose.

Since May mu propanolol preventative dose has gone up to 80mg in morning and 40mg at night. Its massively reduced the frequency. If one still comes on I have sumatriptan. If that doesn't work I have vimovo. I have maxolan for the nausea.

Cut out red meat and other saturates. Exercise, something like couch25k.
Keep hydrated.
Mirena coil.

I agree with this and it’s what I do. I can’t take propranolol though. Makes me a scary person.

I also have massive carb cravings after sumatriptan.

The single large dose of aspirin and very cold can of coke was recommended to me by a neurologist, and can stop the migraine in its tracks.

To be honest the only thing that sorted my hormonal migraines was having babies, and when they reappeared in my 40s, going onto HRT.

Another one here who's had menstrual migraines for over 20 years

My daith piercing has stopped them completely... !

Aspirin and coke here at the first sign. Or sticking my head under a very cold shower. I assume the cold water constricts the blood vessels.

I've woken this morning, and as luck would have it, am feeling a bit better. It's actually a relief (although you all have my sympathies!) that I'm not the only one who goes through this. I'm going to see if I can get some of the above put in place when it inevitably comes back next month.
Really interesting about the pill, I'm on the implant, but I'll speak to my doctor if the other tips don't work.

@MigGril no the injections are for a blood disorder - it's those that give me the headache

How much aspirin? Thanks

Yes triptans OP and then whatever food you're craving.

I too suffered for decades before being given sumatriptan. It does knock me out and as I get older is becoming less effective but still way better than painkillers. My understanding is that triptans are not painkillers per se, they work on blood vessels.

Take a magnesium supplement (I recommend nutrition geeks) regularly. Really reduced the frequency of my migraines. And severity of the menstrual ones.

be mindful of what you’re eating - things like cured meats, soy sauce, Parmesan cheese and too much gluten make mine worse. Plenty fruit and veg and whole foods help make them less often and sever.

and as others have said when you get them triptans are the best remedy. I also use Fravotripan as migraines last days. full fat coke also another one that’s helps. And usually, rest, cold compress, yoga, a bath. Etc

I put two soluble disprin under my tongue and let them dissolve.

I take zolmitriptan on the days of my cycle where I’m likely to get a migraine. However thanks perimenopause, those days are harder to predict. GP advised me to raise my sugar level at the first signs I go for the dextrose tablets. Magnesium and selenium supplements seem to be helping too. Biggest thing though is regular exercise. I need to make more time for it especially swimming…… And eating properly!

Sumatriptan. Changed my world

You have my full sympathy
I suffered for many years.

Sumatriptan as soon as you feel a migraine coming
Can of Full fat coke
Salty pretzels

I also used to throw up violently (up to 20 hours with nothing in my stomach, exhausting, miserable and painful) but that stopped when I stopped drinking coffee

I am now on HRT and my migraines have disappeared. And not only that - I often used to have headaches, would ALWAYS have painkillers with me, and that has totally stopped too