I had one of the worst migraines of my life last night

[Octob3r25]

As the title says, last night was awful 😢

I went to bed and I could feel it coming on but thought it’ll probably pass. I also didn’t want to take a sumatriptan tablet (which I normally take for my migraines) because I had already taken one yesterday afternoon when I had a headache / migraine coming on.

I woke up a few hours later around 1.30am and honestly it felt like my head was going to explode. I took a sumatriptan and 2 ibuprofen. Normally this combo works a treat for me but it wasn’t helping, in fact it was getting worse. I was just lying in agony, a pillow squished over my head, desperately trying to relieve the pressure.

In my desperation about 1.5 hours later I took another sumatriptan in the hope it might do something. Nope, so about 30 mins later I took 2 paracetemol. I then must have drifted off. Woke up this morning and the intense throbbing has gone but it feels like the general migraine / headache is lingering around. I am exhausted. And I have no idea what triggered it and why my usual medication wasn’t working.

Does anyone have any tips / recommendations on what to do in these situations? I was reading MN last night at 3am and people were saying a can of full fat coke?!

As soon as I feel my sight going I drink 4 very strong black coffees. It doesn’t completely stop it but it lessens it hugely.

Sometimes migraine wears hob nailed boots and stomps all over you. Some migraines last far longer than others. Might be worthwhile speaking to your GP and asking if you could try a longer acting triptain drug. If migraine symptoms are lingering expect the pain to resurface by tomorrow. Resist the temptation to throw an extra dose of Sumatriptain on top as you may find you have walked into rebound headaches unintentionally.
If you miss time taking a triptain it does not work so well and may not head off a full blown migraine so effectively. The Migraine Trust has a helpline that might be worth calling if you have not got access to a hospital headache clinic.
Hope the wretched thing eases off over the next couple of days.

I also would go for espresso over coke (two rather than four), particularly as I cannot consume that much liquid without being sick once the aura has started.
I’d take the day off and sleep as much as possible if you can, to avoid it coming back (so I’d wait with the espresso if you have the chance of sleeping later).

(You may want to have your blood pressure taken today if you can because a change in your migraine pattern may indicate a problem)

Coffee and an icepack. I keep one of those frozen packs of chopped ginger in the freezer for this as the smell is also nice when it melts. Massaging round your neck very hard around any trigger points helps a bit too.

If your migraine always lasts a long time ask your GP for a different triptan as some last longer.

However it's shit when you are up to your triptan limit and all you can do is lie quietly and wait for death/ the migraine to finish.

Botox!!! I got Botox for mine and it’s mostly got rid of them! (Mine get so painful that I vomit and can’t turn my head).

botox has pretty much stopped them! I have also given up caffeine which has definitely helped too.

I think you needed to take the triptan when you went to bed. But obviously it can be hard to tell if it's going to pass or not. I have sumatriptan too but I end up feeling really nauseous for 3 or 4 hours if I take one so I also try other things first. But I think it's most effective if you take it straight away. If I get visual aura I will take one straight away but not all my migraines have that.

Thank you all. It says avoid caffeine but would this help? I know I don’t drink enough water so I’m going to try drink loads today

Horrendous when it happens at night and you miss the window of taking meds . At the first hint I too take Coke and aspirin as my stomach shuts down . And then I am just sick . Only cure for me is to take all the meds and sleep it off . Hope your day improves OP .

With caffeine it depends whether it’s a trigger for you and whether you have taken medication today. Caffeine relieves migraines by constricting blood vessels but obviously you should avoid if it’s a trigger for you.
The idea of drinking enough water is a bit of a myth and if you aren’t thirsty you are probably already drinking enough. The migraine will affect the speed of your digestion so probably the last thing you want is an extra pint of water in your stomach. I can’t eat or drink during a migraine (recently I can’t even swallow) but perhaps that’s different for everyone.

If I am too late with my Triptans then asprin works well. 900mg in one go. Doesn't always work but then again neither does sumatriptan.

It’s still hanging around 36 hours later 😢 no pain relief seems to be helping which is strange and making me a bit distressed as normally ibuprofen and sumatriptan does the trick. Argh I don’t know what to do

It’s just on one side of my head argh why won’t it go away FFS

I’m on heart meds that give me migraine but I can’t take migraine meds cos I’m on heart meds.
Hope you feel better soon xx

I moved from triptans to rimegepant which I find more effective

How often do you get migraines? If above a certain level you may qualify for preventative medication. I am on Aimovig and have had massive improvements on that

As well as regular pain relief, I've found a really cold flannel over my forehead helps.
I thought I'd got something nasty when I had my first migraine.
Dark room. Plenty of fluids.
Sympathies- migraines are vile and the awful "hangover" like feeling afterwards is horrible too.
Agree GP check-up (? Meds review) when you're better x

Full fat coke really helps. I needed some when I was working one day. (To unblock a blocked feeding tube) and discovered you can’t buy it in my hospital!

I have recently seen a tiktok vid that said feet in hot water and ice on neck helps and lots of comments agreeing. Was waiting for a migraine to try it so can't recommend but I feel like it can't hurt if you want to try?

Sumatriptan 100g, 2 cocodamol, can of coke & bed. Also on topiramate as a preventive after trying several they finally work

Mine are caused by caffeine and being dehydration. Also menopause
I just try and drink lots of water.

The Migraine Trust said I can take 300 mg of Sumatriptan in 24 hours. I take two cocodamol as well if the migraine is horrendous.

I find all painkillers hopeless if I miss that initial window. The only thing that helps me is the 4Head stick when painkillers aren't working.

Tepid bath and cold flannel on neck one on forehead .

currently sitting with feet on hot water bottle and cold pack on my neck. it’s soothed my head enough for me to pick up a screen 🤭

So my normal is

As soon at is starting, 1 sumpatriptan, 1 naproxen and 2 paracetomol - lie down for half hour.

If I don't have relief in 25 minutes, I take a second sumatriptan.