AIBU to ask about your migraines?

[maa1992]

I've just come around from one of the worst headaches of my life, this has happened to me roughly four times and usually happens before the start of my period, however this one came after my period ended

My symptoms:

5pm - started feeling really hot and dizzy, sort of pins and needles feeling

Felt like a dehydration headache so I had a couple of glasses of water and a cup of tea before bed, still felt "funny" then my neck became stiff

Uncomfortable dull ache and stiff neck started getting worse, I settled my baby and I fell asleep around 11pm

Woke up at 2am with the most violent headache I've ever had in the back of my head and neck

Wanted to throw up, woke up drenched in sweat - even the back of my hair was wet! (Sorry tmi)

Couldn't talk and my jaw seemed to clench, couldn't even stand to look at my phone because of the pain.

Started crying due to pain, this hurt even more. Took paracetamol. Sipped water because I was worried I was dehydrated

Couldn't lie down so had to sit very still with my knees up

After 3am this seemed to ease, I still have a dull ache but not even a fraction of how bad it was earlier. I feel shattered and weak.

Does this sound like a migraine? Or just a really baddddd headache and I'm being a baby?

Why I'm posting and what freaked me out was that I'm home alone with a 6 month old as DH works nights this week, similar headaches have happened before but randomly and not as bad - I seen the gp and each time they said "it's viral" and there was nothing they could do. It scared me how it just stopped me in my tracks and I've never felt so powerless

Paracetamol did seem to eventually help as I feel a lot better, just abit shaken, has this ever happened to anyone before?

I always thought my pain threshold was high but not where headaches are concerned apparently

My migraines are linked to MSG, if I eat anything with high levels I’m really unwell. Have you tried migraleve (sp) from the pharmacy? They come in a yellow or pink tablet. One you take as its beginning and if it doesn’t go you can take the other. They are the only thing that work for me. Also if you take paracetamol as soon as you feel any symptom starting it can help prevent it (but not every time, it was something the GP told me to do).

I get cluster headaches. Similar to migraines in lots of ways but slightly different symptoms. They always happen at night for me. I used to take daily medication to stop them but had to stop taking it to conceive my son and while breastfeeding. I'm now pregnant again and getting lots of them, assume due to the hormones. Its horrendous and i have so much empathy for you

Everyone is different when it comes to migraines I've found. Sumatriptan works for me - it works quicker if you take it as the migraine is developing. I find it does still work once the migraine is full blown, which is just as well as mine often wake me up in the early hours.

I wonder whether your headache was a cervicogenic headache which can be brought on by different things. Keep a diary of what you are and drank, timings, severity and location of pain, etc and this information will help with a formal diagnosis and treatment.

I get period related migraines too, the best thing and the only thing I have found that works is having my daith pierced.

Since I've had that done I've gone from one a week to maybe a slight headache the day before my period.

I've also had a coil fitted which meant this month I didn't have a period and so no headache. But for the past 2 years the piercing has been a life saver.

Worth looking into

DD gets migraines and has sumatriptan which really works well.

Like a pp said, she had her daith pierced 2 years ago and it has made a huge difference both to the number she gets and the severity of them when she does get one.

I've got one now. Pain across from the temple to the left eyebrow, then down the side of my nose into my top left canine. I've taken frovatriptan, naproxen and 2 buccal prochlorperazine.

For me, the headache isn't the worst bit. It's the sensory dysfunction (smells, noise sensitivity), dropping things, muddling words, banging into things, etc.

Just to reiterate what others are saying- you need to deal with migraine early on. This isn’t something to try and power though.

Mine include slurred speech, left and or right sided weakness, pins and needles, numbness, vertigo and severe pressure in my skull, left ear and left eye. I have hemiplegic migraines so will often look like I'm having a stroke during mine. If they happen during the night I go into a really deep sleep where absolutely nothing at all can wake me. It's pretty scary actually. I've ended up in hospital twice because of them. I do have a history of brain injuries though! Once for a week and the other just until oxygen and IV pain meds, anti sickness and prochlorperazine had kicked in enough to take it from a pain scale of 10 to around a 3-4 and I was able to walk without having to hold onto things so I didn't fall over. My blood pressure plummets too and I badly crave salt. Don't particularly like it the rest of the time, but as soon as I get the urge to start chucking salt on pretty much anything savoury then I know that one is on its way. I've tried all sorts of medications for mine but haven't been able to take them long term due to side effects. My only option now if they come back regularly again is Botox injections into my neck and skull. I managed to go 2 years without one but after my recent miscarriage I have started getting more and more again due to all the stress.

Sounds like the migraines I get, I can really imagine how I feel with one, from your description.

I take prescription dihydrocodeine and zolmitriptan for mine, but that's only really effective if I catch it early. Also white tiger balm on my neck and forehead bring some relief.

They're just awful, you have my sympathy. I get one at the beginning of every period. Before I had DD I used to get one at the end as well, thankfully I don't any more.