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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for migraine relief tips

101 replies

LMW1990 · 27/06/2020 11:27

I've had headaches in the past but a few months ago I suffered my first migraine with aura. The pain was excruciating. And I thought I was going blind in one eye! I visited my GP (pre lockdown) and they gave me some sumatriptan tablets to take if I felt it start again.

It happened once again in the same week and then nothing.

Until yesterday. Unfortunately I was away from home and my tablets. I had the aura last night and this morning I feel as though I have had my head repeatedly stamped on. I feel sick if I move. Everything seems quite bright. I've taken some cocodamol as I had some in from bad period pain this month. It's eased it slightly. Any tips for anything else that might help? Hot compress. Cold compress. I have no idea what to do with myself.

OP posts:
ItsSpittingEverybodyIn · 27/06/2020 15:01

The only thing that actually helps mine is ibuprofen, if taken early enough, and also a bit of vicks on my temples really helps! If you can, close your eyes for 20 mins or so.
I get mine when I am tired, sunlight aggravates my eyes, or if I am tense. They are awful!

StormBaby · 27/06/2020 15:07

I had a daith piercing done after 20 years of migraines and it was instant relief. This was 5 years ago and I've not had one since.

mondaynoon · 27/06/2020 16:07

Three soluble aspirin with coke and a Buccastem Buccal tablet as soon as I get a hint of a migraine coming on. Before that was suggested, migraines were ruining my life.

wowfudge · 27/06/2020 16:57

I think everyone's experience is different - I don't get aura, but can sometimes feel agitated the evening before a migraine wakes me in the early hours. 99% of my migraines kick in in the early hours and wake me up. There is no sleeping it off for me - I have to knock the pain on the head with sumatriptan in order to get back to sleep. Propanolol did nothing for me and I'm currently take nortriptyline as a preventative. I still get migraines, mainly hormonal before my period, but the number and severity have reduced.

Cocodamol doesn't do anything for my migraines, ibuprofen or aspirin can help.

Greenandcabbagelooking · 27/06/2020 17:01

Paracetamol, ibuprofen, washed down with full sugar coke (which I don’t drink normally) lying in the dark with an audio book on. I find silence makes it worse, I need someone talking quietly in the background. Stephen Fry is a good one.

Nat6999 · 27/06/2020 19:20

I get rare migraines, mine must be hormonal because I only started having them just after having ds, had them for about 6 months then nothing until I had a hysterectomy & went on HRT, the doctor told me to take 800mg of ibuprofen as soon as I felt one starting with a slice of toast, either tea, coffee or full fat coke. I start with what I can only describe as a snake in the corner of my vision, then the headache starts, I take the ibuprofen & go to bed, normally a couple of hours sleep & I'm reasonably ok, just a bit hungover for the rest of the day.

LizzieVereker · 27/06/2020 19:28

I take cocodamol which helps a bit, and something sugary helps. The main thing that I’ve discovered that helps is lying on the side of the pain and putting pressure on the site of the pain by pushing my head down. My migraine headaches move around my head over a 48 hour period bit this really helps me.

LizzieVereker · 27/06/2020 19:31

@wowfudge

I think everyone's experience is different - I don't get aura, but can sometimes feel agitated the evening before a migraine wakes me in the early hours. 99% of my migraines kick in in the early hours and wake me up. There is no sleeping it off for me - I have to knock the pain on the head with sumatriptan in order to get back to sleep. Propanolol did nothing for me and I'm currently take nortriptyline as a preventative. I still get migraines, mainly hormonal before my period, but the number and severity have reduced.

Cocodamol doesn't do anything for my migraines, ibuprofen or aspirin can help.

Yes! I feel a strange sort of agitation before and during a migraine. They always wake me up as well. Definitely hormonal for me. Unfortunately I can’t take aspirin or ibuprofen as they seem to work better.
QuestionableMouse · 27/06/2020 19:31

I second or third the can of red coke. Has to be cold.

I also like the gel cold packs. I keep them in the freezer and rest them on my forehead. Pressure sometimes helps too - in a pinch I've tied the belt from my dressing gown around my head.

Drugs wise - I tend to do paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine. Works for me but everyone is different.

MadisonMontgomery · 27/06/2020 19:39

I take cocodamol and ibuprofen with a really cold can of Pepsi max at the first sign - as others have said I have pain relief literally everywhere, you have to get it in your system immediately. If it manages to really take hold I do find making myself sick helps - probably not medically recommended but it seems to ‘release’ the pain a bit.

LakieLady · 27/06/2020 19:43

My go-to remedy is sumatriptan, travel sickness pill for the nausea/vomiting and a co-codamol.

Years ago, I was prescribed something called topiramate as a preventative, and it really helped to reduce the frequency of attacks. The other thing that helped me loads was identifying triggers. Fluorescent light was the biggest one, and getting very hungry, but also some smells: things like petrol, paraffin, some paints and some perfumes.

The frequency of attacks has really diminished since I had my menopause, and I rarely get one now.

Utini · 27/06/2020 20:00

@Oddsocks101 you have my sympathy, I had almost daily migraines for 8 weeks while pregnant and the doctor wouldn't give me anything. They stopped as suddenly as they started at 16 weeks.

If you find cold works well you might find a migracap helpful. It's a hat that contains gel packs, which can be put in the fridge or freezer.

I had two, so that when one warmed up I could switch. I sometimes used to lie in the bath with one on and found that quite soothing.

www.migracap.com

hedgehogger1 · 27/06/2020 20:18

I take these... www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/2781/pil melt in the mouth. Seem to work faster. I used to have sumatriptan but would quite frequently throw it up as migraines make me vomit

hedgehogger1 · 27/06/2020 20:21

I also take pizotifen as a preventative

Oddsocks101 · 27/06/2020 21:10

@Utini

Thank you for the tip! I am going to get myself one of those. Smile

amusedtodeath1 · 27/06/2020 21:30

These is my migraine go to's - codine & paracetamol tablets, then 4head and cooling towel on forehead, dark room and or sunglasses. Caffeine in any form will help as will getting/staying cool.

Then it's a case of trying to get to sleep I usually lie in the dark and listen to an audiobook, it can take me a very long time to get to sleep.

I hate migraine, they're the bane of my life.

You all have my sympathy.

Mojitomogul · 27/06/2020 21:37

I get bad migraines
My osteopath recommends putting an ice pack over the spot where your liver is -somewhere below the ribs, apparantly it can help draw the hot blood from your head down towards the different areas to your body. I sympathise greatly cause migraines are horrendous

Supersimkin2 · 27/06/2020 21:41

Aspirin and a fullfat coke asap.

You need a really good kip to kill a migraine - don't let anyone disturb you or it comes back for seconds. Phone off, etc.

VivienScott · 27/06/2020 21:43

Ice pack
Tiger balm across neck and forehead (the white one)
Prescription for codeine and diazepam from doctors
Yoga (as a preventative measure)
A migraine hood (basically a balaclava filled with ice packs)
Migraleve or anti sickness meds from docs
Occasionally a can of coke can stop it, don’t know why it only works some times
Concentrating on relaxing my face and head muscles during an attack
Otherwise just sleep it off in a dark quiet room

Midrangecolours · 27/06/2020 21:48

How do you all sleep when you have one? I just get so tense, would have to take codeine to sleep

Dhalandchips · 27/06/2020 21:48

I know it's possibly thought of as woo, but in desperation, I got my daith pierced in 2016 after 30-odd years of migraines (and yes definitely to the migraine hangover--the headache would last 24 hours but the hangover 3 days!) I haven't had a headache since. Placebo? Wishful thinking? Don't know, don't care! Just so grateful that they've gone!!

eugh · 27/06/2020 21:50

Mc Donald's coke (I'm sure it has something in it) ,
Hot shower on your head helps , olbas sinus stick, and sleep.

HathorX · 27/06/2020 21:53

I've had migraines for years but worse since I had children. I don't get aura, but I have dreadful nausea. I am in so much pain i literally have to lie down flat and can't move because any movement makes me vomit, including just having my eyes open. I become extremely sensitive to light as well.

You need to track what triggers you. For me it is: exhaustion, dehydration, low blood sugar, intense screen work without a break for many hours (often so intense that I forget to eat and drink, worsening the problem). Also, bad PMT or sudden change in air pressure eg onset of a storm, can trigger me.

When prevention fails, then I use yellow and pink Migraleve, plenty of water, NO sugary food (no food at all usually, sue to vomiting, and sleep it off in a dark place in complete silence. Something cold on my head helps too. As soon as I can eat then raising my blood sugar is vital to feeling better, a piece of white bread is usually good.

Often I can sleep for hours and hours, and when I wake it feels like just minutes. It's an odd thing, as usually I have quite a good sense of time passing when I'm asleep. My husband often used to come and check I was still alive, lol, as I just would not move at all and he used to get worried. Now he knows if he leaves me, I will wake up recovered.

Next day I usually have what I call a "migraine hangover" - i am achey, exhausted, sometimes very hungry, and generally feel rubbish.

I am happy to report that since I quit my stressful job, I've had NO migraines on over two years. I think that says everything really!

Eckhart · 27/06/2020 21:59

3 aspirin washed down with a can of coke, and crash out in the dark immediately. My doctor told me that, and said 'Don't tell anyone I told you - we're not allowed.' I take triptans, but the aspirin trick has worked occasionally.

For the future, you can get your chemist to sign something you can carry in your wallet, so that you can buy triptans OTC. It's saved me a couple of times.

AteAllTheAfterEights · 27/06/2020 22:01

The only thing that helps me is sumatriptan, I’ve cold drink for nausea and a spacemask laying down in a dark room

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