To wonder if any of you have found a migraine cure

[TracyLords]

I started having migraines when DS was born 5 years ago. Since lockdown they have increased. I take propranolol, sumitriptan and some other thing which I’ve forgotten.

They had been improving for a month: still occurring but going away quicker with meds. But today was a stoater and my head was pounding. Slept around 16 hours and I’m still knackered.

It’s impacting my work, family life and social life.

Has anyone found a cure for them?

Sympathies, it's horrendous.

Amitriptyline daily has helped, as has progesterone.

Have you tried amitriptyline at all?

I've been hospitalised several times with migraines , have had sumatriptan propanalol codeine and naproxen none of which worked , the only thing that seems to work is dissolvable aspirin my gp says this is what neurology now advise , my migraines are finally under control after 3 years of hell x

@Blackopal I have not! It’s not ever been suggested by the GP. I had thought I was getting better so just gutted today has been so crap. I’ll ask about it c

@depression941 I’ll look into aspirin. I’ve never used it for migraines. when pregnant I think I was had to take it every day for some reason

Not a cure but a 'comfort' so amazing I can't explain!!
I have taken nasal sprays for a few years now which do work but the side effects make it prob not best to drive the next day - feel a bit spaced out but not in pain....
My revelation has been the proper medical ice packs you squeeze to activate...
Oh the relief. ...
Put one on your pillow in a cool room and sleep. Bliss.

@TracyLords I get mine on prescription as there quite high amounts to take , I would ask your gp , also if you buy them make sure it's the dispensable ones the gp says they get into the bloodstream quicker if dissolved rather than tablets x

@Brollypackedforscottishholiday Are those the “cool and sooth” things or something else?

No cure for me I'm afraid, but I can help relieve them a little with the following:

• can of classic coke with some aspirin as soon as you feel it coming on. Or, perversely, a strong coffee!

• wheat bag warmed up in microwave and draped over my head. Ice works better for some, it's trial and error.

• raising blood sugar by eating some cake or similar

• making sure I don't have an empty stomach even if I'm nauseous

• resting head on a super soft blanket

• co-codamol is a great painkiller for me, but for some can make worse. Again, trial and error.

• sleep, sleep and more sleep

I sympathise, OP

@Brollypackedforscottishholiday I used to use ice packs but they stopped working and so now use the opposite- hot water bottle and it’s bloody amazing!!

Got inside bit of my ear pierced. Sounds woo woo but have gone from hospitalisation because it looks like I'm having a stroke to none at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My GP advised me to take a daily feverfew tablet and to give it 4-6 weeks to build up in your system.

It definitely helped to reduce the severity and frequency of my migraines which I think were mostly hormone related.

I took the feverfew tablets for several years and now I'm post menopause, my migraines are much less of a problem.

I made a tincture of rosemary from a herbal book. Dont know if it helps full blown migraines, but definitely eases headaches. Was sceptical ....but it works

HRT has helped mine. Always suffered but since I went on HRT at 43 they are better. Not gone altogether so I still take 10mg amyltriptaline at night if I can’t shift it.
Triptans make me feel sick.

Botox injections by neurologist every 3 months has reduced them from near daily to just a few a month. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through with the GP before referral though

Kool pak instant ice packs.

My cure has been keeping my shoulders warm at night.

Has your diet got a lot of artificial sweeteners in it?
I used to have migraines and discovered that anything with aspartame
set my headaches off.
The law changed regarding sugar in drinks a few years ago and a lot of sugar was substituted with sweeteners which are bad news.
The only fizzy drink I can now take is full fat coke.

I find cocodamol or 3 soluble aspirin with a sugary fizzy drink (coke or lucozade) really help if you take them at the first sign. Sometimes coffee helps me too, especially if it's morning time. I also find heat helps more than cold. I fill a hot water bottle with hot water from the kettle and lie with it over my head imagining the heat soaking the pain up. An eye mask is also useful so you can block out all the light. I sometimes listen to an audiobook whilst I'm lying under my hot water bottle. It stops you thinking about the pain and relaxes you.
I hope you find something that helps you.

Am on a bit of a cocktail of things and still have a lot of migraines. It's worth trying other preventatives-theres absolutely loads of them. Currently on Gabapentin, naproxen, botox and ajovy and things are the best they have been for a long time but still have symptoms daily.

The only cure I have found is going to sleep. I need to find a medicine that can get rid of it.

@Tweedledeeanddum I'm exactly the same. Had migraines for years and had no idea that my beloved Diet Coke was the cause. Once I cut this and anything with aspartame out the migraines went away. I had no idea this could cause them and wish I knew sooner!

Daith piercing for me
Used to be wiped out for a couple of days each time
Non existent now

When I went plant based, that was the end of my migraines with aura. I would have them very frequently, and now its been nearly a year since I had one, which coincides with me giving up all animal products. It's said dairy can be a trigger, which I suspect may have been for me but I am unsure.

Of course, everyone's different, and tt could just be a total coincidence, but it could be worth giving it a try.

In terms of short term relief, I went for Anadin extra as soon as the 'warnings' came. Yes, it might be just the aspirin that's affective, but it contains caffeine as well. I washed them down with a double espresso/ energy drink and some of the time it would prevent the migraine from taking hold.

3 soluble aspirin at the first sign
Using a cervical pillow a few times a week to keep my spine aligned. Likewise a decent pillow at bed time. That was trial and error.
Don't get dehydrated.

I also take propranolol 3x day. They did originally stop them completely but they have started coming back sadly.

My migraines really shifted up a gear in peri menopause, I've been on Propranolol for two years and take Sumatriptan for an attack, which works really well. But I felt the Propranolol wasn't actually doing its job preventing so I have recently come off it and started on HRT (my migraines seem to follow my old cycle)
Early days, but I've now gone 6 weeks without one.
Other than that, soluble Anadin extra can help if I take it early enough, strong coffee, full fat coke, something sweet, something salty (choc & crisps)
I can't sleep mine off once in full blown mode & the only thing that works at that point is a triptan.
I do really feel for anyone who suffers with them, it's hard to explain to people just how debilitating they can be.