Worst migraine ever

[migratethemigraine]

Been having excruciating headaches for the last few months. Been trying different drugs from the doctors and nothing has helped. He said it’s migraines and I have to find my own way to deal with it and it’s individual. But nothing is helping and it’s been the worst few months of my life. No pain relief helps when it starts. I just have to bear it until it eases off but it can be anything from hours to days. Sometimes it’s tolerable but other times I’m almost smacking my head off the wall with the pain. I just want relief but I can’t get it. I feel like I want to drill a hole into my brain to let out some pressure (obviously I’m not going to do that, but I feel like my head is like a shaken up can of pop and there’s so much pressure in it and it needs a way out.

its so sore tonight and I can’t even lie down to sleep because lying down makes it much, much worse. It feels like my head is going to burst. It’s one sided but feels like a LOT of pain and if I lie down it feels like that side of my brain is going to burst open, it’s too sore to lie down.

please, other migraine sufferers, does it get better over time? Do you have any advice of things I could try both long term and short term to stop this bloody migraine tonight? Im so miserable with this!

It seems odd they are suddenly so bad- are you sure there isn't something medical going on? My migraines have been fairly consistent the last few years.

I find my triggers are bright sunlight so wearing sunglasses when I go out on any sunny days helps, and disrupted sleep or lie ins. I have to get myself up at a similar time to work or I'll pay for it later.

Lastly, and perhaps a bit oddly, I find a large packet of salty crisps helps when I have a migraine, I'll eat them alongside my painkillers (thankfully paracetamol along will often knock one off if I catch it early.

Hope you feel better soon.

medication wise I take amitriptyline everyday to prevent migraines. It doesn’t stop them all together in my case but it’s definitely reduced the frequency and intensity.

when I do get one I have to go into a dark silent room and I use an ice cap (if you google ice cap for migraines) you’ll find plenty of them. I then have to try and sleep with it on and I usually wake up and it’s gone after a couple hours.

when I did have a really intense one for a week I was given some nasal sprays from the GP to use which did help, I can’t remember the name of them though unfortunately!

so sorry you're experiencing this - migraines are terrible.

Have you tried applying warm or cold things to your head or neck (gently). I've found a cold flannel or warm hot water bottle helps.

My food 'cures' are apple juice, grapes and (weirdly) baked beans. Sometimes salty crisps help too. Experiment with small amounts of different foods if you can. Most people find sugar or salty foods help.

Try building up a stack of pillows so you can sleep sat up - lying down definitely will make it worse.

I also find using my arm to cover my eyes - to really block out all light (and apply pressure on my eyes/head works.

Other have said wearing a tight hat or even tying a dressing gown belt around their head helps too.

In the long term - perhaps try some supplements. I found magnesium helped me and has reduced the number of migraines I get - and the intensity. I take one magnesium capsule a day before my period and when I get a migraine - it sometimes wipes it out all together.

My doctor gave me codeine phosphate tablets which really helped take the worst off. Also, post menopause, I rarely suffer them now, so they can go away. Mine were definitely connected to my monthly cycle. Have you worked out what triggers yours?

I had a nurse practitioner give me advice about mine. It may not be totally medically legit but it’s a formula I’ve used with success.

As much caffeine as I can drink with a high dose of ibuprofen. I also add pseudoephedrine to the mix.

Mine are sinus/pressure change triggered so that’s why the the pseudoephedrine helps.

Try and notice if you get any warning before the pain starts, if you can take pain relief then it makes a massive difference.

Solpadeine - soluble paracetamol, codeine and caffeine amazing stuff.

I too would be concerned why you suddenly have them?

Mine started when my periods did, were very infrequent between 20-45 and then have become a few a year since peri hit.

When the pain is bad it is excruciating, I have wailed in pain wishing for death before

Cold and flu pills

Salty food

Icy cold Coke

Since I was a teenager I’ve had terrible migraines and have learned how to manage them.

As soon as you feel one starting, take painkillers (I find Cocodamol is best - on prescription) and Sumatriptan which acts on the blood vessels that cause the migraine. If I feel nauseous I take Ondansetron to reduce it.

I use an ice pack at the back of my neck and another one on top of my head, and heat from a hot water bottle or heated blanket on my body and hands. Again, this acts on specific blood vessels as well as being comforting. An eye mask to exclude all light. Either cold water, Coca Cola or Irn Bru to sip. Then lie in a quiet room and try to sleep.

This usually helps within a few hours but may have to be repeated over 24-48 hours.

Having said all the treatment I apply, I have walked down from a substantial hill and driven home after a migraine struck. Sometimes you have no choice.

Discuss with your GP which preventative medicine will help you. I’ve tried most of them and they did reduce the frequency of migraines but the effect wore off after 6 months or so. I’ve now been on Nortriptyline for over a year and, for the first time in my life, am pretty much migraine-free.

Everyone has their own methods which work for them so try them out and see which are best for you. Good luck!

I'm back to work today half way through one that I had to have a sick day for yesterday.
Sumatriptan for me (didn't take one early enough, this monster was arriving Wednesday evening and I thought it was one of those that goes with sleep) salty foods as pp says, no idea why, crisps and things like Tuc crackers, Parma ham etc, and also crave sharp fruit like pineapple. No idea what the science is behind that, if there is any, but it seems to be the same for lots of people! Also those lucizade glucose tab things. And full fat coke. And coffee. Sometimes all the above shovelled in asap gets rid of it.

Sumatriptan helps as it also contains an anti nausea element my GP said.

As pp mine are also very much connected to sinuses so decongestant thrown into the mix, apart from making me doollally and sleepy help as well. Dangling my head over hot water too.

Best things ever were Syndol before they took whatever the equivalent of a Class A drug out of them about 15 years ago and made them just paracetamol and codeine.

Sumatriptan really is brilliant for me though. Have just had one, and gone from thinking I'm going to have to ring in sick again, to thinking it's ok I can make it. (Half an hour ago)

If your GP hasn't prescribed you anything, make him. I had a locum once who pointed out how expensive sumatriptan was and was really wanky so I pointed out if he looked at his computer he'd see it was the only prescription I'd had for at least 10 years.

I really feel for you as I had one for nearly 3 days this week. Sinus pain and my head but especially my neck, felt as you feel now. Was crying with the pain and feeling sorry for myself as painkillers did not work. Had to go out and get Solpadeine and Sudafed spray which did help. Am in peri menopause and missed a period last month so pmt worse this month and did not even think of that so day 4 got my period and felt better and with the meds. Usually with me is related to hormones but haven't had migraine in ages. Used to get them every month and is horrible. Try to get Solpadeine and a nasal spray, lots of water. I could only eat a slice of toast a day as felt so ill. Hope you feel better soon and get some sleep as I was also waking up at 5am with pain and could not sleep and had to nap in the day. Hot showers also help with the head pain or a shoulder rub. If it is not hormonal could be either dairy or gluten have intolerance to. Mind yourself.

Great advise on here as did not know about the salty food and coke.

sp sorry you’re going through this. personally what works for me is Solphadine Plus dispensable tablets, an ice pack, can of coke and ready salted crisps and just lying in bed in a dark room x

Have you had your eyes checked recently? They can see whether there is pressure on your eyes. If not as above nortriptyline can really help especially if tiredness is a trigger.

What works for me is 3 aspirin with cola as soon as I feel it coming on. Or ibuprofen . One particularly bad attack I found that lying in a tepid bath with a cold cloth on my neck and one on my forehead helped a lot. I usually have to sleep it off too.
GP wasn't very helpful was he ? He could have prescribed a sumatriptan or nasal spray to try.

What drugs have you tried so far? I have Amitriptyline for prevention and Sumatriptan for when it kicks in. I also find salty food and full sugar Coke helps.
Key thing for me was identifying triggers. Usual suspects like red wine, dark chocolate but the main thing was that I found playing games on my phone triggered them. Deleted the games and the frequenting has gone right down.

I get bad headaches when my neck goes out.

Have you tried physio/ chiropractor or a massage?

Oh OP! It’s awful isn’t it.

sumatriptan + ibuprofen + ice work for me (most of the time).

when I was pregnant and trying not to take sumatriptan (I did actually take it though on occasion), I found that if I clipped a clothes peg on the bridge of my nose (the pressure point between my eyes), it did help alleviate the pain. I still do this every now and again when I get a bad one.

I believe tyramine can be a sneaky trigger and I think this is one of mine! If I don’t balance all the things below, I am certain to get a migraine:

• keeping hydrated
• enough sleep
• stress levels /anxiety levels
• onions! (Red onions in particular!)
• Wine and beer - actually, any alcohol.
• nuts
• lentils

it might be worth having a look at foods high in tyramine and work out if you have been eating anything a lot recently that could be triggering you. (For me, it was honey but cluster cereal a few years ago! And then more recently I developed a love of red onions in salad… it didn’t love me).

I take amitryptiline to try and stop them coming.

When I do get one I take sumatriptan which can help.

However, on numerous occasions I have "rebound headaches" which can also be very painful and last for days. These are caused by taking too many painkillers and, unfairly, only migraine sufferers get them! Google them.

... And I should have added that a lot of mine were at the time of my period.

I then got the Mirena coil fitted to stop my periods and a lot of my migraines stopped.

I do still get them at times (I had one this week) but nowhere near as often.

I second everyone saying salty crisps and coca cola, I also find something really sugary like doughnuts can help if it's early enough.

The 4head type things where you roll a cooling liquid on the affected part of your head provide some relief or at least a distraction. Putting something cold against my head and neck helps. I also have a heated eye massager that really helps and one of those spider type head massagers that helps a bit.

Sometimes all you can do is get to a darkened room and wait for it to end.

There is an ear piercing you can have that helps

This works. I do it too.

You may want to ask for a neurology referral to rule out cluster headaches. Migraines, although painful, don't render me in the condition you are in but cluster headaches do. Have a look online about the location in the head of each and see if it matches. Runny nose and teary eye is also a symptom.

Sumatriptan and 2 Anadin Extra tablets as soon as symptoms start. Then I have to lie down for a few hours and just wait.

I'm now taking daily Propranolol (a beta blocker) as a preventive.

My migraine treatment is: nasal sumatriptan, ibuprofen and a McDonald's happy meal with a full fat coke then bed.

I would recommend getting on omeprazole if you do take this route and do it frequently as I ended up with severe stomach issues doing this

Chrmic