Migraines ruining my life

[Catlover465]

Am getting about one a week, nothing sinister but does anyone have any tips for overcoming them? I am wondering if they are linked to heavy periods/ mirrena coil. Any advice would be appreciated.

Have you tried migraleave?

Look up the Curable app, TMS and Nicole Sachs for one possible cause

Ask GP to be referred to neurology. That many a month would be classed as chronic. They will probably prescribe triptans at first.

A good tip my neurologist gave me when I have an attack, take 3 soluable aspirin, alongside 3 paracetamol. Has to be the dissolve type x

Second vote for migraleve it’s a type of vitamin called Riboflavin B2 - highly recommend it’s actually a NHS recommendation for repeat migraine sufferers. Take daily it will reduce frequency.

This is the info sheet I got to take alongside my preventative x

if You’re taking Sumatriptan be careful of repeated headaches caused by overuse. I stopped taking them in the end and found x2 paracetamol and x2 ibuprofen taken at first migraines signs with something sugary like coke got rid of it. Maybe not as quick
sbd had to ride out some symptoms but I didn’t get rebound headaches on loop. Mine were stress induced and frequent. Since having children and not working they are now hormonal and on the day before / day im due

I had migraines frequently for years and, like yourself, I suspected that they were liked to my periods, ovulation and any change in hormone levels. I had a hysterectomy at 45 and lo and behold the migraines stopped immediately. I’ve had only a handful of them in the past 25 years.

I had the same OP - regular migraines which took days to recover from. I also had heavy periods but I don’t know if there was a link, although they did seem connected to my cycle.

First doctor fobbed me off but the second was much more proactive. He put me on blood pressure meds where a known side effect is preventing migraines. Haven’t had one since. Obviously this solution isn’t right for everyone and there are other impacts it might be worth exploring? The key thing is not to suffer in silence. I did for years and I hate to think back over the time I lost.

Had them since 27, am now 55. Frequency much reduced now in menopause. Try frivotriptain on prescription and daith piercing definitely helped .

Fellow sufferer here. Issue with migraine is that what works for one person will almost trigger them in someone else. You'll get TONS of brilliant advice which is really overwhelming.

BUT the best advice I ever got (and it came from MM) was to have a look into the National Migraine Centre who are a charity. There's amazing advice on their website and a fantastic podcast series that answers everything you've ever wanted to know and more.

But amazingly you can get appointments with a migraine specialist doctor through them - free if you can wait about 6 months and then a sliding scale for a shorter wait, or else almost immediately. It's 45 minutes of a deep dive into you, your lifestyle, your symptoms and then a written summary and treatment and prevention plan which you can take to your GP to get prescriptions. Game changer for me.

I am now on propanol for migraines and have gone from almost weekly to twice in 10 months. Huge change

I have some nasal sprays on prescription for my hormonal migraines and they are amazing! Stop it within 15 minutes. Do make me feel a bit funny after - heavy limbs feeling mainly - but def worth it! I think mine are called Zomig. I really empathise… migraines totally suck!

Adding to the ‘what works for one person’ advice, my migraines increased significantly around 47/48. I take Q10 everyday and they drastically reduced. Some good evidence for it (I think it was the national migraine centre that I first read about it).

I've begun getting these near my period - hormonal ones apparently - but they've gone from 1 day to 5 so I've sought help. Short term the Dr prescribed Sumatriptan 50mg which you can get in the pharmacy over the counter. I take one when my ears start ringing and I feel nausea starting, so as soon as really. They last about 2 hours. Longer term I've decided to start HRT gel next month, which the expert thinks should stop them as it's connected to hormonal imbalances when you get peri.

Have you seen your GP about them?

If you are getting one a week you should be on a preventer medicine, there are loads of them so if one doesn't suit then another almost certainly will.

You should have been prescribed a triptan as the most effective reliever but never ever take more than 6 a month as anymore can start triggering the migraine.

So you need to go back to the GP either to start a preventer or to explain the one you are on isn't working. It can be a long haul to get to the meds that are right for you.

I’ve heard so many things that work for some, not for others, what triggers them and what to avoid.
I’ve suffered ever since hitting menopause.

Sometimes I can ward of a ‘daytime starter’ ie the ones that start in the day, with two soluble Anadin Extra and I’ll throw a sweet drink and some salty crisps at it for good measure.
But the night starters are much harder and more severe as they’ve already taken hold once they’ve woken me.
If I know I’m too late for Anadin (and they don’t work once it’s reached migraine level) then it’s Sumatriptan.
I feel so incredibly lucky when reading the experiences of some of you, that a Triptan has never ever let me down.

My biggest trigger is the Sulphites in bottled drinks. So wine, bottled ciders are all huge triggers.

Im very aware of rebound headaches and a Triptan is my last resort, I’m prescribed six every two months and that’s usually about right. Mine come in clusters of several over the course of a week, then nothing at all for a couple of weeks or so.
I do find sharing these experiences useful as it never hurts to have a bank of ideas to try!

Thank you for posting this - I just bought a 2nd pack as I ran out of the 6 prescribed by Dr, I hadn't been told about not taking more than a certain amount and as they are over counter I wouldn't have thought twice!

I second Sumatriptan.
Got horrific migraines that made my eyes water when I started menopause. They stop them in their tracks within the hour.

Thank-you, it's a mistake many of us have made! Going cold turkey when I had overuse headache was one of the worst experiences of my life.

My neurologist has drummed it in to me: Not more than 2 a week or 6 in a month.

This is not a lot of good if you are having more than 2 migraines a week but that's when you are supposed to be seeing your GP again to point out your treatment isn't working.

I wasted so so so many years just putting up with the migraines or pissing about trying to identify triggers (waste of time as it turns out I have loads of them) - it took until I was nearly sacked from work to really keep pushing for effective treatment.

I didn’t get on with sumatriptan but rarely get migraines now since I started on HRT - mirena plus lenzetto. Mine were definitely due to hormonal fluctuations and became really bad after I turned 40.

I don't know how old you are but mine started in perimenopause and stopped as soon as I started HRT.

OMG 2 a WEEK? I had the whole pack of 6 in a week as it had been 5 days constant migraine pain with me in a dark room feeling sick and dizzy when I tried to stand. Couldn't think properly and it made me super grumpy. When Dr prescribed taking 2 whenever the symptoms started I began immediately as I was crying in pain having to go in to see the doc and wait at the pharmacy as it was! I was crying taking them in my car worried I was going to crash with the pain so the risk of them making me sleepy was worth it (sounds dramatic now I type it!). I took them every 2 hours of day time from thereon in because every time I stopped everything came back fast and it's what the Dr had advised. He never said not to use them all or to come back if it went on more than a further 2 days. I've not had one for around week since but felt some minor signs today so bought another pack...glad I haven't needed one yet and saw this though!

I'm waiting until 1st Oct to start HRT so I really hope I don't get more. I can't do anything much with one and can completely see loosing a job from migraines. Hideous and something I never really took seriously until I had one.

Sorry @somethingnewandexciting my typical migraine used to be 3 days, so 2 a week meant deciding which day you were going to write off and stay in bed.

You have given a classic histiry of overuse headache there unfirtunately with the headache pinging back, you taking more meds... I found it intellectually interesting when I could observe my own body doing it, although honestly I'd be happier just not to have migraines.

Back to GP for a preventer or a review of your existing preventer.

For anyone else peri out there I also had worse migraines with peri and HRT helped a lot. Similalry if you have them with your period, do you really need to have periods if not TTC? Mini-pill was great - no migraine, no period pain, a truly vicious combination.

Amitriptyline for me, found 30 mg was the right dose for me to be functional (higher dose zonked me out) but minimise the migraines and sumatriptan for when they do come. I find the nasal sprays better than the tablets. Tablets work as long as you take them before the migraine properly hits but it gives me a feeling of disassociation. Very unpleasant.

Can you tell me more about this? I've been taking it and couldn't pin the GP down on how often was too often. Think I'd had 6 or 7 in about two and a half months.

Mine vary - sometimes gone the first time. Sometimes they come back the next day. Largely depending on my ability to manage stress.

I take sumatriptan x 1, naproxen x 1 and 2 paracetamol at the first sign, then a second sumatripan an hour later if its still there.

I have a Neurology appointment for end of December. GP wasn't keen to change anything until I'd seen them.