Anybody care to join my migraine pity party?

[belimoo]

I am so sick of bastard migraines ruining everything. I am now on day 8 of a migraine and would be ready to scream if I didn't feel so pathetic and weak.

It's my birthday tomorrow and I've just phoned to cancel the restaurant booking I had with my parents tonight. Based on how I'm feeling I imagine I'll also be cancelling dp's plans for celebrations tomorrow.

I know I'm a grown up and it's only a birthday and I've been trying to remind myself how much worse other people have it but right now I just want to wallow in a pity party for a bit, given that it's the only party I can have right now.

I've lost count of the number of things I've missed out on due to my stupid stupid head.

Would anybody like to share the things they've missed out on due to migraines and make me feel less alone? Or just join in with a general moan about how shit being a chronic migraineur(euse?) is?

[StarCourt]

@RedCarsGoFaster I like the sound of that!

[RedCarsGoFaster]

@StarCourt ask your GP for scopolamine patches. They are anti sickness meds, last for up to 72hrs. I had thrum prescribed after a weekend attack where I couldn't keep anything down to treat the migraine. I've always used anti sickness pills, but I couldn't keep them down either. The patches are brilliant. Not as strong as a pill, but gets it under more control so I can take a triptan.

[StarCourt]

I've never heard of Ajovy. I started getting migraines in 2006 and they've never stopped since. If I can take sumatriptan before they really hit and sleep for a couple of hrs I can ward them off. But if I wake up with one which is most often, nothing works as I vomit so much nothing will stay down. 6-8 hrs of vomiting or heaving every 20 minutes coupled with diarrhoea and profuse sweating.
My last migraine lasted 10 days, better for 2 then got tonsillitis which I'm just getting over.
You all have my sympathies. Migraine is so awful and effects every part of life

[Hathertonhariden]

@roastednut

My gp refused point blank to prescribe HRT because of my migraines. She relented at one point but I took one HRT and had the worst migraine I have ever had. Clonidine was the alternative to HRT. Hope you can get a treatment that works for you

[Overtherainbow99]

Another vote for Ajovy!

I had roughly 25 migraine days per month, now only about 5 around my period time.

Zero side effects here too, which my neurologist promised me but I didn't believe until I saw it! Have just been granted 1 years worth of access to it. If your neurologist hasn't suggested it please ask about for a better one. Completely un-Mumsnetty hugs for what is a chronic yet not spoken about illness.

[Piapiano]

Does anyone else get vestibular migraine? I only get very mild headache but get dizzy, blurry eye and occasionally scotoma in one eye, and the right side of my head feels all tight like someone is pulling on my face. It's very weird. Neurologist was very blasé about it and said it wasn't bad enough to need medicating.

[Fupoffyagrasshole]

Had migraines for years - then they went away after I came off all birth control! Hadn’t had one for about 6 years!

However since my baby was born 6 months ago they have come back 😭😭
Literally doing the night feeds in tears half the time
So awful isn’t it - I hate When people say oh a headache - yeah it’s a million times worse than just a headache

[TheTempest]

I get hemiplegic migraines which have put me in hospital a few times. I really feel for you 😫 I have missed DSD’s birthday, New Year’s Eve, my birthday and various parties etc. Oh and seeing the Script live in concert. It really really sucks and everyone thinks it’s just a headache! I have chiari malformation so a headache is ever present- migraines are like nothing else on earth! I hope it goes for you really quickly, and a very happy birthday!

[Annonnimoouse42]

I'm so sorry you're suffering. Have chronic migraine too and it sucks. I'm in a spell of really bad ones and it's grim.
I had no side effects from Ajovy but it also didn't help. I've started emegality instead but too early for results.

[roastednut]

@Hathertonhariden

I couldn't have got through my 5 day migraines without Syndol. When I started being perimenopausal the gp prescribed Clonidine for the hot flushes and I've only had 2 proper migraines in the last 10 years instead of 1 every couple of weeks. Apparently it was originally designed as a migraine treatment.

I've been prescribed HRT (patch and progesterone tablets) but wanted to get migraines sorted before going down that route. Think I might just take the plunge as may help with the hormonal ones

[Hathertonhariden]

I couldn't have got through my 5 day migraines without Syndol. When I started being perimenopausal the gp prescribed Clonidine for the hot flushes and I've only had 2 proper migraines in the last 10 years instead of 1 every couple of weeks. Apparently it was originally designed as a migraine treatment.

[roastednut]

That's really interesting redcars- exactly my fear. I don't think I can risk taking topiramate. I'm coming off Nortriptaline and think I'll go completely off preventatives for a while and see how I get on. I use approx 6 triptans a month so not too bad compared to some I realise. I'm finding zolmitriptan is getting less effective on me so might try to get a prescription for the other one you mention

[belimoo]

I've only just seen that others have replied, thanks all!

That's two votes for Ajovy now which is interesting. I read about some nasty side effects which have worried me, especially as it's not like a tablet which you can just stop taking. I wish I could know whether it would be ok for me or not, I'd be willing to spend a lot of money on it if it would help!

I was already nervous about Topiramate though and have been firmly put off now! It's not on the agenda at the moment anyway while ttc is a possibility. Thank you @TheBeautifulSouth44 I'd heard that from others too so am holding out hope it would be the same for me!

@RedCarsGoFaster sorry to hear you had such a terrible time, that sounds awful I've tried Rizatriptan and Frovatriptan as well as Sumatriptan. Rizatriptan didn't seem to work at all but I tried that in desperation after days of Sumatriptan so it perhaps wasn't the best trial.

Frovatriptan seemed to have a milder but longer lasting effect but was so expensive (I buy triptans online as GP appointments are impossible to get where I am).

Feel free to keep sharing woes or tips, it's so nice to feel less alone.

[RedCarsGoFaster]

I wouldn't touch topiramate again if you paid me. It nearly ruined me. The brain fog, exhaustion and inability to get moving newly cost me my job and my marriage, and I was being tested for cancers before they realised it was the side effects of the meds. Never ever again.

Took a full year off topiramate to feel like myself again.

I'm now on Ajovy. Other than injection site irritation which is itchy and hot for a few days (but greatly improved by cortisone cream) , I have nil side effects and have gone from 27 days of migraine per month unmedicated to a max 5 attacks.

My attacks are shorter, less severe and I can take a triptan for EVERY attack instead of working out which ones I will have to suffer through so as to avoid MOH.

If your triptan isn't working well, ask for new ones - sumatriptan dropped working suddenly for me after 20+yrs, rizatriptan made me feel so so sick with the taste and didn't really work, naratriptan was not much cop, but I now bounce between zolmitriptan and frovatriptan.

Zolmitriptan works much quicker but knocks me out do I use this for really severe attacks where I need to sleep. Frovatriptan is longer lasting so I use this for days I need to me on my game.

[roastednut]

Can I join please! I have Botox (for the wrinkles) but it's never helped my migraines. I've just had Nortriptaline and tried it for 3 months but hasn't made much difference. Next step is topiramate - im so nervous though. I don't mind the weight loss at all, it's all the other side effects that worry me!

[AngelinaJoliestoplip]

@userxx 😊😊😊

[userxx]

@AngelinaJoliestoplip It's such a brilliant side effect isn't it! Wrinkle free and migraine free too, bonus 👍.

[TheBeautifulSouth44]

I suffer from terrible migraines and found that they were much better during pregnancy. My first I didn't have any and my second I had hardly any. Hoping it's the same for you!

[2typesofjungle]

@belimoo oh no! I'm so sorry, you might be different.... they were only really crap in the first 15 weeks and then the last 4 weeks of pregnancy

[belimoo]

Thank you for all the replies and sorry i didn't come back last night, I'm trying not to be on a screen too much.

Sorry to hear you've all been suffering too and that you've missed out on things. It has helped me to feel less alone though.

I already have Botox for my migraines but am due a top up soon so will book that in. Aspirin has never helped but I haven't tried it with coke so will do that!

@thestarvingcaterpillar does the Ajovy have any side effects? I've heard mixed reviews about those kind of drugs.

I've been prescribed Topiramate but haven't started them. Partly because of the possible side effects and partly because I'm hoping to get pregnant before too long and the dr told me not to take them if I'm doing that.

My worst ones are definitely hormonal and I'd hoped that pregnancy might provide some relief but @2typesofjungle has ruined that hope

[AngelinaJoliestoplip]

I had Botox in my forehead before the summer for vanity purposes, and within a couple of weeks, I realised my headaches/migraines had stopped. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the Botox was wearing off, (lasts between 3-6 months), and in the last week my headache/migraines have started again. Back on daily painkillers. Have booked in for more Botox next week!

But when the headaches stopped, I googled it and Botox is a treatment for migraines. It paralyses the nerve and stops the pain message getting through.

Just thought I’d mention in case it helps someone. Hope you all find something that works for you. x

[FrozenoutofCostco]

If it's lasting for 8 consecutive days then you definitely need to see somebody. That sounds far too extreme. Best of luck

[TheCanyon]

I have hemiplegic migraines. So fucking utterly useless during them and becoming more often.

[Pretendingtosmile]

Btw the most recent thing I missed was a day at the zoo with my little one (and it was sunny!!) It was wonderful, apparently. I however spent four days in the dark, alone, with my temples on fire. There's a whole catalogue of things I have missed thanks to migraine. (And I can't use screens on my migraine....so no Mumsnet!!! Take anything but not that!)

[Pretendingtosmile]

I'm just emerging from a week long migraine. Here for the hand hold. Migraines are life vampires.

I get hormonal migraine linked to my cycle (the drop in oestrogen or something?) But I also get random ones if I have sugar (even just a teeny tiny bit) which are epic in their length and the blinding pain level.

My GP is lovely but does not understand migraine and doesn't have anything further to add in terms of treatment beyond migraleve for the vomiting.

Hoping you feel better for your birthday I'm so sorry migraines are such a bitch