Migrains doing my head in!! Help!

[Jezabelle]

Not me but my DH. He's having them virtually every weekend. I know he hates it and it's horrible for him, but I just about had a breakdown today with the kids alone again!

He had those pills that you take at the onset of a migrain, but they didn't work. He then went onto Beta blockers. They worked a bit but then he got another migrain so they doubled the dose. That gave him freaky dreams and disturbed nights' sleep, (he already suffers from insomnia). So he's gone back to a lower dose and the migrains are back.

Where do we go next? It is having such a detremental effect on our lives. Should he be refered to someone? Should they be trying to find the cause?

Please help!

A similar thread is active just now called Help with Migraines that has replies and which I have just posted on recommending a book. Although GP's are often not that helpful it is worth going back or seeing a different Dr in the practise as they may refer your husband to a relevant hospital clinic and may arrange for or carry out some simple tests to rule out anything nasty.

good luck

Sorry the thread is MIgraines - please help....

Thanks Haggis, didn't think to check current threads before posting. I'll go there now.

I had a lot of them at one point and went to a chiropracter. Haven't had one since.

May be worth a try?

Thanks buda. He may well give that a go.

Ooh - almost forgot! Magnesium. Migraines and recurring headaches can be really helped by magnesium supplements.

Also - are they only at weekends? What is he doing differently? Eating/drinking something he doesn't have in the week? Not eating or drinking something he normally has? Less sleep? More sleep?

I've had chronic headache and migraines for 7 years now and have been through it all. Are you in London? If so, King's College hosp have a great specialist - Dr Dowson. He's v big in the headache world! Depending on your budget he does do a private clinic in Surrey. (Wow I should charge for this advertising!)

If the migraines are really debilitating I'd say he needs to go and get a referral to a proper headache specialist. There aren't many - I know there are several in London, one in Liverpool, or at the least get a referral to a neurologist. They can give up to date advice, and prescribe much better and more innovative drugs. I have Botox injections for mine - expensive but so worth it. Good luck!

Hi Bookfairy, thanks so much for your post. Sorry for late response. We're not in London and unfortunately money is very much an object at the moment, (might be part of the reason he's suffering so badly - the stress!) He has another migrain tonight. They always seem to come at a weekend! Don't think we're all that difficult to live with! Wonder if it's just the relaxation straight after a hard week's work?

Anyway - waffling now. He's going to the docs asap and hoping to get referred to a specialist, (a neurolodist from what you say Bookfairy).

Thanks again.

My DP has lots of triggers - he often gets one after a period of stress (even just after a stressful day), not eating (if he hasn't eaten by lunchtime he'll often get one) and he's just worked out that the water flickering in the sun (canal outside work) is setting him off too.

Other weird ones are calor gas and graph paper!

He's been given Zomig, he takes one tablet when he gets a migraine. He's used it twice - first time migraine stopped within 15 seconds, second time it didn't work.

He doesn't get the crushing sickness now as long as he takes two paracetamol and two ibruprofen as soon as the migraine starts. He's not sick as long as he does this, he just feels wiped out afterwards.

I don't suffer to the same extent as your DH but I have found homeopathic medicines have made a huge difference. I went to a homeopathic pharmacist who prescribed something for me based on my symptoms, etc. You will need to pay for whatever is prescribed, my tablets cost 5 pounds and last me a couple of months, but it's a cheaper option than going to see a Homeopath, which to be honest I wouldn't discount if you can't find a pharmacist who can help.

Hope you find a solution, it sounds really shitty for you all.

I don't suffer to the same extent as your DH but I have found homeopathic medicines have made a huge difference. I went to a homeopathic pharmacist who prescribed something for me based on my symptoms, etc. You will need to pay for whatever is prescribed, my tablets cost 5 pounds and last me a couple of months, but it's a cheaper option than going to see a Homepath, which to be honest I wouldn't discount if you can't find a pharmacist who can help.

Hope you find a solution, it sounds really shitty for you all.