This helped my migraine......

[PoppadumPreach]

I suffer quite badly from migraines - i take naratriptan to help which works, but can take up to a couple of hours and during this time my migraine symptoms usually get worse - like they build up to a real climax.

anyway, usually take paracetamol and ibuprofen to help which sometimes work however, owing to not having any in house i had to resort to the kids' calpol and calprofen - just upped the dose to same amount (in mg) that an adult would normally take.

i have found this works absolute wonders and migraine disappears within 10-20 mins or so! i think it is becuase the drugs are in "liquid" form that they are absorbed by the body more quickly.

anyway, just wanted to share this (I'm sure many have done before mind you!) as i'm now on my post-migraine high and if it helps just 1 person i'll be pleased!

Thanks for this, Poppadum - ds gets migraines, so I might try this. The liquid thing makes sense.

Wow- had a killer migraine the other day- wish I'd known about this then!! Need to get back to the docs as it was horrible and had to take the day off work. Thanks Poppadum

i do hope it helps and would be really interested to hear if it does (though clearly i am not wishing any migraines on you or your LO's)

the other good thing is that calpol/calprofen taste quite a bit better than the tablets!

That makes sense - don't migraines affect the stomach so if you leave it too long your stomach won't be able to digest a tablet properly. Presumably the liquid form is quicker and easier to digest. Makes you wonder why we take tablets at all for migraines really.

I'll remember this for emergencies.

3 Aspirin, that dissolve in water before you take them, the moment you feel a migraine coming on is the advice of my specialist.

Poppadom, could I ask what mg of each you used? Ds is on the cusp between child and adult - ie nearly 18 - so I don't know what the adult dose would be. Certainly from a migraine conference I went to recently, he could do with the adult dose. The docs there were very keen on "aborting" the migraine before it got to the Imigran stage.

Yes - the saliva contains enzymes for digestion, so anything that is soluble will 'get into the system' quicker.

Any soluble paracetamol would be good (or aspirin)

Omerta I think the adult dose for paracetamol is 1000mg up to 4 times a day. I think for ibuprofen it is 400mg 3 times a day. But pls check!

I agree about soluble paracetamol also being good but I'm not aware of soluble ibuprofen tablets?

Thanks, Poppadum. Have not heard of soluble ibuprofen tabs. Ds has been having 3 soluble aspirins plus Domperidone, but they do sod all. He always progresses to the Imigran stage. Maybe Calpol can sort him out; will obviously check the doses with the pharmacist, thanks.

The nearest you can get to soluble ibuprofen is probably Nurofen Meltlets. I don't think there is an actual soluble one (in the main, I believe, because it tastes absolutely disgusting!). Meltlets dissolve in your mouth and they are a sort of lemony flavour.

Great tip - will try, thanks!

Also been told to use the aspirin (in which case, no nurofen - one or t'other) at first sign of migraine. Soluble if poss, and drink lots of water.

The reason my GP gave was that migraine is/can be caused by teeny tiny clots in teeny tiny blood vessels - and aspirin will help dissolve them.

Last two I have tried this, and it really helped - not as severe as usual.

Mine are classic migraines with aura, btw

i'm not sure i get an "aura" but i get a "feeling" before the real pain kicks in. it can be quite subtle to the extent i ignore it (and then i pay for not taking my naratriptan)

it is definitely a migraine though as it last 2.5-3 days every time often with sickness and light sensitivity and it is always on the right side of my head going from under my eye over the top of my head to the back of my neck.

really hope the calpol/calprofen thing helps as they are such miserable things.