What could this be? Migraine related

[mouldycheesefan]

Hi like many others here I suffer from migraines I take preventatives daily plus triptans etc when I get one.
Tuesday I had a migraine, took a day off work.
Since then I have had constant headache, feel exhausted, feel hot and clammy but don't think I have a temperature. Triptans have worked on the headaches till today.
Now on day 5 of feeling like this. It's school hols and have to pick up from holiday club in next town and have to go to work so fretting about continuing to feel this way next weeks.
Any ideas?

Just to add, I luckily work from home so apart from taking the Tuesday off I have been able to manage work this week.
But next week we have builders starting in the house.

Sounds like you have a really bad migraine; think of it as a kind of brain storm that can swipe out your brains ability to process and regulate things. Feeling hot/cold when you have not got a temperature can be part and parcel of a very bad migraine. Might be worth chatting with your GP as there are some additional drugs you can use if triptains do not nail a severe migraine down. [Try not to take more than one triptain per week except on medical advice as they can cause rebound headaches that mimic migraine and will hurt like hell]

Thanks I have been taking one zolmitriptan every day this week. It does usually stop them but hasn't today. However, I guess I could look at it as although I had a migraine on Tuesday at least the triptans have kept it to headache level since then.
Think ypu may be right may be one long migraine. Wish it would end just want to feel normal again and not be worrying about dealing with work/builders/picking up kids.

I have been advised my consultant that overdoing the triptans leads to rebound headaches, as do other painkillers and to avoid them for six weeks so that they work more effectively. I have also found totally cutting out caffeine has reduced the intensity of headaches so they are manageable- and this includes decaf products, as they still contain caffeine, sometimes in surprisingly high quantities. I think it's quite common if you are a regular sufferer to have an epic headache every few years - perhaps the weather has had an impact on you?

I hope you feel better soon - I know how horrid these ones are.

Thanks really appreciate the replies.
If you don take triptans what else do you do to stop the pain? I can take cocodamol but obviously they can cause rebound headaches as well. I do a lot of lying in the dark with cold patches in my head.
Previously my GP told me that if I felt a migraine coming on then caffeinated Coke could help ward it off. It has worked at times. However this week I have gone caffeine free although I didn't realise that decaf product,s still have caffeine in.
How do you manage with work and kids and daily life?

Snap.
I've had a right fucker.
(Sorry much so that I needed a+E)

I need to stockpile suppository pain Meds and bucal anti-emetic.

If you aren't in the UK a joint or two if you can face it avoids the need for iv fluids usually!

I've found solpadene max dissolved in half a can of coke a life saver when I can't take any triptans.

My migraines are bastards though, it's like they let me get away with a few when the triptans work and then every so often I get an absolute blinder that knocks me out for a few days.

900mg aspirin dissolved in full fat coke. Also, buccastem (prochlorperazine) can get the gut moving again. I get gastric shutdown with my migraines so sometimes it doesn't matter what I take it has no effect. My worst one was 15 days straight. I went to A &E and got injected with Sumatriptan in the end, then got injections on prescription.

Oh my goodness never had to go to a and e.
See the full fat Coke thing and the no caffeine thing are diametrically opposed? So which do I do?
I do take buccastem for the nausea.
Does the aspirin or solpadeine in Coke knock you out like cocodamol

Two bags of fluid and triptans iv plus as many bum rockets as I could get, I hate going to A+E I have sensory trouble.

I'm still in bed now whinge

I think that adopting the no caffeine thing in normal life helps ( and if you've been caffeine-free this week then I wonder if you've had a withdrawal headache on top of a monster migraine?). In the grip of an attack then I think the coke thing is fine- it quells nausea symptoms and gets some sugar into your body , the lack of being another reason that you feel so wretched when you have a long-lasting migraine. I work full-time and have a child. With regards to managing on a daily basis, I don't drink, smoke or have caffeinated drinks or eat chocolate. I try to get 7-8 hours sleep a night, not sleep for too long unless I'm ill, eat every four hours and have a snack in my bag for emergencies, wear sunglasses when it's sunny and hats when it's cold, as the weather triggers mine and get some fresh air every day. I am on beta-blockers, have triptans for attacks and Cyclizine for nausea and vomiting. Most of the time I'm OK and the triptans head off an attack. The medication and the lifestyle elements mean that usually mine are mild, last one day and go after I've had a sleep. My family are very good about leaving me be and keeping the noise down/ avoiding cooking smells in the house when I have an attack. However, I have had referrals for migraines and this helps with work and sick leave issues. I have also been allergy-tested- my mother's migraines were triggered by certain food allergies, including cheese, mushrooms and milk but mine are not, apart from too much coffee and red wine, which is the case for most people. Having regular migraines counts as a disability and means that employers have to make 'reasonable adjustments'. For example, as part of my job I have to check students' reports. I am entitled to have these printed out so that I don't have to do hours of screen-reading, as moving screens and scrolling can trigger an attack. Perhaps there are some adjustments or changes to your routine that could be adopted at work, regarding screens, lighting and having a walk around every so often?

That's a really helpful post Wavy I'm working at my weight at the moment and I've taken to drinking more 'proper' coffee, I can cut that out.

Luckily I work from home mostly anyway, but I'm stuck at part time hours as and when.

No caffeine generally, but either coke or a strong coffee during a migraine is thought to help the gut absorb the drugs. Gut motility is massively slowed during a migraine for many people, so you can be taking pills but not actually absorbing them. That's why the dispersible aspirin are better and the buccastem as they dissolve through the gum.

I have nortriptyline at night, topiramate twice daily, frovotriptan as required, aspirin as required and botox three monthly. I still get them regular as clockwork mid-cycle and during my period The worst thing for me is that the botox modulates the severity of the headache, so I can normally work through them, but it does nothing for the nausea, noise and light sensitivity, brain fog and word finding difficulties. It's awful if one strikes mid shift as I'm an ITU nurse, so I have to be on the ball. All I can do is swallow my tablets as quickly as I can and hope they take effect.

Are you drinking enough in general? Muddy suffers really bad migraines and in this hot weather not drinking enough can cause pretty bad ones that linger on.

Thanks all great advice. Didn't sleep very well as I didn't take cocodamol before bed, trying to avoid the rebound headaches.
Have a mild headache this morning I am going to try the solpadeine and Coke and stay off the triptans and just take it easy today.
Wondering about getting a referal from my GP,I have medical insurance which would cover it. Reason I haven't done so before is that my gp said that the first thing the consultant would do would be to take me off all my current meds which worries me. I don't really want to get worse and have tried different meds before which haven't been as effective or have had bad side effects.
Have been keeping a migraine diary.
Well at least it isn't migraine today just the ongoing headache and feeling rough. Hope everyone else hav ing a better day.
Off to start on the fluids see if that makes a difference.

I hope the solpadene and coke works for you.

I've also found that if I'm properly hydrated, then my migraines are much less severe, and less frequent. I struggle to drink enough water though!

The other thing worth a try is the Cefaly machine. It's quite expensive (€295/£250) but you can trial it for two months for €49/£42. It's basically a TENS machine for the head. I've had mine for years and haven't used it for ages, but I tried it again today and it does take the pain away very effectively (sadly it doesn't rid me of the nausea, etc.).

Thanks I will look into the machine.
Coke and solpadeine seemed to work yesterday was headache free from lunchtime yesterday till lunchtime today, actually had a nice day yesterday and was able to go out. Not sure whether the solpadeine or just the headache wearing off.Headache back now have taken the solpadeine and Coke again.
How is everyone else?