Migraine

[ReadingRiot]

DS2, 15 yo has sudden ly started getting severe headaches which leave him in bed for 2-3 days. He also complains of nausea and eats very little for the duration.

The first time, I rang the doctor for advice who prescribed Sumatriptan over the phone. I took him in one the third day(as advised if there was no improvement) and they just said keep taking the tablets. He's never had any kind of examination.

He's in bed again today and I've given him the last of the tablets.

If I take him back to the doctors should I be pressing for "tests"? I don't like the idea of regularly giving strong painkillers without establishing a cause.

He's still tucked up in bed with his old Teddy

There is no actual specific test for migraine but I found this might give you an idea -

www.nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk/migraine-and-headaches/migraine-diagnosis-test/

I would start keeping a diary www.migraine.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Download-a-Migraine-Diary-here.pdf

www.migraine.ie/what-is-migraine/

www.migraine.ie/health-professionals-and-migraine/migraine-diagnosis/diagnosing-migraine-diagnostic-resources/ some very useful stuff in that link

Can you tell I have migraines too

Ive had migraines for 23 years and was only given a test (MRI) a couple of years ago when treatments were not working and I was having a migraine every day for about 6 weeks in case it was a tumor or something.

I know it's hard. My 6 year old has just been diagnosed with abdominal migraine (before being a teenager migraines manifest in the stomach rather than the head). No tests, just months of elimination (through tests) of other stomach complaints.

He's now on very strong meds which I was a bit iffy about but they seem to be working.

Keep your DS hydrated. Make sure he eats regularly (low blood sugar triggers migraines). If he likes coke, next time an attack is coming on a lot of people have success with paracetamol and coke.

Try to identify his triggers (stress, lack of sleep, certain foods and drinks, The weather...!)

Some good stuff in smurf2015's post. It was a long time before I discovered I was having migraines, chance mention at GP one time about having a hideous headache that day. Obviously I'm not an expert but the 2-3 day headache and feeling nauseous was how migraine affected me before I got treatment, it always lasted 3 days.

Sumatriptan isn't a painkiller and most migraine meds work better when taken immediately you realise you are getting one. Sometimes they don't work if headache is established. I get warning signs - tightness in my left temple. I feel for your son, migraines are bloody awful.

Agree with @Fintress re the coke and paracetamol, to clarify it needs to be the red full-fat coke and not diet coke. The caffeine in the coke will help open up the blood vessels which are constricted in the brain causing the migraine.

Also on the same lines putting a cold pack (bag of peas wrapped in a tea towel to prevent cold burn) on the back of his head or neck while he has his feet in a basin of water on the ground as hot as he can tolerate,

(don't follow the example exactly as in the picture as it's not a good idea to try and balance like that on the sink, its an accident waiting to happen - just covering my ass)

Can I also add for information for anyone reading there is a consultant neurologist whose specialist interest is headache and migraine who has a free e-course on living with both, he has also written a book on helping someone to get rid of headaches/migraines if they had unlimited money to throw at it no holds barred. Because he recognises that 99.99% don't have billions he shares the most useful bits on his free email e-course with no spam - why do i think so much of this dr, i trust him with my life several times and probably will again, He is based in my local area hospital and I see him on NHS.

My migraine conditions are rare, crossover with other things and after throwing everything we possibly could aggressively at them it has gone refractory and its now finding coping mechanisms to get thro their onslaughts.

www.severe-headache-expert.com/discover/

I'd book him in for another appointment.

Is he sleeping enough? Does he play computer games too much? Both trigger my migraines. Although everyone's migraines is different.

One of my DCs has had bad migraines for years - he used to get headaches/migraine as a young child. We have never pinpointed the cause although he did teeth grind as a child so maybe that was a factor then. Sleep and too much screen time are also factor for him now he is an adult but not all the time.

It really is worth reading up lots of advice about migraines. It took me years to properly address my migraines. i just struggled on despite the meds stopping working (I've been on about 9 different prevention treatments - most worked for a while then stopped).

In summary, the things I found important:

• routine. It's very boring, but going to bed at the same time, getting up at the same time, eating at the same time has really really helped. When on holiday and having a lie-in, I'll often get a migraine.

• drink enough water

• avoid low blood sugar. Total disasters for me were at work, having to work through a lunch break and under stress and only grabbing a sandwich at 3pm. Guaranteed migraine the next day. To the point I had to tell my managers that I might be 30 minutes "late" handing in a last-minute doc (it was always a last minute request) but it was a choice between that and me being off work sick the next day

• gettting a decent crisis medication and TAKING IT STRAIGHT AWAY. I cannot stress how important that it, it loses its effects if taken too late. I used to wait to see if it was really a mgiraine or just a bad headache. My neurologist told me to always take it.

• getting a decent preventative treatment. My current one has made me go from migraines every 3 days to a migraine every 6 weeks....

I'm determined not to let my son suffer like I did. He's only just got the diagnosis but I'll be talking to his school in September to let them know (all last year his teacher told him he was lying about his stomach aches and needing to be sick every day )

It's worth getting his eyes tested and his teeth (in case of grinding) just to rule them out.

I did all that plus acupuncture and osteopath but I need medicine unfortunately.