Migraines 😩

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Just hoping someone might have a magic cure that I can use for migraines...

I have had them every few weeks since I was a teenager unfortunately and never really managed to get them under control. I take propranolol daily which helps and I am no longer on any hormonal contraception as think that wasn’t helping. But today I have had another awful one and feel so sick! I have sumitriptan which help a bit but don’t really fully get rid of them - the only thing that works is sleeping for a solid few hours. If I am sick sometimes they go as well but I don’t want to be hanging around the loo hoping to be sick 😩 I also have a five month old baby so even more desperate than ever for the bloody migraines to stop!

Please tell me all of your migraine secrets?!

If ordinary painkillers aren't helping to relieve your migraine symptoms, you should make an appointment to see your GP. They may recommend taking painkillers in addition to a type of medication called a triptan and possibly anti-sickness medication -taken from the nhs website

A doctor I went to years ago had all sorts of food-based remedies for things. His migraine "cure" was to eat a banana as soon as you start to feel the migraine coming on because they are high in potassium (crucial in the electrical signals of the brain and heart), give your blood sugar a boost and put something on your stomach.

Do you use the nasal sprays? Much more effective than the tablets.

Hi sleep thank you, I already have sumitriptan from the GP but they aren’t making much difference. I might try to get an appt anyway to try a different type though if they’re available.

Oh CAAKE that’s really interesting and easy enough so will try!

april no I didn’t know they were available so I will enquire about them, thank you.

I was getting to my wits end with migraines recently. Taking lots of painkillers etc etc. went for a shoulder and neck massage. Wasn’t expecting miracles, just hoping to release some shoulder tension. Oh. My. Word. Incredible. Have taken not one painkiller since. I don’t expect never to ever have migraines again but I feel sooo much better now. I will def go back.
I would say that the masseur was also an acupuncturist/ I did mention I was getting headaches and he really focussed on specific points. Really firm pressure which was not painful as such but def sore but so worth it!!
Hope you feel better OP xx

I think migraine is actually a hugely variable condition, in terms of symptoms, triggers and treatments. They also change over time. Here’s some things that apply to mine. Or have done in the past...
Made worse or brought on by: Red wine and fizzy wine, too much chocolate, stress, my period, oral contraceptives
Reduction in frequency with correct prescription glasses.
If I feel one starting, drinking LOADS of water and taking meds ASAP will reduce the severity and duration of the attack.
Soluble aspirin is surprisingly useful.
I take dihydrocodeine if I’m suffering at bed time. Helps me sleep it off as well as reducing pain.
Whatever meds I take tend to mitigate the headache only. Nausea, fogginess remains.
Interestingly, I’ve had long phases with none at all: about 6 months in my first pregnancy, then I had one during the induction which might actually have been from the epidural. Then none for I think 5+ years.

Thanks so much mini and bonzo I will definitely try a massage. Any excuse! I have still got some dihydrocodiene I think from my c section and did find that worked butnh GP was reluctant to give it again as it can exacerbate migraines! I just find my whole day is ruined by them and I don’t want to miss out on my DS as I am in bed with a migraine several times a month

The sumatriptan is meant to be taken when you feel a migraine coming on - my gp told me this as I suffer a lot.

I changed my contraception, that helped slightly

I also got a daith piercing in my ear which has helped massively - I now get 1 a month which is linked to my cycle - but it's manageable with sumatriptan - lingers around like a hangover headache then goes when I sleep at night x

Oh also, sorry posted too soon!

Don't take any other painkillers that are codine based as that doesn't help apparently

I sympathise, OP. I've had migraine most of my adult life and the only thing that has ever worked has been the triptan drugs. They take away the pain and I can have a reasonably normal day, although it's still like wading through treacle. I would have struggled to hold down a job without them. I feel sorry for you that they don't work.

I tried codeine many years ago but after a few months the pills stopped working. It's a bit of a controversial drug too, it makes you feel a bit strange and some people can't take it.

I've never discovered what my triggers are when it comes to food and while I'm sure some people have them, I just haven't ever discovered a pattern so I don't think I can do anything by changing my diet.

I hoped hitting the menopause might get rid of them but although they're less intense, I still get them.

Different GPs have put me on different preventative drugs, but some of them made me gain weight, and I was still taking the triptans as well so I stopped taking them.

I'm definitely going to try massage and I'm keen to see what other people suggest. Sorry not to be more positive, OP.

I keep going back and forth to my GP to try and find something to help prevent my migraines. I've tried Zolmitriptan at the onset of a migraine and 20mg of amitriptyline every night as a preventative measure but neither have made much difference. The only thing that is guaranteed to cure one of my migraines is 2 x 30mg tablets of codeine phosphate.

The doctor has just upped my amitriptyline prescription to 50mg per day, so I will have to wait and see if that makes a difference to the frequency of the migraines. In the meantime I'll keep taking the codeine every time I get one.

Candesartan before bed every night has made mine less frequent and less severe. I had to go through all the usual preventative treatments before they let me try it so you need patience but I would definitely speak to your GP about cycling through them all until you find one that suits you.

I use mefenamic acid, which is a nsaid ( pom) , I think it's actually for painful periods but I discovered that half a one helps a lot.

My husband has dreadful migraines but the last couple of years he is sick constantly for about 12 hours so much so that he can't take any painkillers until he stops being sick
Why would they suddenly get worse? He's 58

Thank you all for your advice with this, I am definitely going to go back to the GP to see if I can try something different. Maybe I will find a combo that works one day!

Codeine Phosphate works for mine too. It's all in the timing though, you need to take it as early as possible so the migraine doesn't take hold.

Similar to suggested above; i saw a chiropractor a few times earlier in the year and was 6 months headache free after my neck and jaw being worked on. I have had a very mild one since the weather changed so I imagine they will be back, but i will try the chiro again if needed. Worth a try!

I have been drug free for 5 years after 10 years of multiple attacks a week, my migraines are managed solely by diet and I have a couple a year now (excluding when pregnant when they were worse for a while). I don't eat wheat and I watch the amount of tyramine (an amino acid found in beef, tomatoes, cheese and lots of others) I eat in a day. It took some trial and error but I know that if I'm careful I don't have to worry about migraines and I don't rely on medication.

I also recommend a daith piercing, that reduced the severity of mine before I changed my diet.

Good luck

Botox in your neck and an specific nerve. Google Botox for migraine.

Fellow migraine sufferer here too . I don't much other advice to offer except that I rely on sumatriptan (on repeat presc) and sometimes try to offset that by taking Anadin Extra instead, which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Migraleve and Nurofen are useless IMO.

Anything can set it off for me - foods, wine, smells esp perfume (YUK), loud noises, bright lights, eye strain, stress, irregular sleep patterns including too much sleep, or constant sleeping/waking, and of course frigging hormones

Sorry.. just wanted to empathise!

Hi OP just watch the sumatriptan use as overusing them can cause rebound migraines, I found this out the hard way a few years ago and had to go on a detox which entailed of no painkillers or triptans for 6 weeks to reset my brain. It was horrible but worked! I now only use the triptans sparingly. Also there are 7 (I think) different triptans so if sumatriptan isn't knocking back the migraine for you ask to try another one!

Knowing your triggers is the hardest part of migraine management, I've had them since I was young and am now 32 and I'm still not sure of all mine! I also have a 5 month old DS and sleep is a massive trigger for me. DS has taken to waking every half an hour in the last three weeks which has seen me have a migraine pretty much every other day.

It's hard when you have a baby to look after but you really need to try look after yourself with sleep, diet and exercise. If you find you are getting no where with your GP and live near London a trip to the national migraine clinic is worth it. I seen them a few years ago and they really helped me with mine!

Hope you get some relief soon!

I’ve struggled with migraines and daily headaches for years. I’ve tried various preventatives and acute treatments. The thing that has helped most for me is the combined contraceptive pill (one with oestrogen) - I had mine under control for a couple of years on this. I had also taken this when I was in my twenties with no effect on my headaches it’s only since having children and taking it again that it’s helped with headaches. They are worse on progesterone only pill and with the Mirena coil.

Unfortunately they’ve recently started getting worse again, upping the oestrogen dose helped but I’ve now got to the highest oestrogen dose pill I can take. I’m hoping to try Botox next - that’s pretty much the only thing I haven’t tried. I’m also planning on getting a daith ear piercing as I’ve heard a lot of people say that’s helped them and it seems a fairly easy cheap thing to try.

For acute attacks I find that aspirin plus domperidone can be really effective. Sometimes this works on its own, sometimes I combine with a triptan (i find almotriptan best) and sometimes the triptan on it’s own is enough.

I think it’s a bit of trial and error with migraines as they’re different for everyone and so it takes time to find what works for you.

Have advice and am also seeking advice!

I get nerve blocking injections into the nerves running up the back of my head about every three months. I found that I had terrible side effects from triptans, the beta blockers made me slow and sluggish, candesartan did nothing etc etc. A drug called indometacid helps but only as a suppository not by mouth. It's not great but anything to get the pain under control. sodium naproxen (another NSAID) sometimes takes the edge off.

Which brings me to daith piercings. I've heard that they are both agony at the time and for months afterwards and difficult to keep clean and infection free. Could those with daiths give me any tips and experiences?