Is this a migraine?

[SallySparrow86]

Had several episodes like this over the past 6 months, varying in severity. Usually starts by waking up with a mild to moderate headache, take some paracetamol, hope it will go away. It doesn't and persists for 24-72 hours. The pain varies between a dull pain all over my head and a more concentrated pain around one or both eyes, I also get random stabs of pain in my head. My eyes ache and hurt throughout. I also feel sick and have waves of nausea and feel really tired and sorry for myself until the pain finally subsides.

No visual disturbances. The pain varies from mild to severe. Current one is about a 3 or 4 out of 10 so fairly mild.

Does this sound like a migraine or just a bog standard headache?

Following. I'm perimenopausal and getting occasional nasty nasty headaches. Slightly different in how the pain moves around my head but also the awful nausea and carrying around a vomit bucket just in case. Excellent days for watching my weight though, I don't want a thing

Could be but I couldn’t just take (useless) paracetamol and wait 72 hours for my migraine to pass tbh, although I know not everyone experiences migraines the same way.

Have you had a sight test recently? If not I would book a sight test then, assuming all ok, discuss with your Dr.

Have you tried migraleve?

Yes, had an eye test last week. I wear glasses for screens/reading but no change in my prescription since my last eye test.

I went to my GP a few months ago after a particularly nasty episode, I was bed ridden for 24 hours, and he prescribed Sumatriptan but I’m not convinced what I’m experiencing are migraines and not just bad headaches. Was just interested in others experiences

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I went to the GP but only discussed the 1 bad episode, which I described as a migraine as the pain was so bad. I haven’t asked him whether these similar but not so severe episodes are also migraines or not

I'm not sure, but what I thought was a migraine turned out to be high blood pressure. I was incredibly shocked.

Might be. The word 'migraine' comes from 'hemi-cranium', meaning half-head. They're usually one sided. Not always though. It sound like yours do have a one-sided feel sometimes.

Try 3 aspirin with a full fat coke, at the first sign.

I get revolting migraines and have specific migraine medication, and when the doctor suggested this, I thought 'You've got no idea, mate: these things are like steamrollers!', but sometimes, it does work.

Doctor said 'I shouldn't tell you this' before he told me; they're not allowed to recommend brands!

Do the triptans work? That'd be a fairly good way of deducing if your headaches are migraines or not. Triptans treat the cause, not the symptoms, so they won't get rid of a different sort of headache. They're not pain killers.

I also 'get stabbed in the eye' - that stabbing thing sounded familiar to my migraines. As does the feeling of being 'sorry for myself'. I'm like I was when I had depression, during a migraine. Total change of mindset. Full on pathetic!

@TheFoundations

I also 'get stabbed in the eye' - that stabbing thing sounded familiar to my migraines. As does the feeling of being 'sorry for myself'. I'm like I was when I had depression, during a migraine. Total change of mindset. Full on pathetic!

Yes I’m exactly the same! I also feel really tearful, it’s so strange.

TheFoundations I’ve tried aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen, none of them touch it unfortunately. Never tried it with coke as I can’t stand the stuff but I will bear it in mind if I have another shocker as I’d try anything at that point!

@BusterGonad

I'm not sure, but what I thought was a migraine turned out to be high blood pressure. I was incredibly shocked.

Definitely not low blood pressure, doc checked it when I saw him previously

Sorry, high! Mine is low!

Yeah, keep a can of coke in the house, and 3 aspirin is key.

The tearful, impending-doom feeling is awful. Last thing you need when you feel like... well, I feel like I've got seasickness with a hideous hangover, having been punched squarely in the eye. I quite like talking about the symptoms when I don't have one because it's all so dramatic! It feels like a different person to me who gets them. I didn't feel like that when I used to get them all the time though.

They also have phases, and if you can hide in the dark and silence early enough, maybe sleep a little bit, that can be surprisingly effective.

A couple of times I've had euphoria instead of the migraine 'hangover'. I didn't know this was a symptom until afterwards when I looked it up. I went to my 'back to work' meeting once after 3 days off, and when my boss said to me, 'So, how are you doing?', I answered as if I'd just smoked a joint. 'Yeah, man, I'm, like, coooool, yeah...' I still cringe now when I think about it!

Fascinating business, migraines. Unless you have one.

I was told by a migraine specialist that if it’s so severe you have to take to your bed, it’s probably a migraine. Headaches you can function through even if it hurts.

It’s worth taking the sumitriptan. If it helps, it’s a migraine! Been a game changer for me, nips a migraine in the bud most of the time. I recommend taking a half dose if you need to function, a full one knocks me out!

Could it be a cluster headache/migraine? Sounds very similar. Have you tried co codamol when you have it? Paracetamol wouldn't even touch the sides for me

Thanks all. I took a Sumatriptan an hour before bed last night and it stopped the sickness very quickly then knocked me out. Feel much better today although tired and groggy.

Definitely a migraine mine last for 72 hours too and the pain is over eyes and I vomit. I'm on the second day of one and it's miserable, lying in my bedroom with curtains shut but sun is still getting through and making me feel rotten.

You also need anadin extra for the best results! I have awful migraines and have Botox treatment for them and anadin extra is the best and recommend by my neurologist

I suffer long term from migraines and would recommend the book How to Heal Your Headache. I found the writing style very irritating but the content was brilliant. Very informative about all the different aspects that can feed into triggering a migraine snd how to raise your trigger threshold. From that book I eliminated some really surprising foods which were triggers for me including bananas and lentils (both foods I love) as well as freshly baked bread and smoke cheese / meat. If your migraines persist I would totally recommend trying the elimination diet, it's a complete faff but worth it.

Also, I find Almotriptan sometimes helps me, but not Sumotriptan. There are other triptans to try if one doesn't work for you.

I second Anadin extra, as soon as I feel a headache coming on I take a couple. They don't work if the migraine is already established though.

In terms of triptans, you can lose sensitivity to them over time, so I switch back and forth between Almo- and Suma-

They gradually become less effective over a year or so, then I switch, and by the time the other one gets rubbish, the first one works again.

Amitriptyline is excellent for migraines. Just 10mg a day.

@Realitea

Amitriptyline is excellent for migraines. Just 10mg a day.

Not for everybody. Works for some, not for others. Didn't make a blind bit of difference for me, except making me woozy.

Yes I have this , but I’m also dizzy just been seen by a consultant who diagnosed vestibular migraine.He recommended I take 40 mg of zinc a day plus 200 mg of vitamin b2. Hope it works.