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Original poster

Anyone know a miracle migraine cure? - it hurts so much!!!!

36 replies

zephyrcat · 08/11/2004 16:01

Hi all - I've always been prone to migraines and one has just kicked in. I swear by migraleve but have no cash on me to get any. Anybody know anything else that helps? I've just taken 3 asprin and 2 paracetamol!!

OP posts:
Titania · 08/11/2004 16:09

have you got any lavender oil in? block out light, warm flannel on your forehead....and no computer!!!

Titania · 08/11/2004 16:10

Forgot to say I am sorry you are feeling so rotten....can you not get to the doctors? {{{HUGS}}} from a fellow migraine sufferer. Get better soon x x

sweetkitty · 08/11/2004 16:11

sorry was going to say Migraleve

try going to sleep if you can in a dark room on a cold pillow

Original poster
zephyrcat · 08/11/2004 16:13

cant really do anything til dp gets home in a few hours ds would scream and dd would wreck the place lol I will have to convince him to make dinner and let me go to bed

OP posts:
marthamoo · 08/11/2004 16:19

Try an ice pack - a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel will do - on the back of your neck or your forehead, wherever seems to give best relief. Stay off the PC! Try and lie down, keep the lights low, and keep your eyes shut (don't know how old your child/ren are so don't know if this is at all feasible). Try eating something - if you can - to get your blood sugar levels up (not just a sugary thing, something with some carbs too)

Another thing you could try is squeezing your thumb (on the nail and the pad of your thumb) between your thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand. I know it sounds mad but it's the reflexology point for headaches and it does seem to help - squeeze as hard as you can bear.

And don't take any more painkillers for at least 4 hours!

Chandra · 08/11/2004 16:25

Take a shower and lower the temperature of the water gradually (has the same effect of the pack of ice but faster). Neurofen (ibuprofen)is great, specially the liquid capsules. You can take the ibuprofen even after the paracetamol. Ahh, and drink lots and lots of water. Good luck, hope it doesn't hurt a lot.

Original poster
zephyrcat · 08/11/2004 16:29

Thanks for all your advice everyone. I think it might be a trip to the docs tomorrow as well - before the pain kicked in my eyesight went really bad and now my hand has bad pins and needles/numbness/tingling - thats not a good sign with migraines is it?

OP posts:
Chandra · 08/11/2004 16:48

Zephircat turn off the computer! it really makes you feel worse. But before you go... regarding your question, I have not had symphtoms like that however, when I get very bad migraine episodes my hands shake for quite a time. In the worst episode I have had (peak lasted 3 hours) I was still shaking 5 days later.

vict17 · 08/11/2004 16:54

Have you tried that headex that you just put on your head? I'm not sure if you can use it if you have already taken pain killers but it might help before you can have another dose. Do you know what your triggers are? My sister gets them and her triggers are mainly cheese and chocolate (poor thing)

jasper · 08/11/2004 21:51

for the longer term do a websearch on NTI appliance.
They are fitted by dentists , cost a couple of hundred pounds and the ones I know of who provide them give a money back guarantee.
Other than that I don't know too much aout them but it might be worth looking into.
I have a colleague in Glasgow who has had incredible success in treating his patients who suffer from migraines.
I hope you are feeling better soon.

Dec · 08/11/2004 22:43

Zephyrcat, I hope you've managed to take the edge off that migraine now. I too get migraines and swear by Nurofen - I'm incapable of swallowing capsules though so I use the meltlets that you just put on your tongue and they dissolve.

You mentioned pins and needles in your arm and hand though. My migraines are caused by trapped nerves in my neck as I've also got a misplaced disk that sometimes gets out of position. As well as the dodgy eyesight and chronic headache, it gives me pins and needles down my arm! Perhaps it would be worth while finding an osteopath to check you over? I think that's why Nurofen works on me - more because it's anti-inflammatory than painkilling!

Hope you feel better soon xx

wobblyknicks · 08/11/2004 22:48

zephyrcat - hope you feel a bit better now - I have Sumatriptan (prescribed) and find they help a lot, with the pain - not the exhaustion tho! And as to your symptoms - they're what i get every time with a migraine.

Just a note to people who said an ice pack - if it helps then fine but I tried it when I started getting them and it made it a 100 times worse. Asked gp and he said it's one of the most natural but worst things to do. Migraines are caused by blood vessels constricting in the brain and the cold will make them constrict more - making the pain worse. As I say, if it works for you fab but will make things far worse for some migraine sufferers. Once when i tried an ice pack I totally lost the ability to speak coherently for about half an hour (apparently due to the constriction thingy).

Twiga · 08/11/2004 23:19

Zephyrcat, sorry to hear about your migraine - much sympathy, it's rotten isn't it. I usually take migraleve and then try and lie down somewhere cool and dark, and sleep for as long as I can. My mum bless her got me this great wee stick thing which can be used on top of medication as it's made from essential oils - called "Migrastick" and she got it in a health food type place, so should be easy to get hold of. It contains lavender and mint oils, and has been great, have even used it solo when out of pills if in the very early stages and it's worked a treat - very relaxing. Hope you're feeling better soon x

Twiga · 08/11/2004 23:20

Oh also, if you feel like you're gonna throw up, I usually find it's better to let it happen then fight it, seems to ease the feeling of tension, normally feel a bit better once I've been sick - sorry if TMI.

ChicPea · 08/11/2004 23:23

Beg, borrow or steal to always have a supply of Migralieve pink tablets.

onlyjoking9329 · 08/11/2004 23:24

have you tried syndol, it works for me, you can buy it over the counter, lavender and patchoulli
oil both give me a headache

Twiga · 10/11/2004 23:12

Hi Zephyrcat, just wandering how you are - hope you are fully recovered x

nightowl · 11/11/2004 01:02

no help to you now i know but ive had agonising headaches for years...been diagnosed as migraine, sinusitus? tension headaches...they dont really know but there was only one thing that ever helped me which was very strange. one night my exp grabbed hold of my head with one hand front, one hand back and put firm but not painful pressure on it. i couldnt beleive it but the pain disapeared straight away. i try to do it myself now..obviously thats a bit awkward but strangely it does help! its worth a try anyway i think. honestly im not jesting.

pixiefish · 11/11/2004 07:49

Feverfew- from the health food shop- think you take it all the time and it's meant to stop them from coming in the first place- I know that doesn't help you now but it may do for future

Original poster
zephyrcat · 11/11/2004 14:26

Thanks everyone! I missed some of these posts on that night because I had to go and collapse on the sofa for a couple of hours!! It did go away in a few hours though - which is good for me - mine usually last a couple of days. I swear i will never ever be without migralieve again!!!! Thanks again to you all for your kind help tho (I'm going to try all of those rememdies!)

OP posts:
loobyloo2 · 11/11/2004 14:54

Where's the best place to buy fever few and what strength is best to get rid of the head. Can any one recommend a good pill from the docs that helps if the feverfew doesnt work. Tried migraleve and co-codamol normal strength to no avail, what else is avail? As lying down in dark room is no good with 2 kids running around!!

noddy5 · 11/11/2004 14:57

syndol are good

lavender2 · 11/11/2004 15:00

herbal 31 from Just (Swedish firm) put it on your forehead and it really tingles (you have to put it on when it wear off...but it got rid of mine once)

gscrym · 11/11/2004 15:40

I had really bad ones for years. Found to be triggered by caffeine or alcohol so I had to give up both. I've only had one in the last 4 years.

I think I had sumatriptan (I think it was called sanomigran when I took it). If you get migrane regularly, they can help. The made my attacks a lot shorter. They reduced them from lasting 2-3 days to about 12 hours. The other thing I got was Imigram. They worked quite well with the sanomigran. The only thing was it was 1 sanomigran per day no matter what.
I hope these don't bother you too much. They are horribly painful and leave you so drained afterwards.

pixiefish · 11/11/2004 16:03

loobyloo2- sorry no idea on quantity etc. mum has migraines and the lady in the health food shop recommended feverfew for her. Mum doesn't take it- if I were you I'd try and find a good independent health food shop with knowledgable staff and ask them

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