Can a doctor help with migraines. How do you manage yours?

[newnamenewyear]

DP is in bed for the 3rd day running with a migraine. Day 1, he was in bed the whole day. Yesterday, he was up in the evening. Today his head is sore but he seems to be over the worst of it, I expect he'll be up later.

He's really, really shit at going to the doctor or seeking help for anything. e.g. he has an underactive thyroid and only knows about this and has medication for it because I made him go to the doctor and get tests, after years of him minimising the symptoms and saying that he was "just run down" and didn't need to see a doctor.

So, when he says there's not point in going to the doctor for migraines, I don't believe him!

He treats them by ignoring the issue entirely when he's not got a migraine, then taking whatever painkillers we have in the house when he gets one. (Usually ibuprofen or occasionally cocodomol). He also takes Paramax or Migraleve if I've bought them and they're in the house and these seem to help.

(He seems incapable of planning ahead and getting these in. It's me who buys migraine pills for him).

So, should I be making him go to the Dr about this? He's getting debilitating migraines every month or so. They're undoubtedly linked to stress, but getting him to deal with that is another kettle of fish entirely. It'll be a battle to make him go to the doctor, so I need to know if it's what he should be doing?

Also, if you get migraines, can you share any tips on how to treat or prevent them? Thanks :)

(Yes, I know, he should be doing this stuff himself but his fear of doctors or whatever it is, is so ingrained, and I can't change that).

Yes a doctor can help. I used to have about 2 a fortnight and was referred by my GP to a neuro hospital who tried different medication for just over a year until we hit on something that stopped them. I've been off that medication since 2014 and only have about 2 a year now!

3 soluble aspirin the second he feels one coming on.. And full fat coke.

I also take propranolol3x day to prevent them. I'm down from weekly migraines to 1 or 2 per year

He should speak to GP and perhaps try a Sumitriptan prescription. The coke and aspirin thing is also pretty good. The thing I find with migraines is that I have to act fast, if I leave it too long then nothing works

But yes, he’s a grown man that needs to take responsibility for his own health. I would find it very frustrating that his headaches are bad enough that he is bedridden but that he isn’t doing anything pro active about it!

@siaa

Yes a doctor can help. I used to have about 2 a fortnight and was referred by my GP to a neuro hospital who tried different medication for just over a year until we hit on something that stopped them. I've been off that medication since 2014 and only have about 2 a year now!

That's very encouraging to hear, thanks :)

I'll get some aspirin in, worth a try! I'm guessing it's the caffeine in the coke and any fizzy drink would do?

@Paddingtonthebear

But yes, he’s a grown man that needs to take responsibility for his own health. I would find it very frustrating that his headaches are bad enough that he is bedridden but that he isn’t doing anything pro active about it!

I am very frustrated about it and it's one of the main reasons our relationship is on the rocks. He's out of action due to ill health a lot (not only migraines, also back pain, colds etc etc) very often and does fuck all about it. Yes, it's frustrating.

But, even so, while we're still together, I can't just stand back and watch him do fuck all about it for such a long time. It gets to a point I have to do something!

Hi OP. I usually take a Zomig (prescription), 2 painkillers and a strong cup off coffee then take to the bed with an ice pack as sleep does help me.
More importantly though is him taking responsibility for it. I have bipolar along with the migraines and I have really had to learn to manage my risk factors and symptoms for myself. No-one else can do it for him.

Chinese Acupuncture. Went from very regular to barely any. Good for stress too.

I tried many things until I found Sumatriptan, which is marvellous. You need to GP prescription . Well worth him seeing the doctor about this , it sounds like he has an awful time with them

We do have a good acupuncturist locally, certainly could be worth a try.

I get them AFTER my period every time and it's horrible. Sometimes worse than others. Thinking about asking for Amitriptyline as been offered it in the past as I get a lot of nerve pain. Migraines are awful.

OK, so what I'm getting from this thread is that there are lots of different treatments available for migraine, and that it's a matter of engaging with the doctor and finding the right one?

Yes a doctor absolutely can help!

He will probably find a triptan works better than whatever he takes at the moment.

He needs to think about his triggers - common triggers are alcohol, fragrance, being hungry, late nights and early mornings, different amounts of caffeine in the day, stress, weather.

Generally you can't do much about stress or the weather but you can work on a lot of the other triggers, sadly migraine likes you to have a stable boring life of regular hours and regular meals. Doing this does however make a massive difference.

One migraine a month may not be enough for the GP to think a preventer tablet is worth it (and he may be able to cut them down just by lifestyle changes) but there are loads of migraine preventers out there so generally there is something that suits everyone, it is just a matter of finding it.

I'd second asking the GP to try a triptan. They're an absolute life saver for me, painkillers do nothing. You can buy triptans online but he should really check with his GP first.

There’s loads of things that can be tried. Lots of different meds that work well for different people, I use a combination of medications and Botox and it’s made an amazing difference.

Dh’s are managed well with propranolol and Ds now takes topiramate. The first medication doesn’t always work - can need to try a few.

I suspect his main trigger is stress. I strongly suspect that's what causes the back pain too tbh.

He doesn't know how to deal with stress. He tries to be stoic, holds it all in, and blames himself if he can't cope with it. He also suffers depression (but is he seeing anyone about it? No.)

I think he feels a failure for being stressed / depressed in the first place and it's this that stops him seeking help. Which creates a viscous cycle. But this really is something he needs to come to terms with himself, I can't help him with it. (Goodness knows I've tried).

The migraines are debilitating though, if he could get some relief from them it'd make things a bit easier. And once he has one, a depressive episode often follows. When he emerged from bed yesterday he was in a terrible state, he'd been wallowing in his depression while he was in pain. We watched some telly together and he seemed in a better mood by the time he went to bed, but now the migraine is back today, he may well be in the same depressed mood when he emerges again later.

This is the NHS guidance on how GPs are required to manage migraine.

pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/headaches/management-of-migraine-with-or-without-aura

Treatment varies significantly depending on how many migraines a month you have, however there are abortive medicines he can be prescribed which should kill the migraine very quickly) within an hour for me). These are from a drug family called triptans.

If he's a full scale martyr he can also approach a pharmacist and ask to buy sumatriptan which is one of the abortive and is available over the counter for a few quid.

@SilverHairedCat

This is the NHS guidance on how GPs are required to manage migraine.

pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/headaches/management-of-migraine-with-or-without-aura

Treatment varies significantly depending on how many migraines a month you have, however there are abortive medicines he can be prescribed which should kill the migraine very quickly) within an hour for me). These are from a drug family called triptans.

If he's a full scale martyr he can also approach a pharmacist and ask to buy sumatriptan which is one of the abortive and is available over the counter for a few quid.

I'll have a look, that's useful, thanks :)

Migraleve is just paracetomol & cocodomol plus something for nausea, so I'll get some sumatriptan in for next time as it's a different approach, and see if it works any better. (Assuming he's not made it to the doctor by then).

GP referred me to headache clinic some years ago. They advised starting Topirimate Which I now taking daily- been a life safer.
The other thing the clinic explained to me is that if you are taking regular painkillers what you can actually start experiencing are ' re- bound headaches' and I had to stop taking all pain killers for a period also.

*vicious not viscous! A viscous cycle sounds messy!!

Also, the mood afterwards is still part of the migraine.

I've attached a picture of the various stages of classic migraine. Take the time line on that picture with a pinch of salt - we're all different and the attacks are not all the same.

I get up to 27 days a month of migraine when off treatment, and have been through so many treatments, medications, physical therapies etc. I have now been on CGRP injections for 11 months (only available via a neurologist) which have changed my life. I still get 4 attacks a month but I'm no longer suicidal, I can work properly and my marriage is more stable as I can participate in life again.

@milkysmum

GP referred me to headache clinic some years ago. They advised starting Topirimate Which I now taking daily- been a life safer. The other thing the clinic explained to me is that if you are taking regular painkillers what you can actually start experiencing are ' re- bound headaches' and I had to stop taking all pain killers for a period also.

He won't listen to this advice at all

At one stage he was taking ibuprofen tablets daily because of back pain, for months on end. When I suggested the headaches could be linked to that, he wasn't open to that suggestion at all.

@SilverHairedCat

Also, the mood afterwards is still part of the migraine.

I've attached a picture of the various stages of classic migraine. Take the time line on that picture with a pinch of salt - we're all different and the attacks are not all the same.

I get up to 27 days a month of migraine when off treatment, and have been through so many treatments, medications, physical therapies etc. I have now been on CGRP injections for 11 months (only available via a neurologist) which have changed my life. I still get 4 attacks a month but I'm no longer suicidal, I can work properly and my marriage is more stable as I can participate in life again.

27 days a month? Oh my goodness, my heart goes out to you, I can't imagine what that must be like.

I'm glad you've found something that works somewhat, at least.