Going to GP about migraines in 30 mins help!

[jamoncrumpets]

Finally got a f2f appointment with my GP to discuss my chronic migraines this afternoon, but have a history of coming away from appointments feeling like I haven't really been heard.

Should I be requesting any particular tests or meds? At present I take solpadeine and it does v little for me, I generally stumble on for about 2-3 days until it tails off.

Sometimes I can have two a week, sometimes none for 3 months but they really are making my life difficult.

Good luck!

Have you got time to jot down a few notes (maybe on your phone) about your symptoms, frequency, severity, what they stop you doing, how you currently manage them, what's worked (and how well it worked) and what hasn't? Just so you don't forget something in the moment.

Also think about whether you'd prefer something you take every day to prevent migraines, or something you only take when you feel one coming on.

Oh, and how long the attacks last, of course. Ideally you'd have a headache diary that shows a log of symptoms, duration, frequency, treatment, and efficacy, but you can't exactly create that in twenty minutes

Depending on how often you get them I would be asking for a migraine specific medication like Sumatriptan. If you have them a lot consider preventive treatment in conjunction with the triptans. If these don't work you can go back and ask for a referral to neurology. Many GP's aren't really clued up on migraines unfortunately. Have a look on The Migraine Trust website too - very helpful.

No but I have noted patterns etc which I can talk about

I take propanolol daily to prevent migraines which has helped cut down the frequency. I still occasionally get the one which I take sumatriptan for. It's really helped me as I suffer from hemiplegic migraines and can be ill for days. Good luck!

Ask about a course of amitriptyline. It's a antidepressant but at low doses it can calm down pain. Worked twice for me on advice from neuro

Migraine is mostly diagnosed and the treatment planned based on the descriptions you give, so being able to describe the patterns will be really helpful. I hope the GP is able to help; there are lots of options out there besides painkillers, but it can sometimes take a little while to work out the best treatment strategy.

It's also worth thinking about trying to identify what triggers your migraines; keeping a headache diary for a while can be useful for that kind of self-management.

I already take this, maybe I need to up the dose a bit

How'd it go?