Huge Migraines that have changed in intensity - how do i cope because this is seriously bumming me out, man!

[GodzillasAbominableBumcheek]

I've been getting migraines since i was in Secondary School, but just recently (about 11 months after DD3 was born) they have changed into raving monsters.
I used to get the headache around 2-5pm in the day, and had to go to bed early to get rid of them. Sometimes used to get nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea (yes, i know, tmi), but not always.

NOW i am getting the headache on waking in the morning, getting worse quickly, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea every time, and of course the usual (i used to get this too) 'my brain is shutting down and i can't concentrate whatsoever' symptom.

How do i cope? I have a 1 year old and two 10 year olds to look after and DH will not be at home every time i come down with this! What can i do to get thought these days?

cranial osteopathy.
I started getting migraines at secondary school as well. went to the CO and didn't have one for over 2 years.
amazing

have no advice gz but you have my utmost sympathy,i get maybe only two or three per year,including sickness,floating things in my eyes ,followed by the headache,When the headache passes i am usually freezing cold for a while,I only have to take migralieve and this sorts it out for me.

GAB causes can be diet related. Have you changed anything in your diet recently that could have triggered them?

Sorry not much help but sending hugs - hope you feel better soon.

Oh i get the cold thing too - i had to wrap up in blankets! Painkillers i have tried include Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Paracetamol, Extra-Power Pain Relievers (aspirin with caffeine), and i once tried Migralieve - but none of them have touched it and i always sick them back up anyway (yuk, sorry).

gz go and see your doc and maybe he can give you something stronger,my friend has some very strong pills for it but i can recall the name of them ,i can find out if you want.

The only dietary change i have done is i've stopped drinking cola (still [proud emoticon]) but that was after these headaches changed, not before.

Cranial osteopathy? Fingerwoman...what is it and how do i get it on NHS?

And thanks for the sympathy and hugs btw

I used to suffer since secondary school, like you. The intensity wold vary and I did not get them frequently (about 2 or 3 a month). My vision would go and once I passed out (quite scary when you are a 16 year old) as I didn't know how to read the warning signs that one was coming. I get a shooting pain over my left eye and my face has a slightly numb feeling.

I have always been a tea drinker and would have 4-6 cups a day. I now drink only about 3 cups of decafé tea. I do have 1 cup of filter coffee a day. Lots more water.

I try not to eat chocolate as that causes big ones for me.

I only get a very bad one now when I am over tired and only can go about 3 months without one.

If you do a search on 'migraines' in Mn there are many threads and i expect some much better advice than I have given. I hope they get better. Do consider your diet.

So sorry - you must also get some rest.

You need one of the specialist migraine drugs-Imigran, Zomig are two I know of- that contain various drugs of the triptan family. You take them the second you feel symptoms and sometimes they stop it completely other times they make it so you can get through the day/days. You have to try different ones and different strengths until you find the one that suits you. I have two children and without Zomig i couldn't carry on! I hope you find something to help-a word of warning though that they are quite expensive so some Gps can be a bit awkward about prescribing.

Forgot to say that it can be best to ask for "Orodispersible" tablets that melt onto the tongue for quick absorption -my digestive system shuts down during a migraine so normal tablets don't get into the system well

The rest may be a big factor Wotz - but i do usually get 7 hours sleep per night. Sometimes a little more.

Chocolate, cheese, and 'normal' amounts of caffeine don't have a trigger effect (i have experimented in cutting out like you have), my triggers seem to be...
hunger
noise
stress
light
excess cold
dehydration

light is what causes mine gz,if we are driving down a road and the sun flickers through trees etc,that is enough to bring one on for me,it makes me feel very sick and then it starts off,i do try and avoid it by putting on sunglasses but i dont always have them at the time .

Orodispersible? That would help if my acid production is going on overdrive too i guess?

Thank you, everyone, i should have asked this sooner! I have to got to bed now, but will check on this soon.

Are your migraines hormonally related at all-i.e coinciding with your period? Because if so mine got much more intense at about your age (checked yr profile) and then, according to my mother who also suffers, they will continue until the menopause.

all those are triggers, that's true, but you can control them to

You have to make a change and stick with it for about 2 months, mine was instant like changing with the decafe tea, but I now I am much better.

hope you feel better soon. Try drinking decafé tea for about a month, see how it goes.

Snice - just before i go then - i have PCOS so my cycle is totally off the rails! I don't know when a period is due! Gotta go for now though.

phone up and get an apt gz.Then maybe you wont have to suffer anymore.

My GP is

a) rubbish
and b) on a no-appointments basis, which can sometimes be really good, but other times a right b@st**d when the waiting room is full and you have a baby to take along with you!

Shall have to get DH to give me time out when he doesn't need me for my expert shopping services and i am not supposed to be visiting my mum (makes it about thursday then i think).