Fellow migraine sufferers, please help- 10 day migraine

[amidsummernightsdream]

Firstly, I have spoken to gp on friday and intend to again tomorrow but I’m looking for some personal experiences and advice as the advice they give is so generic and I’m at my wits end and genuinely not sure what to do for the best.

I’ve had a migraine on and off for 10 days.
I do suffer from migraines but nothing like this before. I usually take sumatriptan for them and it works fantastic. I get a migraine maybe once a month and usually 1 sumatriptan will resolve it, if not a second clears it completely and I get on with life, it’s a miracle.

This time is completely different. Although the medication has worked, the migraine has come back every single day.

On this Thursday just gone it escalated in severity, I was in agony and couldnt get out of bed. I was concerned because of the severity and length of the migraine, it was 7 days at this point, which I’ve never experienced before. Additionally, I was also was concerned about taking sumatriptan nearly every day. So I rang gp for advice.

Gp prescribed Frovatriptan as he said it lasts longer in the system. I took it and the pain went but the migraine was still there (if you’re a migraine sufferer you will know what I mean) and I still felt groggy and unwell.

Yesterday I woke up for the migraine to have returned, this time I took my regular sumatriptan as the Frovatriptan just didnt seem to clear it. It worked and by the evening yesterday, i felt completely back to normal. The best I had felt in 10 days and thought it was gone for good.

Cue this morning waking up with a throbbing pain. I have taken a tablet as I cant just have another day in bed. Its gone but again I still feel unwell.

I have no idea what to do now if it comes back. I feel like I can’t keep taking triptans but equally I cant just lie in bed in pain for as long as it takes to go.

I’m at my wits end. I have a 2 year old and run my own small business and I’m really really struggling.

The reason I’m posting is that I am aware of rebound headaches. My gp didnt seem concerned about this and from what I’ve read they are caused by longer term over use but I can’t help feeling my migraines are being caused by the wearing off of the medication.

Does anyone have any thoughts/ experiences with this?

This is roughly (from memory) what I’ve taken:

Thurs - 100mg sumatriptan
Fri- nothing
Saturday - 50mg sumatriptan
Sunday - 100mg sumatriptan
Monday - nothing
Tue - Nothing (or possibly had some here cant remember)
Weds - 100mg sumatriptan
Thurs - 50mg and 100mg later in day sumatriptan

Friday- Frovatriptan
Saturday - 100mg sumatriptan
Sunday- Frovatriptan

Dreading this coming back (i can feel it’s not gone) and really unsure what to do for the best.

Thanks very much to anyone taking the time to read and respond

I'm a fellow migraine sufferer so I literally feel your pain. I'm chronic and often have acute spells like the one you're having. I have to mix up the meds otherwise I get caught in a rebound headache cycle. Co-codomol works for me sometimes. Dissolvable aspirin in full fat coke also works. I also have the fast action ibuprofen in my migraine bag as these can take the edge off.
A heat pack (I have a microwavable wheat one that covers my shoulders and neck) is 100% important as is ice on my forehead.
My longest acute attack was 14 days. I'm currently on day 4 and at the functioning stage so hopefully this one is on its way out.
It's grim. Hang on in there. (Do not have a bath until you're 100%, likely to bring it back!) Good luck

So sorry to hear you’re in a similar position.
I think mixing it up is the way to go. With the triptans being so effective previously, I’ve discounted asprin/ ibroprufen etc as they havent worked previously but I think if it comes back tomorrow, I’m going to have to try something different as it really doesnt feel the right thing to continue with the triptans. Even if they can take the edge off and stop the need for another triptan, I think that would be helpful.

thank you for the tip about the bath too, I’ve had several this week and didnt realised that could be a contributing factor.

Hope you feel better soon!

I have not heard about rebound headaches and now think this is what I have😱🤪😳👀👀👀

I did find ice packs helped with my last migraine
I am so sorry to hear you are both suffering - sending you lots of love x

It's a truly rubbish gang to be in.
Full fat coke is a saviour. I don't usually drink it but always have a bottle in for bad attacks. My neurologist said sugar and caffeine helps so I won't argue!
I have a cooling eye mask that I freeze then use on my forehead. It's bliss!

i often take 3 dispersible aspirin at the end of the day after a migraine to prevent it coming back the next morning. Doctor said it was ok to take take this in the same 24 hours as my triptans

I'm in the mix it up camp too.
I use cocodamol (as strong as i can get my hands on), aspirin 300mg and caffeine either from coke or coffee.
Other days I'll use triptan.

Neck massages, head massages if you can stand it, heat on my neck, cool on my head. Chocolate. Salt. Sugar!!

I hear you, OP. I get 5 day extravaganza migraines, occasionally 7. I treat migraines with a sumatriptan and 2 pink migraleve but I do get the stubborn ones that go on and on.

My go to is the above mentioned med combo, a tin of full fat coke or a bottle of lucozade, as many hot showers as I can take and a wheat heat pack thingy. The longer ones sometimes I have to accept that they just have to come, do their thing and then leave eventually. Once I relax a a bit, then they tend to gradually lift.

Thanks so much to you all. Your comments were so helpful!
As I suspected the migraine kicked in again over night. However, i took your advice and had 2 aspirin along with 2 paracetamol and it has taken the edge off enough for me not to reach for the triptans this morning.
Hopefully, that will help break the cycle.
Without the advice on this thread, I wouldn't have thought to try the asprin as have been so reliant on the triptans.

hopefully will get out with my 2 year old today. Thank you!

How is your blood pressure? This can be a sign that it is too high

I also suggest coke. Always helps me somehow.
I used to get migraines more than half the month but now on topirimate daily and they are down to about one a month.

I get the classic migraines such as you describe once in a blue moon and luckily they last a day plus a few days of migraine hangover.

Last year I had an 8 week headache which my GP called a migraine but the pain wasn't the agony I knew and it was more neurological if that makes sense? Slurring words and brain fog with slight pain. I was assessed at the stroke clinic and had a brain MRI and was cleared of anything sinister. That was bad enough so I can only imagine what you're going through with a classic migraine. None of the triptins worked nor the beta blockers, but it eventually went away.

I really hope you're out of the cycle now.

I get patches like you're describing. I actually was taking 4x recommend sumitripan dosage and I got a sort of pressure headache it felt different to a migraine. Once they are under way nothing helps mine. Just taking propranolol is good for deterring them as mine are stress induced. Have you ever seen a neurologist?

This sounds like classic overuse headache.

From your 11 days you took triptans on 8 of them

The golden rule given to me by my neurologist was never more than 2 a week, 6 a month. I can actually feel them creating a migraine if I take more than this.

You have to cold turkey it out which is awful but the frequency and duration then reduces.

Acupuncture, acupuncture, acupuncture. Saved me! Also get an eye test.

Are you on a contraceptive pill? I suffered regular 1 day migraines in my 20s, and when I stopped taking the pill to get pregnant, I no longer suffer with them. I've done research and seen that lots of people believe their is a link between migraines and your hormones.

Hope you're doing ok.
When I get the longer lasting ones it's generally triggered by my sinuses so may be worth taking a decongestant -this is the case for me even when I don't have a snotty nose or anything.
It's horrible and I know how you feel. Xx

Do you get migraines with aura? I can count migraines accurately because the auras indicate a new migraine.

Just one single migraine can 'overspill' into several days. I can certainly feel rough for up to 5 days.

I often get 'clumps' of migraines where I have had them on consecutive days and sometimes two in one day.

When I feel that there is no relief I go to GP who prescribes a beta blocker which stops them/breaks the cycle immediately.

I don't like taking beta blockers but this is preferable to wanting to chop my head off. I tend to take them for a month and then stop.

I've probably had beta blockers 3 times in the last 10 years so it's not often I get really bad. Sometimes the fear of another migraine can be more awful than the actual migraine - but my triptan and painkillers can usually allow me to continue with life.

I've had migraines for 40 years - just found out that there are often signs that you are going to get one (can't remember the term). Mine is getting up more than once to pee during the night - I never fail to get a migraine when this happens.

I also seem to have migraines linked to weather - large changes in barometric pressure also set me off. I get most migraines in spring and autumn - but must say that since starting oestrogen patches they have been few and far between. What a bonus!

I'm another person who thinks that soluble painkillers work faster.

It can take ages to find what works for yourself.

Agree with acupuncture. Not a miracle for me but easy to stick an acupuncture seed behind your ear and turn an unbearable headache into bearable.

If you are peri then sorting HRT helps. If not then progesterone only pill got me away from the monthly migraine cycle.

That is an awful lot of triptains in a short space of time. Come to think of it that would be a lot of sumatriptan in a very short period for a cluster headache sufferer too. For migraine it’s usually two does per week as any more can easily tip you into the hell of rebound headaches. Not a happy place and certainly one you should be asking about. care also needs to be taken if you switch from one triptain to another as again the interplay between the slightly different acting triptains can easily set off rebound headaches.

Triptains can be helpful drugs but it can be easy to fall down the rebound hole when your in horrible pain and desperate for it to stop. sadly there are some migraines you end up having to weather out as no drug can stop them. Have a look at ht e NICEguidleines for managing headache disorders as well as the BASH Guidelines as they will give you examples of the best and most likely to work treatment options your GP should be offering.

NSAIDs are the first pain relief of choice for migraine backed up with paracetamol if needed. Codeine used extremely sparingly for the very worst pain is the final back up BUT it is notorious for setting off rebound migraines and making you feel even sicker.

Soluble drugs help more than solid tablets as migraine can set off gut stasis, hence the throwing up and feeling so sick. This is why the general advice is to take your abortive drugs as soon as possible. If you miss that window they are less likely to be absorbed and thus work.

Another less likely possibility is status migraine, that’s a migraine that burns on and on for well over 72 hours at full pelt, usually with horrible vomiting and that is a reason to be in A&E as you get very dehydrated and may need I/v fluids and fluids drugs to help. Again not recommended as. A&E is not fun with a full on migraine.

Call your GP again. Investigate possible preventative drugs if your not on them and call NHS Direct if you cannot get hold of your GP. If you work and have had an awful week off sick ask if you can have an unfit for work type sick note for another week so you have time to sleep and recover. Prolonged migraines are horribly debilitating.

I can also recommend the Migraine Trust website and it might be worth calling them after you have daughters extra medical advice.

Been a chronic migraine with chronic cluster headache almost all of my life.

Log the dates and what you have taken and what was happening (stress, period, food, late nights etc) basically start keeping a Migraine Dairy if this isn't a one off you may need to consider switching to a preventative and lobbying the GP for a neuro referral and will need your history. I was told to take NSAID's like Ibuprofen at a higher dose as a one off "bullet" to try to break the cycle and was later also given Naproxen (also a NSAID). As others have said could you be starting Peri?

When you feel one coming on you have to hit hard with more than drug. Try taking magnesium too.

There's an app called Migraine Buddy. I use this to keep a migraine diary

My migraines were hormonally driven. Only got them in puberty, pregnancy and now menopause. HRT has sorted mine. I too had a 10 day migraine. It was horrific! I feel your pain OP. I hope you get it under control soon.

I've just "celebrated" my 15th year of hormonal migraines, I feel for you OP. I also have Sumatriptan but it only works if I take it within half an hour of realising the migraine is on its way. I'm another fan of full fat Coke when it happens and I take paracetamol two hours after the sumatriptan and take it 4-hourly until it's gone which can be days. HRT is not helping either. I hope you manage to find some relief x

My dd has tried x2 triptans and migraleve, GP not overly concerned so I paid for an appointment with national Migraine centre appointment and it was so worth the money. Advised not to use migraleve, take paracetamol and ibuprofen as migraleve can lead to rebound headaches. All the usual advice sleep well, drink plenty, avoid triggers if you know them (lack of sleep & stress for dd). My dd was also on pizotifen but didn't reduce frequency much, she is now on an increasing dose of propranolol and is told to take cyclizine (Anti sickness) and paracetamol (migraines can increase gastric emptying so you don't absorb the pain relief). My dd has improved dramatically with both frequency and severity.
If you can afford an appointment with the national migraine center I would advise it, it is a charity so they accept whatever you can pay. They suggest prevention/recovery and medication plans.
Good luck I know how awful migraines are.