Is this abdominal migraine?!

[captainhowdy13]

Doc said I’ve got abdominal migraines, but I don’t get stomach pain?!

I have been prescribed 10mg amytriptiline to try. My symptoms are:

A tight, aching neck and kind of prickly/sunburn feeling at the base of the scalp, like someone has pulled my hair really hard. This can creep up the back of the head, over the top & into the temples but mainly stays at the base of the skull. It gets steadily worse and starts to throb at the occipital bone & turn into a squeezing pressure headache. Migraine tablets make me worse.

After 3 days of this, I get the most severe nausea that can last up to 2 weeks. I’m also fatigued, weak, loose bowels and can’t stomach food. The extreme nausea is the worst part of it for me because no anti-emetics touch it.

My question is, does this sound like abdominal migraine in the first place, and has anyone used amytriptiline for nausea & did it help? No anti-emetics I’ve tried have worked so far, nothing touches the nausea and it’s unbearable. I can’t even be sick for relief. It’s ongoing, extreme, nausea.

All tests so far have come back clear (MRI of head and neck, endoscopy, blood tests). Thank you xx

It sounds like a severe but normal migraine, in my experience. My pain starts in my shoulder and neck and then progresses as you describe. I’m lucky that he nausea is usually short-lived, but if I get to stage of being sick, that usually brings an end to the episode.

What are you taking for them that doesn’t work? The only thing that works for me is Migraleve, which is paracetamol and codeine with buclizine for the nausea. Sometimes I need two doses but only rarely more than that. I tried triptans but they had no effect on the migraine but gave me unpleasant side effects.

A friend who also suffers with them has found amitriptyline very helpful, so probably worth trying it. I think with the severity of what you describe you should push for a referral to a specialist. You shouldn’t have to suffer like this without effective treatment.

Headaches originating and largely lurking around the occipital area tend to be caused by eye issues. Have you had all the eye checks, are working in appropriate lighting levels, avoiding eye strain by taking regular screen or readng breaks? Might be worth an beye test and checking any glasses you have c are properly fitted and correct strength.
Neck issues cab askari vague a head ache like toy describe in this are but less often. Any neck problems?