3rd day horrendous migraine 😣

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45 years old. Migraine severity has worsened significantly since (am guessing) I entered peri. Am on Day 4 of cycle today.

Not responded to dispersible paracetamol in aura stage which sometimes works. Have been told to avoid triple dispersible aspirin which I was taking before at first hint of an aura, as it aggravates ongoing gastro issues.
Day 2 Solpadeine Max - no response.
Day 3 Solpadien Max - no response.

Have tried propranolol and sumatriptan in the past but effects didn’t last for propanol and sumatriptan just felt rotten.

Was prescribed amitriptyline last week but pharmacy didn’t have any in stock so am waiting til it comes in.

What else can I try in the meantime please? 🙏

Oh how I sympathise…..
I don’t know what a pharmacist might suggest but I take 900mgs soluble aspirin with a prochlorperazine tablet (as prescribed by a consultant after I ended up in hospital with a 7 day attack that morphine didn’t touch)
As you can’t do aspirin I don’t know what else to suggest except sticking your head under the cold tap (it has worked for me in the past) or an ice pack on the back of your neck and another across the top of your head.
Sending hugs 🤗

Migraine sufferer here, try a can of full sugar coke it sometimes helps. I now have the Ajovy injection every month and it's been life changing.

@CosmosQueen
thank you for hugs 😢
feeling very down

@matthancockscareer i have read about the coke on Mumsnet before but never tried it as don’t like sweet fizzy drinks but i am ready to try anything!
just wondered if it has to be coke or would ginger beer do?

@CosmosQueen
a 7 day attack!! 😱😱😱

Oh, it's grim. You have my sympathies - I once had one that lasted nine days without respite. Have you tried any other triptans? Sumatriptan doesn't suit everyone but it's worth trying the others.

Cola and aspirin. I take this for agonising head pain.- edit - sorry, see you can't take aspirin. Just the cola then
Hot water bottle on head
There's a migraine relief roll on you roll on your temples that boots or super drug do
Might be worth trying an antihistamine too

Thankfully (and hopefully) a one and only. DH called my GP out on day 4, I hadn’t had a migraine for several years but this one floored me.
I’d forgotten about taking full fat coke; it used to work if I drank it early enough. I think my migraines are triggered by dehydration and low blood sugar so I try to drink plenty of fluids and eat regularly.
Dd finds a Mars bar + full fat Coke helps her so she tries to have a stash, just in case.

Try codamol, it helps sometimes. Cola helps too, my MIL has recommended it.
Fellow migraine sufferer here, fingers crossed for you. I thought amitriptyline was a muscle relaxant, I was prescribed it for IBS and TMJ disorder. I will try it for a migraine, thank you for sharing x

Migraine Lifer here. 4 days long twice monthly with cycle since age 13 now 62

presuming sumatriptan was tablet form during migraine not at early aura stage? Its designed to block receptors and halt an imminent attack. Sumatriptan injections (imigran subject) stops a current migraine very effectively within seconds. If im late taking tablet (100mg) it doesn’t stop it, feel like crap until i can take the injection few hours later. Food must be taken before any sumatriptan otherwise you feel absolutely shocking and can induce vomiting
anything with caffeine helps, so does chocolate, rich tea biscuits and carbs help me loads.
they key is speed! At first indication take the tablet immediately with a biscuit or something
no other pain killers work for me whatsoever Nothing at all so no point

i feel for you so very much.
sorry post is so long 😢

I’ve had week long episodes of migraines before and my GP has given me an injection of diclofenac and an anti sickness injections to break the cycle.

Contact your GP because there’s other Triptans you could try, too. I’ve got Zomig nasal spray which doesn’t make me feel as awful as Sumatriptan can, but it’s not always as good. There’s one that goes under your tongue too, but the name escapes me at the minute.

I have Botox for my migraines, because I get so many, but I, also, pay for acupuncture which helps a lot.

Yes its a muscle relaxer i take 20mg each evening its very effective. Has had zero effect on my migraines though as mine are hormonal not tension type. Suspect it would help those type.

Amitriptyline is a preventative, it won't stop acute pain. Very good as a daily preventative but it makes you feel tired. Propranolol is also a preventative, very good one but it would give me insomnia sometimes.

Have you tried Maxalt? Relax is also very good.

If you have regular migraines I would start on daily preventatives.

For me what works for hormonal migraines has been LDN Low Dose Naltrexone, I take it daily and migraines have almost stopped.

It’s usually the combination of sugar, caffeine and cold that makes classic coke effective. I’m not sure if ginger beer would have the caffeine element.

I used the take sumatriptan, but it made me nauseous and didn’t always work. Nowadays I manage using ibuprofen/paracetamol and classic coke, and it’s the coke that makes the difference.

Cocodamol, Sumatriptan and an anti-nausea medication to keep your digestive system working. Ice pack to the back of the neck but keep the rest of your body warm with electric blanket/hot water bottles. Eye mask and quiet.

Hope you feel better soon.

Coffee, sugar, ibriprofen. Once I have one just sleep and waiting. I normally get 'silent' ones with no/very manageable pain. Still get the confusion, dizziness, slightly slurred speech etc with them though. Miserable.

As others said propanolol is a preventative. If it worked for a few months then wore off, you can ask for another betablocker as a preventative. There are quite a few ( I usually find each one wears off after a year or so and then I switch). Agree, sumatriptan is not the only triptan, worth trying others. Sumatriptan side effects are definitely unpleasant - weird feeling in your chest and I find it makes the nausea worse. And it is worth thinking about triggers ( just your period? Or other things like hunger, some foods etc). Good luck!

Ooo, yes, as a PP said: acupuncture. I was immensely skeptical but it really reduced the frequency of mine when I was getting several a month a few years ago.

Depends what you've already taken, but a different triptan and a sleep might do it (I take rizatriptan, which I was finally prescribed after 20 years... following 18 days straight of migraines!). On the rare occasions that hasn't worked, then high dose aspirin, 2 litres of water and a valium. I haven't tried this, but sometimes in hospital, they give Benadryl. Worth a try? Otherwise... osteopath and then lots and lots of sleep.

Lots of advice here and you know it is a matter of trying a few. For me a tepid bath with cold cloth on my forehead really helps.

I am on sumatriptan and amitriptyline. Been taking sumatriptan for years. Sumatriptan works most of the time. Amitripyline makes me feel a bit groggy.
last week I had an herrendous migraine and vomiting. Woke up with it at 3 am lasted 12 hrs.

I just know how you all feel!!

Theres a new drug coming out next month on the NHS. It’s called Antogepant.

Going to call the Doctors and enquire about it. 🤞

Thanks so much for all the responses