My migraines are getting out of control..............been to the GP...beta-blockers.

[girlandboy]

Went this morning because I am now on day 10 of a migraine/headache.

I usually have to take 1.5mg of Pizotifen every day to prevent migraines, but they don't seem to work like they used to.

A week last Saturday, a migraine started. It was bad until Monday and then went down a grade to just a really bad headache. A few more days of this and it has now reduced down to just a headache.

The Gp has taken me off the Pizotifen, and has prescribed beta-blockers. These are called Half Inderal LA (Propanolol Hydrochloride) 80mg. I have taken one, and am hoping for the best, but I seem to have a bit of nervousness about taking beta-blockers. He says that I am getting migraines and also a chronic daily headache (he's not kidding!) and that the new pills should help.

Does anyone here take beta-blockers for migraine????

I also mentioned that I had had a few instances of chest pain, which I had assumed to be heartburn/indigestion. I've now got to have blood tests and an ECG next week! I've also got to phone for an ambulance if I get it again!

I came out of the doctors and had a little weep in the car. I'm sure that I felt tearful because of the never-ending head pain, but actually I feel a bit better just writing this down.

Anyway, the main question is about the beta-blockers.

Anyone??

GroovyRach - day 5 of propanolol.

Dont feel any different at all. Maybe slightly tired, but then that's quite usual.
Heartbeat is still around 50 a minute, which is SLOW for me. I have only got a months worth of pills, so when I finish them I will go back to the gp and report how I feel.

However, it is in the next day or so that my 2nd migraine of the month should appear, so I will have to see what happens.

Part of me hopes that these tablets work, but there is a big part of me that doesn't feel right about taking a heart medicine for a headache! It just seems rather a drastic step.

But having read all these replies and suggestions, I am going to go and get some soluble aspirin today, and if a migraine starts then I will give it a go.

Showofhands - I will try your suggestion about holding the liquid in my mouth for 5 mins.

girlandboy - your migraines sound truly dreadful - hope you get some relief one way or another.

I have ben on atenolol (Bete blockers) for 3 months (just came off as am pg) - I found a significant though not total improvement. Iwas really tired for the firts 3 weeks or so, but that went away, although low blood pressure continued whist I was on them, made me feel dizzy if I bent over etc.

One thing tah I didn't expect was that I would sometimes get an aura, but no real pain would eventuate, so this meant I had to hold off on taking painkillers until I knoew whether it was going to be painful or not.

The ast few weeks before I stopped takig them I had in increase in number again - maybe coincidence, or needed a higher dose? Not sure.

In my searching I discovered a migraine clinic in London, which is free (although suggested donation) and looked good - they are Drs and look at all factors, lifestyle etc to manage and prevent your migraines. Maybe try that?

Good luck.
x

oh, the other great thing is domperidome (sp?) - prescribed by my GP - taken with other painkillers (asprin, neurofen or whatever you like) it really improves their effectiveness massively.

Thanks for that Astrophe. It's certainly worth looking into.

do. Its not expensive, just helps your stomach digest quickly or something.

domperidome? I thought that was just for the sickness, not the headache.

my GP says it settles the stomach. but during migraine, the stomach lining can't absorb as quickly or somesuch, so it helps absorb as well. I don't feel very sicky, but the domperdome def helps with the other meds.

GroovyRach - just before Xmas 2 years ago I got 5 migraines in 7 days having not had one for a couple of years. I do get migraines but they are generally only once every couple of years so this was unusual. Went to GP - she recommended lifestyle changes and gave me painkillers. She also recommended the magnesium supplements.

Got another migraine 2 days later and at the end of it I felt it was all in the back of my head and neck. Went to chiroracter (at same clinic as my GP) and he did his thing and I haven't had a migraine since! It can really help.

Chiropracter also recommended magesium and I mentioned that the GP had also mentioned it. He explained that they had both been at the same conference a few months before and a well known US specialist gave a talk on migraines/headaches and it was he who recommended the magnesium. There have been some very good results with it.

My migraines are not regular enough (thank God!) to do it.

I first had migraines about ten years ago triggered (I think) by a car accident. If I didn't have a migraine (with vomiting, couldn't function) I would have a low grade headache all the time. I had treatment for both migraine and chronic back pain. To treat migraine, I was given propranolol and Imitrex (sumpatripan). This was back when Imitrex was fairly new. It was effective though, as long as I took the medication.

I was still suffering back pain, however, so was given Prozac to treat that. I hated it, as it just made me feel so blank. Someone recommended acupuncture, and with it I was able to come off all meds for both back pain and migraine after 3 months. It was truly revolutionary.

About 3 years ago, I started to have migraines again that coincided with my period (one per month). Basically meant I had to take at least one day off work every month. I was fortunate that they stopped completely whilst pregnant and haven't returned (DS 8 months old and just had first period). Leads me to believe that they are now related to hormones. I will be curious to see what happens with my future periods.

Not sure if any of that helps, but try medication, try acupuncture/massage/osteopathy and see what combination works best for you. Also try to remember that it's often pain management rather than elimination with migraines. I can't say why my migraines returned, but they did. Not comforting, I know, but hopefully you will get good care.

hi all!

got my precription from the docs today. i swear i walked out with half the chemist

ive been givin;

84 ibuprofen (400mg - one, three times a day)
32 paracetamol (500mg - two every six hours)
6 rizatriptan (10mg - 1 when needed)
112 propranolol (10mg - starting on 20mg and then increasing by 20mg every two weeks)

to be honest, i thought she was only giving me the propranolol. those pills are only 10mg so after the first few weeks, im gonna be taking 2 in the morning and 2 at night, then 3 in the morning and 3 at night after the next two weeks and so on. will be back looking for more in a month! im starting 2mrw morning.

as for everything else, i'll only be taking them if and when i need them. heads been not to bad today. dull pain, not had to take anything though. im so tired these days though. dreading how tired im gonna feel when these pills kick in!!!!!

ment to add aswell, im gonna keep a record of my blood pressure and heart rate. ive got a machine in the house which is good!

Groovy - Blimey!!!

Well, I hope you feel better soon. Let's hope that this works for you.

thanks girlandboy!

i swear, if u were to shake me hard enough, i would rattle

how r u finding the propranolol now? r u taking anything at the same time ie paracetamol etc?

Groovy - don't feel any different on the propanolol! Heart beat is slower, and I feel slightly tired, but nothing else.

The headache has gone at the moment, but I'm expecting my "ovulation migraine" any day now! So we'll have to see what happens.

Not taking anything else at them moment, but I've got the pain killers lined up waiting!!!

Wow this is really interesting reading.

I take Imigran in a nasal spray form as I vomit constantly when I have a migraine and get hyperdysphasia and a whole host of symptoms which make me look as though I am having a stroke which is pretty scarey but the imigran has really helped - I had a hell of a time getting it from my new doctor when I moved but now he understands that I NEED it - you just have to keep going back telling them whatever you are using isn;t working.

I took propranolol a few years back for migraine and had no problem with it at all. It did make me a bit tired at first but that wore off after a while. I started taking it before bed to combat the tiredness that would kick in a few hours after taking it.

MadameCastafiore - I once had an extreme migraine - pretty similar to what you describe - everybody thought I had suffered a stroke - an ambulance was called, MRI scan done and everything. Turned out that my migraine had been so severe that the symtoms were quite similar - it was absolutely terrifying and the relief that it was a migraine was unreal.

I stopped taking the pill immediately and still do have migraines but on a more occasional basis and none as bad as that particular incident - thankfully.

Have you tried feverfew? That is a herbal remedy for migraine and I read somewhere that omega 3 helps to prevent them if taken in large amounts?

I get menstrual migraines, been trying 500 mg magnesium daily for nearly 3 months, last month had a nasty migraine, this month I don't know yet! When I was pregnant it was great I had NO MIGRAINES for all that time!

I too have zillions of mercury fillings, blimey. Perhaps when I can afford it ...!!

Meanwhile trying to stay off cheese chocolate and wine/alcohol for week leading up to period and the period week itself.

Can anybody advise how long should it take for magnesium to kick in? As I say been taking them nearly 90 days now, let's hope this period I am luckier!

Bought some Imigran ready in my handbag let's see what happens!

They are bummers these migraines aren't they!

My daughter used to suffer from the most terrible migraines- she wouldn't be able to move one side of her body, and she'd lose ability to speak, always quite frightening. She had something called the Bowen technique, on the NHS. She had an appointment a week for about 5 weeks (I think), that was about 5 years ago and she has never had one since.

Bowen Technique

Well, just a quick update really!

I have stopped taking the propanalol, though the doctor doesn't know it yet! After about 5-6 days of it I started feeling really sick/nauseous. I even got to the point of taking a travel sickness tablet to try and combat it. (It didn't work!)

My sleep was horrendous, not only could I not get off to sleep easily, but I was waking up at some unearthly early hour. The little while I was asleep I was getting terrible nightmares.

I also felt really slow and "couldn't be bothered" to do anything. (More so than usual - ha!) It has become a real trial to have to heave myself out of the armchair to even cook the dinner. It's been a real temptation to "send out" for meals, which isn't like me at all.

On the headache front, well......the ovulation migraine arrived but in a very minor way. But then again, I tried the soluble aspirin solution held in the mouth for 5 minutes thing and it seemed to have an effect! The headache lasted about 3 hours, but it wasn't particularly bad. Was this a combination of propanolol and soluble aspirin?? Don't know. All I know is, is that it is not easy to hold that much fizzy liquid in your mouth while doing the kids packed lunches while they are all trying to speak to you!

A headache started about half an hour ago, and my period is due any day now, so I have done the soluble aspirin thing again. It seems to be working so far.

But the propanolol were awful! I can't take them any more. The nausea, tiredness, lethargy and nightmares were too much.

I will have to see what the gp says! Oh joy!

girlandboy, if you are around I just wondered how you are gettin gon now. I took the pizotifen for a few months, and then gave it up because I was so incredibly tired all the time. But the migraines have been so often lately they just seem like on big continuous one. So, I have restarted the pizotifen just yesterday. But am only taking one pill in the evening, rather than the 3 GP thinks I am taking.

I also had two of my mercury fillings replaced about a month ago. They needed replacing anyway. Over the past 6 months or so I have aquired an eternally stuffed up nose. Sudafed spray is my friend. About 3-5 days after having my two mercury filling replace I notice my nose was about 75% improved. Coincidence? I don't think so! So I amnow seriously considering having the rest of my mercury filling removed. It seems like such a radical approach, but I think I am going to do it.

bump

hiya

was just reading this. Annoyingly I have a migraine today which is why this thread jumped out at me (and am at work grrr).

Can I just make one observation? All of you who believe your migraines are tied in to your periods or hormones, PLEASE ask your GP to refer you to a gynae.

I suffered for years and years because the GP told me there was nothing more they could do. THey refused to try any more medication (because imigran didn't work) and then they told me it was my fault as I was taking too much nurofen/paracetamol and then they decided I must be depressed because I was going so often complaining about these 'migraines' that they did not believe were migraines because Imigran didn't stop them .

Anyway, I took it upon myself to self refer to a gynae who was wonderful and listened to me and was horrified by how I was treated. He came up with a treatment plan that meant for the last couple of years I have virtually been migraine free.

My medication has to be changed this month which is why I am getting one now but it was largely to do with the balance of my hormones it seems and in addition to that, it appears to have been linked in with blood sugar.

Anyway, please, if the medication doesn't work and you believe they are linked to your hormones, please try and ask for a referral. I let YEARS of my life be ruined because I didn't actually realise I should have done this. Virtually 10 days out of each month were a write off in all that time and I really resent the way I was dealt with!

have just read your msg about migraine and getting referred to gynae, but you havent said what exactly the plan involved, was it different meds, diet ? I too suffer each month and wondered where I go from here?

the reason I didn't spell out the treatment is that I think it's quite individual and I had other gynae issues which were covered under the same treatment iyswim!

There are special things they can do like giving some sort of extra oestrogen...I can't quite remember. I couldn't tolerate most hormones but eventually, after a few years of treatment, I can now tolerate one form of the pill so I take it constantly. After a few months of doing this, is keeps your hormones at a stable level which stops the main migraines occurring (becuase I think they believe they happen because you are sensitive to the changing hormone levels at period time which is why you get the migraines). Therefore by trying to stabilise your hormones, it stops the migraines. I have to be carefully monitored though as I have high cholesterol and some issues with my blood pressure grr and because I'm over 35, I have to be careful.

There were other things tied in to mine....by cutting out additional sugar (so no sugar in tea/coffee, stopping eating any sweets etc.) that also cut them down a lot because I had to stabilise my blood sugar too so I stopped getting massive dips as that was also causing migraines!

It feels like it's saved my life tbh. I couldn't even work when they were bad because I couldn't travel or concentrate or anything so I do feel I have my life back!

Does Imigram not work for you? it's been a life saver for me.