Migraines/medication

[longdiling]

Dd had a migraine for the first time last week. She got through the day and wasn't completely debilitated by it so I see no need to take her to the gp and get prescribed medication. However I would like her to be able to take some paracetamol at the first sign and maybe use some of that roll on forehead stuff. Would you just pop those in her bag or do I need to get permission/provide a doctors note do you think? Thanks

Yes, you have to provide a note and painkillers are meant to be handed in not kept in her school bag. My DD keeps her painkillers though, it's just easier. She only ever has one dose each of ibuprofen and paracetamol though so no danger of taking too many.

Hope your DD is ok.

I'd ask the school what the policy is - could you provide some that is kept in the office with her name/form on and they phone you for a verbal ok if she asks to take them?

Also, no idea what age she is but as a migraine sufferer I have always found paracetamol plus tablets (ie paracetamol and caffeine) to be essential for heading off a migraine. The caffeine has an effect on the blood vessels and I believe also helps the paracetamol work more quickly.

Sympathy. I remember getting my first migraine at school. Headache so bad I couldn't see, followed by vomiting. Not a good day!

Those cool strips stuck onto her forehead and on the back of her neck are good too.

Thank you all. Sue, that sounds awful. She had the aura, nausea and headache but not to that degree thankfully. We are yet to try her with tablets (she's 11) instead of calpol but it might be time to if it means she gets something more effective. And yes, I'd forgotten those cool strips, I had them when I was pregnant and they are pretty good.

I'll call the office tomorrow, thanks all.

Caffeine is a really important part of resolving the migraine (DD has had them since the age of 7). Under 12 school allowed her to take calpol with regular Coke ( her migraines are also related to low blood sugar). This is a recognised method of helping migraine as the pain is due to constricted blood vessels and caffeine causes those blood vessels to dilate.

I think if I let her have coke for a migraine she'd end up with a heck of a lot of migraines! She loves the stuff. I do appreciate what you're saying about the caffeine though.

Another thing you could use is a magnesium roll-on that you use on your forehead. It works for me on occasion and often stops me feeling sick even if the headache doesn't really go. I can sometimes function with the headache but if I feel sick as well I just need to go to bed.

www.victoriahealth.com/product/MigraZap-Magnesium-Roll-On/11628

Both my two get migraines and they take painkillers with coke too. Aspirin is the best thing for the headache but you'll need a dr to ok that for anyone under 16.