Migraines

[Averyproperteaparty]

I’ve had migraines for over thirty years. Currently menopausal and getting one most days. It’s starting to really impact on my mood.

Has anyone used a chiropractor or osteopath to treat them and has anyone had acupuncture.

What was the result please. I’m getting desperate. My quality of life is very low at the moment due to the constant pain and I’d be interested to know anyone else’s experience of any treatments.

What treatment are you on already? I wouldn't recommend any of the three you list; stick to evidence based medicine. But what kind depends on the extent of your current treatments.

Are you on a preventer?

Are you under a neurologist's care?

Are you able to pay to go private?

(I have a history of severe chronic migraine btw, and increasing my migraine care, levelling up my treatments, etc, has been transformative for me. Like you I had pain every day; I honestly didn't know that some amount of headache daily wasn't normal! Now I have many days per month that are totally headache free, and far fewer "full" migraine days, albeit still some in between days of milder pain. Plus my doctor hasn't finished tweaking my care yet.)

100mg sumatriptan has been a game changer for me.

I was on propanol and amitriptyline as preventers. I was on them for years. They didn’t really work but I was terrified of coming off them in case it got worse. @superdupertruper I agree sumatriptan is a miracle drug but unfortunately if you take it too often it causes horrific rebound migraines which is what happened with me so I no longer use it unless I absolutely have to.

I’ve just completed a four month programme where food, sodium, potassium, water are addressed. I cut out sugar, sweetener, additives, tea, coffee, caffeine and definitely saw some improvement. I’ve managed to come off all the preventers and now usually just take Anadin Extra.

Poor sleep is a massive trigger for me and I’m currently having a bad run. In the last two years I’ve never gone more than about ten days without one which is pretty crappy.

I don’t want to go down the medication route again as I feel it doesn’t address the cause of them, just masks them. I know I carry a lot of tension in my face and really wonder whether there’s something going on with my jaw or neck that could be causing them.

You're being silly re: medication. It certainly doesn't have to be the only thing you do, but deciding to reject treatments that may be effective is going to hurt you and only you.

There are multiple triptans. Any good migraine doctor will have you go through each one to see which one works best. They have very variable efficacy for each individual. Your GP may be willing to do this for you even without consultant direction!

I would strongly suggest you see a private neuro, I can give you a name via PM if you want. They don't just throw drugs at you. It starts with migraine diary, etc. They address lifestyle factors and many other things. But there's literally no good reason to decide ahead of time that you won't take a preventer if an expert does at some point recommend one. (They may not even suggest one for you!)

If you're taking Anadin often then you'll also likely be getting rebound pain from that, btw.

My daughter gets migraines (as did her dad). She has had them since age 12. She has had two mri scans (one private as it was a six month wait for nhs), been on sumatriptan, amitriptyline and others to no effect. She has been to a chiropractor, a physio therapist and tried acupuncture. EEG, ecg. (She also faints at least once a month)). Nothing has helped. I believe it is hormonal and it is not as debilitating as it was, but she has them several times a week. NHS have not been able to help much, private not able to help at all (they prescribed the amitriptyline and referred her back to NHS).

@ukborn Has she been seen at NHNN?

@Innocenta

If you're taking Anadin often then you'll also likely be getting rebound pain from that, btw.

Yes this is true. I try not to take it too much. I’m at the end of my tether with it.

Anyone who comes across this thread and wants the name of a truly expert migraine and other headache specialist, send me a PM. I don't want to post the doctor's name publicly but am happy to share. Doctor is London based but many patients travel.

What is that @Innocenta? We've been to three different hospitals for a variety of tests I don't think anyone has mention that?

@Averyproperteaparty It sounds awful! You poor thing. I know during my worst phases I've felt absolutely desperate. What kind of sumatriptan are you prescribed? I found that the subcutaneous injections were most effective for really bad migraines when I was still on sumatriptan. (I'm on a different triptan now which is much more effective for me personally.)

@ukborn National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. It's one of the centres of excellence for more complex neuro issues. I'm not saying it's the only good place, of course! But I'm very sorry to hear your DD's care has been dropped like that. I don't think she has been well looked after if they aren't doing more for her...

I know I carry a lot of tension in my face and really wonder whether there’s something going on with my jaw or neck that could be causing them.

I saw a neurologist for mine, which definitely had a neck related cause. He gave me an occipital nerve block injection and I haven’t had a problem since (although this was only two months ago, but I was having them 3/4 times a week).
Anyway, that may not help you, but he did say that if the nerve block didn’t work then he recommended acupuncture and that there was evidence it worked for certain causes.

@Innocenta please can you check your messages. I’ve messaged you asking for the details of the doc you saw 🙏

@Averyproperteaparty Replied! Sorry for the delay, just been feeling a bit rough with non-migraine stuff. Given you all the details now

I've also had them for 30 years or so.

Seeing an osteopath regularly for the last few months has definitely helped. I still get them but I think I'm getting them less regularly. I do tend to carry tension in my neck and shoulders (though my migraines are also triggered by hormones ,stress and tiredness).

Other than that I use triptan nasal spray once I do get one.

Don't despair! Migraine treatment is an area of real hope and growth at the moment. There are lots of new things you can try. I'd start with a specialist.

Hi innocenta - currently sat in A&E with the worst migraine, can you recommend your specialist please. I can’t work out how to Pm you - thank you

Hello can you please give me the name of the neurologist?