Migraines becoming more frequent...?!
Question: I've been having migraines for about a year now. They started out being once or twice a month, then they progressed to being 3 to 4 times. Then they came almost every 10 days on the dot, but now as you can probably guess, the time between them has shortened significantly from that to 3 or 4 migraines a week. It's miserable.
When I first started getting them, I tried Maxalt...it didn't really work all that well until I took the 3rd dose...and by that time, the migraine usually had subsided anyway. Then my doctor gave me Imitrex 50mg, which works better, but I'm wondering if it is playing a role in making the migraines more frequent. Ever since I started Imitrex, the headaches have been on a steady increase so I'm wondering if that's why. I'm tired of people saying that it's stress, weather changes, food, caffeine, etc...because I am no more stressed out than I have ever been and I try to eat healthy and keep a regular sleep schedule.
Anyone have advice?
Answers: I've been having migraines for about a year now. They started out being once or twice a month, then they progressed to being 3 to 4 times. Then they came almost every 10 days on the dot, but now as you can probably guess, the time between them has shortened significantly from that to 3 or 4 migraines a week. It's miserable.
When I first started getting them, I tried Maxalt...it didn't really work all that well until I took the 3rd dose...and by that time, the migraine usually had subsided anyway. Then my doctor gave me Imitrex 50mg, which works better, but I'm wondering if it is playing a role in making the migraines more frequent. Ever since I started Imitrex, the headaches have been on a steady increase so I'm wondering if that's why. I'm tired of people saying that it's stress, weather changes, food, caffeine, etc...because I am no more stressed out than I have ever been and I try to eat healthy and keep a regular sleep schedule.
Anyone have advice?
I've suffered with them for 20 years. It takes time to figure out what "triggers" them and what is unavoidable.
First of all....I'm not a believer in the meds preventing them. I took them for many years AND none of them worked for me. I've found personally that lifestyle changes can do wonders in preventing them, although there are things that will cause them that you can't avoid.
And the line that it's stress, weather, changes, food, etc....is true I also get them when I haven't had many changes either.
I'd keep a log (journal) of things that you suspect are triggering them. (Food journal, sensory stimulants, etc.)
I had an increase in migranes when I was on imitrex and it didn't get rid of my migranes quickly either. The only thing that kinda helped was the shot you administer yourself....and it's not as fast acting as it should be.
So, from my experience I've found that oversleeping (even just a little) will cause me to have one, being around perfume (old lady stinky stuff), pork, too much sun, grocery store lighting....etc are all triggers. I'm finding new ones everyday.
Any nuerologist will tell you that the best thing to do is to prevent them. That's true in a perfect world, I've found that it's easier for me just to treat one when I get it (I have far less when I don't take all the meds to prevent them).
Have you ever heard of a rebound headache? It happens quite a bit when you've had a migrane (or several for that matter) and you keep medicating it. Your body triggers a rebound headache from all the meds you've been on.
I'm not telling you to stop the meds, take them if you think that they will help you. I've found that if I can detect my migrane early enough (I've just about mastered it) that taking excedrine migrane (before it starts) and/or using the menthol head patches (I think they're called cool head? They have all kinds of them now for migranes) works wonders.
I try to stick to a schedule and I still have them. I've found that exercise has cut down personally on the amount that I have too. An despite the nuerologist telling me that caffiene is bad, I had another one tell me that it opens up the blood flow and helps counter a migrane so go figure.
I don't know if I've been any help but hang in there. I know that it's tough and sometimes keeping the journal finds the one little thing that you may have overlooked.
Ah, and hydrocodone does work wonders. I can get rid of a migrane in less than an hour with one of those babies.
pl see what suits you.
If you are in cold country use all warm things.
Pl try cold water bath and observe if in hot country, if pain increases use warm.
If you have cough/cold body hot water bath will help.
Massage and exercise in front of morning sun is good thing, pl try.
Pl try simple acupressure given below for immediate relief.
If it fails you will have to go for Acupuncture.
There is hardly any medicine for H/A OR MIGRAINE. Not only these but for RA, OA, Back ache, Ear ache/ringing, Stomach ache and almost all painful diseases. Hence they become chronic.
Acidity, WORRY, sadness, excessive wind, cold , heat, sour food and sinusitis, constipation, intestinal inflammation; drug side effects, stress, bad smell, TV & COMPUTER SOMETIMES, Blockage in the flow of Vital Energy, BODY CONSTITUTION etc are their causes.
None of them can be treated with medicine.
Our 100% success in treating migraine &H/A confirms it.
Acupuncture is the best treatment.
I can treat it with naturopathy and YOG, but how can you manage pl see.
Pain killers don't treat the pain but we loose the sense of pain for some time; in that duration our body itself treats sometime and credit goes to meds.
The useless drugs have tremendous power of side effects like liver/kidney failures, ulcer, inflammation of intestines and lot more.
Avoid late sleeping if possible; worry, tension, spicy foods, sour fruits, stale bakery foods, SMOKING and alcohole.
Sweet foods, COCOANUT WATER,sweet fruits like dates, milk, rice, SPROUTS, SALADS and good sleep will help if cough is not there.
But you try one herbal remedy- two drops of drumstick leaves' juice in opposite nostril if one side pains and both nostrils if full H/A will give you rescue. Betel leaf helps but it is very strong.
If it is acute pl search a painful point (with round tipped pen/jimmy) 3-6 mm behind your thumb nail and press it, H/A will disappear within 30 seconds.
For forehead/eye pain the points are in front of nails on the finger tips or 3-7 mm below.
It may disappear naturally too.
Source(s):
SHREE SWASTHYAYOG TREATMENT, TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE
R.H. 19, Jhulelal Society, Sector 2/E, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, INDIA.
You can actually be allergic to the imitrex itself so get that checked out ASAP. Also, have you had a recent MRI to rule out other things? If not, ask your doctor abt doing this since your migraines are increasing in frequency. If both things turn up negative, then you may just be a true migraineur (a person who is just predisposed to getting migraines). Things like stress and diet play a small part but moreover your physiology is responsible for these (they can increase or decrease with age as your hormone levels fluctuate). In any case, I hope you get the answers you deserve and get to feeling better soon. Good luck!
I get migraines as well and have tried all the different types of meds for migraines but found that either using lortab or hydrocodone works the best. It makes you drowsy though and addicting if you have a problem with taking prescription meds. My cousin has Imitrex that he injects in his arm when he feels a migraine starting and that works for him. Unfortunately everyone is different and you will have to keep trying different meds until you find one that works for you. Try taking some Vitamin B on a daily basis that helps too.