Migraine Misery

**christa** · 12-02-2005, 08:38 AM

Sounds like I'm not alone. I've only begun to try different meds. So far the Amerge is my second try. I took Zomig the first round and it didn't even touch the pain.

I know that migraines are sometimes brought on by triggers, like foods & environmental factors . . . mine are brought on my hormones, or lack of. That's why they're like clockwork. I can tell when they're coming by my birth control pack. They come during the last week of the month, while I'm taking my placebos.

Actually last month, I cut my pill pack short and started a new one 3 days early, just becuase my migraine had broken through and I knew that starting a new pack would stop the migraine. Within 1 hour, it was completely gone. So that just goes to show you that they're due to hormones, or a lack thereof, on the week that I'm taking the placebos.

Today will be day four . . . It keeps peeking through . . . letting me know it's there. I do go back to my doctor this month. We will probably try something different. There are so many medications out there, something has to work!

**Rie Rie** · 12-02-2005, 09:01 AM

I've had them off and on for about 5 years and they use to pop up whenever and now it's only once a month. My mom says she thinks they are hormone related. I see a nuerologists evey six months and he at first said I had a pniched nerve in my neck, and that may be the case, but why is it now I only get them at that time of the month. I take Maxalt for mine and they cost me $50.00 for 9 pills, so I take them sparingly. I will get a migraine if I drink too much, so I don't do that very often anymore. Mine aren't like the ones other people talk about, where they can't stand light or noise, none of that bothers me. I get like this knot in the back of my head on the right side, that throbs and sometimes they get a bad enough that they make me sick to my stomach. Not that I'm looking forward to menopase, but if that helps get rid of them then bring it on!!!! Thanks mom for the inheritance!!!!!LOL

**sirrahbed** · 12-02-2005, 09:21 AM

Oh Christa - your migraines sound so much like mine!! Maybe you could ask the doctor about taking the birth control continually - with a placebo week only about 4 times a year. You can read about it on the internet too. It is becoming pretty common and they even have a new bcp called "Seasonale" that is the same concept. It helped me VERY much!!

When I do have the migraines - I climb into bed in a dark room and put frozen peas on my head and neck. (leave them in the bag

) Some people prefer a heating pad but cold helps me more.

Did your migraines pretty much begin at puberty? Take care, Christa!!

**christa** · 12-02-2005, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by sirrahbed

Oh Christa - your migraines sound so much like mine!! Maybe you could ask the doctor about taking the birth control continually - with a placebo week only about 4 times a year. You can read about it on the internet too. It is becoming pretty common and they even have a new bcp called "Seasonale" that is the same concept. It helped me VERY much!!

When I do have the migraines - I climb into bed in a dark room and put frozen peas on my head and neck. (leave them in the bag

) Some people prefer a heating pad but cold helps me more.

Did your migraines pretty much begin at puberty? Take care, Christa!!

I haven't had migraines for long. I've always gotten headaches with my period, right before and at the end . . . but never to this extreme. Really just in the past 6 months, they've elevated to migraine level.

About the Seasonale . . . I have done this before, not exactly Seasonale, but gone for months without a period using regular BC, but not because of the migraines. My OB/GYN told me that it's probably not good for *me* to do this because I have endometeriosis . . . it's important for me to have a monthly cycle. I'm sure I don't have to explain that to you.

I never thought about using frozen peas!!! LOL . . . Cold does work for me better too. I usually just get a cold cloth and lay it over my eyes. That makes it darker and helps rest my eyes. My eyes stay so sore & weak for the whole time during the migraines . . . even if I don't have a blasting headache, it's like it's lingering in the back of my head and just wears me out!

**Maya & Inka's mommy** · 12-02-2005, 12:06 PM

Another "migraine-patient" here! I have them since I was nearly 18. It is impossible to explain how a migraine feels unless you had one too...

. Lots of people say "just take a Tylenol" and it will be over....

NOOOOOOO, Tylenol never helps!! When I get a migraine, I can heardly talk, cannot stand light or sound, and I feel 1 000 hammers in my head! Sometimes it goes on for 2, even 3 days

The onlt medicine that helps, when the attack is a "normal" one (=not to heavy") is IMITREX. I have the nose-spray and the injections in my purse all the time!

**RedHedd** · 12-02-2005, 03:11 PM

I used to get them all the time and they got excrutiating before I finally meno-paused. Fiorinal (sp?) worked for me. Now I get them occasionally and have found that good old Excedrin Migraine formula works extremely well for me. I hope yours ease up as I know how debilitating they can be.