Migraines

[catnapper]

Oh boy do I get migraines! I finally figured out my main triggers and avoid them. Do you know what your triggers are? Once you kow what triggers them you can control them a bit better.

My triggers are many, but here are the big ones:
~lack of sleep
~alcohol
~chocloate (doesn't stop me from eating it, I just have to be smart about it )
~raisins
~pickles
~blue cheese
You'll notice I have lots of food triggers.... basically a lot of food that is aged. There's a huge list online somewhere that lists everything and you'll have to figure out by trial and error what are your big triggers. Alcohol is my biggest food based trigger. I can't even eat food marinated in alcohol -- it does NOT all burn off like they try to tell you. My body recognises it and sends me into migraine misery. There's been many nights where I neglected to ask how a restaurant prepared its food.... then a few hours later was in pure agony.

The best protection I can say is avoiding my triggers and a combination of a HOT shower quickly followed by a headband of ice. I can't sing the praises of this headband enough:Headache icepack

[Suki Wingy]

I can't avoid my triggers, they're basically all my pets and all the stuff at the barn. I am on meds though.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Thanks for the ideas. I will have to try the Excedrin Migraine formula and taking a hot shower. I think my main trigger is stress. When things have been bothering me the tension just builds up and I usually end up getting a major migraine.

Last year I was very stressed out by a job I had and I was also coming down with the flu- I developed neck and head pain so severe that lasted so long I was sure I was coming down with meningitis! I didn't have any health insurance but I saw a doctor anyway. I ended up paying $120 for them to tell me to take a ton of Tylenol/Alieve. I tried the same combination a few months ago for a severe migraine and I ended up getting severely ill so I'm more careful now about not taking too much medication. I wonder if there is any kind of aromatherapy that helps?

[Argranade]

My god did I ever get them when I was in my other high school, I came home in tears a few times it was soo bad I could just not take the pain.

I had to lay down and rest right away, sleeping always helped it go away.

Advil is also my second option.

Good luck with them, dam they can realy suck.

[Russian Blue]

My migraine trigger is unforunately due to the weather. They are brought on by rapid changes in the weather - usually storm related and usually worse in the fall/winter.

I usually know when a bad storm is coming before the weather person reports it. I start getting a migraine the day before the storm/weather change and will keep Advil with me at work/home. For me, the only thing that works is to sleep it off.

[RedHedd]

Hormones can be migraine triggers. When going through the worst part of menopause I regularly got vicious migraines. Now that I've "paused" they have lessened, however lately they were starting up again and voila! Yes, I had a sinus infection! Taking a Z-pack (Azythromycin) for the sinus infection made the headaches go away - there IS a connection.

Some people get relief from heat; others from ice - everyone is different! My doctor used to prescribe Fiorinal, but now that they have more advanced drugs, I don't think they give that anymore. It worked extremely well for me at the time; now I rely on the Excedrin - I should own stock in the company!

[Soapets]

I get migraines, and my son gets them, too. He can usually take care of his by taking Ibuprofen as soon as he senses it coming on. He takes anywhere from two to four of them, depending on the severity of the headache by the time he takes them.

Most of my migraines are caused by caffeine withdrawal. I can't drink caffeinated beverages or eat chocolate without getting a migraine headache when the caffeine wears off. Caffeine dilates the blood vessels, and when the caffeine wears off the blood vessels constrict (or vice-versa!), and that's what causes the migraines. I also get migraines when I get really over-tired and sleep-deprived.

I used to get migraines really badly, associated with hormones, and Birth Control pills. I used to have to go to the hospital Emergency Room for a shot of Toradol for the pain, and Vistaril for the nausea if I let it get to that point. I have had a hysterectomy so don't have that problem anymore though, thank goodness!

I now take oral Toradol whenever I get a migraine headache. It works fairly well. If I wait too long before taking it though, I get nauseous and have to go get a shot of Vistaril. If I take it too soon, the headache comes back after the Toradol wears off and I have to take another dose of it.

Migraines can also be triggered by nuts, cheeses, liver, wines, and high-protein meats such as liver. Sleep schedules can cause migraines if they are disrupted. Lots of people get migraines on weekends because they sleep in longer than on week days when they have to get earlier to go to work or school. Regimenting your lifestyle and diet can do a lot to help avoid migraines, if you can figure out what your triggers are.

Good Luck!

Deb