Migraine treatment

[JNickel101]

For my brother, it ended up being certain foods that triggered his migraines. He ended up keeping a log of everything he ate, and comparing his migraine attacks to specific foods. I want to say it ended up being a certain type of cheese that always kicked his off....

I know, weird...but I guess everyone has triggers. Like 8Mud said, might be an allergy thing....

 

[Tom R.]

Dude, the first one I had was a couple years ago and it was a bad one. Scared the living hell out of me because I was at work and went 'blind' in about a minute and a half. Standing at the counter, talking to a customer on the phone and as I was finishing the call, the computer screen started to disappear. All I saw was a swirl of color and my hearing went all goofy. While a coworker was driving me to the hospital, I started getting a VERY intense pain behind my right eye. I was nearly sobbing by the time I got to the ER and they put me on a dark room and started me on a morphine drip. Absolutely scared the hell out of me 'cause I had no idea what was going on.

Your first experience reminds me of my first migraine, which ocurred in 1990 while I stationed in S. Korea. Skeered the crap outa me, too!

I discovered several things that help mitigate migraines (YMMV): get proper sleep, keep hydrated, and avoid too much caffeine.

The most helpful thing I discovered was breathing exercises. When a migraine comes on, which usually starts with a blurry spot dead center in my vision, I start performing long, slow breathing exercises. Finding a darkened room where I can lay down helps. I do these breathing exercises until all symptoms are gone, which may take 1/2 hour or so. Certainly much better than suffering a full-on migraine assault. Almost every time I was successful at fully reversing the initial migraine symptoms and could go on with my life.

 

[stewie]

Your first experience reminds me of my first migraine, which ocurred in 1990 while I stationed in S. Korea. Skeered the crap outa me, too!

I discovered several things that help mitigate migraines (YMMV): get proper sleep, keep hydrated, and avoid too much caffeine.

The most helpful thing I discovered was breathing exercises. When a migraine comes on, which usually starts with a blurry spot dead center in my vision, I start performing long, slow breathing exercises. Finding a darkened room where I can lay down helps. I do these breathing exercises until all symptoms are gone, which may take 1/2 hour or so. Certainly much better than suffering a full-on migraine assault. Almost every time I was successful at fully reversing the initial migraine symptoms and could go on with my life.

I will have to give breathing exercises a try. But most of mine come on at work and they dont like people lying down on a construction site:shhh:

 

[Ben H]

There are a handful of triptans out there that really knock the crap out of migraine. For me Zomig is good, Relpax is better and Maxalt is best. I recall a doctor saying that certain triptans work on certain people for so long. I had to try about 8, before deciding on those three. They are all expensive, but the value in getting back to work or play is well worth it. Mine are from a little brain bruising. Now my little bro broke his neck twice, and his migraines are from muscle stress from having a super big head and a now fragile neck bone. He likes three Excedrin Migraines and some natural means.

My aunt swears by slamming back an ICE cold coke and a snickers bar, little shot of sugar and caffeine.

Find the source and fix it.

 

[Rev Den]

Mild - Axert, as soon as I can tell it is headed my way.

Bad - Axert right away with Vicodin.

If I miss the cue (about 50% of the time, cause I am stubborn) then it right to the Vicodin.

Zoloft daily, seems to have helpped a bunch.

Rev

 

[01MonsterXJ]

I'd try getting a prescription for Imitrex. I dispense alot of that at work (I work at walgreens pharmacy)

 

[old_man]

"Deformation of the bones of the skull?" Edify me, please...

Its a malformation of the bones at the base of the skull. In effect there is a gap in my skull where it meets the spine. The brain tries to herniate out. That blocks the CSF flow causing differential pressures. As the pressure gets worse, it tries even harder to force the brain though the gap. It even causes the brain to extend into the spinal column. It is hereditary. I can trace it back in my family 6 generations. My middle daughter has a milder form of it.

Due to motorcycle racing in my earlier years, I have had 13 orthopedic surgeries and two cancer surgeries None holds a candle to the daily headache pain.

 

[KingOfTheHill]

Its a malformation of the bones at the base of the skull. In effect there is a gap in my skull where it meets the spine. The brain tries to herniate out. That blocks the CSF flow causing differential pressures. As the pressure gets worse, it tries even harder to force the brain though the gap. It even causes the brain to extend into the spinal column. It is hereditary. I can trace it back in my family 6 generations. My middle daughter has a milder form of it.

Due to motorcycle racing in my earlier years, I have had 13 orthopedic surgeries and two cancer surgeries None holds a candle to the daily headache pain.

You got me nervous with all this man...

Im going to get some tests done tomorrow (appt. made)... im dipping into my savings because i have a hard time handling the pain anymore...

what scares the crap out of me is what your talking about sounds far too familiar... now im not one to read something, do some internet research and diagnose myself but your posts are really too close for comfort... Called in some favors with a local buddy/doc to see if i can get a more serious answer.

JOe

 

[5-90]

Its a malformation of the bones at the base of the skull. In effect there is a gap in my skull where it meets the spine. The brain tries to herniate out. That blocks the CSF flow causing differential pressures. As the pressure gets worse, it tries even harder to force the brain though the gap. It even causes the brain to extend into the spinal column. It is hereditary. I can trace it back in my family 6 generations. My middle daughter has a milder form of it.

Due to motorcycle racing in my earlier years, I have had 13 orthopedic surgeries and two cancer surgeries None holds a candle to the daily headache pain.

Ow. No, thanks... Makes me glad I've had a full-body CT (not by choice...) and several c-spine and cranial MRIs, and they haven't noticed anything like that... Besides, I hurt badly enough.

It's funny tho - there are times I can actually hear the CSF pumping back and forth through the foramen magnum about the spinal cord. No ill effects, I've heard it for years, but it does get distracting sometimes. Kinda like the sound you get when you squish Jell-O through your teeth.