Headaches or Migraines

[suede]

Originally Posted by yanna

5 days of a migraine, that sounds so awful! I think I've never gotten one that lasted more than 3 days. 27 pills sound good, I have to make do with 6 lousy Maxalt pills whenever I remember to go get them prescribed. I've had to buy them a couple of times and it's no fun. 24 euros a pack of 3 pills!

I'll see another neurologist soon as I'd like to see if there's anything more I can do.

Sometimes it's actually good when it gets to the point when I vomit, it's like I reach the peak and then it slowly gets better. Other times I'm just vomitting from the moment I wake up, the pain is just so awful.

I went to a pain management place and the doc told the ins company that I needed that amount. I've run out so many times with the typical 9 per month that I would start to freak if I had 10 days and 1 pill to get trough it.

I hope one day there will be an answer for us.

[southernbelle]

My brother and my aunt both get really bad migraines, to the point where they are vomiting and they need total darkness and total silence. The pain is so great it sometimes reduces my brother, who is usually kind of a hardass, to tears.

I never suffered from migraines, but when I was in 9th grade, I started getting these headaches that were so excruciatingly painful I couldn't move. They would start out as a dull aching sensation and then escalate into sharp pain that was concentrated in one area of the head, then it would spread to my entire head. I'd had headaches before, but these were like nothing I had ever experienced. Opening my eyes would make me nauseous. Nothing helped, and they would last for almost an entire day.

After 9th grade, I never got one like that again. It was really weird. It was just during that one year. I sometimes wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that I started my period that year.

In college, I started to get headaches that would make me so nauseous I couldn't eat. They weren't anywhere near as bad as the ones in 9th grade, but more of an annoyance than anything. Then one night it was so bad that I vomited and passed out, and one of my friends called my parents, and then explained that this was a recurring problem. They made me come home over spring break and go to the hospital. After some blood tests I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. Now that I've learned to control it, I rarely have incidents like that and it's a big relief.

I also find that when I do have a headache, Motrin Ibuprofen is the only thing that works for me. It's really weird.

[marvel]

Believe me you would know if it's a migraine. You would not be able to fuction at all. One of the posters made a comment about being in a fetal position and that pretty much nails it on the head. Even the slightest movement causes pain, lights can kill you, and the puking does not help either. I would definitely get it checked out though to make sure nothing else is wrong neurologically. But in my opinion It sounds like a headache. I think if anyone had a migraine for that many days straight they would have gone to drastic measures to end it. They suck ass. Very rare now that I'm not on any birth control. Are you on any birth control?

[pacific breeze]

Migraines are often linked to hormonal changes, southernbelle. My step-daughter got terrible migraines after she had her baby. It got so bad that she called me at one day at work and I had to come take the baby because she was that incapacitated. Sometimes there is a genetic link too -- my husband gets terrible migraines every day and spends a fortune on meds, even with insurance. They have affected his vision. Usually he can feel them coming on but every once in a while he gets one so bad that he is literally a basket case -- throwing up every few minutes, being in a dark room, unable to eat or drink. It's frightening. I am so glad that I don't get them, and hardly ever get even ordinary headaches except when my neck is acting up or I am very tired.

[Aella]

I don't have chronic migraines, except this one episode I had in University that's become etched in my memory-I think it was triggered by a mystery meal I had from an Indian takeaway. I got the whole debilitating pain, blinding white spots, followed by uncontrollable vomiting. It was terrifying enough as a one off, so those of you who get them often have my deepest sympathy.

[crumpet]

Migrainer here. I use various methods: a muscle relaxer, caffeine, intense cold (temples/forehead/back of neck), BC powder, magnet therapy, and essential oils. I've dealt with this for over 20 yrs since I was a teenager.

[Sweetie]

BOTOX injections. My mom gets these every 3 months, she gets them in the base of her neck and in the temples, and no more migraines.
Before she was getting demerol shots and taking morphine for migraines. She would spend 3 out of 4 weeks in the bed because she would have them that often.

[angelais]

I take Gabapentin on a daily basis to prevent migraines. When I do get a migraine I take 100 mg Imitrex, but sometimes end up taking two because the first one didn't do squat.

Btw, Gabapentin is in the same family of drugs as anti-seizure medicine, because epilepsy and migraines are both neurological conditions.

[lisalucy69]

Originally Posted by Sweetie

BOTOX injections. My mom gets these every 3 months, she gets them in the base of her neck and in the temples, and no more migraines.
Before she was getting demerol shots and taking morphine for migraines. She would spend 3 out of 4 weeks in the bed because she would have them that often.

Botox is how i cured my migraines as well. I suffered excruciating, nauseating migraines that left me curled in a ball in my darkened room. I began having them shortly after my mom suffered a brain aneurysm. The Dr. figured it was probably stress, but ordered dozens of scans. The scans showed an arterial venous malformation on my brain. I was sent to a neurosurgeon and also given vicodin for the pain. The vicodin worked for about two days. I was prescribed Vioxx, Bextra, Midrin, Immitrex, and about a half a dozen other painkillers. Each would make the pain bearable for a day - a week and then I'd switch to something different. Nothing seemed to really completely take away the pain. I had brain surgery to remove the AVM, and I didn't have another migraine until about 6 months later. I really thought the surgery would do the trick although my neurosurgeon had told me that he didn't believe the AVM was causing the migraines. The surgery was more a precaution because of family history of aneurysms. Anyway, my neurosurgeon referred me to a neurospecialist who suggested Botox. I was wary at first, Botox itself seemed risky, and the thought of needles poked all over my head grossed me out. I decided whatever it involved would be worth it considering I had rarely went more than a day without a migraine or headache (except the 6 months after my surgery) for close to 3 yrs. I had the injections at the base of head/neck, behind ears, back and top of head, forehead, temples, near bridge of nose. It worked, I was ecstatic! I had another round of injections 3 months later, and I have not had one migraine since. The injections were almost 7 yrs ago, and i don't think i even had a regular headache again until about 3 yrs ago. One thing is that I rarely take painkillers for any headache now, the pain seems like nothing compared to what i lived with when i had the migraines. There has been a lot of negative things discovered about some of painkillers I was taking. I was very lucky and had no problems other than they were not very effective. I swear by the Botox. I just wish i would have been smart enough to fake needing continued injections in the forehead and facial areas. That way my insurance would be picking up the cost of my craving for cosmetic procedures.

[ariesallover]

Migrainer as well here, started after I began my drug cocktail for lupus and some other stuff. Never had them previously. I think the drug cocktail created a vulnerability that my TMJ sets off. I had the TMJ "injection surgery" lol in '95 and rely on a "bite plate" every night to avoid breaking teeth. It *helps*, but does not cure, the pain in the neck and jaw from the grinding.

I wind up in the ER when I can't get the puking to turn off, but when I feel them coming on, my doc toldme to take 40 mg of prednisone, 100 mg of Ansaid, and 10mg of Maxalt or sometimes Zofran. The problem is that if I wake up with a migraine or wake up puking, I am going to the ER. I have to get to the migraine before it gets to me.

I have heard about the Botox shots. I'm thinking between the migraines and the TMJ, it could hold a lot of promise for me.

Originally Posted by lisalucy69

I had brain surgery to remove the AVM, and I didn't have another migraine until about 6 months later. I really thought the surgery would do the trick although my neurosurgeon had told me that he didn't believe the AVM was causing the migraines. The surgery was more a precaution because of family history of aneurysms.

Wow. I'm so glad you're okay!

I had the injections at the base of head/neck, behind ears, back and top of head, forehead, temples, near bridge of nose. It worked, I was ecstatic!

Did this change your ability for certain expressions? I know this sounds really dumb from someone who wants to end migraines ffs, but I'd rather approach this knowing stuff upfront. Also, how was the pain? I get regular intramuscular shots every week, but a needle going into my scalp is already inducing a big case of big baby-itis.

How close were the neck injections to the spine?

There has been a lot of negative things discovered about some of painkillers I was taking.

Exactly. Plus the combo for migraines I mentioned above is already having negative effects.

[t13nif]

I also get migraines but thank god they are not as bad as some of the ones here! I usually get a humdinger once or twice a year and those take me straight to the ER. I have Imitrex but it doesn't do anything for the bad ones--i can't even keep them down though. I recently heard of this new treatment for migraines--i haven't looked into for myself, but maybe it would help?

NTI Tension Suppression System -- FDA approved for the prevention of migraine pain

I have regular headaches nearly everyday. I can't imagine never having had a headache. Nothing helps my regular headaches either--i take 2 extra-strength Tylenol and 2 extra-strength Motrin together and sometimes that dulls the pain.

[Dixie Normos]

Originally Posted by southernbelle

My brother and my aunt both get really bad migraines, to the point where they are vomiting and they need total darkness and total silence. The pain is so great it sometimes reduces my brother, who is usually kind of a hardass, to tears.

I never suffered from migraines, but when I was in 9th grade, I started getting these headaches that were so excruciatingly painful I couldn't move. They would start out as a dull aching sensation and then escalate into sharp pain that was concentrated in one area of the head, then it would spread to my entire head. I'd had headaches before, but these were like nothing I had ever experienced. Opening my eyes would make me nauseous. Nothing helped, and they would last for almost an entire day.

After 9th grade, I never got one like that again. It was really weird. It was just during that one year. I sometimes wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that I started my period that year.

In college, I started to get headaches that would make me so nauseous I couldn't eat. They weren't anywhere near as bad as the ones in 9th grade, but more of an annoyance than anything. Then one night it was so bad that I vomited and passed out, and one of my friends called my parents, and then explained that this was a recurring problem. They made me come home over spring break and go to the hospital. After some blood tests I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. Now that I've learned to control it, I rarely have incidents like that and it's a big relief.

I also find that when I do have a headache, Motrin Ibuprofen is the only thing that works for me. It's really weird.

Holy poop! I just realized, the only migraine I ever had was during the summer I got my period too!

[pacific breeze]

Botox doesn't work for everyone, unfortunately. I know a couple of people, including my husband, who've tried it and no luck.

[Sweetie]

Originally Posted by ariesallover

Migrainer as well here, started after I began my drug cocktail for lupus and some other stuff. Never had them previously. I think the drug cocktail created a vulnerability that my TMJ sets off. I had the TMJ "injection surgery" lol in '95 and rely on a "bite plate" every night to avoid breaking teeth. It *helps*, but does not cure, the pain in the neck and jaw from the grinding.

I wind up in the ER when I can't get the puking to turn off, but when I feel them coming on, my doc toldme to take 40 mg of prednisone, 100 mg of Ansaid, and 10mg of Maxalt or sometimes Zofran. The problem is that if I wake up with a migraine or wake up puking, I am going to the ER. I have to get to the migraine before it gets to me.

I have heard about the Botox shots. I'm thinking between the migraines and the TMJ, it could hold a lot of promise for me.



Wow. I'm so glad you're okay!



Did this change your ability for certain expressions? I know this sounds really dumb from someone who wants to end migraines ffs, but I'd rather approach this knowing stuff upfront. Also, how was the pain? I get regular intramuscular shots every week, but a needle going into my scalp is already inducing a big case of big baby-itis.

How close were the neck injections to the spine?



Exactly. Plus the combo for migraines I mentioned above is already having negative effects.

Where they shot my mom with the botox has not left her face looking any different. They do her shots in the base of her neck and her temples though.

[KrisNine]

I called my neuro and made an appointment for the new year to look into Botox. Quite often, I wake up with my migraine. I know for a fact that I grind my teeth, so that doesn't help either. If I develop a migraine mid-day, it starts in the trapezius (trapazoid) area and moves (always on the right side) to the base of my skull, then ends up on the right side of my head, above my ear. I think that the Botox injections may help.