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I've gotten awful migraines since 3rd grade. Nothing worked. I tried every med and kind of doctor out there. I even ended up quitting my job b/c it was just too much and I always had a migraine. I thought without the stress of working, they'd get better, but no. We decided to try to have a family soon so I got off all of my drugs and try something else.
I started doing neurofeedback therapy and it is amazing! I actually have days without migraines, crazy! It's crazy expensive, but if you figure all the doctors and meds that you'll be taking the rest of your life, plus just actually not dealing with the constant pain in your head, it's so worth it.
I get the aura about 15 minutes before a migraine and if I take meds immediately, it's amazing. If not, I can only sleep until it's over (getting to the bed is the difficult part!). I don't get them often so I don't use a prescription. I take Excedrin migraine (which has aspirin, caffeine, and something else) and I also drink a soda. Caffeine helps mine a lot.
I am guessing that your "prescription migrain medicine" is a triptan medication (ie- sumitriptan- aka Imitrex). These medications are designed to abort a migraine after it is begining.These are often used first in the treatment of migraines.
Based on the frequency and severity of your migraines, there are a few medications out there that have some efficacy in preventing migraines. One of them is propranolol- which is comonly used for high blood pressure. Another is amitriptyline- which is an antidepressant. There are others as well. Talk to your doctor about whether migraine prevention medication would be appropriate for you.
I suffered from migraines for a long time, and I went to so many doctors and I ended up at a neurologist who gave me a prescription for some migraine medication.
My dad, who was has been going to a chiropractor forever due to back problems, suggested I go to his chiropractor. I know a lot of people seriously don't believe it chiros, so make sure you go to a recommended one. Anyway! The chiro took some x-rays, looked at my spine, and said that my spine was pushing down on my brain stem causing migraines (which after a million other doctors & MRIs no one figured that out). I saw the x-rays, and he drew a line where my spine should have been. It was crazy!
My chiro told me to stop eating processed sugar and I got back adjustments twice a week for about a month, and then once a week for a month, and later it went to once a month, and later I just made an appointment whenever I needed it. It took about 6 months, but then I was literally migraine free. That was five years ago, and I've literally only had maybe 6 migraines since then, and I was able to eat sugar again after about 4 years. The other thing he had me do was stop taking any over the counter painkillers. It was to the point where I had been taking so much Advil/Tylenol/Excedrine for my migranes that they were causing 'rebound headaches' and adding to my migranes.
So long story short, I swear by chiropractors, mine changed my life! I suffered from migraines daily, and now I haven't had any for years. I highly suggest going to one for an adjusment because it turned my life around!
I hope you find something that works, because I know it can be just awful!
I wish I had an answer for you. I do well with Maxalt as needed, whereas my sister takes amitriptyline daily.
I was in a car accident earlier this summer and since then mine have been really bad. The dark room/cold compress helps to an extent. I always keep a flexible lunchbox type ice pack in my freezer, then just wrap it with a dish towel. An eye mask can help block out extra light. Due to the car accident, mine seem to happen when I have neck pain and tension, so if I start to feel like I'm getting one I use a heat pack on my neck and that seems to help.
Sorry I don't have a miracle cure for you. Hope you feel better!
There are a few things you can do. Keep a diary of what you have eaten before each migraine. Also pay attention to when they strike... do you wake up with them? Is there a certain time of day they strike? Are they more common at certain times of month? Also pay attention to environmental stuff like stress. It helps your doctor map out a treatment plan if they can get a clue as to why you're getting them.
Personally, I take Maxalt as needed when one hits. I also take amitriptyline (it's the generic for elavil) daily to prevent them as much as possible. That works well for mine becase they are stress triggered mainly.
I've heard in the long run this is bad, but I used to dose with a hefty amount of caffeine (primarily Coke products, but coffee drinks as well), and Excedrin Migraine. Stress and menstruation were bad triggers too, but ever since I went on enalpril for my blood pressure (related to the heart condition I had), my migraines have almost disappeared. I don't know if a doctor would prescribe it for migraines, but since it is a vasodilator, it WORKS.
Ive tried all the meds that others have mentioned, including maxalt, imitrex as well as the propranolol. They all do basically nothing. I recently stopped the propranolol because it did nothing but add to the laundry list of meds I was taking. It had no effect on my migraines. Amitryptyline is a dangerous drug in my opinion. I was witness to someone on that who had halucinations and was forced to be in the hospital to detox and then had a psych hold after that....i realize it wasnt that med alone, but I would NEVER reccomend this drug to anyone.
Heres what I do, which only helps sometimes, so good luck. Take a couple asprin and drink a can of coke...regular coke (or pepsi, just no diet). take a cold pack and put it on the back of your head at the base of your skull...thats where the pain generally originates. You feel it at the top because its reflective pain, so putting something on your forehead or top of your head will do nothing. do some neck stretches to try and release the muscle tension back there. Lay down, and take some slow deep breaths. imagine yourself breathing into the center of the pain (like you are expanding the muscles with your in breath) and with the out breath you are pushing out that pain...relaxing the muscles. This last part takes lots of practice to be effective, but it never hurts to try it out...plus the deep breathing helps relax you.
Im so sorry youre in pain. I get migraines and cluster headaches (which are more painful and cant be controlled at all), so I litterally feel your pain. I hope that you can get some relief soon. :( Good luck!
Wow thanks so much bees! I do take Maxalt when I get one but that doens't always work. I never drink soda but I think I'll buy a case and stash some at home and work in case one hits, I'll drink it, maybe that will help. I woke up at about 3 a.m. and most of the pain was gone so I took Excederin Migraine to get rid of the last of it since my Maxalt is expensive. I feel much better today and FI & I are going to get our marriage license today on lunch! I'm going to read through all the wonderful responses I got tonight and make sure to try some of your advice! Thank you so much again!
I was put on Topamax (topiramate) a few years ago because I was getting migraines almost daily. It worked great and I eventually weaned off of it completely and rarely have migraines now. If I do get a migraine now, I just take Excedrin Migraine if I get an aura (signaling a migraine is coming). It contains caffeine which helps constrict blood vessels. I also put an ice pack directly on my head (or wrapped in a thin towel). I turn off all lights and don't have any radio or TV (aka noise) on. I rotate the ice pack around different areas of my head, including my eyes and back of skull/top of neck, and temples. One thing the neurologist told me was that migraines can be caused by "withdrawal" from pain relievers, like Excedrin or ibuprofen. It's a catch 22... you get a migraine so you take the pain meds, but then you get another migraine so you take more pain meds, then that causes another migraine... *ugh*
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Any other bees get killer migraines? I have been fighting a headache all day and it's now turned into a migraine
I get them so often they literally disable me. I take prescription migraine medicine, any other bees get them and what do you do? Take meds? Any at home remedies?
I'm getting off the computer & going to lay down in darkness so I'll check back tomorrow, I'm hoping for at home remedies that work! Good night.