Fuck off, migraine!

[ameliajax]

When I get them, I can't get rid of them. I have one right now and both of my eyes are twitching. I fee like someone is stabbing me in the right temple with an ice pick every 6-8 seconds. (It's always the right temple, why is that?) And every time the ice pick hits, so does the wave of nausea. The lights are off and the blinds are closed but it's a sunny day and even the sun through the blinds is killing me. Every time I move my eyes I feel like they are going to fall out of my head. Which I actually wouldn't mind.

A friend of mine once said when you have a migraine all you can think about is scooping out your eyeballs with a cold spoon. Oh my god, that would feel so good!

I want to lay down in a dark room with a cold cloth over my eyes but I have to take care of my little girl. I've tried the meds but they make me feel too weird and I worry something will happen to the children and I won't be able to drive.

I've tried orgasmic endorphins, but though a nice distraction, it doesn't quell the pain. And I can't lock myself in the bedroom and masturbate all day.

Any amazing herbal/natural/I've never heard of that remedies out there? That I can do from home?

I'm getting a cranio sacral massage, but not until Saturday.

Help!

 

[DVS]

When I get them, I can't get rid of them. I have one right now and both of my eyes are twitching. I fee like someone is stabbing me in the right temple with an ice pick every 6-8 seconds. (It's always the right temple, why is that?) And every time the ice pick hits, so does the wave of nausea. The lights are off and the blinds are closed but it's a sunny day and even the sun through the blinds is killing me. Every time I move my eyes I feel like they are going to fall out of my head. Which I actually wouldn't mind.

A friend of mine once said when you have a migraine all you can think about is scooping out your eyeballs with a cold spoon. Oh my god, that would feel so good!

I want to lay down in a dark room with a cold cloth over my eyes but I have to take care of my little girl. I've tried the meds but they make me feel too weird and I worry something will happen to the children and I won't be able to drive.

I've tried orgasmic endorphins, but though a nice distraction, it doesn't quell the pain. And I can't lock myself in the bedroom and masturbate all day.

Any amazing herbal/natural/I've never heard of that remedies out there? That I can do from home?

I'm getting a cranio sacral massage, but not until Saturday.

Help!

I used to get migraines. I still sometimes do, but they aren't as bad as they once were. I guess I'm growing out of them as I get older. I get an aura about 15 minutes before the headache starts. I used to take pills when I saw this aura and it would stop the headache before it could start.

Do you get an aura before the migraine? I forget what type of pill that is, but it's a certain family of meds that work only if you get an aura before. It doesn't drug you up at all. In fact, I never felt any kind of side effects at all. What I took was Midrin, but it is no longer made.

If you don't get that aura, those meds won't work for you. Just what kind of migraine do you get? Do you know? There are different types, and some bad headaches are thought to be migraines when they really are tension, cluster or stress headaches. All are similar, but they might be treated in a different way.

I once knew someone who would get so bad with her migraines that she would go into the hospital. She also got those lollypops that were laced with narcotics that would totally dope her out and not be able to work and she got fired.

In my line of work, I could never take any kind of pain medication that might alter my senses and reactions, so it was good for me that I got the aura before hand. I still get that aura, but rarely get a headache any more.

If I remember correctly, there is another thread that was on here recently that was suppose to help relieve the pain of a migraine. I'm not sure if it worked or not, but it was at least discussed in that thread. I'll see if I can find it, or maybe someone else can.

I know how bad someone can feel with a migraine and it's sad that doctors don't seem to really understand the reason people get them. And over the counter medications don't work with a migraine. Even my sister suggested taking some Advil when I was out of pills. She just didn't understand.

I hope you get some kind of relief. I know it isn't easy to live with these things.

 

[DVS]

I found the thread I was looking for. Here it is. I don't know much about this device, but it's suppose to relieve the pain of migraines. Knowing little about it, I'd say that just like medications, it might work in some people but not in everybody.

Just like a TENS unit can relieve some muscle pain, this might do the same thing, if in a different way. Take it from a guy who is really into electoplay.

I do hope you find an answer to your migraines. I know how debilitating they can be. They're not just another headache.

 

[eastern sun]

I found practicing sitting meditation during a migraine helped tremendously. Over a period of many months, I was even able to have "migraines" without the pain. Liberating.

 

[knot_sweet]

You poor buggers, migraines sound like a right bitch.

My sister in law gets migraines too, so I spent the last few days Google reading what appeared to be the most credible material (no guarantees, this is still the internet we're talking about)

The natural remedies / preventatives that seem to be most widely agreed upon are Riboflavin, Magnesium and Butterbur.

A few have suggested Feverfew, but most also say that there is a greater chance of side effects with that herb.

I ran the short list past my Doc, and she was quite supportive of the main three, with the usual caveats about checking for suitability if you're already taking prescription meds.

I don't know if you've tried them before, but the search was useful for giving over to my s.i.l. anyway, so I don't consider it a waste.

Hope it helps and sorry if it doesn't.

 

[ameliajax]

I found the thread I was looking for. Here it is. I don't know much about this device, but it's suppose to relieve the pain of migraines. Knowing little about it, I'd say that just like medications, it might work in some people but not in everybody.

Just like a TENS unit can relieve some muscle pain, this might do the same thing, if in a different way. Take it from a guy who is really into electoplay.

I do hope you find an answer to your migraines. I know how debilitating they can be. They're not just another headache.

Wow, that's very interesting! I may look into that. And the app, as well, mentioned in that thread. It can't hurt, right? Unless you think holding your phone to your head will hurt you in the long run, but the ship has already sailed on that one.

 

[ameliajax]

You poor buggers, migraines sound like a right bitch.

My sister in law gets migraines too, so I spent the last few days Google reading what appeared to be the most credible material (no guarantees, this is still the internet we're talking about)

The natural remedies / preventatives that seem to be most widely agreed upon are Riboflavin, Magnesium and Butterbur.

A few have suggested Feverfew, but most also say that there is a greater chance of side effects with that herb.

I ran the short list past my Doc, and she was quite supportive of the main three, with the usual caveats about checking for suitability if you're already taking prescription meds.

I don't know if you've tried them before, but the search was useful for giving over to my s.i.l. anyway, so I don't consider it a waste.

Hope it helps and sorry if it doesn't.

Thanks, knot sweet. I'm going to look into this as well. Normally I don't mind taking drugs, I have a chronic bone infection that used to be quite painful, and I was on a lot of vicodin, which made me feel weird, as well, but I would go to work and carry on tra la laaa ... but now, with the kids, I'm a lot more careful. So I'm willing to try any natural remedy out there!


Stag, I hope you are feeling better. Mine is down to a dull roar, mostly manageable with plenty of water and a lot of caffeine. No more ice pick to the temple, which is nice.


I just started getting them last year, and I didn't think they were migraines. My doctor thought they were tension headaches, and the medication she gave me for them worked a little bit. (What really put them to rest was my Master coming into town and fucking the hell out of me, but alas, that is no longer an option.)

But now they are different. Definitely triggered by either smell (strong perfume or soap) or visual input -- bright lights, weird patterns, etc. I got one at the gym once because the carpet there has a truly horrendous pattern that makes my vision swim. Now, when I go, I try not to look down.

I also got one recently when I was folding my husbands socks. I was folding this pair of heathered wool socks, and whammo!!! I'm sure I was edging on one, anyway, and was probably a little dehydrated, but still.... socks???



Thanks all for your input!

 

[ameliajax]

I just heard about something they sell at Whole food called CALM, that has magnesium in it. It's supposed to be good for migraines. I'm going to buy some and give it a try the next time one hits. Mine is gone now, but I'm left with that weird feeling migraine hangover.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Have you tried keeping a headache diary?
Doesn't help with an already existing migraine but it can help finding what your triggers are and then you can better avoid setting them off.

For me I found that stress is the major trigger and it helped me to better recognize the earliest signs that it's not going to be just any plain headache.
If I do something for stress relief then and take some aspirin or something like that, I can usually keep it at a level where I can still function and it doesn't go on for days either.

 

[ecstaticsub]

I've had migraines since I was 17 (so about 30 years) I'll say upfront that I'm a pharmacist and I am only a cautious supporter of herbal treatments. However, I put off trying Imitrex for years due to the listed precautions and side effect profile. Instead I tried changing my diet, taking vitamins, dark rooms, and meditation all with not much relief.

Finally I gave in because my migraines were effecting my ability to work. I would get a headache and have to call out sick for three days. Now when I start to feel a headache come on I take one and most of the time the headache is gone in 30 minutes. Sometimes if I catch it too late I have to take a naprosyn with it but even my worse migraines don't send me home from work.

Those few times it hasn't worked it has been because the headache ended up not being a migraine but sinus related.

I know you wanted herbal remedies but thought I would give another opinion.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Icepack applied to the back of the neck/base of the skull seemed to give me some relief, although mine were infrequent enough & variable enough that I can't swear to it.

 

[candyredlips]

I found practicing sitting meditation during a migraine helped tremendously. Over a period of many months, I was even able to have "migraines" without the pain. Liberating.

Meditation makes sense, as does Feverfew! I'm going to look into both. Today's is a bugger of a blinding headache so I understand the pain the original poster was referring to. I have a friend who receives botox for them and she swears by it. I've had them since little kid hood, and my son now has 'em. >.< Some good remedy suggestions in this forum thank you for sharing your knowledge.