Migraine Relief?

My wife gets them every once in a while and they last for a few hours. Unfortunately this one has been going on for over 24 hours.

Her normal remedies seem not to be working. Any suggestions?

What are her normal remedies?

"A few hours" is not a migraine. You seek "headache" relief for that. Now, 24 hours, you're starting to approach migraine territory, depending on the rest of the symptoms, but we won't get into that. Some "home" remedies: Sex, caffeine, sleep. I assume she has tried the various over the counter remedies. After that, it's professional assistance time.

Has she had any MSG recently? A buddy used to get migraines if he had anything with MSG in it or there were some other processed food stuff that would set him off occasionally.

Perhaps try drinking a bunch of water and/or Gatorade and see if that changes anything for the positive.

Migraines are tough to resolve since they can be triggered by so many different things and even if the triggers are found they can be hard to resolve since the brain is just decided that it will have ALL THE PAIN until it decides otherwise.

I guess try to do some detective work to track her movements a bit and see if anything changes in her routine prior to the migraines to see if there is a common thread to build from.

Good luck, they are not fun and having watched a good friend deal with severe migraines they aren't a laughing matter.

Dr. Hess wrote: "A few hours" is not a migraine. You seek "headache" relief for that. Now, 24 hours, you're starting to approach migraine territory, depending on the rest of the symptoms, but we won't get into that. Some "home" remedies: Sex, caffeine, sleep. I assume she has tried the various over the counter remedies. After that, it's professional assistance time.

A buddy used to get them bad. Projectile vommiting, temporary blindness, bad. Usually had to be carted off to the hospital and the only thing that helped once it was at full speed was Morphine.

He finally figured out with help from his PC, Neuro and allergy docs that MSG was his major downfall. Eating healthier and getting exercise helped, but for a while there it was a nightmare to work with him (imagine sharing an office with a 350lb man who's projectile vomiting into the shared trash can).

Unfortunately after a couple years without a migraine he had one final one that lead to a fatal heart attack after severe muscle spasms and vommiting while he was at home with his family while they were talking about how long it had been since his last migraine. Still miss him to this day, he was a great friend. That was a pretty tragic way to go.

Having suffered with migraines since I was a high school student (a LOOOOOONG time ago) I have come to appreciate how important prevention is. For me, migraines seem to occur more often if one or more of the following are present, in no particular order: Irregular caffeine intake, irregular sleep pattern, stress, and lack of "regularity" (if you know what I mean). I strive to avoid these triggers, and am moderately succcessful in that endeavor.

Back in the day, nothing seemed to help the pain much once I had a migraine. Nowadays, I find a good amount of relief from the OTC migraine-specific pain relievers. They are especially effective if you take them as soon as you feel the migraine starting.

Dr. Hess wrote: "A few hours" is not a migraine. You seek "headache" relief for that.

Yea, that's just your opinion man!

I had'em as teen they would last 4-7 hours with many of the classic symptoms. I was prescribed a medication (I have no idea what it was this was the mid 60s) that if I took it when I felt one coming one, it would prevent it. But it would not touch a headache you already had. Fortunately I grew out of them and have only a few since then that were much less severe. There is nothing like repeatedly dry heaving into a trash can in the dark when ever noise is painful.

I've had migraines that last halfed a day, and I've had some that lasted for 2-3 days. YMMV (Your Migraine Might Vary).

I do agree with Dr Hess though, it's time for professional help/medication. I can usually get the mild attacks under control with OTC medication, but I do use appropriately dosed sumatriptan for the industrial strength ones. In most cases she'll have to work with her doctor to find the right medication.

As mentioned, prevention is usually preferable. For me it took a while to work out the triggers (in my case, changing sleeping patterns too frequently, weather and stress) and try to work on those if possible.

Before my doc got me on some meds that worked for my migraines, Dramamine was the only thing that would take the edge off. It helped keep me from throwing up too.

CVS has an OTC "Migraine" med that's some combination of ibuprofen, acetaminophen & caffeine that seems to work pretty well for me. I also have a script for Sumatriptan that works better on the really bad ones, but I stick to the OTC most of the time due to cost.

Excederine was the only OTC meds that ever helped me. Right or wrong my dr now has me on topomax for prevention and bultalb (sp) for flair ups. Seem to control them well enough these days. Not sure they'd work for your wife as everyone is different.

On a side note my wife had daily migranes or headaches that have been GREATLY reduced by diet as she had some bad food allergies. Might be something to check if it is a frequent issue...

I know ever since I got back from Iraq I sporadically get them and with some help from any neurologists in the military I've found caffeine just as an aura (the temporary blindness or whatever the pre symptom may be) is coming on helps a bit as does whatever ibuprofen you can get your hands on.

Also if you don't want to pay big money for the specific migraine medicines PMS pills are actually the same thing generally for a bit less, last thing I can say is make a journal of when they happen and any food you have had in the past day and it can help pinpoint any one specific thing.

Good luck and I hope the best, I can relate to how E36 M3ty they can be.

Edit: Yes sex helps a lot more then you would think, for real.

turboswede wrote: Migraines are tough to resolve since they can be triggered by so many different things and even if the triggers are found they can be hard to resolve since the brain is just decided that it will have ALL THE PAIN until it decides otherwise.

+1, and everybody's triggers are different.

I've found that the "headache" part only happens if I let it. Meaning, when my ocular centers go all VIDEO DRIVER ERROR and I keep powering through it instead of stepping back and taking a mandatory stop.

If I chug a small Red Bull when that happens, I get my vision back in ten, fifteen minutes tops and no headache. It's not just the caffeine, there's something else in there that kicks my brain's ass and makes it work right again.

If I don't do the Red Bull thing, and I keep working through the blind spots/etc, then I get a headache. And the only way that sucker is going away is to sleep it off. I guess I'm fortunate, I've only ever been laid up for 2-3 days a few times (complete with the weird nausea/numb arms/numb side of body/other weirdities), although it seems that it takes me about a week for everything to feel "normal" again after a nominal migraine.

If I drink a Red Bull when I feel good, on the other hand, THAT gives me an astounding headache. A headache in the traditional sense.

If I had had 2-3 day long migraines as bad as mine were, I would probably have killed myself.

I just checked online and it looks like I was prescribed ergotamine. Worked fine if you had it handy.

It doesn't give me migraines, but some perfumes give me extremely bad headaches almost instantly.

Dr. Hess wrote: "A few hours" is not a migraine. You seek "headache" relief for that.

see, I disagree with that. I get migraines, but mine only last a couple of hours. Migraines are not "headaches" they are much more than that and are debilitating, where a headache is not.

Headaches do not leave you partially blind and/or unable to even form words in your head, let alone speak them

OK, 4 to 72 hours. You need a headache doctor (AKA "Neuroligist.")

Smart guys who classify head pain said: Migraine criteria: At least 5 headache attacks that lasted 4-72 hours (untreated or unsuccessfully treated) and that the headache must have had at least 2 of the following characteristics[2] : Unilateral location Pulsating quality Moderate or severe pain intensity Aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity (eg, walking or climbing stairs) In addition, during the headache the patient must have had at least 1 of the following: Nausea and/or vomiting Photophobia and phonophobia Finally, these features must not have been attributable to another disorder.

"Photophobia and phonophobia" == light and sound sensitivity.

You have to be careful throwing medical terms around. Not all headaches are migraines. Not all reactions to medicines are "allergies."

I legitimately suffer from migraines and am under the care of a neurologist for them. As such, I have tried and exhausted most pain options. Narcotics, nons, etc. I find that when I get moving, all that cuts them is either relpax, or for the really ugly ones, a trip to the er for a torodol cocktail. Now, one odd thing I've found that works, is a combination of Dramamine and ibuprofen. I discovered that on accident, as I got a bout of vertigo prior to a.migraine once and didn't have my migraine meds. Strangely it worked. I find if I do that early enough, I don't get a full banger and I can move on . now, everyone is different, and I am no medical professional. I've just had a E36 M3load of headaches.

The dramamine does not surprise me a bit. It is in the same class as phenergan, that is, a powerful antihistimine, and they work with my migraines as well as anything else.

Well thanks everyone for the input.

Today is day 3 and the doctor called in Imatrex. Wish they did it yesterday, but the wife is pushing for the ER and I'm trying to stay away from that place. Hopefully it will kick in soon.

I've had them off and on most of my life. In late 2000 they became debilitating. I ran the gamut of drs. including a neurologist. I tried prescription drugs. Long story short, OTC Excedrin Migraine or it's equivalent helped more than anything. The key was I learned to act the moment I felt it coming. I'd take two pills and sit down and be still physically and mentally until I felt it had passed.

I almost never have a migraine now. If anyone would really like to know what cured me send me a pm, I'll be glad to tell you.

I get them, but very rarely. Almost always its the result of dehydration and/or extended intense light (driving without sunglasses for example).

Excedrin. Water. Sleep (dark & quiet).

Also forgot the simple stuff. Get in a cool, dark, quiet (as possible) room and put a wet washcloth over my eyes/face. Helped, but not cured and oddly enough, I almost always felt better after I vomited if I let it get that far...not that I recommend that.

I was on Imatrex (sp?) also for a while, and it did seem to work well for me. I hope it works well for her. Those headaches/migranes are miserable and usually people around can't do anything to help other than stay quite as possible and keep the lights low/off.

Usually Immitrex is most effective within the first few hours of onset. Once mine have been going for over 24 hours, there is nothing that's going to make it go away (or at least get some relief) other than a trip to the ER. The toradol/benedryl cocktail is nauseating, but I'd rather be nauseous and a bit panicky than in (more) pain.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: the wife is pushing for the ER and I'm trying to stay away from that place.

I'm not so sure I wouldn't do this. Better safe that sorry.

I think a bad headache for 3 days that is a new thing (usually "hours") needs some professional eyes. That is a neurological examination by a primary care provider M.D. at a minimum. I'm not going to discourage a ER trip, but a "no, doc, you need to see her TODAY" kinda thing is not out of line.