Comments on: What is Migraine? (the scientific story)

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:09:28 +0000

Alot of very good information. I have suffered from migraines for 25 yrs. I can relate to most everyone here. This disease has robbed me of many things I love to do and many events I have had to miss because of my migraines. When you suffer from migraines on a weekly basis it effects your quality of life. It’s also hard to keep a job, because I am not reliable to work. I also have fibromyalgia. I can get a migraine without warning, certain smells like, purfumes, car exhaust, etc. I also get migraines with warnings, my vision gets weird, hands & face go numb, light & noise sensitive amoung others. Also the barometric pressure and I get them every month before my period, They have gotten worse now that I’m pre-menopause. But the good news is my Dr. says that they “should” get better after I’ve gone through menopause. I hope she’s right. I can not take the typical drugs that are prescribed for migraines because the side effects. Some of the drugs have put me in the hospital. The only thing I can use that works is called Fiorinal, it’s a barbiturate, you have to be carful taking it! Use as prescribed! I call them my “magic pills”. I also take Ambien to help me sleep when I have a really bad one otherwise I’d lay awake all night in pain.

By: Cindy Dalton

Cindy Dalton — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:45:16 +0000

That’s a very interesting theory about the Viking king, Holly! As far as I know, there are no Scandinavian ancestors in my bloodline, but there are many, many migraineurs. We have German, Scottish, Welsh, and Cherokee ancestry, but my husband has predominantly Viking ancestry. Maybe he’s paying for the sins of his fathers by having to take care of me. I suffer at least 2 Hemiplegic Migraines per week and cannot move my right side. What a terrible legacy for him and myself.

By: shibha

shibha — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:49:35 +0000

nice details it giveme a lot of knowledge abt disease

By: Ariel

Ariel — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 06:55:28 +0000

Amazing article, I’m only 20 yrs old and on seizure medication for my daily migraines and they still come back. Thanks for letting me understand my pain a lot better. Again, very well written, constructed and educating article.

By: khusnil

khusnil — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:55:23 +0000

i used to have migraines alot when i was growing up as a teenager. i am now 29 and my migraine has disappered. i learnt how to first of all take into account what causes my headaches. i have noticed when i would get migraines i have those auras. but when i look back at how i started out my day, it explaines very clearly how it was triggered. breakfast, good breakfast, and if are have tea or coffee, not drinking for a day will definetly give you headache as explained (withdrawal symptoms). when blood sugar reduces significanlty when havn’t eaten will give you a headache so significant that it will make you sick. the fat metabolites are very big in size compared to sugar metabolites that it causes pain when it is crossing the blood brain barrier, another cause of headache when “the body is fasted” of food. prolonged fastness will give rise to significant pain.

i made sure that i have at least 1cup of tea everyday, (mornings only) and good breakfast. my headaches have gone for ever, unless it is fever or stress related.

analgesics in combination with codeine helps but must be taken before full migraine takes place, otherwise this drug will not be effective as the body goes into a mode of sedation when migraine has taken place and so the stomach doesnot absorb the drug making it ineffective. if you dont want codiene based products, i have found relief with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen 200mg, just as effective.

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:19:48 +0000

Med that has HELPED ME SO MUCH…I went to a neurologist because of having migraine so easily, I couldn’t seem to prevent getting one every day. He gave me Zonagran 50 mg. I took it 3 days and stopped because (I have a terrible time getting enough sleep anyway) I couldn’t sleep much at all.

In only the 3 days I took Zonagran it made a huge difference in my headaches. They barely hurt at all now, I get them a lot less often, and when I do I can get over them more easily. And this after 20 years of terrible 3 day migraines.

Visited this doctor again recently. He gave me a script for 25 mg of Zonagran and said the sleep problems eventually go away. I doubt they would for me, but I do plan to take Zonagran every once in a while just to see if my headaches get even better, or at least to keep myself as well off as I am now after only 3 days of this med.

I hope this helps someone. I know how terrible migraine can be.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:00:41 +0000

I can relate to my migranes are running my life. I also cant do much cause it triggers a headache. Driving, exercise, walking, riding, anything triggers mine. I have a headache everyday, but not a migrane. I have at least 5 to 8 migranes a month. I take 100 T3s a month for the smaller tension headaches and imitrex for the migranes and amitrpillan every day. I am so sick of having a headache. Then you start throwing up and man that just adds horriblely to my pain, and then the dry heaves wow just shoot me . I really wish we could find help or better yet cure for these. No one but people with migranes understands the horrible pain of one. Keep us all informed of new things to try.
Take care everyone
Sandy

By: Sam Nicholls

Sam Nicholls — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:25:33 +0000

Very good and re-assuring. I was very distressed when I saw my red eye and keep getting these headaches on one side. They don’t have the same symptoms each time and have resulted in hospitalisation when I couldn’t see or face light whatsoever. I become very confused and need to sleep. It is good to know I am not alone as I don’t know anyone else who gets migraines just bad headaches and they don’t understand.

By: Dale

Dale — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:53:08 +0000

Thank you Stacie for your valuable information. Not only do I have the migraine pain but I also have fibromyalgia which was diagnosed 18 years ago. Just seems like everything is related. One of the weirdest symptoms lately (the past 5 yrs.) has been getting a migraine on my right side of my head…then have a day with no pain (actually feel great) THEN on the 3rd day it hits me on my left side! This really makes me think that my issues have to do with a chemical/hormonal problems. I am going to a new doctor (homeopathic who is highly recommended here in Las Vegas) in the next couple of weeks. I want to try HRT because I know that I am deficient hormonally since my hysterectomy back in 1993. When I was pregnant years ago, progestrone levels were high of course and I felt better than I ever felt. We shall see how that goes. My mom suffered with migraines until she was 80. When she was put on blood pressure meds her migraines went away…! I will check into that as well. We have so many options that sometimes its exasperating to find the therapy that will work for us. Sigh! If I find something new I will definitely blog about it. Thanks again, Stacie!

By: Stacie Debevec

Stacie Debevec — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:56:01 +0000

Good Evening Everyone! I hope this finds everyone going into the weekend Migraine Free I have had Migraines for going on 21 years; officially diagnosed 20 years this April and I will be 31 in March…As for mantra’s, mine is – “Too young to feel this D**N Old”
Susan and Dale your comments about searing neck pain remind me of me about 5-6 years ago. My Migraines; almost always on one side only, right or left; would start at my eye and go all the back behind my head and nearly freeze my neck muscles to the point where I couldn’t even turn my neck to check my blind spot while driving! I starting getting Occipital Nerve Blocks; first by my old PCP and now by my WONDERFUL Neurologist. For me it is a mixture of Kenalog (Steroid) and Marcaine (Local Anesthetic). They usually last anywhere from 3-4 months and believe me I can tell when its time for my next injection! They basically “stop” my Migraine pain at the top/middle part of my Occipital region and give me back control of my neck! I may have a muscle knot the size of a quarter (as I did this last time) and as soon as I got the injection…knot gone!
I also do the Botox injections and am VERY LUCKY that I am able to get them covered by my insurance (pre-authorization was required) although it shouldn’t be as hard to get the treatment covered by insurance now that the FDA has approved it as a Migraine Treatment; Score 1 for all the Migraine sufferers The treatment helps a lot; for me it stopped the muscle twitching that I got around my eyes, cut down on the frequency and help with trigger control, but when the barometric pressures goes crazy and I’m more sensitive to it now, the migraines I do get are really intense, but I’m not getting 5-10 a week only 1-2(bad week) Unless Mother Nature is going crazy!
Since I also have Fibromyalgia (and all of its LOVELY related maladies) which I was diagnosed with in July 07′ I have found GOOD Chiropractic to be SO helpful and the link between and bad migraine week and a good one can be if I have had my neck, shoulders and hips adjusted and properly aligned. Also in my Chiropractor’s office is a Wonderful massage therapist who is Trained and Certified (Very Important) in Trigger Point Massage Therapy. This type of massage works on the trigger points for Fibromyalgia and Migraine such as in the neck and shoulder region and in the face, specifically your jaw muscles. You will be sore after this massage but also very relaxed (I know weird combo) I felt better even though I was sore; I just drank plenty of water and took some IBU.
I hope some of my experience has helped, I have been through the ringer with every type of treatment out there; including every type of drug and drug combo. I am so sad that Midrin is no longer on the Market since the company producing one of the components (the dichlorophenazone) is no longer making it since it was the only thing that I could take and it worked for me for 15 years! I am allergic to the tryptan class, the ergot’s and anything with DHE so I’m down to unfortunately narcotics.
Good Luck everyone and I wish everyone a Migraine Free Weekend Love and Hugs,
Stacie