What other things have worked for those of you with mega-migraines?
I take management meds nightly and they have worked for about 4 years...I went from having about 15-20 headache days a month to about 2 with the management meds...but for the last 6-8 mos, I am back out of whack and up to 10-15 days a month, gained some weight from trying steroid rounds to help...ugh!
My Doc is talking Occipital Nerve Blocks now.....shes always pushed for acupuncture (the idea of all these needles makes me want to simultaneously barf and pass out)...and I am checking to see if my current insurance covers physical therapy or massage (I did PT years ago and it helped a ton).....
EDIT to add~ I have been on Topomax (someone commented regarding this) for 4 years...this has been my main maint. med (along with Ambien and Trazadone for chronic sleep issues...and a generic benadryl for minor allergy/sinus stuff daily. Its my nightly med cocktail)...As far as artificial sweetners, I use Splenda..and ONLY Splenda and have never had an issue. I never ever use pink or blue stuff. I have made some diet modifications, but more could be done. I have cut out alot of dairy, as that has never been a fave of mine and does seem to affect my overall health and headaches as well. I think this area could definately use more work..plus its what I crave..meat and salad and veggies mostly. Thanks for that reminder. Keep them coming!!!
So has anyone had the Nerve Block.....or done other therapies??? What has been your experiences?
I started seeing a chiropractor a few months ago. That made a huge difference for me and I would recommend that anyone who suffers from migraines give it a try. It's non-invasive and quick, and it can make a noticable difference for some people.
I have a friend who gets Botox injections once every three months. She went from having a migraine that had lasted for several weeks to several years without any headaches at all.
Definitely go to a chiropractor - I used to get migraines and was on all sorts of meds - started getting chiro adjustments and I can't remember the last time I have had one...
I ended up marrying a chiro :-)
so if you need a referral, I can get you one :-)
Migraines are also triggered by dehydration, MSG, nutrient deficiencies, as well as so many other hormonal issues.
You are right in wanting to get to the source of the problem and fix it, versus covering it up with something temporary which will affect something else in the body negatively (side effects).
Let me know if you need more info! Take Care!
try chiropractic it does wonders I see mine usually 2 times a month and most chiropractors take insurance
My husband had the nerve block done a few years ago. It did provide relief but only temp. I think they only are good for 6-12 months. He ended up having 3 sinus surgeries (at the same time) and now rarely has a migraine. It depends on the source of your migraine and for him it was his in his sinus. Good Luck!
Just had to respond to your situation cause I just have heard of multiple people lately who have been suffering from migraines and the one thing that they said really turned it around for them was getting their bodies "nutrient" intake back in balance. Another thing they mentioned was a good B-Complex also helped.
Please let me know if I can share more information with you but I highly recommend "natural" means to you over the drugs. Drugs are temporary and don't build the body up vs. food supplements (good quality ones) will!
Take care and thanks for letting me share my two cents~
A.
This is going to sound weird, but when you have a migraine try tying a scarf very tight around your head. It certainly doesn't prevent them, but it can take a little bit of the edge off during one. My grandma had migraines, my mom had them, and my sister and I both do as well.
Try the chiropractor. He has literally CURED some of my worst migraines with an adjustment. I've often told him I'd marry him a heartbeat. :)
Acupuncture is super relaxing. Those "needles" are literally the diameter of two human hairs. They give a great tingle sensation. I wish I had the time and money to resume my "addiction" to acupuncture. It's not a cure all but really gets the body's energy back in line.
I have muscular headaches, and I am going for botox. I don't know if this would apply to your kind of headache, but it sounds like heaven to me. If it works, I will let you know. I get it next week.
M.
I have hormone migraines and on meds as well. But sometimes before they get too severe - Caffeine works for me. I drink a Mt. Dew (or two) or take Excedrin Migraine (has caffeine in it) and that will help. good luck
i use to suffer horribly from migraines-i tried every drug on the market-every type of therapy-then a friend told me about this drug called-NORTRIPHALIN-10 mg at bedtime....did the trick...plus you can take your regular meds-it mixes great with anything-this drug saved my life.good luck...i took it for a year-then stopped-ive been migrain free for 3 yrs.but i keep some on hand just in case.
I have migraines frequently, and was on Topamax (topiramate) which helped immensely. This is an anti-seizure medication, and though I don't have seizures, it works wonders with my migraines. I had to go off of the meds during my pregnancy, and am now breastfeeding so can't take them either. I have discovered that I have a sensitivity to artificial sweeteners, which will trigger a massive migraine. I now make sure I drink nothing with artificial sweeteners (aspertame, phenylalanine, etc.) - they're not any better for you than sugar anyways - and am trying to not have as many processed foods which contain preservatives that can also trigger my migraines. I only eat fresh or frozen fresh fruits and vegetables, nothing from a can. This has helped me a lot, and though I still have 1 or 2 migraines a month without my meds, they have gone down in frequency immensely after changing my diet. Before I changed what I ate, I would have 15-20 a month. You could try doing the same, maybe it will work for you too!
My husband used to suffer with migraines. For the past 4 years we changed one thing and he has not had anymore migraines. I can share more with you if interested.
L.
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Chiropractor....most insurances will cover it.
go to the chiropractor
Botox was just officially approved for the treatment of migraines - have you talked to your doctor about this? I have migraines too, although not nearly to the extreme that you do. I have tried just about every med out there and none of them are great. Usually I just retreat to a dark and quiet room with a very strong cup of coffee and wait it out. Sometimes cold compresses help too. I don't know much about the nerve blocks, but it may be worth a try to get you some relief. Good Luck.
I have hormone migraines and a friend of mine said to add more estragin rich foods to it, sweet potatoes , flax seed, etc. Also I take midol along with pain meds
I have also suffered with terrible migraines for many years. Sorry to hear about what you are going through! Back in March, a friend of mine who knew I was dealing with migraines introduced me to a supplement and said it could really help. Well, I was quite skeptical but also willing to try anything and praying for an answer. So, I decided to give it a try. Now, seven months later, I can say the change has been dramatic and life-changing. If you want more info about the supplements, please let me know. Good luck to you! I hope you are feeling much better soon.
My migraines stopped once I stopped taking birth control pills. Don't know if you take birth control or not, but regardless, have your hormone levels checked. Drinking TONS of water helped keep them away sometimes. But heat and STRESS brought them on for me. Chiropractic never helped me - actually made them worse a few times. If they are hormonal like mine were, skeletal adjustments do nothing for them. I wish you the best, it certainly is a long process in trying to figure them out. I battled them for 9 years before putting all the pieces of the migraine puzzle together to stop them. Good luck!
Depends on if migraines are caused by something neurological or if they could be stress-related. If stress-related, you might try a class called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. The U of M offers it. I did it this spring and there was a woman in my group who suffered from migraines and within 2 weeks, the migraines went away.
Sorry about your situation. I don't get migraines myself but I imagine it must be very hard, especially with kids.
Often times migraines are hormonal. Have you checked with an endocrinologist to see if your hormone levels need to be supplemented?
I get hormone induced migraines (usually only 2 a month...the first day of ovulation and the first day of my period) and when mine get so bad I can't do anything but stay in bed, I take my meds and then lay in bed with a frozen water bottle (wrapped in a towel) against my neck, and a heating pad across my eyes. My mom told me to try this a few years back and it has worked for me ever since...but it seems yours are worse than mine have ever been! I hope you find relief soon!
I'm amazed that you had a management med that actually worked! I have tried four different kinds and none of them have worked for me. I also tried acupuncture and while I enjoyed it, I got NO relief from migraines.
I also tried chiropractic, but it didn't help at all, they wanted me to commit to a year's worth of treatment at $2,000, and when I googled chiropractic I really couldn't find any scientific validity for their claims. I know that tons of people say that chiro has helped them, and I really wish someplace reputable like the Mayo would do a study to see if chiropractic ideas have any truth to them, or if they are just hogwash.
I'm waiting to get clearance for Botox now, and I can't wait. I have migraines 14+ days a month and it is so hard.
Physical therapy really helped me during the month I had it -- I went in twice a week and got therapeutic massage and that month I only had one migraine. Massage or PT would probably be a really good thing to try.
