ok, i searched the old posts. still... Just coming off a 16 hour migraine with nausea, bookended by 8 hour headaches.
Called LLMD. He said ask a neurologist. The neuro I want to see has a 1 month wait.
Also I'm a sensitive drug taker--have to watch out for vasodialators.
Does anyone know what might work for me so that I don't get a panic attack, speedy feelings, or heart palpitations?
I used to take psuedoephedrine/acetamionphin, but not sure it won't cause a major bad episode.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I take imetrex at the first sign of a migraine. They have been greatly increased since i got sick and are now diminishing as i get better. At one point I was taking so much imitrex i ordered it from India where I could buy it for three dollars a pill rather than 24. I had a prescription but did not need to use it.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
A friend of mine uses large amounts of caffeine with aspirin. Says that this is the only combo that works for her.
Another friend takes phenergan. It knocks her out for a couple hours and when she wakes up her headache is gone.
A doctor that I know gets botox injections to prevent her migraines.
Hang in there. It may take awhile for you and your neurologist to find the right treatment to prevent your migraines.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Sytemic enzymes reduced my constant migraines dramatically. I take Wobenzym.
Also, I found that taking an anti-nausea suppository would fix the abdominal upset, and I felt so much better, even if my head still hurt.
Excedrin Migraine works sometimes. Kava works sometimes.
Carol
Posted by kellyjk4 (Member # 19731) on :
When I have a migraine that lasts for days and is beyond what Imitrex can fix, there are several things that I try.
Caffeine helps me - even though we aren't supposed to, I sometimes have a Coke and a Hershey bar, then take some Benadryl and lie down with ice packs on the side of my head and on my neck.
About half the time, the headache is at least tolerable when I wake up.
I have to stay away from anything with steam or heat with a migraine, as it makes the headache so much worse.
Sorry you're suffering - I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by hildy0521 (Member # 25133) on :
Sorry you're suffering....but I know exactly how you feel.
I usually take 2 Excedrin Migraine right when I feel a migraine coming on. About an hour later the pain is completely gone.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i had them so bad i would just curl up and cry. like an icepike stabbing in my head.
eventually they went away, but the pain drove me to the er numerous times.
guess what? you got it -- nothing wrong, nothing showed -- another nut case.
Posted by farraday (Member # 21494) on :
Here's an off the wall idea that my doctor came up with years ago and which is now approved by the AMA: he put a small amount of lidocaine in pure water, put it in a small spray bottle, and sprayed it up his nose. Voila! Migraine gone in a few minutes!
He had suffered from them for years and I saw him using it. I finally got him to let me try it and it worked like a charm and very quickly.
My LLMD prescribed Fioricet, which has caffeine in it as well as pain killers. That works pretty well, too. I save the lidocaine drops for the severe ones.
Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :
I suffer from migraines too. As with all my pain issues, Ibuprofen and xanax work for me. With a migraine, sometimes food will help and of course a dark quiet room, drink plenty of water too.
My pain management Md Rx'd oxygen, which I will use w/any type of headache. Helps somewhat for sure.
The lidocane nasal spray farraday mentioned...wow, I have to ask my LLMd about that, sounds amazing.
Posted by farraday (Member # 21494) on :
It is! Oh, and I forgot...the oxygen delivery man gave me a great tip. I was in the midst of a terrible migraine, wincing when he opened the door and let in some light. He said, "turn up your oxygen...all the way." Then he told me to keep it up for 10 minutes and he stayed with me. Sure enough, the pain began to subside.
He said that some of his customers kept oxygen in their garage for just such occasions. I used it again and it really helped.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Farraday, I have not been able to get a prescription for Lidocaine nasal spray. I even found info about the study, and brought in a copy for my doc.
Carol
Posted by Need Lots of Help (Member # 18603) on :
I treated my headaches with a combo a neurologist drummed up for me. 2 - Butalbital for pain, 1 - flexeril for muscle spasm and 1 - phenergan for nausea.
But, when I take it, I need 3-4 hours of sleep. With really bad migraines, I have to take 2 rounds of the above medicines, but that has normally done it for me.
I hated those headaches, I hope you can find what helps you.
Posted by farraday (Member # 21494) on :
Carol, I make my own nose drops. I have an old bottle of lidocaine that will probably last me a lifetime. Do you know a nurse or somebody in the medical field who can get you a little bottle of it? You just need about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp in a small squirt or dropper bottle of distilled water.
These doctors are idiots. The lidocaine nose drops are far less toxic than the capcaicin!
See if you can find the AMA report on the lidocaine for migraine. I remember seeing it on the news and laughing my head off! I had been using them for many years and they thought it was such a revelation! Idiots!
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
The lidocaine up my nose didn't work for me, unfortunately. You're lucky it works for you! It takes a lot to get rid of my migraines: Vicodin or Percocet, plus Maxalt or Imitrex injection, plus Ibuprofen or tylenol.
I've had to use this trio of many years. And I've tried EVERYTHING! I also have to do Botox as a preventative, plus meds for preventatives. They are brutal otherwise (even with all this).
I hope that someday with enough TBD tx and prolotherapy, etc., I will not have them so much, but it's been many, many decades so far. Pain is the worst.
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
What interesting ideas. Sounds like I need to work an LL neuro to find what 's right for me.
thank you!
Posted by desertlily (Member # 13894) on :
Usually Imitrex works for me, but occasionally the migraine gets out of control and won't respond, so I have some Toradol (a type of NSAID)that my doc gave to me that works wonders! It's supposed to be given IM or IV and since I have a Groshong (central line) for antibiotics already, I give it to myself that way. But if you didn't have a line, you could give yourself a shot and it might help just as well, only a little slower.
Posted by chopper (Member # 24841) on :
I also suffer from bad spells of migraines, sometimes Maxalt works for me sometimes not, other times excedirn migraine works and sometimes not, sometimes Mobic works and sometimes not. I never really know what to take, as nothing works everytime for me, and at times nothing seems to work but a dark room and sleep. A natural type remedy that helps make the pain somewhat bearable for me is rubbing peppermint oil across my forehead, temples, neck(many times my headaches seem to migate up my neck and then both my head and neck hurt) and inside of my wrists. This remedy doesn't seem to stop the migraine but it does make it easier for me to put up with the pain until the headache subsides with another medicine or sleep. I sometimes wonder if they are even truly migraines, as I only developed them with and after being diagnosed with LYME. The headaches also seem to appear less often and in a much more mild intensity when I am on antibiotics, so I seem to think the Lyme bacteria may be causing or exasperating them. Unfortunately, docs don't seem to want to believe me on the link to antibiotics decreasing my headaches, so they won't prescribe and antibiotic unless I come down with some other type infection. Anybody else have their headaches diminish when on abx?
Posted by wiserforit2 (Member # 18286) on :
Pain and nausea are horrendous. Usually I can't function for the first day. Second day, I can fake it. Third day is better. Day four and five I sweat and feel weak. Then I generally feel better.
Cold washcloth over eyes and behind neck; Benedryl and 2 Aleve; sleep in a dark room; sunglasses.
BTW, the pollen has been really revved up headaches.
Best of luck with these headaches -- they're lulu's!k
wiserforit2
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
chopper, i have the neck pain with the migraine. I didn't get any migraines while on 1500mg tetracycline+200mg diflucan. Shortly after stopping--a few days--it was migraine time.
I did get them on a really heavy, clobbering abx protocol. Maybe too many toxins.
I got some exedrin migraine today to try on the next one.
thanks everyone.
Posted by cityroam1 (Member # 24787) on :
I suffered from terrible migraines every month. The only thing that worked for me is Relpax 40mg. It doesnt have side effects of drowsiness, upset stomach etc. For me anyway. (My mom takes it too and she doesnt have side effects either).
I take 1 as soon as I think the migraine is coming on and within 30 mins it is gone, and I am able to go about my day.
I have taken maxalt, topomax, imatrex, chinese funky headache pills, magic nose spray, hot packs, cold pack, need I go on.. So I know exactly what you are talking about.
However.. a word of warning.. You CAN NOT take Relpax with some abx, specifically Biaxin.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
So I know exactly what you are talking about.