I think I have migraine. I get very bad headaches like twice a month. When I get one, my head feels like splitting, my eyes feel like they're coming out of their sockets and I see flashes of light. The bad thing about it is the pain relievers like tylenol or advil doesn't help. What else can I take to get rid of the pain?

Go to your doc. Your doctor will work with you to find the best medication for you. On an OTC note, try Magnesium at the very onset. I've never personally tried this, but have been told it helps.

Accupuncture

I agree with homebirthmom. The best thing to do is discuss this with your doctor for correct diagnosis. Now if ever that it's going to be migraine, you can ask your doctor about fioricet. That is what I take for the heavy attacks. You also might want to know that a quiet, dark room will be your best friend. So there you go. Good luck.

It could be nothing more than just migraines but better to check with your doctor.

I used to get them CONSTANTLY. My doctor prescribes me with a medication that is actually intended for people with high blood pressure, one of the wonderful side effects is no migraines! It's wonderful but unfortunately not suitable for everyone.

If you can't try that then another thing that worked for me was migraine sticks, they are sold in supermarkets and chemists and consist of all natural ingredients. You just rub the stick on your temples and you get a tingly/cold sensation along with aromatherapy (mine smelled of lavender) and it helps to relieve them.

I have been a sufferer of migraines for over 30 years, since I was in the 6th grade and no over the counter medication ever worked for me. What I have been on all this time is Fiorinal that I take when I feel the onset of a migraine coming in, usually the little fishes or floaters as I see them that float in the field of vision. If the fiorinal doesn't stop it or I wake with a more advanced migraine where its always in my side temple and left eye I have imitrex that I take and am forced to lay down in a dark room with an ice pack on my neck and forehead. Now just a few weeks ago I was put on Lyrica for back pain to try but it gave me an increase of migraines, I had 6 days in a row of them which brought me to this forum in the first place to see if others had similar effects on this medication. Anyway to stop the migraines and because you are only given 9 Imitrex per month for safety reasons as that is the limit they prescribe so use that up and you are out of luck as I was, they put me on TOPOMAX and that has stopped my migraines, not the headaches overall which still brought me to the forum, I will say I have lost 11 pounds in 4 weeks because the Topomax really stops your food cravings and this seems to be a side effect of the medication. They tried me on a new medication called Treximet which I was told is basically imitrex that has naproxen in it and the 2 combined really do stop my headaches but it's a new medication and its restricted meaning there is a limit like imitrex so its not for everyday use. So there are a few medications out there that are wonders for migraine use. Remember I get 4-5 migraines a month on average, so the topomax is a good medication for preventing them so far. I also tried a medication called Inderal I think it was called but because my blood pressure is normal it lowered it so low that if I stood up too fast I almost fainted, so I couldn't be on it so some medications have side effects that are unpleasant or unsafe for whatever reason. MY blood pressure at the time was 88/50 so that medication was not a choice for me. None of these options are up to you they are up to your dr, however having knowledge of these medications when going into see your physician is never a bad thing so you can discuss it with them so you both can decide on what's the best treatment plan. Living with migraines is only appreciated by those who get migraines because its just not another headache, its like a man trying to understand the pain a women goes through in labor, there is just no way...
There is one thing you can try and that is a food diary, you might be having a reaction to a certain food that you might not be aware of and a food diary might be a way of de-terming that, some doctors might want you to try that and if you have that in hand ahead of time then you can prevent a waste of time if there is nothing on the list that is a factor...
Good Luck...
Bill

Feverfew Leaf is a good non-drug preventative treatment you may want to explore.
Its main uses are for Migraines and arthritis.

Studies at the London Migraine Clinic have increased interest in this herb.

This herb continues to undergo extensive scientific investigation of the parthenolide content, and how it normalizes the function of platelets in the blood system by inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing serotonin release from platelets and blocking the formation of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Seventy percent of the patients in these studies report fewer attacks of Migraines and less painful attacks.

Researchers believe that Feverfew prevents the spasms of blood vessels in the head that trigger Migraines.
(This herb also relieves the inflammation associated with arthritis).

Other benefits include: relief from nausea and vomiting; improvement of digestion; more restful sleep; and, relief of dizziness, brain, and nerve pressure.

The suggested dose is one 380 mg capsule, three times a day.
Best results are obtained with continuous use.

Hope this helps!

Feverfew Leaf is a good non-drug preventative treatment you may want to explore.
Its main uses are for Migraines and arthritis.

Studies at the London Migraine Clinic have increased interest in this herb.

This herb continues to undergo extensive scientific investigation of the parthenolide content, and how it normalizes the function of platelets in the blood system by inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing serotonin release from platelets and blocking the formation of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Seventy percent of the patients in these studies report fewer attacks of Migraines and less painful attacks.

Researchers believe that Feverfew prevents the spasms of blood vessels in the head that trigger Migraines.
(This herb also relieves the inflammation associated with arthritis).

Other benefits include: relief from nausea and vomiting; improvement of digestion; more restful sleep; and, relief of dizziness, brain, and nerve pressure.

The suggested dose is one 380 mg capsule, three times a day.
Best results are obtained with continuous use.

Hope this helps!



Is there not a warning that people with clotting and/or bleeding disorders should not take Feverfew?

I'm not aware of any warning that people with clotting and / or bleeding disorders should not take feverfew.

Since I use this herb regularly, I would be grateful for any reference you might have, regarding this.

Any published clinical trial, any studies?

" Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; if you are taking a medicine to prevent blood clots; or if you are taking other medications, herbs, antioxidants, or health supplements (these may also affect blood clotting). Feverfew may affect the time it takes for your blood to clot.

Feverfew has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of feverfew may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination."

Feverfew - AOL Health (http://www.aolhealth.com/drugs/feverfew?flv=1)

Hi, I can help you in getting of your migraine with Alternative medicine such as herbals, yogic techniques and diet therapy. However I need more details about you.

I'm not surprised the FDA has this to say about feverfew. I am not going to get into an argument about why and wheretofore, either.

The US has its laws, which its citizens need to follow.

I was not aware that a strict observance of these laws is mandatory on this website, which I suppose, is for anyone living anywhere in the world?

Also, my understanding of the word 'Medications' led me to think that medications would mean any medicines, not necessarily modern medicines, but also medicines from the alternative therapies.

So does this mean medicines other than prescription drugs should not be discussed here, but only in the alternative therapies section, on AMHD?

Since this website is based in the US, we must adhere to US laws. While I agree that herbs can be used in conjunction with prescribed medication, we must also take into account that the members here may not be telling us what medications they are already prescribed, therefore advising herbal remedies could be dangerous as many medications counteract with many herbs.

While I am an RN, I do like to take the holistic approach whenever possible, however, I am also aware of the risks inherent when advising on medication as well as diagnosing via the internet.

I don't know about where you live, but litigation is rampant in the US, and as such, you could be opening yourself to a medical malpractice lawsuit by not taking the above into account.

Hi J-9. I looked and looked in the rules for forum posting but found no information about where AMHD is based etc. and there aren't any specific guidelines about what information can be posted and what should be avoided.

I live in India (this is mentioned in my profile). Many members have not mentioned their country of residence, so that's another drawback.

Naturally, viewpoints of persons living outside the US will not always concur with the American point of view.

Take Ayurveda, for instance.
It is my country's indigenous system of medicine. Yoga too.

I would refuse to kow-tow to the FDA's beliefs about Ayurveda and Yoga. (Or FDA's disbeliefs, should I say!)

In a globalised world, such diametrically opposing positions are bound to occur. It would be unnatural for them not to happen.

Since the internet is all about an increased interaction and (hopefully) a greater co-operation among different countries and cultures of our world, I find it disturbing to be told and warned about dire consequences accruing from my posts, which I have making with the best of intentions.

AMHD would do well to lay down certain ground rules which non-US citizens would necessarily have to follow, so that we would know in advance, what is acceptable on AMHD and what isn't.

Thank you for explaining what you have explained... that set me thinking about this.

I get migranes they are awful and have been on slues of meds for them and then my doc found this new drug for mgreaines maxalt 10mg omg it works so fast its non narcotici love it I use to take hand full of imetrex and then she put me on this one... Try this pill it works great...

My husband has the same problem, severe headaches and migraines and none of the over the counter medicines like tylenol and advil help him. Surprisingly the one thing that works, with me as well as him, is the one thing I never paid much heed to apart from annoyance of the commercials, Head On. That's right, apply directly to the forehead. It works wonders.

Excedrine Migraine is my drug of choice!

You do sound like you have migraine with aura (i.e. the flashing lights).

Next problem is to try to identify the trigger. Pay attention to foods, food additives (e.g. artificial sweetners), Your monthly cycle and weather. Weather induced headaches occur about 0-48 hours before rain.

I have gotten my migraines every three months since I was 18 years old and I am 25 now. I know when they are about to come, but I do not know what causes them!

Another odd trigger is "the weekend headache". It happens when a period of constant stress suddenly disapears.

I have gotten my migraines every three months since I was 18 years old and I am 25 now. I know when they are about to come, but I do not know what causes them!


Do you keep food/sleep/activity diaries?

Nobody mentioned Imitrex? There's also a new "brother" to Imitrex that's supposed to work even better, I forgot the name. I'ts made by the Imitrex people,so if you vissit their site I'm sure they have info on it,

GLAXO SMITH KLINE has the patent for Imitrex (Sumatriptan).

Their products for migraines include various forms of Imitrex -

Does anyone know the name of the "cousin" drug? I'd be interested in asking my Physician.

Judy, the name of the drug is TREXIMET. It is essentially Imitrex with naproxen in it.

Do I deserve a greenie for that? ;)

No, no greenie for you - you have to get more than 1 out of 270 right before a greenie is issued.

There is a very good -- if a little dated - book about "Migraine" by Oliver Sacks, which you could read or you could read about Migraine on various sites including The Migraine Trust

I use to get migraines and I changed my diet.

Avoid trigger foods
Processed foods with a lot of preservatives, especially message, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine.
One of the best things I did for my health was switch to sea salt instead of table salt.
Also sometimes night shade plants trigger migraines in some people http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/nightshades

Also avoid CFL and fluorescent lights when possible
Soak in warm tub
Aromatherapy -lavender and sandalwood are both relaxing
5 HTP might be helpful

Some people swear by Bach's homopathy remedy for migraines


THE ROLE OF DIET IN MIGRAINE HEADACHES (http://www.nutrition4health.org/nohanews/NNS02DietMigraineHeadaches.htm)

Diet headache migraine – food can help end your migraine headache pain! (http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/diet-headache-migraine.html)

Do you keep food/sleep/activity diaries?

I have kept every diary out there in order to find out what causes them. I have come to find out that it can trigger at anytime with certain cleaning products, and sunlight. For instance; I can use Scrubbing Bubbles one day and be fine, but the next time I use SB's... I can get an instant migraine. I refuse to go on prescription drugs for them since they can kill you... but with how much Excedrine Migraine I take, I am probably already killing my liver as it is!

Yeah cleaning products are often a big trigger.
They put really bad chemicals in even air fresher plug ins and all.

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.

Acetone is used in paint thinner and nail-polish remover.

Limonene is a terpine with an orange-like scent.

Ethylene-based glycol ethers are water-soluble solvents classified as "hazardous air pollutants" by the U.S. EPA and as "toxic air contaminants" by California's Air Resources Board.

Camphor, used in solid air fresheners, is an irritant which can cause central nervous system depression, headaches, and shortness of breath.

Paradichlorobenzene is a pesticide present in moth balls. It is environmentally persistent and accumulates in human body fat.

Terpenes, used in some air fresheners for a pine or citrus scent, can produce toxic secondary pollutants, including aldehydes, when exposed to ozone.

Health Hazards Hide in Air Fresheners (http://www.air-purifier-power.com/healthhazardsfresheners.html)

Toxic Chemicals in House Cleaning Products (http://www.health-report.co.uk/toxic_household_chemicals.htm)

Ask about fioricet I get debilitating headaches and I take this its cheap and works wonderful