Migraines everyday, all day, for 9 months. Help!!

Hi becky-louise

Now I know nothing about medicine but have first hand experience of migraines, and you're right its the worst pain imaginable.

I haven't had a migraine now for about two years after cutting full fat milk out of my diet. Just wondering whether you drunk it on a daily basis and whether this was the cause for your constant migraine. I understand everybody is different but this maybe something worth considering if applicable

Hope you find a cure soon.

Hello Becky Louise or anyone still on here,

Has anyone find any solutions, optional tests, anything??

Hi all

I'm just starting Candestarin - hrt gas stopped my hot flushes but not the Migraine. Also limited success with Botox. Ambulatory BP confirmed it spikes regularly day and night 160 /1000 but pulse of 60 , def linked to the attacks.

Perhaps worth others checking whether BP is an underlying causal factor ir just another symptom of stressing out the body with endless pain!

Chin up all - something has to work for each of us!!

Helen

Hi everyone. I'm so sorry I haven't been keeping in touch or updating, haven't been receiving any emails.

Thank you all so much for your replies and ideas of what to try.

I'm not longer on any medication after trying about 5 different tablets and having no effect and terrible side effects.

It's been 13 months since my migraines started and I don't remember what it felt like not to have one.

I have my first appointment to try Botox on March 10th. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, as there's no guarantee it's going to work, but fingers crossed!

I've also been put onto a waiting list to try list to try acupuncture with my local Pain Management Clinic, just in case the Botox doesn't work.

The pain management are there to help me find ways to cope with the pain, not getting rid of it. Took a long time waiting to see them, and your doctor can refer you for it. But they are gonna do Physio and help me find a way to relax, and calm myself so I don't make my headaches worse from stress. I'm really hoping this will help. Other than that I've had no real change with my migraines. They tend to be worse in the morning and evening, I'm finding it so hard to go to Uni and concentrate, but a £9000 a year I need to.

Even though I'm still in lots of pain, I am having better days where I don't feel so depressed because if the pain, I'm happier in myself. And it's nice to know complete strangers listen more than doctors!

I hope you all find a way to deal with your migraines, so crossing all my fingers for all of us! x

Hi Becky welcome, Ive been a sufferer for over 20 years, taking Imigran ( sumitriptan) regular, I find my headaches normally come on as the day creeps on, starting with what I call, redwine headache a dull headache that will either disappear or get to the point where I need Imigran.

The basics are for myself is its genetic, I just need to manage it. The best success ive had was with a drug called methysurgide, I actually went 6 month with only 1 Imigran, unfortunately for me its not a great drug and is not discontinued in the UK. Im now back to Pizotifen which are ok but not great, when im on them its very hard to get up in the morning, and I eat lots.

The common factor here for me is serotonin levels, ie the chemical in your head that makes you happy, the pizotifen stops this, so I tend to be a bear with a sore head. and im going to go see my nuroligist and try Botox.

Does Imigran or suchlike drug take the pain off ?

With women it can be hormonal, my work friends wife has them but is migraine free when shes pregnant, obviously its an extreme cure LOL.

Ive tried many preventatives, from triptylenes to gabapentin, toparimate none worked, only Methysirgide but as always its no more now.

let me know how Botix works for you, is it on the NHA or have you had to pay for it ?

Hi, the Botox is on the nhs, but I was considering paying for it if my neurologist wasn't going to offer it. Was looking at going to the migraine clinic in London, but it's so far away and so much money, so thank god it was offered to me.

I've tried Imigran and it didn't do anything, didn't even touch the pain.

Will let you know how the Botox goes, I'm hoping it will work. Hope it works for you too if you try it.

My husband is in the same situation. He went over 2 years straight without one single pain free day. He has had MRI's, MRA's, angiograms, looked at the arteries & veins, lumbar puncture, acupuncture, homeopathic tinctures, allergy testing & multiple medications tried. After 2 years the nuero put him in the hospital & did the "protocol" it's a medicine called DHE it's a very long name. This was used in a cycle with 2 other medicines. This was to "break" the cycle. It worked. It took 2 days to break but it finally did. It's not a cure! He is still on 2 preventatives, takes a pain med & is now using Botox. Still having migraines about 4-5 days a week. We have never found a reason for his migraines. The meds only help a little. I'm a dental hygienist so I understand the whole TMJ issue & rules that out as well. It is completely frustrating & I understand your pain! I hope one day there will be an answer and something that works. I've seen a few new things lately we may talk to the nuero about next. We'll see. Your not alone! Hang in there.

Hello Becky . so u know your not alone, I had first migraine at 18 and had them at uni too. Still suffering in early fifties. Will never forget ,age 23, every single day I had headache pain or vomiting migraine. This occurred for a whole year. There was no internet to use either! So no gleaning so much useful info as we can now. I have so much respect and sympathy for you. At your age to get all the tests done etc amazing. One thing you haven't tried is looking into Medication Overuse Headache. The name annoys me because it doesn't mean you have taken more pills than you should have. Went to NMC and they said so many people they see have it. Look after yourself.

Medication overuse is a good one, I have a friend who takes 6 paracetamols a day consistently and has headache constant, her son take 9 codeine before bed or he can't sleep, and suffers really bad with piles, codine makes you constipated I lectured them both to no avail.

One good one I found to wean off was to use aspirin based alka seltzer, I also found that someday when I take immigran and it doesn't work, if I follow it later with the alka seltzer it kicks in. Most probably digestive related.

Hang in there...

Weird one from me is if I drink beer it can sometimes give me one, and spicey food and beer is a killer for me, but sometimes beer doesn't effect me, and the next day my head feels clearer than normal.

Hi, I'm writing to share a positive outcome for my migraine hell of 30 years. From the age of 9 until roughly 39 years I suffered from migraines, approximately 2 or more times per week. The only way I was able to manage through was by following a strict diet avoiding all triggers, getting lots of rest, and some meds; but the migraine was always there and once triggered I simply needed to sleep it off. I heard from someone that Gluten was found to be a trigger, and going gluten free may help. Last February I took a chance and started cutting the obvious gluten filled foods from my diet (wheat, bread in general, and pasta to name a few). I had a low level headache for 6 straight weeks after cutting the gluten out, which after some research was found to be withdrawal symptoms as my system was addicted to the gluten. I've been migraine free for about a year now. I haven't done further research to figure out why cutting the gluten has cured the migraines, I'm just so happy to live without them. There's a ton more I can say about migraines and how I now feel being gluten free-ish (I'm not completely gluten free, but from my personal experience enough to be migraine free). I hope my findings can help someone else. Nick.