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

It's all gone wrong .I ve come down with a bug , flu like and upset tummy. So of course I have migraine. I took a triptan. Can't cope with this bug with no painkillers. I was doing so well before this.:-(

Oh no, that's awful! But if you need to take them, then you need to take them

Hope your feeling better soon, and can carry on with no painkillers. Hopefully your migraine get better again.

I had stopped trying to take pain killers this week, but was at work today and accidentally hit my head so my migraine got really bad, had to take some

All the best

I completely understand the pain the difficulty and upset ness that you are feeling! I am a 17 year old full time student who has been suffering with 24 hour 7 days a week no brake migraines and I am suffering terribly! There are no words that could describe the pain I have although it feel as though there is a clamp getting tightened around my head all the time.

Although I have had mine since the beginning of October witch is less time I have also had a MRI scan witch came back normal. I have tried many pain killers that don’t work along with beta blockers and many more. I have had to stop my plans of going to university this year due to the pain and I also find it extremely hard to have a social life.

Along with the migraines I always feel sick and dizzy however the real concern is I have black outs and at times have fallen down the stairs in the kitchen when cooking in the shower and many more! I am finding it real hard to continue my life as normal as possible because I have at least one fall a week. I have had so many tests done I struggle to count them however they have not seen anything wrong with me.

I can agree with you that cheese and chocolate does not make a difference because I did at one point do a food dairy.

I am just wondering where your pain is due to mine being at the sides of my head. I have noticed that is I massage my head in that area it sometimes can help a little bit and release some of the pain I would recommend giving it a try.

Hello Becky-Louise,

I had a car accident 2 1/2 years ago with headaches soon after, turning to migraines. I have just gone through 6 weeks of migraines daily and started today with an acupuncturist last Friday with a Kinesiologist and about 5-6 weeks ago with a "quack" (A Bio Resonance machine). So yes I am desperate and can understand what you may be going through.

I have, with an informed friend, also been recently looking at Leaky Gut Syndrome and the GAPS diet.

If you have tried everything else it might be worth looking at.

Re medications that work some of the time for me, Relpax 80Mg. and Maxalt wafers (I normally require 2). Everybody reacts differently to medication so what works for me may not work for you.

By the way, I have also tried Thai (Traditional) massage focusing on my neck and shoulders. Apart from feeling great this has at times provided some relief.

For the long term I would strongly recommend you see what Professor Google says about leaky gut which often comes about after some stress.

Best wishes

Frank

Hello B-L

I omitted to mention that I have also had CAT scans and MRIs showing nothing, so my doc thinks I am just a stress head, very helpful I dont think, at least he writes out scripts whenever I need. I think thats what their main ability and direction is these days.

Hi.

Hugs to all who are suffering – can truly empathise as lots is so familiar to me. Just to add my bit – sorry if this has already been mentioned as not had chance to read all the thread but I have found since being ultra-careful about strong smells around, has helped cut out a few attacks. Quite often a strong perfume on someone when I can’t avoid it, will bring on a bad migraine pretty quickly. Also, even smells like strong air-fresheners and pot-pourri, in shops will do the same.

Hi Becky: quick update: After one week of horrid bug I have had 4days in a row with no pills! And mostly pain free. Its the longest time I can remember going without for. Also, weirdly my sense of smell has returned. I can smell coffee, perfume and mown grass again!

Hope you are doing ok..

Hi,

Glad to hear your back to being pill free, and feeling better. Hope it keeps up!

Unfortunately I haven't found any change yet it's actually feeling a lot worse, my sleep pattern is all messed up due to being in pain and not sleeping till early morning. Been sent home from work early all weekend because I've been in so much pain, seriously worried about my job. Being a student I really need it.

My manager has suggested trying Gabapentin (can't remember whether it's already been mentioned) but has anyone used it before/found it any good? Also, if you've used it, what sort of side effects were there?

Thanks

Hi Becky - so sorry the Botox isn't helping but give it a little longer before giving up - with me I got a good month out of the 12 week treatment do not cost effective for me.

Do try some of the alternative therapies, acupuncture helped me with the constant muscle tension but I find cranio sacral therapy can be tge best but it's tricky to find a good one. Try an osteopath that does it! Just be warned sometimes a treatment can trigger a migraine for me!

I tried gabapentin - no good for me the side effects were that I felt weird and couldn't concentrate so couldn't drive which means that even if it helped which it didn't I would be worse off tham daily migraines.

Have to say that my odd combo of high dose B2, magnesium and CoQ10 - many thanks Rob- hrt to damp the hormone swings and Candasartan seem to be helping at long last. Still not pain free but only 2 at level 8 this month and settling into a regular 2-3 pattern which is tiring but liveable with.

Also found my tinnitus much worse on the Botox, also as it is running out at the moment! Apparently I'm the reverse to most folk but what is new.

I think this Forum has been the best source of help for me, not least the knowledge that I am not on my own!

Lots of love to all

Helen

Hi Becky,

I'm really sorry too that the Botox hasn't helped. I know what it's like to have your hopes pinned on a treatment, only for it not to work. But there's still so much to try, if that helps in any way.

I tried gabapentin twice but it was no good for me, it actually made my headaches worse. But saying that I've read lots of good reports about it. So for you, it may well be the one. At the minute I'm trying nortriptyline for the second time. This was the idea of the pain team Dr, as it's the one preventative I have tried that I have tolerated well. I stopped it last year after 2 months as I thought that as it hadn't made a dramatic difference by that time, it never would. But the pain team Dr disagreed and so I'm trying it again, but this time will give it longer. It is one of the preventatives that can make you drowsy, so it has helped me start to get a better nights sleep, as my sleep was suffering too. Obviously it's something you would discuss with your Dr if you wanted to. I am only too aware by now that one persons experience can be dramatically different to anothers.

Another thing you may want to discuss with your Dr is any supplements that might be worth a try. I take B12 and Vitamin D as I read that these promote a healthy sleep pattern. I also take magnesium as I get a lot of muscle tension as a result of the stress, and as we all know this means a worse headache! Magnesium can act as a muscle relaxant but for some people it can actually help their headaches ( if they are deficient in magnesium in the first place). But as above, any info like this is something to discuss with your Dr first. I would never want someone to try something based on my info, before checking it out with a medical professional first.

I also echo the comments about acupuncture. I don't find it helps my head pain directly, but it really helps the tension when it builds up in my neck, then in turn I get a couple of days lower level head pain.

Hope this is in some way useful. Wishing you relief very very soon.

Sophie

P.S wishing everyone else on here lots of pain free time too!

Hi guys,

I'm on a waiting list for acupuncture, last I heard I was 4th in the list, so hopefully won't be too long.

Wanted to speak to my neurologist about new tablets to try, though I am really uneasy about it, seems to have every side effect possible with all the ones I've tried, don't like constantly popping pills. My life revolved around them for a year

But my appointment for this month was cancelled, by the hospital, and can't get one before June, so not impressed.

Should have my second course of Botox around June too. The only thing ice found different since the first, is that I can't move my forehead haha!

Shall definitely talk to my Dr about supplements and stuff, and check out other therapies, actually think I might try a chiropractor again, just wish they didn't charge so much!

Thanks everyone. Hope your all doing okay with your own migraines, here's hoping pain free!

Hey there,

Sounds really terrible and I am exactly the same searching for answers here in America as well. I've had headaches for 4 years constantly without stop thinking only 2 things, what could they be caused by and why haven't they gone away.

I go on these forums to help learn from common suffers to learn possible things I can try and maybe give advice as well. I completely understand when you say there is no trigger. It is just constantly around and nobody knows what kind of pain you are constantly dealing with cause a majority of the population does not have the illness. In my experience, when you tell them they either a) say something like "aww that sucks" and continue on or B) what did the doctors say which I go on to say the slew of tests.

I do, however, want to ask if you have noticed some specific times that the headache has possibly slightly lessened in intensity. For me, the only relief (if any) is if I've become totally immersed in something like say for me perhaps playing a guitar with a bunch of friends that juggling a soccer ball since I have a passion for soccer. During that time I'm not thinking about the headache and my thoughts are clear and there is no pain, but as soon as I come out of it I'm immediately in pain. Not saying its a cure, but there could be a message you could try to explore. If you are willing to try anything, I've had also success with putting both hands behind my head and laying completely flat for 5 minutes letting my arms go numb (sounds crazy but the heat on the back of your head is a very great feeling with the headache).

Recently, I've been reading a lot about where headaches stem from and it seems like there are dozens of resources on this, but the one thing that is interesting is that no one seems to know about giving a solid answer on this. Since the headaches have been with me, I've looked spiritual for some guidance but never really came out too well for me.

I would love to keep up with our findings as I believe you can act as a resource for many people, including myself. Keep positive that there is something out there and keep exploring!

Just a little picture just to say I'm there with you

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/07/0e/a3/070ea300b616b428271e5e7787002961.jpg

Just thought I'd give you an update on mine, tried every preventative so went to see specialist today, I'm being put forward for Botox and also a blood pressure tablet bag inning with F flora something, not available in the uk Leeds general infirmary import it from Germany.

Becki a word on the Botox my guy said it can and normally does take 3 to 6 months to start stemming your pain, not instant...the normal course is to have at least 2 sessions before they assess it.

Hope it goes for you...

Hello. Sorry to read your story.

I searched for a diagnosis for many years.I even had anterior fusion for two herniated discs in my neck in an attempt to reduce migraines. I was mis-diagnosed as having MS. After a complete family history and a genetic test, I tested positive for (FHM 1), mutation of the (CACNAIA) gene - Calcium Channel mutation.Basically the mutation lowers the threshold for calcium to enter your neuro synaptic cells.Too much calcium is not good for these cells. They cause a ton of symptoms.

I took Topamax for two months.I couldn't remember my name nor my wife's.So that drug was moved offthe table. I am stable after six long painful years.I'm 42. I still have memory problems, days ofmalaise, fatigue, and a bunch of other strange symptoms that I have to manage with rest and biofeedback. Some symptoms can't be treated unless you want to take hard core opiates. Here in the US,

that's hard to do because of the gov't. Plus, in my experience, neurologists treat the brain and not the symptoms - which in my case where unbearable. It wasn't until my gene test did I get help with pain.

I take Verapamil 240mg ER twice a day; 250 SR Depakoke in the AM. 500 SR Depakote in the evening pm (not a lot of side affects too); 25 mg of Nortriptylin at night. Non narcodic Fiorcet (regular).

I used to take 200mg of Nortriptylin (extremely sedative!!!!), Tizanadine, prednisone infusions 1000mg, morphine, Cymbalta, Valium, neurontin, Fiorcet with Codeine; every supplement I could get a hold of (these worked the least)

It took me a year to become stable after I started on the correct medication. I had a lot of family support. My left leg, left arm, torso, and face hurt chronically (Face - This is due to the 5th cranial nerve - Wikipedia) I still have no idea how my left leg pain and stiffness fits into this mix. It's not TMJ - Read about 5th cranial nerve. If you hurt your neck, get it looked at.

You have to find a neuro doctor who knows about Hemiplegic Migraine.I've seen 50+. The last thing a doctor wants to do is treat you for something he/she doesn't understand.Plus most have an accurate theorythat most that ails you will pass. This will not.Find a neuro doctor.It's hard to find.

After three years of being off work, I'm finally ready to go back to work and complete my masters. Five years ago I doubted I would have lived this long.Have faith and prevail. There are great doctors who care.

Best of luck and I wish you good health.