Migraines?!

[Rachels]

So my evening cocktail has consisted of two cups of tea, a coke, two doses of Imitrex, Tylenol with codeine, three Advil, and phenergan. After all of that, I'm high as a kite but no longer writhing on the floor unable to open my eyes or stand the sound of the breath in my nose. But holy cow. This was one hell of a headache. It's the second bad migraine I've had in the last six weeks, and has coincided roughly with AF returning. Has anyone else had this happen? What did you do? I can't afford this kind of pharmaceutical fun all that often, and it's scary besides. I was alone with Abigail when all this started. Yikes.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[kapow]

Jeebus, what a nightmare! Are you back on the pill? About a year ago, I was having a visual disturbance (wierd story) and I ended up at an opthmalogist who told me all about the wierd side effects of the pill, and migranes was a big one.

Foods can also bring it on. Macadamia nuts can trigger migranes - maybe you had some yummy cookies? :)

[egoldber]

Yowza! DH gets some pretty bad migraines and is a huge fan of Imitrex. He had a colossal one when we were at Dinseyworld a couple months ago and took some Advil on top of the Imitrex and that helped.

He has yet to figure out what his trigger is, but has cut back significantly on caffeine to help. And since starting our diet, his migraines have become less severe. But he gets at least 1 a week.

[Karenn]

Oh, I have such empathy for you! I was headache free through all of pregnancy until the return of AF when Colin was 6 mos. and that first headache was a doozie! It was as if my body had stored up my migranes from the last year and a half!

The only advice I have is try to catch them early. I've noticed that sometimes, if I take immutrex or whatever when I feel the first twinges of a migrane, it never becomes full blown. Sometimes though, it doesn't matter.

I think having a baby puts a whole new spin on migranes. Stress always makes mine worse, so when I have one, I sit there and stress about the fact that can't take care of Colin which of course, only adds to the pain!

I hope you're able to take it easy tomorrow!

[lmintzer]

Hi Rachel. DH is a neurologist, so I hear about migraines and migraine treatment a lot. Do you have these often? Are they being managed by a primary care doctor? If yes (to either or both of these), you may want to consider seeing a neurologist. I don't remember where you live. If you PM me, I could see if we could be of help re: steering you in the right direction.

Often, what is done in the case of severe, chronic migraines is profalactic treatment. In fact, what is often used is tricyclic antidepressants (the dosing is different--much smaller than the dose for treatment of depression so less likelihood of side effects).

Hope you are feeling better and that the "cocktail" tonight helped. I envy the freedom to take in caffeine--I am SOO tired and could use a boost but am bf DS#2.


Lisa
& Jack, 4/20/01
& Joshua, 11/16/03

[pritchettzoo]

I frequently get migraines right before AF (haven't seen her in a while!). Imitrex and its cousins don't do diddly for mine.

Things that have helped me: ice pack (frozen peas work, but I have one with corn that works better), caffeine, some drug (phenobarbitol? It was non-traditional for migraines, but it worked). If you can put ice on your head and get in a hot bath in a dark bathroom, even better!

My major professor in grad school had horrible migraines and was put on anti-depressants which really helped. There's research that indicates the serotonin uptake whosy-whatsits can attribute to migraines, so the anti-depressants help control the serotonin thus controlling the migraines.

My mother's doctor put her on beta-blockers which have reduced her migraines. No idea why. It has helped some.

Also, a P.A. (who had terrible AF migraines herself) suggested increasing calcium and magnesium right before the PMS period--I never could get my act together to do this, but she swore it worked for her. I don't remember the science behind that.

I hope you feel better. Migraines suck.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[lisams]

Wow, how terrible. I don't have much advice, but also have really bad headaches a day or two before AF appears. My dr. mentioned the sudden drop in hormones that trigger your period to start can cause pretty bad headaches - basically your body is going through hormonal withdrawal. I have to go to a dark quiet room, put a heated sock full of rice on my head, and have some caffiene. I sure hope you get some answers soon, yours sound horrible.

Lisa

[SASM]

Rachel,

I am so sorry that you had to experience such discomfort :( Have you tried massage therapy or other alternative therapies? There are some massage stokes that a general massage therapist can do to help on a regular basis or you can try going to a massage therapist that specializes in craniosacral massage. There is another little-known therapy called Therapeutic Touch that works with your energy field, so if you don't want to be touched it is a good therapy. I have also heard that Reiki, accupuncture and accupressure helps with migraines.

Oh...and how about Medical Qi Gong, NOT regular Qi Gong. I once had a HORRIBLE asthma exaserbation and my cousin performed medical qi gong on me and within 30 minutes I was able to actually lay down without discomfort!! When I walked into the office I was ready to pass out from decreased lung function and could just barely lay at a slight decline ~ I was AMAZED by the results!!!

Good luck!! HTH!

ETA: LOVE abby's new photo :) Such a cutie pie!!

[Rachels]

Thanks, all. I feel better this morning-- a little hungover, but better. What an unpleasant evening. Also, I am still breastfeeding, so consuming all that medication freaks me out. It's better than the alternative, I guess, and it's rare (I think I've only needed that kind of an arsenal one other time in my life, pre-baby), but still.

I'm not on the Pill. I was, for years and years, and noticed when I went of to TTC that my migraines just stopped. I'd had them pretty often, and then they were just gone. So no more Pill for me. I did some of my psych training in pediatric neurology ward, and so I'm familiar with using tricyclics to prevent migraines. I know it works. I don't want to do that while bf, though. I'll look into the alternative therapies, too.

I'm hoping that this is just an adjustment phase while my menstrual cycle gets geared back up. After 2.5 years, maybe things are just rusty. But sigh. That sucked.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[nohomama]

This may come off as nit-picky but that's not my intention...

CranioSacral Therapy is not a form of massage. Massage, by definition, is a modality that involves manipulation of soft tissues. CranioSacral falls into the larger rhelm of bodywork or touch therapy (as does massage) but unlike massage, it focuses on manipulating the cerebral spinal fluid and the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. As Sharyn mentioned, it can be very effective in treating migraines as well as a number of other ailments.

For more information specifically on CST, check out http://www.upledger.com/therapies/cst.htm