Migraines Remedies?

This may sound off the wall but hay when you get to the point of just get rid of this headache it works

Two excedrin extra strength and a can of coke.
Twenty minutes or less and it will be gone.

I have been suffering from migraines most of my life. I cannot take any of the migraine "quick relief" meds because I have "migraines with complications"-which means that I have other things going on with my migraines like weakness on one side. I have found that the simple things work the best. I will drink an extra large milk shake slowly, letting the icecream sit at the back of my throat for a few seconds before swallowing. It may feel worse at first, but goes away quickly. I have used crushed ice instead when I am unable to get a shake. Also eating any type of fatty food, in addition to the shake, if you can keep it down. There are some serious physiological reactions that are at work with these hints. Also I found out by accident, as one reader pointed out, that bathing in a very cool bath helps quickly.

all the rx Triptan meds like imitrex, amerge, zomig don't work for me and give me horrible side effects. The only thing that works is Excedrine Migraine. The caffeine is too much for me, so just using 1/2 a tablet with 2 tylenol (extra strength) works for me.

Lots of water, bananas, rest, massage, regular feldenkrais therapy works for me too (like physical or occupational therapy) but I have other stuff going on as well.

Good luck! I totally feel for you.

Hi Nicole,
I agree, the cafeine really does help! If the Excedrin and Coke aren't doing it, try doing that and then lying down with a cold wash cloth on your eyes. Also, peppermint oil on the temples has helped me, as well as lavender scent. Lavender (for me) works best before the migraine is too bad, because then smells make me sick. Good luck, and please share if you find a wonder cure!!!!
E.

So Sorry for your pain. I've had them a lot. I tried everything and the only thing that works for me is mangosteen juice. It is 100% natural whole fruit juice with a natural anti-inflammatory. I take 3 oz of Xango a day and haven't had one in about 6 months. If your interested, email me and I'll give you more info.
____@____.com
Good Luck!
B.

Migraine..know them all too well..cheese is a major trigger for me..any cheese. too many processed/fried foods are also a trigger..the more i eat only organic, minimally processed, minimal preservatives, red dye food the less i get..that time of the month is also a trigger..

Head-on migraine works awesome, and its homeopathic. exedrin migraine works great also. i also bought a hand held mini massager that i massage my head with and that helps as well as ice packs..i get sinus and migraine together so mine are really tough to get rid of once i get one..

they have new drugs out that you take all the time to prevent them, but i am not interested in taking something daily and its costly. they also have a ton of prescriptions out there. i have to flip flop between them and its very costly, because none work that great for me.. imitrex pills dont work for me, imitrex shots work ok. maxalt used to work great, not so much anymore..i have had some quite older drugs that are really cheap and they work great but their names escape me as they are about 25 letters long(lol).

if you can keep a dairy of what you were doing, what you ate and drink, you might see some pattern..mine are also effected by the barometric pressure and dust..dust(and yard work) triggers a sinus headache which always turn into a migraine.

best of luck..i know what your going thru..oh..i also found out i have pcos and high testosterone levels and i have this progesterin cream which has greatly helped on the monthly migraine.

and a friend mentioned the other day, that migraine are chemical imbalances and try this...take 2 antacids, then drink a full glass of water and the migraine is gone(he swears by this)../.K., www.arkparties.com, www.greetingcakes4you.com and now shurepets also

I can help. I learned this in my doula training and it works for any pain, especially labor and migraines and also nausea. When you feel one coming on, take your finger and right above your lip, where the indent is, push in and do it firmly and hard and it will take the headache away. It releases natural pain fighting endorphins and it works every time. When you remover your finger, it might come back so you will have to do it again and longer. I hope this helps. let me know. It has worked for everyone else.

S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

ok this is going to sound weird but whenever I got migranes (which was almost always) i would either drink coffee(caffine helps migranes. or for bad ones i would put vicks vapo rub on my forhead(or tigger points of migrane) and a cool washcloth over my forehead and eys and try to relax for 10 minutes. or if your on the go try head on for migranes(same princilpe as vicks just in a stick ready to go sold at walgreens or cvs) and take an excedrin migrane or aleve. I usually use that when i wake up with one and cant lay down b/c of lil man.

Thankfully I don't get them as much as I used to but I found that processed meats are one of my big triggers (bacon, ham, sausage, etc.). I went to the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and they have given me some different prescription medications but none have realy helped yet. There was something in our local paper last month about a study in Virginia recommending vitamin B2 for migraines. The person who wrote the article takes one 100 mg tablet each day with a meal and it almost completely stopped her headaches. Maybe something to try until you get to the doctor. Good luck!

Caffeine!

Immitrex has saved my life! Really works for me.

I'm so sorry. Awful things

Nicole,
Me and my daughter suffer with migraines, Sunlight hurts, loud noise and feel like we are going to vomit.

She takes imitrex and her only side effect is a sore throat, I take Amerge and I have no side effects.

They both work great.

I get the migraine within a week of my period due, she gets them when she is under alot of stress. Hers are sobad sometimes that we had to purchase very dark sheets to have them placed over her bedroom windows.

J.
www.noahbyjodi.com

You sound just like me a few months ago. One day when I came in after a second missed day of work within a month (due to yet another migraine), my coworker recommended a book to me: Heal Your Headache by David Buchholz, MD. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to everyone on here! It has changed my life, and I know that sounds ridiculous... but it's true. Read the reviews on amazon.com -- the same has happened for most people who've read it! Check it out from your library. It is well worth making the changes he recommends. Feel free to contact me if you want more info. I have not had a single migraine since I made these changes. Good luck, and hang in there! --Steph

Talk with your doctor. Be sure they are migraines. When I get them, they are depilitating...I usually end up in the ER, puking, blurred wision ect.... I can't function at all when I get them. They wanted to perform a CT, but I got pregnant again and I opted to wait. You can also alter your diet, some foods trigger them. I know chocolate is one of them...only because I am a chocoholic.

I did get some sample drugs from my doctor, but being pregnant or nursing you can't take it.

Good Luck! I know and feel your pain!
K.

I would talk to your intern about imatrex. It's great. Also, there is a new drug out that is prevenative, and you take it every day.

If you are on the pill, you might want to find out if your migraines are hormonal and try a different form of birth control. My migraines always came when I was on the pill.

good luck!

I too had terrible migranes(sometimes 3x week) I went to Diamond Headache Clinic and they were great. They really try to help manage the pain first and then figure out the cause or trigger. My triggers were processed foods and stress. I have not had a migrain in two years.

My doctor was Dr. Pepper and I loved her. Good luck...

M.

Hi Nicole,

I used to get migraines often before pregnancy/breast feeding. They are just starting to come back again for me too. What I usually do is take Ibuprofen as soon as I get the slightest headache. Most of the time that works. If I wait, I would be asking for trouble...In the past I would take Maxalt (a drug like Imitrex) to get relief. Since being pregnant, I have found relief from caffiene (Pepsi) and Tylenol. Tylenol never used to work before and usually dosen't provide relief of migraines for most people.
Good Luck!
S.

I totally feel for you Nicole! My mother used to get HORRIBLE MIGRANES!! I finally convinced her to try drinking this juice called Xango. She still occassionally gets a headache but has not had a migraine in 6 months!! She used to get them weekly she had to sit in the dark for 2 hours sometimes. I started a website this week that explains more about the benefits of this juice. I started because of arthritis my arthritis is so minimal now I hardly notice it. Anyway, look at the site if you want more info feel free to send me a private message.

www.mymangosteen.com/fjones

Good luck!!

About 10 years ago I had a horrible year of migraines. I went to the emergency room 3 times in 4 months. Migraines are the worst. You can't stand the light,you feel nauseated etc...The doctor prescriped imitrex and it would help if I took it at the onset of a headache. He also prescribed a pain killer called fiornal. After suffering with them for over a year they suddenly disappeared and I have not had one for over a decade.
Good luck to you. It is hard enough having kids but having kids with a migraine is impossible.

Hi Nicole...

Please be careful with the caffine. I had migraines in the past, but in January they came back to stay. I had a 2 1/2 week long experience with them with 2 trips to the ER and a 3 day hospital stay. I can say mine are Menstrual Migraines and I have gotten them every month on the 2-3rd to last day of my period. I say be careful with the caffine because I have used that to help the pain but I ALWAYS get a rebound headache that can, believe it or not, be worse!

I also get mine from a change in the weather, especially when it is overcast or a little rainy. I have yet to find something that works. I have been on several meds, even the Topamax that is supposed to prevent them, and it is not helping. I will see a new neurologist next week to see if he has any other suggestions. I would suggest seeing a Dr and possibly a neurologist. It's worth getting it checked out!

Good luck!
J.

Hi Nicole,

Boy do I know where you are coming from! One natural remedy that really worked for me is B2 (or its called Riboflaven) - 400mg. a day - 2 capsules in the am & 2 in the pm (they come in 100mg. capsules) and then 1 400mg. of magnesium each day. My neurologist recommended this as an alternative to painkillers b/c after a while, they are really only a temp. relief & don't address the issue of actually stopping the migraines.

Also, take breaks during the day & when you come home. If when you get home you can lay down for 20 min. & put your feet up (actually elevated slightly) with NO distractions - this will help also. Stress/sleep can play a big part as well as certain food triggers - even if you've never had them before. Writing down when you get the headaches & the pain level (from 1-10) will help you & your doc in finding the cause. May notice they come at the same time each month & hormone's may play a part. Exercise helps too.

Hope some of this helps. I almost never get them anymore using the techniques I've listed here & all of these don't include drugs which is nice. However, you may need to try some sort of presc. just to break the cycle of having them. You can do the vitamin therapy at the same time (it takes a few weeks for them to kick in & be sure to split up the B2's during the day so you don't get a tummy-ache!), but ultimately it's a nice alternative if it works for you. Discuss w/ your doc & see what happens. Good luck & get some down time girl!

J. ;)

Execedrin Migraine and a strong cup of coffee always works for me!

YUCKO - I hate the migraines I think I've tried just about everything from imitrex to something else I can't remember I'm now on a preventative called topamax and then for the onset I take relapx..I also take alergy shots cause sometimes an allergy headache is near as bad. Everyone's advice was right on find your trigger and AVOID it and then your do much better.. GOOD luck

Hi, I know you have a ton of responses, but wanted to let you know that as a current migraine suffer, but getting better, there is a prescription out there has for the first timein my life helped dramatically. Ask your doctor to put you on or if you can try topomax. You don't have to take it forever, just about 6 months. I have 100 mg./day. I take 50 in the morning and 50 at night. My mother is also taking this med. since she also gets the headaches. Topomax reconditions the chemicals in your brain that causes the headaches. Right now there are triggers that make you get them, and it gets rid of them. By the end of my treatment I should have 0-2 headaches/month and not migraines, but normal headaches. Now, I used to get headaches 5-6 times a week with a migraine thrown in there also. My dr. told me that every headache I had been getting for the last 20 years has been a migraine. I've been on topomax for 2 months now and my headaches have dropped dramatically. This is the first thing I've found that seems to work. Seriously ask your dr. about this and you can look it up also online and read about it. I hope your headaches get better no matter what you choose, I really feel for you.

Good luck,
R.

Dear Nicole,

A lot of people get migraines because of a lack of nutrition. Check out my.shaklee.com they have really good vitamins and have a 100% money back quarantee if you are not satisfied. They even help you pick out the right vitamins if you talk to a Shaklee rep. Good Luck.
B.

I had Migraines for years. I found a chiropractor in downers grove on 63rd. that totally helped. I also found by eating regularly, and not snacking or eating the kids leavings really helped alot.Between the 2 of them, they really lessened.

There are several things to think about here. One, what is causing the migraines? For alot of women it is hormonal (I used to get them once a month, eww). I couldn't take the pill because it would trigger the migraines, double ewww. Are they related to food allergies? That is another trigger. Is it related to high blood pressure? If so it definitely needs to be discussed with your doctor!
At the age of 42 mine have gone from once a month to once every 3 months to occassionally, THANK GOD! (another obvious sign that it is hormonal) But what I have learned is to recognize when it is just a headache and when it is going to be a migraine. I have taken Midrin since I was 12 (gads 30 years!) and I like it the best. I have been able to take it and function, albeit barely. Take it with a cup of tea or coffee, the caffeine helps the migraine and the hot drink will desolve it faster. The trick is to catch a migraine early before it has you throwing up and wishing the carpet fibers were more quiet. I let my oldest child know how important it was that they help out when I was in that state. "Honey, you can watch X movie and you can make pb and honey sandwiches!" (It made her feel important and she was more willing to help if SHE was in charge) Please talk quietly, don't fight and only come to me if it is a definite emergency." Fortunately I have a husband that has taken off work, he has taken me to the hospital enough to know how bad they can get.
Good luck, I hope that helped. =)
AND GOODNESS! Look at all of us that suffer from this! =( I think coke makes all of their money off of us. :P It is the caffeine in the coke, btw. Also consider that it might be sinus related, a bad sinus headache can feel like a migraine.

I am so sorry!! They SUCK! I know that NO doctor would recommend this but your an adult and can decide but I often would take an Exedrine Migraine and an Immitrex. That would work but I would feel groggy...obviously. Just so you know once I got off birth control pills I have only had 1. Before then I was having them every few months and mine would last about 7-10 hours. I also had the aura so I could "dope" up before the actual migraine hit. Maybe the Immitrex will work on its own. The doctor should be able to help you. Good luck!!

I too was having horrible migranes over the past two or three months. I used to only get them once in a blue moon, but then all of a sudden I was getting them once a week....grrrr!!! I originally called my eye doctor and had my eyes checked - they were fine. I then called a chiropractor and have been seeing her now for about a month (once a week) and my migranes have stopped. She said it could be something out of wack in your neck/back that is causing the migranes. She did say however that the change in the weather could affect them also. All I know is that it has been a month now and no migranes and I am not complaining. Let me know what works for you.

My sister takes excederine (sp?) migrane and that works for her. She gets them ALL the time.

I have been getting migraines since I had my first son almost 12 years ago. I used to be on Duradrin which worked but I always felt groggy for the rest of the day. When I was pregnant with my youngest who is almost 5 I got the worst one I have ever had. I literally crawled to the phone and called my OB to ask what I could take. He prescribed Butalbital(this is the generic name I cannot remember the brand name). He said only take it when it was really bad but it was ok to take when pregnant in emergency. I Love it!! I take the pill and 30 minutes later I have no headache and am not groggy at all!!! I still take it when I need it but luckily I do not need it as often as I used to. Good Luck.

My great-aunt and I both get them and here are some of the home remedies that she has taught me:

Cold on the head (ice pack) while in a hot bath
Hot on the head (heated microwave pack) while in a cold bath

Drink lots of water- headaches most often occur when you are dehydrated

Vick's Vap-o-rub on the temples

Massage/press the soft part of your hand at the base of your thumb (the "web" on your palm between thumb and pointer.)

Lay with your fingers pressed up into your skull at the back of your neck

Be careful with prescription meds- they will often irritate the stomach. Imitrex made me completely drunk even in low doses- don't take them when you have to be alert to care for your children until you know how they affect you.

Aleve is pretty good, and caffeine. Processed meats can be a trigger.

Hope this helps and you feel better soon!
'M.

I went through a period of bad migraines, I went to several doctors but none could help find the cause. It turned out mine were mostly hormone related. I went the more natural route.

Start taking feverfew by Solaray (yellow lid) once in the morning and once at night. That helped me with the daily headaches which weren't quite migraines but still hurt. You need to be careful not to take alot of aspirin with this, it can thin the blood.

Then I took and still take...a tincture called Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex). It balances out the hormones. I am so thankful I found this because this got me out of the hole. You take a dropperfull 3 times a day.

Hope this helps...oh and when they got really bad I used a medicine called Relpax. I found this worked the best of all migraine medicine for me.

I have migraines triggered by chocolate, wine, caffeine occasionally (which is ironic since they tell you to ingest caffeine to help them), sinuses and hormones. I've been able to narrow down the triggers, which helps to alleviate my migraines. I've found the only way to help them is to catch them at the onset, otherwise I'm useless for 36-48 hours.

Like other posters, I take Imitrex when nothing else works. I hate the side effects - causes me to be nauseous and have numbness in my hands. If I feel the slightest bit of one coming on, I usually take Sudafed, Ibuprofen (if I'm not pregnant) and drink some hot really strong black tea. That helps the most for my sinus related migraines (I mention this because you said it's been the past few months, which would coincide with the pollen counts increasing around early March). If that doesn't get it, I resort to the Imitrex. I've found Exedrin Migraine to only cause me jitters and nausea without actually helping my migraine, but I know people who get less severe headaches swear by it.

Coke and coffee both do not help my migraines - tea is the only caffeinated drink I've found to do some good.

Like I said, mine are also hormone related, so they conicide with different times in my cycle, and thankfully subside a lot during pregnancy.

A previous poster mentioned keeping a diary of what might be triggering them. It's a really good idea. You could narrow down diet triggers, weather triggers, perhaps physical triggers (if you workout or have done something atypical), and possibly hormonal triggers if they happen at identifiable intervals.

Hope it gets better for you!!!

A large McDonalds Diet Coke (only McDonalds) and Excedrine migraine. Also, I have a prescription from the doctor. Try to keep a food diary and you may find a trigger. My trigger is dairy and not enough sleep.

Good Luck!
Cheryl