migraine

[hiliry]

I have had migraine since I was a teenager(i'm 28 now) I take one if I eat anything containing dairy or alcohol produce or if i smell anything very strong (perfume, bleach, paint thinners) I was just wondering if anyone else out there has this problem.

[paddy_36]

Dairy products seem to be one of the main triggers for migraines, especially cheese. Chocolate also seems to be a problem for some people, as is coffee. A friend of mine has recently cut out dairy, coffee, bread and chocolate and she hasn't had a migraine since.

[silenthill]

I used to have pretty horrible migraines for quite a while, but eventually my GP got me sorted out with some really good stuff... I know not everyone wants to take prescription drugs for common conditions but migraine really can disable you. I take Imigran, which is Sumatriptan Succinare, you take it when you feel the migraine coming on, it's compatible with over-the-counter painkillers and hasn't got too many nasty side-effects. (you can check up on it by googling "BNF" to get to the British National Formulary online and typing in the drug name) There are also drugs aimed at people who suffer a lot of migraines very frequently, and these you take every day to prevent attacks, but obviously they carry more side-effects as you take them every day. In short (why didn't I think of that at the start?), speak to your GP. :)

[Celtigra3]

Imigran has been my life saver, but I also found that by taking Feverfew tablets, it did cut my migraines down.

[hiliry]

imigram reduces your seratonin (happy hormone) levels this is why I havent been taking it

[silenthill]

I guess it would depend on how frequent and how bad your migraines are... Mine have such a wide range of triggers that attempting to cut out all of them would just really mean living in a darkened room, and I was getting three in a fortnight: when they disable you for 48 hours each time, it's fair to say that that's going to affect your happy hormones anyway. Imigran's not designed to be taken constantly, so the effect on serotonin levels is confined to the frequency and dosage... end-effect, you have a dip in serotonin levels only when you would've had a migraine instead, and the long-term effect on serotonin isn't noticeable. (I've been using it for about fifteen years) Common triggers that aren't so frequently reported in the press include too much/too little sleep, and changes in atmospheric pressure: some people find that aspirin, as it thins the blood, helps with some of the more obscure triggers. White willow bark has often been quoted as a major help, but then as it is the original source of aspirin that's not entirely surprising either. If you're worried about the side-effects of prescription drugs, have you thought about acupuncture?

[kazza55]

I get migraines, at least one every couple of months. In my case it is usually my fault, ie. If I don't drink enough water/squash over the period of a week, too little excercise, no fresh air, allowing myself to get constipated.Then with any of those factors I get a really bad migraine. I could never work in a petrol station as that smell sometimes makes me feel really ill. I love red wine, but very rarely drink it as it's just not worth the pain afterwards.

[Amara]

Hi hiliry

I used to have migraines sometimes 4 a month - no fun - everything and anything triggered them. I opted for Chinese Herbal Medicine for 4 months - I have not had a single migraine since. That was 7 years ago. It is really worth looking at a holistic approach and that way you don't spend all your time trying to figure out the cause and not getting on with your life. Acupuncture/Herbal/Reflexology/head massage all might help. Try and choose someone who is recommended to you. The Doctor who treated me was actually recommended by my GP. Good luck Love and Light Amara x

[funkymoped]

i had migrane`s for years. for as long as i can remember i suffered pain so intense for such long periods of time that the thought of another "attack" scared the fun out of my life. i once had a migrane so bad it left me with a permenant headache for 18 months. i saw a neuro surgeon who told me there was no problem other than i was in pain !

NEUROFEN !!!!

what can i say ? they work like no other pain kller. usually take a couple of pills to start workng, but when they do.

my headaches are stress related. once i learned to de-stress, my headaches began to reduce to the point where its been 3-4 years since a serious migrane has took control of me.

is it only me, or do others have numbness in the mouth before an attack ???

[silenthill]

yeah, I do. And a taste of metal and sometimes funny smells. Mine are the kind where one side of your body can go half-dead, like when you've been sitting wrong and trapped a nerve, or something. The first time that happened I was scared silly. Now I know it's migraine, so I'm only normal silly. :)

[funkymoped]

i also get blured vision, and obviously slured speech !!!

there isnt a smell or food that i can say has ever given me an attack so cant avoid the pain..

[Dollie]

My daughter was the eternal 'migraine queen' - her teenage years were blighted with it and she missed much of school (and she LOVED school!) We eventually found a part-cure and that was accupuncture. She had five sessions of accupuncture (our local doc was trained in it) and her migraines were quartered. Since then - five years ago- she only has a about one every three months now and life is much more bearable.