A shot to the temple or a kick in the nuts?

[horsehungtim]

Just a quick rant about migranes before I go medicate myself back to sleep.


They fucking suck. I've had this one for the better part of the day. The medicine I take for it hasn't done much but dull the point of the icepick that is lodged behind my eye. I'm heading back in tomorrow to see if they can change the dose or switch me over to something that'll make it end.

and..i'm sore.
and..i'm tired.
and..the week is just starting

 

[davidjh7]

My ex suffered from MIgraines regularly--he swore by Excedrin Migraine. The tylenol with codeine also sem to be effective. If you suffere from them regularly, and standard medicines don;t seem to have much effect, consider some bio-feedback. The temperature of the forehead has a strong correlation to the intensity of the migraine, from some researchI have read, so using a temperature sensor with biofeedback techniques, has had some positive results from people who weren;t geting relief any other way. Just a few suggestions, and hope you are over this round soon!

 

[MonsterUncut]

Just a quick rant about migranes before I go medicate myself back to sleep.


They fucking suck. I've had this one for the better part of the day. The medicine I take for it hasn't done much but dull the point of the icepick that is lodged behind my eye. I'm heading back in tomorrow to see if they can change the dose or switch me over to something that'll make it end.

and..i'm sore.
and..i'm tired.
and..the week is just starting

Dude,
I hear 'ya, I've suffered with these for the last 10 years!!! A friend of mine (one of those all natural kind'a people) told me about this natural med, sold over the counter at health food stores. "Natrum Muriaticum 12"
putting 2 minitabs under your tongue. OMG! Within 10 minutes of taking these incredible little pills, and the pain, was gone!!! I was convinced! Depending on where you get them, cost varies, I paid $3.95 for a small bottle that contains about 50. THE BEST EVER, I've even had to go to the ER a couple times. Not fun. Good luck, and let me know what 'ya think.
Peace

 

[slate_australis]

I've had them since I was 8 - they stopped in my late teens- but now they come back at longer intervals but doubly as bad. I was blinded - literally - by one about 4 months ago.

I just take a strong analgesic and go to sleep. Even if it means a sick day.

 

[LeeEJ]

I vote that a kick in the nuts is funnier.

YouTube - Ode to the Nut Shot

 

[BuddyBoy]

600mg of ibuprofen at onset usually knocks them out for me, and I get cluster headaches. Imitrix (imitrex?) was the worst for me - my face almost turned blue from the lack of blood. A shot of pure oxygen can really help too - that's what the ER usually does.

 

[BuddyBoy]

Oh, and on the "all natural" front, feverfew taken twice a day as a preventitive can help too. There was a brand called Tanacet sold OTC in pharamacies for a while, but it was quite pricey. I imagine generic feverfew would work as well.

 

[prepstudinsc]

As a 4th generation migraine sufferer, my neurologist tried all sorts of things, but nothing but narcotic painkillers helped when I got them--usually 2 or 3 migraines a week. I could go for a couple of months without them, then I'd go into a cycle where I had them all the time again. We went the Imitrex route, I tried several other drugs in the same family, all without success. I've been on beta-blockers, I've tried changing my diet, I've done it all. However, about 3 years ago, I was put on a medicine for epilepsy that has a side effect of helping migraines. Topamax has been a lifesaver for me. We have adjusted the dosing to find the right level, but 300mg. a day seems to be as low as I can consistently take and not get a headache. It's literally changed my life.

 

[DC_DEEP]

As a 4th generation migraine sufferer, my neurologist tried all sorts of things, but nothing but narcotic painkillers helped when I got them--usually 2 or 3 migraines a week. I could go for a couple of months without them, then I'd go into a cycle where I had them all the time again. We went the Imitrex route, I tried several other drugs in the same family, all without success. I've been on beta-blockers, I've tried changing my diet, I've done it all. However, about 3 years ago, I was put on a medicine for epilepsy that has a side effect of helping migraines. Topamax has been a lifesaver for me. We have adjusted the dosing to find the right level, but 300mg. a day seems to be as low as I can consistently take and not get a headache. It's literally changed my life.

Monty, that sounds so much like my experience, it's scary - except that in addition to several different blood-pressure meds, and several different anti-depressants, they tried several different anti-seizure meds, Topamax among them (no success.) Some drugs had no effect, others had really bad side effects. Among the worst of those, the Depakote caused severe reflux, after the first 4 doses, I had to be upright at all times. No sleep. The Topamax caused night sweats, severe enough that my pillow was literally soaked through. I had to throw that one away. My waltz with Paxil ended with me grinding my teeth so badly in my sleep, that I ended up with lots of broken teeth. I'm now about $4000 into my $12000 dental work.

After dealing with it for almost 12 years, 5 neurologists, and 3 headache clinics, the only thing that helped was when my (primary care) doc finally put me on narcotic pills. My pain reliever usage went down DRASTICALLY. None of the Imitrex-type drugs worked for me. Sad thing, though, my doctor of about 5 years transferred to a different area. My new doc "didn't like" for me to use the narcotics, so he refused to refill the prescription. I'm back up to maximum doses of OTC pain relievers, almost daily. They at least take the edge off the pain. I guess it's just a matter of time until my liver and pancreas shut down again.

During my last visit, though, my doctor introduced me to one of his colleagues, and suggested botox injections in a couple of specific nerves involved in the migraine process. If and when he schedules me for it (I'm at the "try anything" stage) I'll let you know what happens.

 

[husky14620]

Monty, that sounds so much like my experience, it's scary - except that in addition to several different blood-pressure meds, and several different anti-depressants, they tried several different anti-seizure meds, Topamax among them (no success.) Some drugs had no effect, others had really bad side effects. Among the worst of those, the Depakote caused severe reflux, after the first 4 doses, I had to be upright at all times. No sleep. The Topamax caused night sweats, severe enough that my pillow was literally soaked through. I had to throw that one away. My waltz with Paxil ended with me grinding my teeth so badly in my sleep, that I ended up with lots of broken teeth. I'm now about $4000 into my $12000 dental work.

After dealing with it for almost 12 years, 5 neurologists, and 3 headache clinics, the only thing that helped was when my (primary care) doc finally put me on narcotic pills. My pain reliever usage went down DRASTICALLY. None of the Imitrex-type drugs worked for me. Sad thing, though, my doctor of about 5 years transferred to a different area. My new doc "didn't like" for me to use the narcotics, so he refused to refill the prescription. I'm back up to maximum doses of OTC pain relievers, almost daily. They at least take the edge off the pain. I guess it's just a matter of time until my liver and pancreas shut down again.

During my last visit, though, my doctor introduced me to one of his colleagues, and suggested botox injections in a couple of specific nerves involved in the migraine process. If and when he schedules me for it (I'm at the "try anything" stage) I'll let you know what happens.

Fucking doctors, so cowed by the government, and so deep in the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry. Before my inguinal hernia surgery and two spinal cortisone injections for herniated discs, my primary gave me Vicodin. He was so concerned that I'd abuse it. Hell, it was lucky I needed it at all. For the roughly six weeks before my surgery, I took half a tab twice a day, even though he wrote it for 4 whole tabs a day. The last weekend before my surgury, I over did it trying to get everything done before I would be laid up. Good thing I needed all 4 tabs before that weekend was over. Monday, I broke out something terrible. Tuesday, he switched me to Darvocet. Thursday, the surgeon had to change the orders he had already written from Vicodin to Darvocet. Turns out, I'm mildly allergic to Hydrocodone. At the lower dose that I allowed myself, I was okay. But when I really needed the higher dose, I reacted. After the surgery, my primary gave me one refill, and told me there would be no more. Hell, I never even finished that bottle. Once I had the back injections, I didn't need them. There have been a couple of times I wished I had some. But only for a day or two. Despite the studies that show repeatedly that when used for PAIN RELIEF, they are not habit forming, narcotic based pain relievers are still considered unsafe for long term care. And that doesn't even take into account that whole cultural thing of being tough enough to stand the pain...

I know it's not the same as migraines, but the whole pain management issue in medicine today is ridiculous.