Migraines

[LaFemme]

Has any one had or heard of using Botox as a treatment option for migraines? A friend of mine has it applied (or is injected the right word?) on a regular basis to keep their migraines at bay. This person has had great success with it.

My last neurologist recommended it for me, but Blue Cross turned it down. I’m appealing it and should win as they cover it for hundreds of other migraine sufferers in the province.

It’s about 35 - 40 injections to the forehead, temple, and neck at three month intervals. It can take up to a year for it to be effective, but some get relief after the first or second treatment. It can reduce migraines by about 80%.

 

[Murphys]

My last neurologist recommended it for me, but Blue Cross turned it down. I’m appealing it and should win as they cover it for hundreds of other migraine sufferers in the province.

It’s about 35 - 40 injections to the forehead, temple, and neck at three month intervals. It can take up to a year for it to be effective, but some get relief after the first or second treatment. It can reduce migraines by about 80%.

Did you see the neurologist at a private Linux or within the hospital? I think that, for some situations in Canada, if you have the drug administered at the hospital, it’s covered. But I’m not 100% sure on that or if it would apply to Botox treatments. It should be covered. Especially given it’s not being used for cosmetic reasons in this application.

Fingers crossed for your appeal!!

 

[MisterB]

My last neurologist recommended it for me, but Blue Cross turned it down. I’m appealing it and should win as they cover it for hundreds of other migraine sufferers in the province.

It’s about 35 - 40 injections to the forehead, temple, and neck at three month intervals. It can take up to a year for it to be effective, but some get relief after the first or second treatment. It can reduce migraines by about 80%.

I always feel so bad when I read about how you suffer with your migraines.

Sometimes I wonder about my fellow man; after all, bureauracracies are made up of people. Sheesh!

I hope you get your medicine approved sooner rather than later!

 

[LaFemme]

Did you see the neurologist at a private Linux or within the hospital? I think that, for some situations in Canada, if you have the drug administered at the hospital, it’s covered. But I’m not 100% sure on that or if it would apply to Botox treatments. It should be covered. Especially given it’s not being used for cosmetic reasons in this application.

Fingers crossed for your appeal!!

It was at a neurology clinic, referred by my GP. The neurologist was shocked I was turned down - she’d never had a patient turned down before and the majority of her practice is migraine patients.

I’m pretty confident I’ll win, but it just takes so much time and energy.

 

[rbkwp]

geee
learnt a lot today
thanks TnJ/LF all
remnds ne of
saw 7 odd opthalmologsts/eyesight over 18 monts and meither concured/thats fine.acceptable they try
glad to participate
someone may benefit in the long term aye


Fingers crossed for your appeal!!
It was at a neurology clinic, referred by my GP

BEST of luck LF

 

[Squirrel1]

This is the most informative thread I have read in a long time. My sympathies go out to all that suffer from this debilitating condition.

 

[LaFemme]

I started having migraines when I was about 5 years old. I went through CAT scans, MRIs, EEGs and about a thousand other tests because the general thinking at the time was children do not get migraines.

And I got them bad. They triggered mild seizures. I wouldn't be able to see anything but that dreaded color aura. I couldn't hear anything but my heartbeat in my ears. Light from any source would cause everything already the suck to be even suckier. They were fucking terrible.

I still get a few a month. Now, the symptoms are not so bad. I get the vice clamp headache, usually on my left side. I am crazy sensitive to light, sound, and temperature. I get hella nauseous. I still get the light show. But I am an adult and know what is happening to me.

I treat my migraines with overall health. I drink heaps of water, I pee Aquafina. I avoid nitrates of any kind. I try to avoid most preservatives. And I am a slave to caffeine consumption. I know the current wisdom is to avoid caffeine. And withdrawal from caffeine will trigger a migraine, thus my slaves like devotion to my french press and iced tea. But to keep at bay and to sooth the savage beast during, nothing but nothing beats the caffeine.

For durig treatment I take ibuprofen, the greatest drug known to mankind. Toss back a few Dr Peppers. Find a nice cold, dark room and sleep. I also have a weighted, pressure headband that works fripping wonders. It's got these lil padded weights you put over the ouchiest spot, tighten the headband and boom *i totally typed boob* almost instant relief. A very nice alternative healing lady introduced me to the practice when I was about 12.

I have a script for painkillers. They do nothing cept make me puke my guts out.

OHOH also... hormone shifts will rev the heck out of migraines. Puberty almost killed me.

Somehow I missed this post.

Caffeine can trigger migraines in some people, but it can also be used to treat migraines. So it’s one of those weird drugs. I also stay super hydrated. You will never find me without a bottle of water. The neurologist said dehydration is a huge trigger for migraines.

Also, I attend this conference online. It’s coming up in March if anyone is interested.

The 2019 Migraine World Summit

It has the most current research from around the world.

Also, an article from the summit for @Tight_N_Juicy on cannabis and migraines, if you haven’t seen it before. I haven’t read it so I don’t know what it says.

Medicinal Cannabis For Migraine: A Patient Guide

 

[EllieP]

I suffer from migraines a couple of times a year. I have no idea why they come on other than stress. Imitrex is my usual go-to.

But when we remodeled our home for my husband's studio there was a weird little space left in the plans that he didn't know what to do with. It had no window and no room for a closet, and it was too odd shaped to be a closet by itself. I told the architect to leave it and just put a door on it. It became my migraine room. The studio is soundproof, so I hear nothing on the other side of that wall. And it's far enough away from the kitchen so someone could be banging away on the pots and pans and I wouldn't hear it.

I put a day bed in there. That's all there is. That's my migraine room. I shut out the light and close the door and crawl under a quilt.

It's to the point where if my husband sees the door closed he won't even go into his studio.

But like I said, it's rare, and I haven't had one in almost a year. And I fear I may have just jinxed myself.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

My migraine triggers are red wine, really salty foods, sleep deprivation, dehydration, stress, hormone swings, and crying. If I have an emotional rollercoaster of any kind I can almost guarantee that I'll have a migraine the next day.

 

[EllieP]

My migraine triggers are red wine, really salty foods, sleep deprivation, dehydration, stress, hormone swings, and crying. If I have an emotional rollercoaster of any kind I can almost guarantee that I'll have a migraine the next day.

I truly believe mine might be a mixture of stress and lack of sleep, and they usually go together quite well.

 

[thirteenbyseven]

I truly believe mine might be a mixture of stress and lack of sleep, and they usually go together quite well.

While I don't suffer from migraines, a lack of sleep and a screw-up circadian rhythm comes with my occupation. As for stress our latest home remodeling project, including a constant parade of workers and city inspectors signing-off on the latest phases, is my definition of low-level stress. Toss-in the workers obsession with loud, blaring mariachi music...... I've tried to introduce them to soothing European classical music to no avail:

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[328982]

My triggers are strong dark chocolate, coffee, apple juice (tannins), headphone bass, stress, and too much sleep after too little, so more often at weekends. But only sometimes. I can go for ages with no problems and then wham, I'll have a spate of them. Always starts with a cloudy dimming of sight and inability to focus, then little evil pixilations in the corner of the eyes that grow to fill the whole field of vision. This lasts about half an hour. Then the pain. Photophobia. Vomiting. Usually lasts about 5 or 6 hours before slowly wearing off. The idea that you could eat or walk around during one is laughable. If it's really bad, there are pins and needles down one side, I can't move my arm or leg properly, mouth goes lopsided, speech slurs and sometimes I can’t speak at all. Maybe hemiplegic? One time it happened at work and I felt too unwell to get home so just closed my office door and blinds and tried to sit it out. A colleague walked in and thought I was having a stroke, ended up in A&E! Afterwards always feel wrung out and cloudy for a few days. Didn’t realise dehydration was such a trigger, useful to know. My GP said he gets auditory symptoms, like hearing things from the bottom of a well. Weird things, migraines.

 

[rbkwp]

damn
feel a little guilty
its what i enjoy and have had no problems at all
how we all differ

i do agree/believe stress and lack of sleep, worrying re work
assure all, on retrement a different outlook entirely,may help relieve such
if
one has something to occupy etc
but, shouldent really offer suggestions i geuss

tried not to like on this thread, because of circumstances but ...

Tight_N_Juicy said: ?
My migraine triggers are red wine, really salty foods, sleep deprivation, dehydration, stress,

 

[twoton]

My wife pretty much survives on Excedrin and coffee nearly every day. Chocolate and red wine are off limits for her. Several years ago she was hospitalized for several days because the pain, nausea, and vertigo were so bad. She doesn't take any Rx meds because of the potential side effects. And she is severely allergic to opioids.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

My wife pretty much survives on Excedrin and coffee nearly every day. Chocolate and red wine are off limits for her. Several years ago she was hospitalized for several days because the pain, nausea, and vertigo were so bad. She doesn't take any Rx meds because of the potential side effects. And she is severely allergic to opioids.

Opiods do *nothing* for a migraine. If anything they make it worse because they tend to upset the stomach, and during a migraine many sufferers are already horribly nauseated.

I wonder how common frequent migraines actually are... I'm actually surprised that there are people who deal with that particular kind of pain more than once a month. I thought it was bad having one or two a month, now I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones.

The common theme in the thread: no one can understand how anyone claiming to have a migraine can just be walking around on a sunny day like it's just another day. Everyone has described how they have to avoid certain foods/activities, and how they need to hide from bright lights/strong smells/loud noised etc...

 

[693987]

I get light, motion, sound, and scent sensitive. When able I try to hide in a dark, quiet room and sip water and try to sleep until it passes. Rem knows not to cook when I'm dealing with a migraine. Meat smells when I have one is especially blech

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

I get light, motion, sound, and scent sensitive. When able I try to hide in a dark, quiet room and sip water and try to sleep until it passes. Rem knows not to cook when I'm dealing with a migraine. Meat smells when I have one is especially blech

Mr brownballs also knows that if I'm in my dungeon with the blackout curtains drawn that cooking/gaming/loud activities are off the table until I come out.

He rarely get headaches, and when he does they're super bearable. When he saw me with a migraine the first time he tripped out. He wanted to take me to the ER but I told him they wouldn't really even be able to do anything about it.

Now he knows the routine.

Here's to good people who take care of their loved ones in times of need

 

[LaFemme]

Opiods do *nothing* for a migraine. If anything they make it worse because they tend to upset the stomach, and during a migraine many sufferers are already horribly nauseated.

I wonder how common frequent migraines actually are... I'm actually surprised that there are people who deal with that particular kind of pain more than once a month. I thought it was bad having one or two a month, now I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones.

The common theme in the thread: no one can understand how anyone claiming to have a migraine can just be walking around on a sunny day like it's just another day. Everyone has described how they have to avoid certain foods/activities, and how they need to hide from bright lights/strong smells/loud noised etc...

Opioids are the only thing that take the edge off the migraine for me, but I take them with an anti-nauseant. Again, everyone has to work out their own treatment. But currently 1 T-3, 2 Advil, 1 gravol, a dark room, and an ice pack are my go-tos.

 

[thisguy805]

My migraines are a result of a car accident about 16 years ago that left me with some head and neck damage.

I tried countless types of medications but nothing worked. The migraines never went away. I discovered CBD a couple of years ago and my life changed. I've been migraine free for 2 years. I feel like I got my life back. A lot of my vacations that got ruined because my migraines.

I currently used Select CBD oil. It has also helped with stress, sleep, depression and anxiety. It gives me that "I dont care" state of mind. I still care but I dont let the small things get to me.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Opioids are the only thing that take the edge off the migraine for me, but I take them with an anti-nauseant. Again, everyone has to work out their own treatment. But currently 1 T-3, 2 Advil, 1 gravol, a dark room, and an ice pack are my go-tos.

I'm genuinely curious Ms Femme, and I ask this with complete respect... But how are opiates on the table but cannabis is not with your recovery?

It's valuable information for me personally, it directly applies to my job. I work with chronic pain patients, and recovering addicts. Many recovering from opiate addiction. That's why I'm curious.

If this is a question you'd rather not answer I understand, it's a pretty personal subject.

I'm learning quite a bit from this conversation though... Thank you for everything you've shared