MIGRAINES- Painkiller/remedy recommendations?

[Huntsman]

hora said:

For years I have had them. No not the 'oh I have a terrible migraine' sort of people but the real ones. 8am this morning my vision started going and my right hand felt 'distant'. Spent most of the day in bed and I used my Co-Codamol etc painkillers which barely even touched the edges. Have used Migraleve in the past.

Thing is- is there something new or BETTER available from the Doctors for future storage? Or any new techniques to help me???

I used to take Migravees as a kid, prescription. I dont generally suffer now, maybe once every few years. I find the best thing is lying down in absolute darkness and quiet.

[MacGee]

get your teeth checked....can be caused by poor bite.

[YarisSi]

Hi

I don't suffer migraine but my mother does and I help out with The City of London Migraine Clinic. They are a great national charity (over 90% something percent rate it excellent and the the rest rate it good0. They are the only specialist migraine clinic in the UK.
The also do research and train doctors and nurses (private and NHS). People travel from around the world to this Clinic and its in London and not being fully utilised and ignored by charitable givers because its not a "glamorous cause". Rant over.

Have a look at the new website:
http://www.migraineclinic.org.uk

They are also on twitter, facebook, youtube and wiki.

Simon

[Lemmonie]

The co-codemols are only a pain killer. You need something else to sctually stop the migraine.

I take Imigran at the first sign of one and it either opens the blood vessels in the brain or contracts them (cant remember which way round it is!) I then take 2 co-codemols to help with the pain if its still there.

[sherman]

Migraleave comes in 2 different tablets from what I remember you took the red one when you felt a migrane starting and if it persisted you took the yellow one or it was the other way round with the colours. There was twice as many of the red ones as yellow ones in the pack.

[Lemmonie]

Get imigran from your GP.

Dont think the stuff from the counter is the same strength and from what i understand its about 7 for two tablets where as I get 12 tablets from my GP for the usual perscription cost and i think they are stronger

[Ray Singh]

Wife used to use Paramax available from the doctor.
After taking these she would sleep for ages.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Perhaps try a deep massage?

[don4l]

hora said:

For years I have had them. No not the 'oh I have a terrible migraine' sort of people but the real ones. 8am this morning my vision started going and my right hand felt 'distant'. Spent most of the day in bed and I used my Co-Codamol etc painkillers which barely even touched the edges. Have used Migraleve in the past.

Thing is- is there something new or BETTER available from the Doctors for future storage? Or any new techniques to help me???

I believe that some people find that Oxygen works.

It needs to be administered at 100%, and at a high rate (12-15L/ minute).

Many doctors are (at least were) unaware of this treatment, so do some research before talking(persuasively/forcefully) to the doctor about it.

It also might be worth trying caffeine ( 2 strong cups of tea or coffee).

Apart from that Imagran (sp?).

Don
--

[shirt]

another former sufferer here. used to get them from early teens through to adulthood with a precription for both pink and yellow migraleve. your'e supposed to take a pink then a yellow later if it doesn't clear. it doesn't take a genius to go straight for the strong ones and save some time.

these days i rarely get one, but find tesco ibuprofen with lysene to get rid pretty quickly.

isn't there an injection you can get these days thats virtually instant?



-ps- one of the worst migraines i've ever had may have been cured in minutes by snorting something.

[AMLK]

shirt said:

isn't there an injection you can get these days thats virtually instant?

You can get imigrin as an injection - that could be what you are thinking about.
I used to take imigran and they used to work quite well. My GP has more recently prescribed me zomig - which is also a triptan like imigran - but I find this works really well. If I can recognise the early symptoms of my migraine quick enough then these really stop developing.

You should pop to your GP so you can get something other than painkillers.

[t84]

Maxalt Melts

[Muntu]

t84 said:

Maxalt Melts

+1

They don't feel as strong as Immigran, but they get the job done, and I don't get as much in the way of side effects from them, just a bit of indigestion, and probably a 10 point drop in IQ for an hour or so

[Lemmonie]

hora said:

I'm seeing the Doc today. My biggest nightmare is to be say 200miles from home when one kicks off. Thankfully they are once every six months and linked to lack of hydration.

Anyone else go round with strong pain killers in their wallet, car, backpack, work drawer etc etc?

I cant go anywhere without Imigran and co-codemol. Have some on me at all times

[sidicks]

hora said:

I'm seeing the Doc today. My biggest nightmare is to be say 200miles from home when one kicks off. Thankfully they are once every six months and linked to lack of hydration.

Anyone else go round with strong pain killers in their wallet, car, backpack, work drawer etc etc?

Like you I tend to get Migraines every 6-months or so - primarily linked to a lack of sleep for me.
I used to take Mirgalieve but the impact was variable.

A colleague at work recommended moving to Imigran, as this is avaialable 'in an emergency' over the counter at Boots, providing you fill out a special form. I belive it is only suitable for people with certain symptoms.

I was forced to obtain some in this way whilst waiting at Heathrow airport to fly to Berlin and it was certainly effective. I think it was £8 for 2 tablets, but obviously can be obtained via prescription much cheaper (I think on prescription you can also get double strength tablets).

It was very effectve for me!

Sidicks

[YarisSi]

hora said:

I'm seeing the Doc today. My biggest nightmare is to be say 200miles from home when one kicks off. Thankfully they are once every six months and linked to lack of hydration.

Anyone else go round with strong pain killers in their wallet, car, backpack, work drawer etc etc?

It's worth asking your doctor about the City of London Migraine Clinics outpatient clinic.

[Derby]

I unfortunately used to get migraines as a teenager and was given a course of pizotifen. This was a fair few years ago now but it did help. I have another chronic pain problem and have developed severe headaches after a spell in hospital. I saw the pain nurse a few weeks ago and she suggested "4head" to try and reduce use of tablets (as you can get withdrawal headaches). I have to say short term it can get me through until I can find a dark room and try to sleep it off. May be worth a try?

[Agent L]

My wife is having a terrible time with migraines at the moment. She has been told by a neurologist that it is a condition known as constant migraine (which is as bad as it sounds, yes). She's been suffering for a few years now and no-one seems to be able to suggest anything to help cure her.

The London Clinic sounds like a good place to go, will see if I can get that on the medical insurance.

She was taking pizotifen for a couple of years but has recently stopped them. The comment above about withdrawal headaches is interesting, do you think these could happen after stopping pizotifen? She has got worse recently again but it seems to be being triggered by a tummy bug at the moment.

Would any of the other things be worth a try? It seems strange to me that none of the countless Dr's and specialists we've seen have suggested any of them, but then they didn't know about the clinic in London either.

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

[Agent L]

I'll ask about the oxygen thing. Are you allowed to self administer or is it dangerous?

Side affects to Imigran?

[Nightmare]

Muntu said:

t84 said:

Maxalt Melts

+1

They don't feel as strong as Immigran, but they get the job done, and I don't get as much in the way of side effects from them, just a bit of indigestion, and probably a 10 point drop in IQ for an hour or so

if you take one when you don't have a migraine you'll feel REALLY good for a few hours....there's actually quite a trade on them in prison cos of the feeling......

bloody brilliant for migraine too