Migraine Remedies

This might tread on a few toes but here goes. Based on some of the comments here, “migraine” is sometimes being used to describe headaches that are not the medical definition of migraine. Having a strong or frequent headache is not a migraine; and no amount of paracetamol will kill the knifelike pain of a genuine migraine attack.

Although there are different types of migraine, clinically diagnosed migraine is a type of vascular headache that cannot be treated by standard painkillers alone. If you suffer from clinical migraine, take a vascular inhibitor - one of the ergotamine family, such as Cafergot, which doctors will prescribe in Taiwan. The critical point is that these medications MUST be taken within the very first few minutes of the sufferer identifying migraine symptoms. Cafergot is 100% effective for my migraines, providing I take it within 5 minutes of sensing the migraine attack. If you should go to Thailand, you can buy these over the counter in bulk.

[quote=“E-clectic”]This might tread on a few toes but here goes. Based on some of the comments here, “migraine” is sometimes being used to describe headaches that are not the medical definition of migraine. Having a strong or frequent headache is not a migraine; and no amount of paracetamol will kill the knifelike pain of a genuine migraine attack.

Although there are different types of migraine, clinically diagnosed migraine is a type of vascular headache that cannot be treated by standard painkillers alone. If you suffer from clinical migraine, take a vascular inhibitor - one of the ergotamine family, such as Cafergot, which doctors will prescribe in Taiwan. The critical point is that these medications MUST be taken within the very first few minutes of the sufferer identifying migraine symptoms. Cafergot is 100% effective for my migraines, providing I take it within 5 minutes of sensing the migraine attack. If you should go to Thailand, you can buy these over the counter in bulk.[/quote]

And if you are not experiencing a true migraine? Can this still help a more mortal headache? One that has zero vascular progni?

I have no idea if that was a word or not. Or if I amm even in the right grammasphere?

[quote]This might tread on a few toes but here goes. Based on some of the comments here, “migraine” is sometimes being used to describe headaches that are not the medical definition of migraine. Having a strong or frequent headache is not a migraine; and no amount of paracetamol will kill the knifelike pain of a genuine migraine attack.
[/quote]

That’s true. A lot of people use the owrd ‘migraine’ to describe a really bad headache, but they may have another kind of headache altogether. Here’s some symptoms to help reciognise a migraine:

The most common symptom is a headache (you’d think this would go without saying, but on reare occasions people have been known to have migraines without headaches). The headache is often/usually more on one side of the head than the other, feels like it’s at the front of the headache near the forehead, and is an intense sort of pain (not that dull pain of a head cold).

Second most common syptom is a visual thing called a ‘scotoma’. This is very hard to describe to people who haven’t experienced it, but the way I experience it is as if there was some glass in front of your field of vision and someone had scrathed an oval on it with a zig-zaggy line. Then this oval flickers and shimmers and gets bigger and bigge. This type is called a ‘spreading scintillating scotoma’. Visual syptoms usually precede the headache and other symptoms, in my case, by about 30 mins.

Nausea is very common, and I used to vomit a lot if my migraine went untreated.

Sensitivity to light and sound is another common symptom that I suffer.

Sometimes you can get cold.

I also occassionaly experience a strange ‘bad trippy’ mental symtpom. My thought processes get messed up and dream-like. This is really horrible (and hard to describe).

Another symptom (in myslef - I haven’t read about this or anything) that I only identified a few yearsa go is an inexplicable depression several hours after the migraine.

I also feel light-headed for up to a day after the migraine.

These are the symptoms of the classic (or is it common) migraine, that usually lasts a period of hours (in my case 3-5). There is also the common (or is it classic) migraine with similar syptoms, usually less intense and varying in intensity, ofr a period of a few days.

Well, there you go. Now you should know if your headaches a migraines or not.

Brian

I have had four classic migraines to my knowledge where I can honestly say it was not merely a bad headache. They started off with blurred vision, which for someone with perfect vision is scary to wake up or be reading and suddenly not be able to see things right in front of you. Then the pain came, first a dull throbbing and then rather sharp pain concentrated on my right side just above and behind my temple, colorful halos around lights, weak right arm, sensitivity to light and noise (not that it irritated me as much as I would have felt much better without them), and for three of them, slurred speech. I don’t really experience nausea with them, though. I’ve only had them since coming to Taiwan. After my second one when I realized what it was, I looked up the symptoms which matched what I went through and then went to the doctor loaded with this information. When he asked me what was wrong, I told him, I had a classic migraine. “How do you know?” he asked. I told him I looked it up on the internet. He made a comment along the lines that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Twenty minutes later after examining me and asking me questions, he said, “You have a classic migraine.” :unamused: Could have saved both of us 20 minutes if he had listened to me in the first place.

I was taking Excedrin migraine back in the states, but Panadol with warm black tea works for me. I’m not big on taking any kind of medicine, especially prescriptions, and prefer just letting my body run its course; when I discovered the miracle of painkillers with migraines,however, I converted a little.

Yep, these are all other typical symptoms. Tow or three times int he 20 years I’ve suffered from migraines (including the first) I’ve had this weird numbness on my hand that started from one finger and spread to the others. I’ve also had migriane-like syptoms without a headache on 2 or 3 occassions.

If you really don’t like ‘medicine’ you might want to try the herb feverfew which apparently is effective with some people. You can get it as a herb or in a pill form. If you’re still in the States, it might be best to look for it there.

Brian

I used to get them when I was a teenager if i didn’t get enough sleep over a period of a couple of weeks. I used to dread that eye thing. When I first started to wear glasses I was almost constantly nervous that I was getting a migraine, before i worked out to clean my glasses. I remeber asking my dad about them when I was younger and being told ‘don’t be stupid boy, only women get migraines’ (Bloody O&G specialists!). I have never tried any medication, I just try to find somewhere to close my eyes for half an hour or so. I also try to make sure i get at least one or two good night’s sleep a week. Been pretty much free for a couple of years now, but…

My best friend for my whole life used to get horrible migraines at least once a week… They would be so bad that he would start puking and have to lay down wherever he was. No medicine whatsoever would help, he even had dr.s prescribe a injectable medicine he carried around and they would not even help.

At about the age of 24 he started working out on a daily basis and his migraines slowly but surely went away. I asked him the other day and he says he hasnt had one in over 5 years now (ever since he started working out)… So who knows physical exercise might be the cure for some, it sure was for him.

800mg of Ibuprofen always does the trick for me. Unfortunately I haven’t found it here yet, so my parents have to send me regular supplies.

My friend and I take ‘Feverfew’. It’s natural and safe, but according to some reports, it doesn’t work on everyone. The positive thing is that for some people where prescribed drugs haven’t worked, feverfew has.

Two times in my life I have had “cluster headaches” which are similar to migraines, but not the same. It’s in the back of the head, and feels like getting hit with a baseball bat. While not intensely painful, it’s bad because it doesn’t go away by itself - can last for weeks as far as I know.

Anyway, I was given indomethacin (local brand name is Indocin). You can buy it across the counter here. Works very well, though takes about a day. I hope I never need it again, but I keep a stash at home.

One thing I noticed - in both cases, my cluster headaches were probably induced by taking regular cold capsules. I had a cold, took the capsules, went to bed, and next day woke up with the headaches. So now I just don’t take cold capsules anymore. If I get a cold, it’s just aspirin and nothing else.

regards,
Robert

[quote=“Bu Lai En”]I also occassionaly experience a strange ‘bad trippy’ mental symtpom. My thought processes get messed up and dream-like. This is really horrible (and hard to describe).

Another symptom (in myslef - I haven’t read about this or anything) that I only identified a few yearsa go is an inexplicable depression several hours after the migraine. [/quote]
Odd, most people get euphoric afterwards. Life never feels so good as after a migraine has gone away. This is a common experience, and has been noted in the literature.

My speech often gets slurred after one, usually lasts a couple of hours.

Also, visual symptoms can include “flashing lights”, usually in peripheral vision.

[1] To understand causes and
[2a] operating by suggestion combined with
[2b] “magic” hands and fingers [in the neck and head areas].
One needs to have some power in his/her hands and fingers.
It cannot be done by oneself. At least, not in this way.

[color=red]Now, please one of the usual “professional” shitting-shits
for the usual irrision against everybody.
Please, it’s free![/color]

Any other migraine sufferes had a hard time this week? I’ve had three migraines in three days. I’m a wreck.

Brian

Does anyone have any recommendations for a doctor who is good with migraines here? I’ve had migraines three or four times a week for the last two months or so and am dealing less and less well with it. I’ve been to see two Drs here and they told me that I should be careful of triggers (but nothing more precise) and take paracetamol four times a day.

I’m no doctor, but four times a week for two months sounds serious. Is it a new thing? If it is, warning bells should be sounding. I’d be seeking an MRI at the very least, and pronto, if it started happening to me.
Also, paracetamol four times a day for three or four days a week is not going to do your liver any good at all. That stuff is poison in high doses.

It is a new thing, and it does worry me a bit, but I tend to be a hypochondriac! So I didn’t want to insist on an MRI or anything heavy. Paracetamol didn’t sound like a great thing to be taking four times a day to me either (he said I should do this everyday for three weeks to see if it works), which is why I’d like to try and find a Dr who might be good at dealing with this stuff. I’m getting pretty sick of feeling like shit.

Not to be a scaremonger, but your doc sounds like a fool, IMO.
Get that MRI. Insist on it! I don’t know of a specialist but don’t let that stop you – just go to different hospitals until you find someone who’ll take you seriously. And what you’re describing is definitely serious, or at least VERY worthy of careful investigation.
Paracetamol four times a day EVERY DAY! For THREE WEEKS!!! :noway: :noway: :noway:
No wonder you feel like shit!

Christ! I simply cannot believe that a doctor would offer a script like that.

Thanks sandman. I did have a giggle when I walked away from the hospital with my bag of 84 paracetamol tablets - but not a happy giggle. I haven’t started taking them, because it didn’t make much sense to me. Does anyone have any ideas on doctors? I’d just like to try and cut down on fighting patronising incompetent docs.