Anyone with experience on dealing migraines?

L[Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 10:45

Greetings the collective. I have a 17 yr old niece who seems to be getting migraines on and off, sometimes once fortnight, sometimes once a month. But it basically shuts her down. Her vision gets narrowed and the pain just causes her to curl up and she cries herself to sleep (if she can). She can't stand light or loud noises. It takes about 1 day or more to get over. She's been having it for the past 2years.

The family has brought her to see the GP who gave her some meds. Not sure if the meds work entirely, but she says it helps. She's also seen a physio who says that its a spine alignment issue, so she is going through some treatment at the moment. There was a mild migraine occurrence during the physio treatment. We're thinking it may be a food thing but havent' gone for any tests yet. She eats pretty well, mainly home cooked food and exercises daily.

Anyone with similar experience and any successes in managing migraines?

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • nick484 on 26/05/2020 - 11:05
    +2

    When I was in my early teens, I suffered from them similarly. Meds didn't seem to do much and then I started seeing a chiropractor. Within a few months, they had all cleared up and these days I'll get one a year at most. I'm sure there are different solutions for different people, but from my experience I would recommend sticking with the physio or seeing a chiro

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 11:06

      what did the chiro do? just alignment?

      • nick484 on 26/05/2020 - 11:12
        +1

        yeah pretty much. a lot of back and neck work

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 26/05/2020 - 12:30
      +5

      Definitely Physio over Chiro.

      Physio will actually look for long term solutions. Chiro's generally look for long term repeat customers.

      • dimitryp on 27/05/2020 - 09:56
        +1

        same with physio :)

        • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 28/05/2020 - 12:45

          There's a distinct reason why Physios are in public health but Chiros are not :)

  • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 11:06

    I've had a friend who is in her 50s and have had migraines for more than 10 years. When it happens, she stays at home for days for the it go away. Can't drive or go to work.

  • D C on 26/05/2020 - 11:11
    +4

    Those symptoms are depressingly familiar. Sometimes there isn't a trigger, they just happen.

    I used to get them once a month or so as a teenager, went down to yearly after a few years.

    The auras and tunnel vision stuff at the start is rather cool though, the rest not so much. I also speak in tongues (and write!), plus throw up for a few hours.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 11:50

      good to know it sorta went away after your teenage years. hopefully it's just growing pains

      • D C on 26/05/2020 - 11:55

        Some people are lucky enough that they just "grow out" of it and have no migraines as an adult.

        Cold & dark helps.

  • wiipantz on 26/05/2020 - 11:43
    +1

    Wow, I get daily headaches but nothing as severe as mentioned. I've had spine surgery(removal of two discs in the lumbar and movement of the sciatic nerve about 14 years ago) some years back and most of my issues have occurred since then. I also work at a computer in doors so that adds to environment fatigue my diet is pretty good otherwise and I try and exercise when I can. I take aspirin or paracetamol most days but it doesn't do all that much, hearing this and the stories of people having back issues is making much more sense now. I have constant back and nerve pain and it would seem reasonable this is mostly related to the headaches. Sorry to hear about niece hopefully it's only temporary :s

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 11:51

      daily headaches? that must be quite something to manage. are you seeing a health practitioner?

      • wiipantz on 26/05/2020 - 12:06

        I've seen many throughout the years, nothing really helps aside extended leave from work and heavy regiment of exercise. Can still work, but more time off means more time to spend stretching/ meditating/ swimming and exercising. With a spine injury have to be slow and methodical, I experience discomfort after about 25 mins of sitting ect. It's a tough balancing act as I'm young and trying to start a life and career

    • D C on 26/05/2020 - 11:56

      daily headaches

      Migraines are not headaches.

      • wiipantz on 26/05/2020 - 12:03

        No, I also never intimated they were. I was more intrigued the by correlation some people had between thier spine and migraines, thought I add an anecdote of my experience.

        • D C on 26/05/2020 - 12:12

          add an anecdote of my experience.

          For a totally different ailment.

          And chiro is bollocks.

          • wiipantz on 26/05/2020 - 12:12

            @D C: Never mentioned Chrio either… you sure you're allright mate?

  • skinner on 26/05/2020 - 12:02
    +1

    I got quite frequent migraines when I was younger but fortunately they seem to occur less and less over the years.

    The trigger for me used to be fairly random but I think too much exposure to heat and light was often a factor. Eg. I got a few sitting on a bus with lights flickering as it goes past trees etc. Going for a run on a hot day with no sunglasses would be a huge no-no.

    I have been given meds before but the results of that were worse. I don't remember the name but it was a vaso-restrictor, ended up having a slight headache almost constantly and made exercise difficult.

    For some remedies, I've found Disprin to be the best OTC pain relief (recommended by a different doctor and definitely helps). I was also told by a work colleague to eat a teaspoon or more of sugar straight, surprisingly I think this actually does help. If I feel a migraine might be coming on (starts with a worsening headache, irritability, loss of concentration, then eyes go funny) I will have both of these and hope for the best. If not it's the same, end up in bed for half a day at least.

    • scottishdave on 26/05/2020 - 15:06
      +2

      I've had migraines since age 8 and ultimately medical science is still not 100% sure of the causes. After seeing a gastroenterologist a couple of years ago, who understood the brain-gut axis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gut%E2%80%93brain_axis, he suggested that I avoid the usual food triggers plus (due to the neurotoxins produced by some bacteria working on food in the gut) avoiding constipation as much as possible. This involved keeping a diary of food eaten, bowel movements and migraine frequency. It soon became apparent which foods were causing the problem. I went from 2 migraines a week to one a month. https://headacheaustralia.org.au/headache-management/headach…

      By the way, bright lights and doing close up work too early in the day can also trigger my migraines.

      I see you are in Brisbane. Dr Lyn Griffths, is a world renown expert in migraines and genomics at QUT. https://migraineresearchfoundation.org/researchers/lyn-griff…
      If you ring her department, they can give you an idea of specialists in Brisbane you can consult.

      The Headache Foundation are very helpful too. https://headacheaustralia.org.au/migraine/

  • Blue Cat on 26/05/2020 - 12:06
    +1

    Would be good to find out what she actually eats everyday. I hear a lot of vegans complaining about constant migraines and headaches but they say it's "detoxing".

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 12:37

      i'm thinking food too. but based on what they tracked for last few months, there isn't any trend related to the trigger. might want to see a nutritionist or something

      • DamonT on 27/05/2020 - 07:37

        Had them as a teen. Tried everything from naturopaths to detox. Turns out once I cut out the caffeine (coke)I never had one again. In saying that, I see a lot of comments saying "I had them as a teen" so perhaps it's actually just puberty related for some…including me.

  • trex on 26/05/2020 - 12:08
    +2

    I suffer from migraines frequently too. It is triggered something loud noises, bright lights, caffeine etc. For me it is from having meals late so I make it a point now to eat early. My mom suffers the same condition so it could be genetic for me. Your niece should try to identify her triggers. It could also be eyesight related so she should get her eyes checked.

    When my migraine is triggered, Panadol and Nurofen doesn't help. Only a long deep sleep would help ease it. For relief, I use medicated oil rubbed onto my temples and forehead.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 12:37

      eyesight is something they haven't thought about. might give that a check

  • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 12:30
    -2

    Not enough blood is being pumped to the brain. Blood and bone are antonyms and go together like male and female. If a female is angry you know her man is acting up doing something stupid like blocking her from going where she wants to go. Same with blood and bone. If the blood is being blocked from going where it wants to go you know a bone is out of line somewhere..

    • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 12:42

      So, I would check her posture. She might sit hunched in front of a computer all day. In that case, converting to a standing desk may help in better bone alignment..

      • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 17:48

        Thats something she probably needs to be conscious of

  • EightImmortals on 26/05/2020 - 12:41
    +1

    Try and find the triggers if you can. For me it is coffee, if I have 5-6 in a week then I'll get migraines for sure. It's not the caffeine, I suspect it's something in the coffee oils. Certain visual frequencies will also set them off. For e.g. the flouros in the local university library set it off every single time. How long does she have screens in front of her face each day? But anyway, by accident I discovered taking C0Q10 helps a LOT, give it 3-4 days to kick in if you do try it and take 1 a day (IANAD). 2-3 litres of CLEAN water each day helps a lot too preferably not out of the tap. NSAIDS have zero effect when they do trigger. I also suspect a gut connection as well. Sometimes if I'm feeling ever so subtly 'off' and haven't had any coffee I might get one as well.

  • kmwa on 26/05/2020 - 12:41

    For migraines, I find that daily propranolol is effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of the attacks.
    I was on topiramate for a while, but it wasn’t as good as propranolol. Propranolol is cheaper, too.
    When I get attacks, I find that Maxalt can often stop them, but they sometimes come back after a few hours. Still, it’s worth it to stop the pain, even though Maxalt is quite expensive.
    I also have an electronic TENS device called a Cephaly which is approved for use on your head. They are expensive (~$400) but when you’ve got a migraine you will do anything that will help. I find that the Cephaly can sometimes ease a migraine, and it is certainly a distraction from the pain. It works by numbing the trigeminal nerve in the forehead. It’s not totally effective for me, but it helps. Other people have different reactions to it.
    But the best thing I’ve tried was botox, administered by Dr Peter Silbert (in Perth WA). You’ll need a referral from your doctor to see him and he will only use botox if you are getting frequent headaches. But I found it extremely effective. One drawback is the expense, $300 every 3 months.
    I only got botox once, because Dr. Silbert suggested I could go back onto propranolol instead of topiramate, and I find that reasonably effective. But botox is definitely more effective for me, if the propranolol wasn’t working I would get it every 3 months.
    My triggers seem to be alcohol, and fatty foods. With the propanolol, my attacks aren't too bad, but before I started using it, I had one migraine that was so bad I thought I was going to die.

  • ozssc on 26/05/2020 - 12:45
    +1

    My wife suffers from migraines (with all of the above symptoms) but the most common trigger in her case is her monthly cycle (other triggers do include stress and gluten). She used to take usual headache medications and lock herself away for the day but the meds didn't work as migraines also induced vomiting so meds didn't stay down.

    When she gets an inkling of the migraine coming on, she now takes Imigran in a single-use nasal spray form. She still locks herself away in a dark room but it generally lifts within an hour. I think the sprays cost around $10 per dose, but well worth it if it saves the day from being a write-off.

  • uncompressed on 26/05/2020 - 12:49
    +2

    I suffer from migraines since young and don't even know what the trigger is. The good thing is that I don't get it often enough now for any long term medication, just always have Anagraine handy with me (home and work) and pop it as soon as I recognize it starting.

  • jimdotpud on 26/05/2020 - 13:32
    +1

    could be related to diet and a lack of vitamins. You would be surprised how many people are deficient in Vitamin D. They have done studies on links of vitamin D deficiency and migraine, chronic headache sufferers.

  • josetann on 26/05/2020 - 14:00
    +1

    You need to find out what's causing it, obviously. I used to get bad migraines multiple times a month. Once getting blood pressure under control (it was only mildly high), that's been reduced significantly. For a teen, I'd probably look a bit closer at cutting back on smoking and caffeine intake, and drinking more water. A smoker that drinks lots of caffeinated beverages is literally asking to get migraines.

    I personally found that the sooner you take medication, the less you end up taking. If it had just started, I could often get away with half a 30mg codeine pill plus an extra panadol; if I misjudged I could still take the other half of the codeine (each one also had 500mg of panadol, so you had to keep track). If I caught it before it started (if you suffer from migraines, you know what I mean) then I generally wouldn't need any codeine at all. Two excedrin plus another panadol would do the trick. Now, I never found Excedrin in Australia so to substitute the two Excedrin I would take one panadol, one aspirin, and drink something caffeinated (if you're keeping track I'd take two Excedrin PLUS a panadol, so that means two total panadol, one aspirin, and a soda). The active ingredients in one Excedrin is 250mg aspirin, 250mg paracetamol, 65mb caffeine; note that paracetamol is called acetaminophen in the US. And yes, I realize that in the first paragraph I said to stay away from caffeine; while it can be a trigger, it can also help relieve a migraine. Drink lots of water and try to take it easy for a bit (keep room dark, take a nap or go to bed early for the night, etc.). I know it's not always possible to do that, but if I didn't take the medication in time AND I had to push through vs taking it easy the rest of the day, it'd just get worse and last well into the next day (often lingering for another day or two after).

  • mirek on 26/05/2020 - 14:01
    +1

    I am 30 yo. I am having the same issue. I have seen some physios and got meds. They helped a little, but I still experience it like your niece. It is really painful and sometimes I take 2 days to get over.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2020 - 07:31

      you should not give up. try some of the suggestions here.

      • mirek on 27/05/2020 - 13:17

        Thank you. I will

  • Melb69 on 26/05/2020 - 14:07
    +2

    Could be her neck is out. Hormonal related. She needs more testing. Stress related. Many factors

  • Gnostikos on 26/05/2020 - 14:33
    +1

    17 is a young age to be getting chronic and severe migraines with visual and/or auditory symptoms like that.

    Does she have any pre-existing conditions?
    Is she otherwise healthy (mentally/physically) and fairly active with a normal BMI?
    What is her diet like?
    Is she on any other medication?
    Was there any major change to her lifestyle, health or any significant life event around the time these migraines first started?
    Has she had any adverse or allergic reactions to anything in the past?

    Without knowing more about your niece and her medical history, it's hard to speculate.

  • thatonethere on 26/05/2020 - 17:10
    +1

    I had similar issues but it was due to high blood pressure causing sinus pain similar to a cluster headache. The pain would increase my blood pressure which made the pain worse. It also made me susceptsble to hayfever and sinusitis.

    After diagnosis and medication was sorted in about 2 months.

  • conan2000 on 26/05/2020 - 17:29
    +1

    I used to get them a few times a year, physio may/may not be useful. I have a dodgy back as well, but that has no impact on migraines. My suggestion would be keep a diary of what food and drink she is having every day (keep an eye on all ingredients) and see if there is a common food consumed, or on the flip side, not consumed when the migraines occur. It can go either way if it's a food-based cause of the migraine. For me it was dairy, I only got them when I hadn't consumed any dairy, and I have only had one migraine in the last 10 years after working that out.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/05/2020 - 21:21

    Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. There's a lot of ideas to look at and hopefully some will lead to preventing further migraines.

  • Mythreesons on 27/05/2020 - 08:36
    +1

    My migraines started over 30 years ago, I get them about once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less), the worse one lasted 10 days but usually last 1 or 2 days. I have tried a lot of preventers but haven’t found anything that works yet. Have heard that a Botox injection into the back of your neck can help, my doctor says there is not enough proof and won’t do it. I have also tried a lot of different medications to help and the best one so far is called anagraine, you buy it over the counter at most chemists and it’s not very expensive, it’s the only one I have found that really seems to help with the nausea and pain (I usually take them and curl up in bed with a cold wheat pack on my head and sleep for hours in complete darkness). She should also check to see if the migraines are hormonal. Hope she finds something that works for her (I pray none of my kids every have to go through the pain of migraines).

  • singingwolf on 27/05/2020 - 09:14

    I have had them all my life. Realised they usually come at certain time of the year (change of season).

    I started taking a herbal migraine supplement and they have never come back - been 6 years now.

    Also recommended to a colleague who had them - they worked for him too.

    • Tiller76 on 27/05/2020 - 11:32

      Interested in what was used. I've only been able to take things once it hits so happy to try anything to stop them.

      • singingwolf on 27/05/2020 - 16:58
        +1

        I use these:

        https://www.mrvitamins.com.au/bioceuticals-migraine-care-60t

        Take them daily. They are not for treatment of a headache, but for the prevention of them coming at all.

        As always, get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of water, minimise use in front of screens, and watch for foods that can also being them on.

        • [Deactivated] on 28/05/2020 - 06:51

          interesting. how much is a bottle. couldn't see the pricing straight off the page

  • pei on 27/05/2020 - 09:37
    +1

    Go back to the GP and tell him/her the result of the meds already taking. There are a bunch of different medications they can try - but not all of these are appropriate depending on other factors
    Eg propranolol mentioned earlier cant be taken if you have low blood pressure or low heart rate
    Other meds are mild anti-depressants… they are designed to slow the brain synapses which helps prevent some migraines… but this will make you a little less alert.

    Personally I use sandomigran as a preventative drug (mildly effective - its takes the edge off the feeling that I am constantly on the verge of a migraine) and a form of sumatriptan to relieve migrain attacks. Previously used other meds like metamax / anagraine etc to relieve and these did next to nothing. Sumatriptan was a lifesaver… takes about an hour to kick in and then head goes a little fuzzy for half an hour - its like you can feel the migraine lifting - then gone. But you need to take it as soon as you feel the migraine start.

    Friends swear by herbal migraine supplement called 'feverfew'. I've been taking for months, but not any noticeable effect. Again - different people, different results.

    Definitely check triggers though per other comments. For me main triggers are alcohol, chocolate and pork

  • ColonialBoy on 27/05/2020 - 10:33

    My relative uses sumatriptan for migraines and maxolon for associated nausea/vomiting. At times she needs an injection from a doctor (because she vomited the medication) and once needed hospitalisation for 24 hours because her body started shutting down. She also said she spend 8 hours lying on the side of the road in outback Queensland with a migraine.

  • Tiller76 on 27/05/2020 - 11:31

    I've had migraines since childhood and they have worsened as I aged. When I ended up in hospital after one, the doctor suggested writing a diary to record all food and liquid intake and then review after a few migraines to see if there were any food triggers (none that I found).

    In the end, I have taken to using Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and Aspirin depending on the symptoms presenting. The diary keeping identified I had various types of migraines and I find that each type responds better to the different drugs (I can often interchange Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Aspirin appears to help the best with any vision impairments I get from the migraine. I also now have something that helps with the nausea too.

    I haven't needed to take any of the specific migraine medicines that are now available as I seem to have a great deal of success for taking these at the first sign of a migraine (this plan doesn't work when I wake up with one though). Good luck with it all.

  • RecklessMonkeys on 27/05/2020 - 11:44

    Perhaps check that her diet is high in Magnesium. Failing that, there are magnesium oxide suppliments available over the counter.

    https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/magn…

  • cfuse on 27/05/2020 - 12:42

    Migraines with various frequency and presentation my whole life. Everything from excruciating pain to little more than a pinching headache. Wound up in hospital from one once that ended in verbal aphasia (treated with IV largactil).

    Any serious migraine will result in days of impairment. It will literally slow my brain down, and usually give me word finding difficulties.

    As for treatment, it's typically a case of lying down and waiting for it to go away. If it's too much then hospital it is (because I don't have IV opiates or other meds lying around).

    Any medical condition requires investigation. I am not a doctor.

  • rlam on 04/06/2020 - 23:00

    My partner has severe migraines and sees a neurologist. Every 12 weeks she get botox treatment to her neck, head, shoulders (this approved after many failed treatments/medication).

    Lots of daily exercise to stimulate blood circulation, stretches and good food.

    I take pure cbd oil (no THC) and make sure I get good quality sleep.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2020 - 12:02

      i had to look up what cbd and thc oils are. probably needs prescriptions for that. how about hemp oil? i've seen that selling over the counter

      • rlam on 10/06/2020 - 13:14

        buy overseas and get someone to ship to aus.

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