Migrane

bikebarbie

Hello
can a migraine last over a week??

I do suffer from migraines aalthough they recently eased up , it's a couple of months that they have been back to regular (3-4 a month - lasting more than 1 day) and this last attack I currently have has been going for over a week!!

I take sumatriptan which used to work very quickly, but now it takes 1/2hr + and as soon as it wears out Im in pain again.
Is not unusual for the pain to wake me up at 3 or 5 am
Sometimes I feel a little nauseous but Im not actually sick (am aware that nausea is 'normal' am sensitive to light / noise but my vision is ok) I have been feeling my head quite hot at times (and cloudy) even though I dont have a temperature and my body feels warm/forehead feels cold.

I have booked a doctor app tomorrow but I am just expecting for him to sell me more medicines

Any advice much apprecciated
Thanks

Jennifer_Jane

As you know, no-one here can, or should, give you advice, but here is my experience of migraines.

Occasionally I will have a week of migraines and am also using sumatriptan. Was told by my doctor in South Africa that Imigran (sumatriptan) was diagnostic for migraine, so if that is working, then presumably you do have migraines (although clearly your own doctor will do a proper diagnosis). Sumatriptan often takes an hour or so to work for me.

Have you excluded food items as triggers? Chocolate (even the tiniest amount, eg 'sprinkles' on cappuccino - how much 'chocolate' is in that!), red wine etc are bad, coffee is good for my migraines and really helps? In addition, my triggers have changed over the years.

I have been on sumatriptan for decades. It's not often that I will get a week of migraines, but it can happen.

Hope this helps and be glad that medicines are available for this. I remember my mother hiding in a darkened room in extreme pain for a day or so (and I did too when I was younger).

poorly_scammo

I believe that they can.

I get mine around the time of my period as mine seem to be related to my blood sugar levels dipping (which is why many women get sugar cravings). I control my blood sugar levels with chromium polynicotinate. I'm also hypoglaecemic which doesn't help.

I'd keep a food diary to see if there are any triggers and I'd keep in mind the above.

glowgirl_2

Poor you:( I really do feel for you, again I'm talking from experience here not giving medical advice, propranalol helped me through a really bad couple of years of migraine until I worked out the trigger and yes, I did have them lasting a week long (cluster migraines so the doc tells me), sometimes more. Two things have virtually eradicated them now without the use of drugs, the first is cutting out all dairy, even the smallest amount and the second is sticking to a routine, waking at a regular time, eating at similar times each day that sort of thing, I visualise these things like a ladder so if I do have some dairy that means I have to be extra careful that day or if I have some and dairy and a lie in thats two steps towards danger so I have to be very careful for a few days, it sounds mad as I'm writing it down but it does really work and anythings better than migraines also bear in mind that migraines can take 2 or 3 days to materialise after a trigger - good luck:)

suki1964

Yes cluster migraines were the bain of my teen/early 20s. Anything and everything triggered them. Sometimes I'd be in bed for 3 days at a time unable to bear to open my eyes

Now I'm heading through the menopause I can't remember my last migraine. Mostly now they are triggered by smells more then anything. Say if Ive been chopping the onions in work ( bucket loads) or get stuck in a small room with someone wearing overpowering perfume

Do see you gp and see if there is any other treatment you can try

amyb_2

In my exprience they can; i suffer from migraines and also take sumatriptan.

It does normally take an hour to kick in (less if in can take time out and lay time in a dark room)

Occasionally i find thou although the tabs ease some of my sypmtoms (the 'pounding' head, sinus pain and the nausea), but i am still left with a headache and this can last for up to a week.

My triggers are hormonal and my job mainly and getting overtired and its pretty hard to avoid them so like some else said im just glad for the tablets that help a at all.