Migraine-free wannabe

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  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,865
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    My prevention tips are to remain hydrated and don't get too tired or too hot.


    My non-medicinal treatment options are a single coffee or can of (diet) coke. I guess it is the caffeine that helps.
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  • newatc
    newatc Posts: 836
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    I agree with the too much sleep trigger, as well as not enough - also sleep at different times triggers a migraine too. I always get a migraine after the clock go back in the Autumn, it jiggers my body clock. However I am fine when the clocks go forward in Spring for some reason.

    I take Maxalt Melts for my migraines, but I also have a very strange but cheap and works for me 'medication' when I have an attack.... an Aldi Belgian Bun! One of these eaten with a cup of tea can stop a migraine developing too far, or I cut one up and nibble on it through the day when I have a migraine but no longer feel nauseous. I have no idea why the bun works so well, it is just the perfect combination of stodge and sweetness for me. I have discovered that the buns freeze well, so I always keep several in the freezer for migraine days. I can't stand the things the rest of the time, it's just all I crave when the dreaded M strikes....!

    I've tried other makes of Belgian Buns by the way, and none work as well as the Aldi ones. I have no idea why.

    I also have no idea whether this will help anybody else, but the buns are about £1.00 for a pack of 2, so not expensive to try.


    :)

    Belgian buns made me laugh too, unfortunately not an Aldi store near,
  • BlondeHeadOn
    BlondeHeadOn Posts: 2,267
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    silvercar wrote: »
    My prevention tips are to remain hydrated and don't get too tired or too hot.

    My non-medicinal treatment options are a single coffee or can of (diet) coke. I guess it is the caffeine that helps.


    I find caffeine helps as well, and use the (single) coffee and/or diet coke option during a migraine. I drink tea during the day, which also helps.

    I find chocolate can be good too, which is a bit bizarre as this is a trigger for some people.

    Another stand-by for me when I am feeling really nauseous with a migraine is 'sucky sweets', my favourite being the mints 'Reflets de France Pastille Mineral Sweets' which are available from Waitrose/Ocado. I also use these to take away the horrible taste of the Maxalt Melts. They can really calm my stomach.

    I eat healthily the rest of the time, honestly! :o
  • JennyP
    JennyP Posts: 1,067
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    Weirdly I LOVE the taste of Maxalt melts.

    Can't have coffee or tea when I get a migraine. The first sign is often me throwing up my morning cuppa.

    Have noticed the last few days that I have a headache when I wake which goes with my first cup of coffee. Not sure if I'm just thirsty or if I need the caffeine. It's only instant coffee so not much caffeine. I have to wake up in the night to take tablets for a different medical condition so going to start drinking a full glass of water when I do that to see if it helps.

    I once met a man through work who had had migraines. He reckoned he no longer got them and said he had found ten things, each of which helped by 10% when he started with a migraine. One was caffeine, another was a bag of ready salted crisps (the salt helped absorb water apparently and the carbs from the crisps helped too), another was a pint of water and another a shot of vodka (he reckoned blood vessels dilate or something with alcohol!) I can't remember the other things. I am just going to try ginger for now.

    Hubby said yesterday that I am like a different person the last two months as I am much more laid back and relaxed. We moved house and now feel settled and we're living somewhere very quiet so don't have neighbour hassles or anything that could worry me. I gave up work too so that's less stress. I wonder if that will help.

    Saturday is my due day for a migraine. It has been every four weeks for a few months, to the day. So curious to see if it will happen.
  • Red-Squirrel_2
    Red-Squirrel_2 Posts: 4,341 Forumite
    Have you tried any Triptans?
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,583
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    I used to take propanolol. Worked well for me for a few years until I got a dry throaty cough every 5 mins (apparently a side effect). Stopped the medication and cough went away.
    Presumably as your hubby is a medical professional you've discussed such options?

    I am now using this product and it appears to have stopped my migraines (monthly so I believe hormonal).
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057RKQ1E/?coliid=I3RULRL9WPWYW1&colid=1H57N0SMVKJWE&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

    No - I do not sell this product.
    I have considered whether it's a placebo but it works on babies and I never expected it to work and I'm not a strong believer in aromathoerpy or alternative therapies in general (but it's working).
    If it relieves me of horrible suffereing then in one sense I don't care why/how it works (but I'm curious).
    I also tried some medication (amytriptyline) which did nothing and I would have a stronger psycchological bias towards medication so I don't believe it's working as a placebo (other people also say it works).

    Obviously I can't guarantee it would work for you but it might be worth a try?
    Can get it from ebay/amazon but be careful which country you're buying if from if you don't want the chance of customs charges as it's not generally sold in UK only US, so ebay/amazon sellers might be from US. Several will ship to Argos.
    I am really glad I tried it am I'm curious about how smells work (methol in this case).
  • JennyP
    JennyP Posts: 1,067
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    Have you tried any Triptans?

    Triptans mentioned several times in earlier posts. Maxalt is rizatriptan.

    I am off them due to side effects. Though we have a few in.
  • JennyP
    JennyP Posts: 1,067
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    lisyloo wrote: »
    I used to take propanolol. Worked well for me for a few years until I got a dry throaty cough every 5 mins (apparently a side effect). Stopped the medication and cough went away.
    Presumably as your hubby is a medical professional you've discussed such options?

    I am now using this product and it appears to have stopped my migraines (monthly so I believe hormonal).
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057RKQ1E/?coliid=I3RULRL9WPWYW1&colid=1H57N0SMVKJWE&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

    No - I do not sell this product.
    I have considered whether it's a placebo but it works on babies and I never expected it to work and I'm not a strong believer in aromathoerpy or alternative therapies in general (but it's working).
    If it relieves me of horrible suffereing then in one sense I don't care why/how it works (but I'm curious).
    I also tried some medication (amytriptyline) which did nothing and I would have a stronger psycchological bias towards medication so I don't believe it's working as a placebo (other people also say it works).

    Obviously I can't guarantee it would work for you but it might be worth a try?
    Can get it from ebay/amazon but be careful which country you're buying if from if you don't want the chance of customs charges as it's not generally sold in UK only US, so ebay/amazon sellers might be from US. Several will ship to Argos.
    I am really glad I tried it am I'm curious about how smells work (methol in this case).

    Tried propanolol and another beta blocker. No effect.

    Amytriptaline was brilliant for six months. I loved it. Then the effects wore off. I would love to try it again but the consultant for my other condition has banned it.

    Weirdly I use menthol type things too. Either 4head or a cheap version from poundland or tiger balm. They ease the pain. So do ice packs and conversely hot water bottles.

    There used to be a lovely one that was a mix of peppermint and lavendar and very natural and that worked too but the company was bought out. Am hoping they'll make it again.
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,583
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    I am using it as a preventative, not as relief.
    I have avoided 2 monthly migraines so far.
  • GothicStirling
    GothicStirling Posts: 1,157 Forumite
    I have the same trouble. When I first feel the niggle I have to get Ibruprofen in me, otherwise I end up vomiting and crawling into bed for hours. One thing I found good is Valerian (the Romans used this for migraines), found in herbal sleeping aids, apparently it opens the veins in the brain that cause the migraine. I have a family history of high blood pressure, but mine is textbook 123/74, so I wonder if my migraines are triggered when my blood pressure is raised.

    My GP prescribed me Sumatriptan, which are miracle pills as far as I am concerned. But I ration their use to when a migraine threatens to paralyse me as you only get 6 pills per prescription, which I pay for.
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