Migraine-free wannabe

BlondeHeadOn wrote: »

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 found that for me, a really sugary drink (like the old lucozade) and a bag of ready salted crisps can often stave off a migraine if I catch it early enough. I know that my triggers include dehydration and getting too hungry, so it makes sense that something like that could work for me. Ginger biscuits are also good for the nausea, if you're able to eat during an attack, or nibbling on a bit of crystallised ginger.

I also found that mine are linked to my hormones - I used to get them very, very frequently and very, very badly when I was in my teens but I've found that since going on the progesterone-only pill their frequency has decreased dramatically. Obviously that's not ideal for everyone but it's something that's working for me at the moment. I have to say that as I'm getting 'older' they do seem to be getting more frequent again, and I have heard that menopause can cause migraine issues to flare up. That is something that worries me so I'm always looking for new ways to deal with them. I used to swear by Syndol tablets as they would relax you enough to sleep off the worst of it, but sadly they've now been reformulated and they're nowhere near as good.

Callie22 wrote: »

I found that for me, a really sugary drink (like the old lucozade) and a bag of ready salted crisps can often stave off a migraine if I catch it early enough. I know that my triggers include dehydration and getting too hungry, so it makes sense that something like that could work for me. Ginger biscuits are also good for the nausea, if you're able to eat during an attack, ornibbling on a bit of crystallised ginger.

I also found that mine are linked to my hormones - I used to get them very, very frequently and very, very badly when I was in my teens but I've found that since going on the progesterone-only pill their frequency has decreased dramatically. Obviously that's not ideal for everyone but it's something that's working for me at the moment. I have to say that as I'm getting 'older' they do seem to be getting more frequent again, and I have heard that menopause can cause migraine issues to flare up. That is something that worries me so I'm always looking for new ways to deal with them. I used to swear by Syndol tablets as they would relax you enough to sleep off the worst of it, but sadly they've now been reformulated and they're nowhere near as good.

I'm currently going through menopause and my migraines are awful. I get them at least once a month maybe more and I find they are lasting for 2 or 3 days:eek: I think mine are caused by insomnia(another menopause symptom) and my blood sugar level being low. I have a banana by my bed and find if I wake in the night I chomp on that which doesn't get rid of it but eases it but I always have to take my zolmatriptan to help it ease. I also take paracetamol extra strength along side but as these have caffeine in I struggle to then sleep. Ibuprofen doesn't even touch my migraines.

I'm at the end of my tether as its starting to affect my work as I cannot keep taking time off. I don't think employers understand the severity of how migraines can make you feel,it's debilitating and is a genuine illness. I'm off to the docs yet again to see if there are any other preventative medication I can take.

GothicStirling wrote: »

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.

That's interesting - I've taken valerian for sleep problems but I've never tried it for a migraine, but it makes sense as it helps you to relax and I'm guessing it'd do the same as the muscle relaxant stuff in Syndol. The only problem I have with valerian is the smell of it - I don't think it'd be too easy to manage if you're feeling queasy already! My cat's one of the ones that has no interest in catnip but loves valerian so she gets a bag of it fairly regularly, but it certainly has an 'interesting' pong!