Migraine

can't offer any practical help, but send sympathy.

Oh Greatnan you have my sympathy, it is such an excrutiatingly painful condition.

Fortunately I've not had one for a few years now but I've been hospitalised with a migraine which had a lasting effect on my vision and affected my left arm in such a way that it was thought I'd had a stroke.

I was prescribed a preventer drug, I'm sorry I have no idea what it was called. That combined with another drug to take at the first sign seemed to do the trick.

I hope you feel better very soon

How awful, G. I do hope you feel better soon and can get some effective preventive treatment.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well Greatnan. There's a migraine stick thingy in Holland and Barratt for rubbing on foreheads that really relieved my sister's bad migraines. Do they have the equivalent shops near you?

My eldest daughter has been a sufferer for a long time, never bothered her GP about it till this year when it was stopping her going to work sometimes. He prescribed two meds, one for preventing it coming on and one if that didn't stop it. I think one is actually a low dose anti-depressant (I think that's what she said) which has been shown to be very helpful in preventing migraines from developing , she has had to increase the dose slightly over 2 mths and so far she hasn't suffered one of her 'bad' attacks, she's had mild symptoms but nothing thats prevented her working etc. So fingers crossed that it continues to help her..
Might be worth asking about such treatments if its a regular occurance Greatnan.

I hope you feel better by now..

Really sorry to hear about the migraine, Greatnan. Different things seem to work for different people. After experiment, I found Paracetamol and codeine stop the pain if I take it as soon as I get the zigzag lights. Doesn't stop the nausea or the fuzziness but that wears off. Sleep in a dark room does the rest. And age does reduce the frequency!

I do sympathise.

In my experience, if you haven't got any effective medicine to hand then you're just going to have to sit it out ....... take Paracetamol or whatever you have to hand, if you can keep it down. A cold wet towel on your forehead might help with the pain.

For future use, ask your doctor for something like Maxalt Melt - they melt in the mouth and you won't vomit it back (much easier than a pessary/suppository). I'd advise you to get a supply so you're not caught short next time.

For serious migraines anything worth having is prescription only.

Greatnan I have suffered since my teens and finally I have relief, from taking Pizotifen tablets as a daily prophylactic.
You really do have my utmost sympathy as the wretched condition can steal days/weeks/months and in my case, years, of your life.

I only get them occasionally now, but they are bad and you have all my sympathy. The 4 Head stick does help, but otherwise sitting, or lying it out is all I know. So sorry for you! ((hug))

Many thanks for all the replies - it is abating a bit now and I have managed to keep down a paracetamol and I can watch Strictly. I don't have the classic migraine - my daughter has the aura before she gets one and then the flashing lights. I 'just' have a really horrible pain in my neck or behind my eyes, vomiting and absolute exhaustion.
I wasn't thinking of trying the one day starving diet, but it looks as if I am doing it anyway!
I think I have seen those strips you rub on your forehead in the pharmacies here in France. I used to use things like Migraleve when I was working and had them much more frequently.
I feel very sympathetic towards anyone who suffers chronic pain of any kind - it must be so hard to get on with your life.

Greatnan. I hope you can sleep it off.

definitely no

I seem to have MORE migraine attacks now than I did when I was younger. Vision cracks up completly but fortunately, they are not too sore, nor do they last long if I take asprin immediately. Any kind of flickering light seems to be the trigger. I feel totally wiped out next day. One strange tip I got, which actually worked, when I had 24 hour blinding headaches was this:

Gently feel your head all over until you locate a spot which is tender to the touch or feels as if your hair is being pulled. Press firmly on this spot for around ten minutes which hurts a bit and then eases. Et Voila! - headache gone and able to catch some sleep.

I used to have bad migraines and I took travel sickness pills to get rid of the nausea and then I only had the headache to deal with, still not very good but better than both nausea and headache together.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

It has dropped to a dull ache now, which I can stand. I have had a cup of tea and a sandwich, and the nausea seems to have gone. I don't like to take aspirin or ibuprofen because I take a low dosage of Rampiril 2.5 mg so I have to avoid other blood-thinners.
The annoying thing is that it was a nice day today after a lot of rain this week and I had planned to have a long walk.

That's good to hear Greatnan. It's not like you to get dragged down like that. Are you going to get a stock of migraine treatments in, in case of another attack?

I usually find paracetamol works, but they have to be capsules, not tablets, which seem to get stuck in my throat. I am rubbish at taking pills - I see people on TV dramas taking handfuls without a drink and I don't know how they do it.
I will buy the forehead strip when the shops open.
You are all very kind to be concerned - I am off to bed now.

good night Greatnan

'The best sensation is relief after pain' - I woke up with just a slight headache but it has responded to one paracetamol. It is not raining, with just a hint of sun, so I will get my walk today (and the dog will get hers!)

Glad you're feeling better this morning Gn. I've had migraines for thirty years and Maxalt melts work for me, but everyone reacts differently to different medication.

I find neck and shoulder stretching exercises help (yoga type ones) but I have to do them for at least half an hour and I don't get really bad migraines.

Good to hear that the pain has gone and that you and the dog will have a walk – that should chase away any last traces.