Migrane cures?

[Flatpicker]

I've been a Migrane sufferer for about 15 years and am looking to see what others do to cope?

I'm on some daily meds nowadays that usually keep things under control, but today is brutal..

Anyone a victim here?

[rjohnstone]

My wife is/was a chronic sufferer... there is no "cure", but treament all depends on the type.
My wife took Varapimil to treat hers. It worked pretty good for her. She has vestibular (sp?) migraines. Which was caused by swelling of a primary artery in her brain.
After she had our daughter, they just stopped.
That's the extent of my knowledge.
One suggestion... stay away from caffeine, it's considered a major trigger for migraines.
We only have caffeine free drinks in our house... now that's brutal... for me anyway.

[Emthrax]

You might consider looking into Feverfew: http://www.holistichealthtools.com/headache.html

[VinceV]

My wife is/was a chronic sufferer... there is no "cure", but treament all depends on the type.
My wife took Varapimil to treat hers. It worked pretty good for her. She has vestibular (sp?) migraines. Which was caused by swelling of a primary artery in her brain.
After she had our daughter, they just stopped.
That's the extent of my knowledge.
One suggestion... stay away from caffeine, it's considered a major trigger for migraines.
We only have caffeine free drinks in our house... now that's brutal... for me anyway.

Wow, I've heard from others that caffeine can ease migranes, something about opening up the capalaries. I guess it depends on the person.

Pregnancy can do funky things to a woman, my wife used to suffer from the dreaded(for me) I'm cold issue. House could be 85 inside, she was cold. Meaning, I was in charge of warming cold feet. All that went away as soon as she had our son, now she runs normal.

[HoWheels]

I have a number of triggers, and to avoid migraines, I'm best off avoiding them all completely.

My biggest trigger is alcohol. Just imagine not being able to enjoy the buzz of drinking a beer because you get your hangover immediately after your first few sips.

Caffeine is another huge one. I've been an on/off caffeine addict. The less I intake it, the less migraines I get.

Lack of sleep is another big trigger. Laying off the caffeine helps me to sleep better, so this is less of a problem.

Also the more I exercize, the less I have the migraines. More exercize also results in better sleep too.

-a

[1trussell]

Chiropractic care can help.

[SeventhSon]

also might want to consider allergy treatment.

[Flatpicker]

I have been tested for allergies and have some up negative.
Chiro? My Dr is an Osteopath and does some to me when I see him.

Caffiene Is tricky. Lately I've been laying off it as I've joined Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago.

Last week was really hectic at work, did about 75-80 hrs on a vmail upgrade and I'm still exhausted. So that may be it.

[jcmktgguy]

My wife suffers from migraines. At times the pain would be so bad that she considered getting in the car and slamming it into a brick wall to make the pain stop. Those of us lucky enough not to get them have no concept on how bad the pain can be. Imagine your worst headache, multiply it by 10, add in a spike being driven through your skull, along with nausea, vomiting, and seeing stars. Then you have a little bit of an idea of a migraine.

An 88 yr old Osteopath (Dr. Robert Fulford - now deceased), who was a ground breaking osteopath, but considered to be a total quack by the medical field, cured my wife after 2 treatments. He used cranial manipulations, a special percussion hammer device he invented, and quartz crystals. I know it sounds wacky, but it worked.

About 12-15 years later (after having 2 kids) she started to get migraines again, but with much less frequency and severity. Imitrex helps her (she does the inhaler thing), but it tastes awful - but the taste is a lot more bearable than the migraine.

BTW...women generally suffer from migraines, while men get a similar thing known as "cluster headaches". Alcohol and caffeine are triggers for men with cluster headaches.

I know a few guys who get relief by taking oxygen treatments when the headache first starts (like 10 liters per minute). You need to get a prescription for the oxygen from an MD.

I'd recommend the osteopath / holistic medicine route, but you have to research and find a really good one.

[krimson]

Any luck with a prescription for Imatrix.

[Emthrax]

I'd recommend the osteopath / holistic medicine route, but you have to research and find a really good one.

I am so glad to see that more and more people are finding the wisdom in holistic health! Yay!

Seriously, look into Feverfew (consult an herbalist with a degree), and a visit to an acupuncturist and/or acupressure treatments could really make a difference.

Edit:I should mention, I have a family history of migraines and had debiliting migraines in my early twenties and the entire time I was pregnant with both of my kids. Absolutely INSANE pain. I'd rather go through childbirth than ever have a migraine again.
I've seen both sides of the cards, western medicine and eastern medicine. I almost lost a family member due to his addiction to pain killers prescribed to him from his doctor for his migraines. As soon as he got off the pain killers, switched to feverfew, and made some lifestyle changes his migraines were gone and have never returned.
I went the feverfew route before I had kids and never had them return until I was pregnant. That was a chemistry thing and they went away after I had my kiddos. Yay.

[bombtek]

Nope no migraines.....mine is a more permanent form of them....when I contracted Lyme disease...the little critters that the ticks pass on that do all the harm decided to take up a permanent residence in my spinal fluid. The spinal fluid is also the "pillow" for the brain...when th critters act up, th fluid compresses...right on my brain...now the brain has no nerve endings...but lemmee tell ya...the headaches bring to me my knees....I BEG for them to stop.....I keep them in check with neurontin, which is a medicine that blocks pain sending/receiving thingamajigs....it was developed to stop epilectic seizures....so when it works, I don't have the pain, but I walk around like Ozzy does cuz I'm more or less ....loopy....but no pain!!!!
That was my medical release from the military....to quote Adam Sandler in the Waterboy "It's the brain pains coach!!"

[bombtek]

Oh...so if you can get some neurontin..also known as gabapentin....it WILL stop yer headaches in heavy doses (I take 3 giant 800 mg pills 3 times a day), if you can deal with walking around and acting like Ozzy LoL.

[HoWheels]

BTW...women generally suffer from migraines, while men get a similar thing known as "cluster headaches". Alcohol and caffeine are triggers for men with cluster headaches.

Not sure if you were refering to what I was describing in my post ... but while my headaches are triggered by alcohol and caffeine ... they are certainly not cluster headaches. I end up with all the "typical" migraine symptoms ... including nausia, sensitivity to light and noise, seeing spots, extreme pain for hours (if untreated), etc.

After reading the description of cluster headaches I found on google, I *WISH* what I had was cluster headaches

-a

[1trussell]

Women are more prone to migraines and men are more prone to cluster headaches. But both sexes can get both kinds of headaches. I personally get cluster headaches.