40-Plus Brides

Migraines

Thought I wouldn't add more, since there were already 24 posts on the other topic.  Lucy, I don't know if you've tried Topamax, but i've been using it for about 9 years and it's really helped my migraines.  They had really escalated to the point I was having trouble functioning, and I wasn't keen on taking Imitrex or Maxalt regularly. 

The upside of Topamax is that I did lose weight when I first started taking it, although I put most of it back on eventually.  I still don't snack as much, though.  The downside is it really has affected my memory negatively, but when I tried to go off of it about 3 years ago, the migraines were so bad, I knew it just wasn't time.

Hope that helps.  Take care.  They are the pits.

Re: Migraines

  • Hi and sorry to butt in on this. I just wandered over to this message board and saw your post. I'm a long time migraine sufferer in my 20s, and 2/3 of my family are sufferers, too.

    I'm a fan of Imitrex, but I can understand why some people aren't. Some of my migraines are hormonal, and birth control pills solved that issue until I was forced to go off them because of the stroke risk (I suffer from focal aura which raises the risk). 

    One remedy that sometimes works for me is caffeine. In small amounts, it's awful. But, at the first sign of migraine, if I chug 2-3 cups of black coffee, it works like magic (when it works). Maybe that could be a solution for you. I also avoid chocolate, cheese, and red wine. 
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  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited May 2011
    Just throwing my $0.02 in on this thread ... although it is somewhat repetitive of what I wrote on the other thread.

    I am 50 and have suffered from migraines since college.  My migraines are triggered by three things: hormones, stress and allergy/sinus issues.  The meds I use to help mitigate all migraines have rotated over the years, but the recent, most reliable have been Imitrex (used to do pills, then switched to nasal and now have moved to injections), Relpax, Zomig and Maxalt.  A couple of years ago, I went to a neurologist (for about a year) and was given some other things -- he was concerned about my rebound migraines -- including Ultram.

    I'll be honest, the non-triptans generally had side-effects I couldn't deal with, including nausea, extreme sleepiness, and feeling hungover.  And, as a person who hasn't had a drink in 30 years, having a hangover without the drinking SUCKS!

    I agree that caffeine helps.  My biggest challenge is to make sure I do things that keep allergy/sinus problems at bay (daily sinus rinses) so that I don't get ear/sinus infections that trigger migraines.  Ugh!

    All of that to say ... Lucy, I feel your pain.  I have had the multi-day migraines with which you're suffering. I hope you're feeling better soon, my dear!
  • I'm not a coffee drinker either - I just chug it down when necessary! 

    Unfortunately, fioricet does nothing for me. When I know I'm getting a particularly awful migraine, I put imitrex under my tongue to dissolve, then rub the gritty bits into my gums. It gets into the bloodstream much faster that way (a doctor told me about this - but it doesn't work with coated or capsule meds). 

    Are you worried about wedding day migraines? If so, is there anything you're going to do to try to lower the risk? I'm worried about it - I have a couple other health issues to try to control also, but the migraines make me the most miserable. 

    My FMIL keeps trying to comfort me by telling me "Oh! I suffered migraines my whole life until menopause - you'll be fine after that!" While I'm thinking.. hmm.. that's 25+ years away!
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  • I think mine are largely related to hormones, too.  They started when I was about 12.  Nothing much worked well for them until ibuprofen came along, which worked well until I hit my late 30s.  Then hormone hell hit.  Caffeine and chocolate had always been helpful, but they didn't do much anymore either, so Topamax.  I did have the tingling at first, then it went away.  Soda also tasted flat for awhile, which was weird.  I wish that had lasted because I drink too much of it.

    Like I said, I'm hoping to go off of it, but right now it manages them pretty well.  The last major one I had was in 11/09, so that's pretty good.  Generally, I can gut them out with Ultram/tramadol, or some phenergan.  But they really stink, and I don't think folks realize how much they impact your quality of life.  I didn't realize it myself until I started the Topamax and felt so much better on a daily basis. 
  • Lucy - that's really interesting about the TMJ link. I have that, too. I had my wisdom teeth removed a few years ago with hopes it would help (it didn't). Cutting out red wine has been good for me though. 

    This is probably a dumb question - but when you get botox for headaches, does it make your face look different at all? Or is it a smaller amount? Can you still move your eyebrows and face?
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  • That's really interesting. I got Botox about 2 months purely for vanity reasons-my only concern was the wrinkle between my eyebrows. It"'s my only bad one. Wound up getting it around my eyes when I discovered it would help lift the lids a bit. Haven't had a glimmer of a headache since. And I have a history of TMJ. I did have a bit of a headache after the Botox.
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