[Closed] Migraines

I have migraines but they are usually on one side of my head. I'd recommend looking at the National Migraine Centre website for information, but I'd also see the doctor for a diagnosis.

May be some other underlying cause, the distinguishing feature with many migraines is the visual disturbance; starts off with a blurred, out-of-focus spot in the center of vision, which then turns into the tell-tale curved 'C'-shaped signature disturbance, with jagged, zig-zag flashing segments, which slowly expands across the whole field of vision eventually disappearing leaving a vile headache behind.
Having said that, I think other forms don't have the visual thing, there's sickness and light sensitivity as well as the headaches.

I get migraines from time to time, but after several years of suffering I was prescribed Imigran [url= http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?condition=Migraine%20Headache&medicine=Imigran ]Link[/url]

Not suitable for everyone but made he world of difference to me.

Countzero +1

Occassionally I'd also get gaps in vision. Weirdly I gound anti histamines help. A while ago another stw'er mentioned his pattner swore by some migraine relief that was discontinued but basically replicated it was 2xantihistamines and co codomal.

(I think)

OP mine started at 16. Go and see a Doc. That doesnt sound like a migraine. You dont wake with one (in my experience)

Mine start like CountZero, if I take high power pain killers that's all I get. I reduced the number hugely by cutting down on coffee.

Cheers guys

I don't get visual problems but do have sensitivity to light and, last week when it happened, I put myself in bed at lunchtime for an hour and felt better after.

My mum has suffered from them her whole life. Recently she has been relatively free of them by having a highly regulated diet cutting out many many things and then introducing them slowly one by one and monitoring the effect. Traditional medicine / drugs have never had any positive impact

I've had them for a few years tried everything diet, juggling (apparently eases brain activity by focusing on the task) and stress managment..
Then last year had a head ache that to one degree or another lasted a month, some days blinding some a dull ache.
When at a consultation for something else mentioned the headaches and migrains and was perscribed a low dose of beta blockers.
Wish i'd had them years ago, no longer munching paraceramol(?) like sweets and i miss takihg them for a few days the headaches return. So definatly worth it.

I used to suffer really bad from migraines, maybe two or three times a year but it'd totally knock me out. Would have to just lay in bed with my eyes closed for 24 hours.

Two things, migraleave (sp?) is good stuff.

Secondly, get your eyes tested. Turns out I needed glasses and since then the migraines have all but stopped.

Pain and nausea are common during migraine headaches although not always present. As are visual distortions, but again, not always present. Some people get the visual part with no pain. It differs greatly between sufferers. They can come on at any time, including while you sleep so waking with one is not uncommon.
The best advice you can get is to consult with a doctor who will be able to examine you for other causes at the same time.

Really bad tension headaches can have similar symptoms without visuals.

I've been completely laid out by them. They happen if I'm stressed... then I can do so much and then bam, something small will knock me out and I will hardly be able to move except to be sick.

I first started getting them when in a fairly stressful relationship. Used to get them on my day off. I find a combination of factors trigger them, so tiredness, stress, alcohol, etc. Put two or three together and I would be susceptible, especially when I was tired. I'm now trying to keep away from chocolate. I had a little spell where I was having one a week and when I looked at what I'd been eating I noticed I'd been eating chocolate most days, not a lot but nearly every day. I slipped off the chocolate wagon a few weeks ago and got another migraine so it looks like that's one of the key triggers for me.

My wife has had them near constant for the last 2 years...if it was t for the tabs she's on she would b in total pain....and to top it off now she suffers from vertigo and labyrinthitus....which is a bit like the spinning you get when your dunk....except it last weeks

Changes in your diet can help....avoid things like chocolate , caffeine ,citrus fruits......but go see a GP if it lasts a while or like my misses makes you go blind!!

As the Count said, but people and their migraines vary. See your GP. As others said, there are triggers, stress and unstressing, bright lights, chocolate cheese citrus, red wine, lots more.

Sounds like the OP is a teacher. Wife has just left full time teaching she has suffered terribly the last 2 years, always in the same spot the last few months. We have ended up seeing a consultant neurologist and she is going for an MRI scan next week, needles to say Im shitting myself its nothing more than migranes

I suffered for a few years, sometimes abed for days with them
Tried so many different drugs, Sanomigran, the tryptans, was prescribed a tricyclics for a while as they can help.
Had an eye test, started wearing glasses and now I get maybe 3 or 4 a year.
One thing I've also started doing when I get them, after reading something in the last thread on the subject on here is as soon as possible when I get the aura, alongside the painkillers I have a very strong coffee, with a load of sugar in it.
It seems to help with the associated symptoms, if not the actual 'headache' itself. The nausea, photosensitivity etc seem to be reduced.

Second the GP visit.

I used to get migraines quite a bit, they stopped when I got diagnosed with diabetes and got blood sugar back under control. I'd gone to the docs as I was sleeping badly, always tired and feeling dehydrated.

I was active and normal build at the time but given family genetics I had an idea what it might be.

Chances are it's not the same, but there are other underlying causes and GPs are a bit better than internet experts 🙂

There are two truisms about migraines one is BAD HEADACHES are not migraines so no you cannot try my medication cos youre head hurts and two everybodys is slightly different I had migraines between my teens and mid 40s they started after a blow to the head which gave me concussion and ended after a similar bike accident. Mine would be a sense of detachment followed by visual disturbances which I described as being unable to see edges or whole words as I was writing then numbness in my left arm and an inability to remembered words and names then a stabbing pain in my right brain then vommitting till I was down to bile then sleeping from exhaustion and after that what felt like a brused brain for a day.
Triggers for me were red wine . coke ( the drink ) stress and bright lights . Taken at the early stage migraleve pink tablets would work or vitimin b but once it had taken hold nothing would as my digestion shut down .
Good luck I thoughly recommend a head injury as a cure I had concussion for a couple of days dysphasia for about a year but am well rid of the migraines . I still carry migraleave just in case .

Going GP Friday morning so will report back.

It's not a cure but lying down with a cold wet cloth on your forehead can be bliss when nothing else is working.