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General health

Can I have a whinge about headaches/migraines?

17 replies

shelldockley · 09/04/2013 15:13

I have them way too often and it really makes me miserable. I have had one since yesterday and why oh why didn't I take some pills immediately?? Now it's got so far that nothing is touching it.

I've tried pretty much every over-the-counter painkiller available before now, have a virtual chemist in my desk drawer and at home. I don't like taking codiene because it makes me drowsy but I do take it when I have to. Syndol is good but nowhere seems to stock it at the moment! I have some triptans from the docs which I will take tonight, they only work if I have a sleep and I'm at work today.

I know all the triggers but I'm pretty sure mine are hormone and stress related. Being as I'm on my period, you'd have thought I'd have remembered to take the bloody painkillers at the first sign, why am I such an fool to myself!!! Aaaarrgh, sorry, just wanted a rant, please feel free to add your rant about what is causing you pain at the moment and we can wallow in self-pity together...

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l4k · 09/04/2013 15:37

I'm feeling your pain. I am also at work with a migraine. I want to go home and lay down but don't finish till 5 and then hit to pick dc up.
I was too slow with the ibuprofen today. Usually if I take 3-4 at first sign it sees it off What I need now is some syndol but as you know, can't get any.
Hope yours is over quickly.

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shelldockley · 09/04/2013 15:43

Do you take 3-4 in one go? Or you mean 4 hours apart? I do phone in sick with migraine sometimes, but most of the time I feel it's almost self inflicted because I didn't take the meds quick enough!

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Pollaidh · 09/04/2013 15:52

I normally take triptans, which tend to work well, but as you say they still require time in bed, just shorter and less vomiting. If triptans don't work I take prescription strength codeine (30/500) with paracetamol. I also usually need to take an anti-sickness tablet first, like Buccastem, which melts on your gums. I've found biofreeze or 4head can give slight relief when combined with drugs.

I also take a nightly small dose of amitriptyline, which is supposed to reduce migraine frequency.

My migraines tend to involve 3 days in a darkened room vomiting every 15 minutes and unable to keep anything down. Couldn't be at work!

Mine are often hormonal or stress related, or related to neck pain from an injury. Frequent pilates and physio helps.

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jellybeans · 09/04/2013 15:57

I sympathise. Only thing that works for mine too is Syndol. Now they are not in stock I use Sleep Aid from Amazon with co-codamol. Sleep Aid has the magic ingredients of Syndol; the muscle relaxant. I had chronic migraine a couple of years ago so had a migraine daily. Horrible! I notice the more painkillers I take for average/moderate headaches the worse my headaches got (rebound ones) so I only take tablets when it is extremely severe now.

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shelldockley · 09/04/2013 15:59

Pollaidh you poor thing, mine are no where near that bad. I can curb the vomiting if I don't move my head too much, hence walking around like a tortoise today!

I like 4head, I usually put on so much that it makes my eyes water but at least then I look ill and people feel sorry for me!

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shelldockley · 09/04/2013 16:04

That's what I worry about jellybeans, the rebound headaches, which is partly what stops me taking the pills imediately. I will look up Sleep Aid, although the pharmasist in Boots this morning said he thinks that Syndol is back soon!

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MimsyBorogroves · 09/04/2013 16:11

You have my sympathies.

Have you spoken to your GP? I'm on daily tablets (amitriptyline) which curb the number of them which I have somewhat.

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shelldockley · 09/04/2013 16:17

I have been to the GP a number of times about it, we've changed my contraception (now have the implant). I am going to start keeping a proper diary about how many I have though so I can see if it would be worth trying something like you mention, thanks.

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Pollaidh · 09/04/2013 16:30

A diary is a very good idea. Have you heard about the threshold theory for migraine - that there are numerous triggers, and people who get migraines have a lower threshold than others. Therefore if we realise we've got a few of the triggers happening one day we can be very careful not to have any further triggers (like missing a meal, perfume, going out in the cold).

Does anyone else get this: Every few weeks I think 'hmm, I'm doing well, haven't had a migraine in ages...' almost invariably the next day i have a migraine. It's happened so often that I'm beginning to suspect that what reminds me about migraines is some pre-migraine symptom I haven't recognised. I often feel super well just before a migraine. I would be really interested to know if others get this.

I am feeling particularly sorry for myself as I'm pregnant and so can't take the triptans, and obviously try to avoid the hard narcotics too. I've got hyperemesis which is reasonably well controlled at the moment with 4 anti-emetics (only vomiting a few times a day). Once every few weeks though I get a migraine and then can't keep anything down, including the anti-emetics, so then the hyperemesis gets worse. Each time it's happened I've ended up on a drip in hospital. Still I seem to remember the hormones calmed down later in the pregnancy last time, and I was then relatively migraine-free.

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jellybeans · 09/04/2013 16:57

Yes 4head is very good and Deep heat cream on the nape of neck

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shelldockley · 09/04/2013 17:02

Maybe I do have a third trigger that I haven't realised then, I'm sure the main one is work though, either stress, the computer screen (or general allergy to work!) I only ever get migraines at work and usually on a Monday.

I defo get that, yes! And yes, usually feel super well just before! I just thought it was sod's law.

You poor thing, that sounds like a lot to handle, hope it gets better like last time then. I would suggest ginger for the nausea but sounds like you are past that helping :(

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matthew2002smum · 10/04/2013 18:43

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cleangreens · 10/04/2013 18:56

I do so sympathise.

I'm sitting here with a slight headache and tension around my left eye - even after 30 years of getting migraines I can never tell if it will become a migraine eventually or just remain a headache and that does affect when you take medication.

Syndol was fantastic as it relaxed me so that I stop clenching my jaw which I seem to do a lot especially when I start developing a headache. I do have a few left which I stockpiled the last time they went out of production, but scared to take them in case they never return!

Have also got Sleep Aid and Co-Codamol which works well but not quite as well. My GP prescribed Amyltriptolin (sp?) but they made me feel utterly zonked the next morning even on a low dose so I just couldn't take it.

Interesting about the low trigger threshold I would really go along with that, my triggers are lack of sleep, too much light, stressful situations and lack of food. I can see that a combination of these would and do easily trigger a migraine wheras most people just have a cup of tea and get on with it!

Sympathy fellow sufferers.

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Imnotaslimjim · 11/04/2013 09:36

:( another fellow sufferer here, and mine have been proved to be caused by my monthly cycle

I have noticed that almost all of you mention that pain relief doesn't work - have any of you tried soluble pain killers? Once a migraine starts and you feel nauseous, your stomach stops absorbing/digesting properly so solid painkillers won't work. I have foudn that even just soluble paracetamol takes the edge of enough to cope with it. Obviously, that doesn't offer anything to kill the nausea, but I'm yet to find anythign that does!

I cant' use 4head etc, but I've found a cold cloth thats been in the freezer for 10 minutes is like magic!

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Austin7 · 11/04/2013 09:48

I really sympathise too and get so fed up trying to work out what has triggered that latest attack. I've tried loads of medications and can honestly say what has helped most is a mini dental splint that fits over my lower two front teeth to prevent my jaw clenching. I was really skeptical that it would help but if you google NTI-tss devices it might help. I still get migraines but they are not as chronic. Hope that helps some sufferers.

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kellysmith290914 · 17/10/2014 12:38

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crazykat · 17/10/2014 12:59

You have my sympathies, migraines are horrible.

Finding your triggers can help but it depends on what they are. For me its hormones, not enough decent sleep and stress that are my main triggers. Mine are hard to avoid with young kids and doing my degree.

The best tip I've been given is to hit it with everything at the first sign. I can usually tell if I'm getting a migraine or just a headache. I take my triptan, aspirin, cocodamol and ibuprofen with diet coke. I've done this twice now and it seemed to stop the migraine in its tracks.

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