Just wondering if anyone else gets migraines and if they had found anything that helps. I've recently been diagnosed with severe migraines and been given Sumatriptan. However, i think i will only be given a very limited supply of these at a time. I was wondering if anyone had any tips etc that might help. I've also booked a normal vision test for tomorrow and have my annual eye screening coming up, want to rule out eye problems. I have also had a CT scan that was clear.
Anyone else get migraines?
- Thread starter ClaireG 06
- Start Date
Yes, it seems that bright light is one of my triggers. Had to keep shutting the hospital curtains as i was next to the window and the sun was beaming down on me.
- Messages
- 23,618
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- Disrespectful people
ClaireG 06 said:
Try wearing sunglasses when out and about and this includes the winter, it doesn't matter what people think as long as it brings relief to you and reduces the pain.
Nigel
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
I have suffered from migraines since I was a child. My first memory was when I had one when I was 5 and I was violently sick. Since then I have had them regularly thoughout my schooldays and throughout my professional life and still get them now every two to three days. I can remember revising for exams in bed with a migraine as I usually got one just before an exam. My Mother got them and I think I inherited them from her. My first medication for them was ergotamine which made me feel worse than the migraine did so I didn't take it and had to go without anything, sometimes for days (nothing at all would work), until triptans were invented. My doctor kept on getting samples of triptans which he gave to me so I tried most of them. The first ones weren't very good but now I have found the only one that works for me - Zolmitriptan or Zomig. It works every time but sometimes I do have to take 2. I was told that it didn't work for most people but it worked for me. It is a very expensive drug but luckily I get it paid for. I use a terrific amount but so far they pay for it although I have to pay 10% or thereabouts - I can't quite remember if it is 10% or 20% (different for me since I am in Switzerland).
My migraines can be triggered by bright lights, smells, heat, anxiety, stress, noise, sun and probably some others that I can't think of now, or they can just come on without me being able to name any cause. I feel they have ruined the quality of my life. My sister has never had a headache in her life she once told me. My Mother didn't get them any more late in her life but I can't even imagine mine would stop one day. I think I will have them for the rest of my life. I would rather have had 10x diabetes than the migraines.
My eyes are OK and I wear glasses (which darken in the light and sun) and have them checked regularly. I have now resigned myself to never finding a solution. I was a member of Migraine Action until I let it lapse. Fairly grim picture I'm afraid - I hope you get more relief than I have had.
Best of luck in finding something that helps.
My migraines can be triggered by bright lights, smells, heat, anxiety, stress, noise, sun and probably some others that I can't think of now, or they can just come on without me being able to name any cause. I feel they have ruined the quality of my life. My sister has never had a headache in her life she once told me. My Mother didn't get them any more late in her life but I can't even imagine mine would stop one day. I think I will have them for the rest of my life. I would rather have had 10x diabetes than the migraines.
My eyes are OK and I wear glasses (which darken in the light and sun) and have them checked regularly. I have now resigned myself to never finding a solution. I was a member of Migraine Action until I let it lapse. Fairly grim picture I'm afraid - I hope you get more relief than I have had.
Best of luck in finding something that helps.
Thanks Daisy 
My GP put my headaches and sickness down to my high blood pressure but when i was in hospital after they sorted my blood pressure, i was still being sick and had the headaches. Once the consultant asked more about the headaches etc he had a pretty good idea it was migraine and thats when i got the triptan. I'd been having these headaches and being sick for near 6 weeks beforehand. It wasnt until the triptan kicked in (needed to tablets) that i realised just how debelitating they had been. I just hope i can get enough tablets. The hospital wanted to give me more but the hospital pharmacy said no as they feel i should only be using them in an emergency situation and if i am having migraines that frequently then something is wrong and i need more investigations.
My GP put my headaches and sickness down to my high blood pressure but when i was in hospital after they sorted my blood pressure, i was still being sick and had the headaches. Once the consultant asked more about the headaches etc he had a pretty good idea it was migraine and thats when i got the triptan. I'd been having these headaches and being sick for near 6 weeks beforehand. It wasnt until the triptan kicked in (needed to tablets) that i realised just how debelitating they had been. I just hope i can get enough tablets. The hospital wanted to give me more but the hospital pharmacy said no as they feel i should only be using them in an emergency situation and if i am having migraines that frequently then something is wrong and i need more investigations.
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
I have been to many different doctors for migraines including a neurologist but no-one ever found a cause. I had an IRM/MRI - can't remember what they are called - once and they found nothing. The neurologist was the one who introduced me to triptans but it was my generalist who gave me all the samples and then prescribed them for me.
I havn't had an MRI but have had a CT scan. It was actually the hospital diabetic consultant that suggested migraines and triptans as i was under his care when in hospital. Although my BG levels were about the only thing that remained pretty stable :lol:
angieG
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 725
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
It may not be of any help but I'll mention it anyway!!
My Dad gets migranes if he eats too much cheese (which he unfortunately likes!!) he says as soon as he gets warnings like eye disturbances (sparkles, flashing lights etc) he takes a painkiller and an indigestion tablet and rests for a short time. Since cheese is the trigger it's his stomach that fires them off.
This may help someone!!
Hope you get sorted soon and glad you are out of hospital and getting better.
Angie
My Dad gets migranes if he eats too much cheese (which he unfortunately likes!!) he says as soon as he gets warnings like eye disturbances (sparkles, flashing lights etc) he takes a painkiller and an indigestion tablet and rests for a short time. Since cheese is the trigger it's his stomach that fires them off.
This may help someone!!
Hope you get sorted soon and glad you are out of hospital and getting better.
Angie
My mum was advised to cut out caffeine for medical reasons and her husband joined her in totally stopping taking caffeine for a few weeks. He used to suffer from migraines but hasn't had a single one since cutting out. He can now have normal 1-2 cups of tea or coffee a day now and the occasional coke but is still migraine free. He said he felt awful for a few days and not great for a week or so as his body got used to no caffeine but really feels the benefit now. He said that he used to take paracetamol painkillers etc, which also have caffeine in and just used to make it worse.
Personally I love coffee too much, so am glad I've only ever had a couple of migraines myself but I feel for you!
Personally I love coffee too much, so am glad I've only ever had a couple of migraines myself but I feel for you!
wiflib
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,966
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
You may find this helpful
http://www.migrainetrust.org/?gclid=COu ... tAod-UifyQ
I take sumatriptan quite regularly. If I didn't my life would implode and I'd be living on benefits. I've been blue lighted into several ED departments over the years. I remember trying to make a nurse understand that death would be preferable to what I was going through. The thought still makes me cry.
The only other treatment that once worked was a savvy out of hours GP that had just done an acupuncture course. I went from a screaming, vomiting mess to pain free and a little nauseous in the time it takes to flick a switch.
My GP has given me 12x100mg tabs on regular prescription. I am very anxious if I start to run low. One of the side effects of them is odd. It's like going through the migraine, very fast, until it starts to work, but on a level that's much less than the migraine itself. The trick is to take one the second you think it's starting.
You have huge sympathy from me. I absolutely know how awful having migraines is.
wiflib
http://www.migrainetrust.org/?gclid=COu ... tAod-UifyQ
I take sumatriptan quite regularly. If I didn't my life would implode and I'd be living on benefits. I've been blue lighted into several ED departments over the years. I remember trying to make a nurse understand that death would be preferable to what I was going through. The thought still makes me cry.
The only other treatment that once worked was a savvy out of hours GP that had just done an acupuncture course. I went from a screaming, vomiting mess to pain free and a little nauseous in the time it takes to flick a switch.
My GP has given me 12x100mg tabs on regular prescription. I am very anxious if I start to run low. One of the side effects of them is odd. It's like going through the migraine, very fast, until it starts to work, but on a level that's much less than the migraine itself. The trick is to take one the second you think it's starting.
You have huge sympathy from me. I absolutely know how awful having migraines is.
wiflib
The nightmares you guys describe makes my headaches seem like small fry. When I went to see my GP to say that I kept getting headaches in my left temple and asked what the matter might be, he said very scornfully, 'Do you think you've got a brain tumour then?' I told him that it was his job to find out. I had a scan that turned up nothing but did get triptans prescribed. No one called it migraine because all I ever got (get) is raging pain in the left temple and down the side of my face. When I discovered the existence of trigeminal neuralgia and the fact that the central branch of the trigeminal nerve runs down the track of my pain, the conclusion seemed obvious. Neurologist said 'No!' It didn't quite behave right so he said 'Let's call it migraine, but what's in a name? The treatment's the same: it's Lamotrigine.
I take Lamotrigine as a mood stabiliser, it is prescribed off licence for bipolar but is actually an anti-epileptic, it is also used to treat migraine. I had never heard of such before that neurologist told me, and I have never heard a migraine sufferer or other doctor suggest it. I was only on 200mg a day, which used to be all they would give as a mood stabiliser because it is off licence, but the neurologist said that some of his patients were on up to 600mg a day as it is a very well tolerated drug. It has very few side effects, except a risk of a serious and dangerous rash that will manifest in the early stages of taking it but can mostly be avoided if you titrate it very slowly: very, very slowly! When I told the psychiatrist what the neurologist had said about the dose I think they got talking to each other because now the restriction doesn't seem to be there. Oddly, when I was on the lower dose, the headaches had got much more frequent and severe. I'd had them all my life: I remember sitting in class in school with my fingers gripping my temples and my little fingers in the corners of my eyes, because the pressure seemed to help a bit, but no one took any notice in those days. Maybe they thought kids didn't get migraines. Anyway, when I upped the Lamotrigine dose to 300mg a day, the headaches almost completely stopped. The only time I get them now is if I have a prolonged, not too severe hypo. Say between 3 and 4 for a few hours without realising; or a succession of hypos will trigger one.
I think the correct diagnosis is probably trigeminal neuralgia despite the lack of classical shooting pain symptoms - mine is continuous - after all, it's in the trigeminal nerve and it hurts and that is what the term means. Nerve pain. No brainer. But they call it migraine.
I waffle too much. My point is that Lamotrigine is used to treat migraine, or to prevent it. I don't think you can take lamotrigine as a one off dose, but have to take it long term as a preventative, but don't quote me on that, it's more of a guess than certain knowledge. Ask your neurologists about it and see what they say. I barely get my headaches any more and they stopped at the time my lamotrigine dose went up, so I'd be very surprised if that is not what did the trick. If I do get them I take almotriptan and that works, but I hate the side effects: jelly legs. Vasoconstritors seem to constrict the blood vessels everywhere as well as in the head where the pressure that's causing the pain is.
Good luck folks.
I take Lamotrigine as a mood stabiliser, it is prescribed off licence for bipolar but is actually an anti-epileptic, it is also used to treat migraine. I had never heard of such before that neurologist told me, and I have never heard a migraine sufferer or other doctor suggest it. I was only on 200mg a day, which used to be all they would give as a mood stabiliser because it is off licence, but the neurologist said that some of his patients were on up to 600mg a day as it is a very well tolerated drug. It has very few side effects, except a risk of a serious and dangerous rash that will manifest in the early stages of taking it but can mostly be avoided if you titrate it very slowly: very, very slowly! When I told the psychiatrist what the neurologist had said about the dose I think they got talking to each other because now the restriction doesn't seem to be there. Oddly, when I was on the lower dose, the headaches had got much more frequent and severe. I'd had them all my life: I remember sitting in class in school with my fingers gripping my temples and my little fingers in the corners of my eyes, because the pressure seemed to help a bit, but no one took any notice in those days. Maybe they thought kids didn't get migraines. Anyway, when I upped the Lamotrigine dose to 300mg a day, the headaches almost completely stopped. The only time I get them now is if I have a prolonged, not too severe hypo. Say between 3 and 4 for a few hours without realising; or a succession of hypos will trigger one.
I think the correct diagnosis is probably trigeminal neuralgia despite the lack of classical shooting pain symptoms - mine is continuous - after all, it's in the trigeminal nerve and it hurts and that is what the term means. Nerve pain. No brainer. But they call it migraine.
I waffle too much. My point is that Lamotrigine is used to treat migraine, or to prevent it. I don't think you can take lamotrigine as a one off dose, but have to take it long term as a preventative, but don't quote me on that, it's more of a guess than certain knowledge. Ask your neurologists about it and see what they say. I barely get my headaches any more and they stopped at the time my lamotrigine dose went up, so I'd be very surprised if that is not what did the trick. If I do get them I take almotriptan and that works, but I hate the side effects: jelly legs. Vasoconstritors seem to constrict the blood vessels everywhere as well as in the head where the pressure that's causing the pain is.
Good luck folks.
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
I don't want to be negative but these are just the experiences that I personally have had with two migraine treatments that have helped some other people:
I tried acupuncture as I had heard about this treatment for migraines. Unfortunately, after 30 sessions, the doctor said it wasn't worth continuing as it hadn't helped. So it didn't work for me. I was relieved as I absolutely hated the needles in my toes although the others were painless. I gather that the needles are not always put in the same places, it depends on the patient, so don't be put off as you may not have needles put in your toes.
I didn't know that Lamotrigine was used to treat migraines. I have been taking it for years, sometimes up to 400mg per day. Unfortunately it hasn't helped my migraines at all. It shows how some medication has different effects on some people than others.
I carry on my search for something that will help me...
wiflib said:
I tried acupuncture as I had heard about this treatment for migraines. Unfortunately, after 30 sessions, the doctor said it wasn't worth continuing as it hadn't helped. So it didn't work for me. I was relieved as I absolutely hated the needles in my toes although the others were painless. I gather that the needles are not always put in the same places, it depends on the patient, so don't be put off as you may not have needles put in your toes.
Margi said:
I didn't know that Lamotrigine was used to treat migraines. I have been taking it for years, sometimes up to 400mg per day. Unfortunately it hasn't helped my migraines at all. It shows how some medication has different effects on some people than others.
I carry on my search for something that will help me...
Hi Claire
I suffer from migraines, due to being kicked in the head 4 years ago ( I use to be a support worker, working with challening behaviour clients) it took a long time for doctor to find out what was wrong, they kept thinking it was my problem with the fluid on my brain. To cut a long story short I take medication for them, and it is heaven, I don't suffer very offen now, I'm on Dosulepin 10mg once a day and topamax 200mg twice and that works for, I have a doctor at the nation hospital in london to thank for sorting mine out for me.
Hope you get yours sorted out they are the worst things going
Take care
Smokey
I suffer from migraines, due to being kicked in the head 4 years ago ( I use to be a support worker, working with challening behaviour clients) it took a long time for doctor to find out what was wrong, they kept thinking it was my problem with the fluid on my brain. To cut a long story short I take medication for them, and it is heaven, I don't suffer very offen now, I'm on Dosulepin 10mg once a day and topamax 200mg twice and that works for, I have a doctor at the nation hospital in london to thank for sorting mine out for me.
Hope you get yours sorted out they are the worst things going
Take care
Smokey
I have suffered since my early teens (35 now) I use Zomig nasal spray which is quite helpful, and I use 4head stick and strips, these really do help ease it for me because they cool your head down on the outside. I will also use a pair of sunglasses to keep the brightness out of my eyes.
I started getting migraines in my mid twenties after going on the Pill, and giving that up didn't stop the headaches. After countless food diaries and medications (herbal and chemical)and threatened hysterectomy and living a very strange life of sleeping the exact same amount weekdays and weekends (six hours) and eating at the same times every day, (any disturbance to my routine resulted in a migraine) I finally found a pill combination that works in treating them - a daily dose of amitriptyline (an antidepressant)and sumatriptan when i feel one coming on, or worse, wake with one. But the dose of sumatriptan was 100mg, because I was quite heavy at that point. Now I've lost some weight, the tablets work really rapidly, but the side effects are bizarre - the migraine lifts quickly, but all my muscles start pinching from my neck down, and I want to vomit for about half an hour. Then I feel great. But I still live a very regimented life as I only get 12 tabs every 2 months and I have type 2 diabetes...
