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![Profile picture of EmilyXLC]()
EmilyXLC posted in the group Chronic Pain
I’d love to get a thread going about MIGRAINES.
I’ve experienced debilitating migraines for most of my life, having experienced the first one when I was around 10 years old after riding an amusement ride at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. I get them roughly every 2 – 3 weeks, but sometimes multiple times a week when I am stressed or unwell. My triggers tend to vary, but all of my migraines generally affect my vision, making me quite dizzy and is often accompanied with nausea from the severe pain. During these episodes, I am highly sensitive to light, sound and touch– these normally last a minimum of 4 – 6 from the initial onset and have gone past 2 days in the past. While I have been to many doctors, none have found any causes as to why I experience these– I’ve tried a wide assortment of medications, but have not found one that I like enough to budget in or commit to accompanied side effects.
I’d love to hear anyone else’s experiences and what has worked for you in the past.
9 Comments-
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![Profile picture of EmilyXLC]()
I’m so glad you shared your experience with me– that’s so helpful! I was on a seizure medication previously as well but also cannot remember the name. I was on Topamax for a while and it helped me experience normal headaches instead of crushing migraines, but the side effects became a bit much for me. I get my WORST migraines before my cycle, too– and gosh, storms are ROUGH. I’ve been a HUGE fan of peppermint oil and Tiger Balm for so long, paired with a nice compress.
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![Profile picture of dori-smith]()
Those all sound like good aides to help with migraines!
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![Profile picture of eclecticzebra]()
I had migraines for at least 10 years, long story short, I had been on Ortho-Tricyclen for the entire time, I don’t recall what happened but I didn’t take it for 2 weeks and I noticed I had not even a slight headache at all. Back on it, they came back- I was switched to the Ortho-Tricyclen Lo and they went away- haven’t had one since.. that was eons ago lol
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![Profile picture of EmilyXLC]()
@eclecticzebra That is VERY interesting– I noticed something similar when my doctor prescribed me Adderall XR; I noticed after a few weeks that the number of migraines that I experienced on average decreased TREMENDOUSLY but never knew why.
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![Profile picture of eclecticzebra]()
It’s amazing how many issues are indeed hormone related and/or actual side effects from current medications. Have you read all the microscopic print of side effects, even the rare ones on all your medications? Even vitamins etc. It’s too easy for medical professionals to toss a medication at the symptom vs. really seriously digging down to find the actual cause. A detailed journal of what you take, eat, stressful situations etc and when you get the migraines could narrow down what is causing them -it may be something as simple as Red dye, lack of sleep, or drastic like Chiari Malformation. If there is one thing I have learned in my 13 year journey of health mysteries, it is that nothing beats good old fashioned detective work, reading and research. Doctors are getting paid no matter what the tell ya’. It is entirely possible you may figure out the true cause and be able to live migraine free. I kept a small 4X4 notebook on my person 24/7 and it became a habit to write it all down. **No boys, not everything is hormonal, still not a valid excuse LMAO
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![Profile picture of eclecticzebra]()
Personal question (answer it to yourself, I’m not being nosy lol) do you drink wine? Alcohol? It turns out I respond to it as if I’m allergic. Red wine was the worst. Never got hangovers, I would be stricken with pain, migraine (essentially a hang over) within about 10 minutes after my first sip, have a hell of a time after an hour passed, wake up fine. Weird. I was done drinking at the age of 22 because of it. That was my first clue, (that I ignored) that I have vascular issues from a genetic condition. Your body is speaking to you, you just have to decipher what it is trying to tell you.
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![Profile picture of EmilyXLC]()
I actually rarely ever drink– it upsets my tummy! 🙁
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![Profile picture of aweber]()
One thing to look for in a TENS is to make sure it is variable in it settings – so you can have a range of weaker to stronger electric currents depending on your tolerance and pain level.
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I also get migraines, but not as badly as you do. I’ve been epileptic since I was a teenager, and when I started getting migraines in college, my doctor increased my dosage of anti-seizure medicine, called Depakote, which helped. I no longer take that medication, but there might be a generic you can get. I like using peppermint essential oil at my temples for some pain relief with the headaches, and ginger ale for nausea, but I also take Excedrin. When I lived in the UK, I was getting migraines regularly as a PMS/PMT issue and went on a prescription which helped a lot; unfortunately I don’t recall the name of it. Thunderstorms are a huge trigger for me now.