Migraines

I did for a few years. I was able to reduce them dramatically by managing electrolytes better - potassium in particular. I also learned to recognize early onset and slow my system down enough to minimize it: meaning much shorter duration and less severe.

Lots of variations in causes and solutions person to person though.
 
I have aural or ophthalmic migraines. They appear as small bright zigzag lights that grow until they consume my vision and I go blind for about 20 minutes. Fortunately I've learned to control them and the headache after is reduced to just a soggy dull headache. It's nothing like the debilitating pain most suffer. I've also learned what triggers them and it's hormonal. Without being too graphic, if the kind you have are hormonal, you can have too much sex or too little and it will trigger a migraine. If you find the frequency that is right for you, you can keep them at bay.
 
My migraines have gotten to the point of you can guess. I have been on too many medications. See too many specialists including neurologists. Started with Cambia meds then on to Botox which is helping and now I am on Topamax. I have spent half my adult life in bed. This has been going on for 25 years. This is worse then delivery a baby. Because that’s all said and done. You just never know when you will get or how severe it will be. I hate them with a passion.
 
My migraines have gotten to the point of you can guess. I have been on too many medications. See too many specialists including neurologists. Started with Cambia meds then on to Botox which is helping and now I am on Topamax. I have spent half my adult life in bed. This has been going on for 25 years. This is worse then delivery a baby. Because that’s all said and done. You just never know when you will get or how severe it will be. I hate them with a passion.

Sometimes simple things such as changing diet helps. Try going dairy free for a week. I'm for real
 
I have aural or ophthalmic migraines. They appear as small bright zigzag lights that grow until they consume my vision and I go blind for about 20 minutes. Fortunately I've learned to control them and the headache after is reduced to just a soggy dull headache. It's nothing like the debilitating pain most suffer. I've also learned what triggers them and it's hormonal. Without being too graphic, if the kind you have are hormonal, you can have too much sex or too little and it will trigger a migraine. If you find the frequency that is right for you, you can keep them at bay.
I have gotten the opthalmic migraines too but just the psychadelic light show without any pain during or after. And yeah, I am blind for 15-20 mins while it's going on. Thankfully they are rare and I don't really know what triggers them. But your post makes me think of US President Kennedy. He was a sex addict and supposedly said that he had to have carnal relations daily or he'd get migraines. I thought that was a crock but you know what, maybe the struggle was real.
 
I have had MRI’s, CT scans and every test known to man and they still after 25 years can’t figure me out. Been to so many specialists I have lost count. Been on too many medications, wished I were dead far too many times, been in the hospital too many times, spent 1/2 my adult life in bed, missed out on so many events. I can’t be bitter. That’s just not me.

But I have to say to myself that’s who I am. I just have to love me and try to help myself the best I can. My husband had been pretty amazing throughout this whole ordeal. He’s been pretty compassionate. My youngest son has been my shining knight in armor. He’s has been through it all with me.

My doctor is the love of my life he stops at nothing. We are team. We will not give up until we slay the beast. I read, I do research, I talk to ppl with migraines, I go to clinics. I am doing all that I can so I can KO this beast right between the eyes.
 
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I suffer from them on average once a month or about 10 times a year. They are quite severe. I get super sensitive to light and sound and sometimes have a tendency to vomit. Medication seldom works. If I end up vomiting (sorry for being so graphic) I start to feel some relief. Most of the times I'll have to endure the pain and wait the 8-12 hours till it goes away. The pain is so sever that I can't sleep it off. I've done MRI and CT scans and my neurologist says that they showed everything is good. I have noticed that one thing that will trigger them is if there is a large time gap between when I've eaten breakfast and by the time I'll have lunch. I'll slowly feel that aura of pain wrapping around my head usually on the right part of my forehead and start to fear what will follow. Also I've recently been told by I an ENT doctor that I went to to have my nose examined because my fiancée says it makes an annoying whistling sound when I breath that I have turbinate hypertrophy in both nostrils. Especially in my right nostril (my migraines almost always hammer me on my right side). I need to schedule an operation for turbinate reduction. A guy I know who suffered form migraines told me that after he had turbinate reduction he could breathe so much better and his migraines went away.
 
They have finally put me on my latest medication which is used for grande mal seizures as well as migraines but the side affects at first are nasty. You look like a drunk who has been on an all night bender. Your balance is off. I am doing research on this drug and I don’t like it. When i see my doctor next I am asking him if there is anything else he can put me on the. The side effects belong in Frankenstein’s lab. There are very scary and I don’t want to be subjected to these if I don’t have to be! Some side effects are absolutlely frightening.

May I add that I was suffering anywhere from 20 - 25 migraines a month. All bed ridden being right of controll migraines or in hospital with IV called a migraine “cocktail”.
 
I get migraines too. Thanks for sharing all your observations and solutions. I was brought to the ER twice for it. They give me a "cocktail" of stuff too.

I also used to get really bad nosebleeds, as in the area I'm in looks like a violent murder scene. After a lot of sticking balloons in my nose and cauterizing in my adulthood, they decided to do an embolization. It was a blessing in disguise because they found out that I have brain aneurysm that I am managing now. Just mentioned because I wonder if it had something to do with my migraines.
 
I get migraines too. Thanks for sharing all your observations and solutions. I was brought to the ER twice for it. They give me a "cocktail" of stuff too.

I also used to get really bad nosebleeds, as in the area I'm in looks like a violent murder scene. After a lot of sticking balloons in my nose and cauterizing in my adulthood, they decided to do an embolization. It was a blessing in disguise because they found out that I have brain aneurysm that I am managing now. Just mentioned because I wonder if it had something to do with my migraines.
You are very lucky. I am so very happy they found what was wrong with you!!!! That could of killed you. Thank god they caught it in time.

Ppl who don’t get migraines and have no concept as to what they are think they are a bad headache. It’s so sad that they are so misinformed and that irks me to the point that I want to scream at them. Here, you can have one of my migraines for the day and then you can tell me if it’s just a bad headache.
 
I very seldom ever get a headache. Can't remember when the last time I had one.

But one day around 1986 or so while driving I felt a headache coming on and by all descriptions it was a migraine. It was so bad I pulled my car over, lay back in the seat and passed out for about 2 1/2 hours. When I woke up the headache was gone but I was physically drained for the rest of the day. I have no idea what brought it on.

That was enough for me. Going through it just once I can fully sympathize with those who are constantly dealing with them.
 
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Lola, I’m sorry to hear of your ongoing battles with migraines plus the incredible frustration with receiving treatment!

I’ve been suffering from vestibular migraines (VM) every waking moment since Thanksgiving 2017. Started with acute vertigo that lasted for five weeks. It ended my career 3 years ago. I still hope I’ll recover to try again, but things remain challenging. Every moment is some level of pain, pressure, dizziness and nausea. I’m currently looking for my third neurologist. My first so called expert helped initially, but I still had symptoms all the time! Also worked with a vestibular rehabilitation therapist for over a year because I had to re-learn how to walk and do basic things. I still get very dizzy while looking up or bending down. I started with my ENT who first suspected VM. Had numerous tests to rule out Vestibular Neuritis, brain tumors, Meniere’s, etc.

Worst thing my neuro did was put me on Topomax - drastically altered my cognition and basically made me bi-polar - couldn’t get off of that one fast enough! At the first neuro’s suggestion we moved to a smaller town closer to family (To reduce stress, plus I’m very sensitive to noise). Our move was a disaster (13 months and 16 tries) which didn’t help, then the pandemic hit. Such is life!

My second neuro (who recently left the practice) agreed with me to stop using two meds (Nortriptyline, Emgality) and have me try Botox and I’m finally getting some improvement on the severity of my symptoms - down to a level 3 of 10 most days after being around 5-7 levels pre Botox. Avoiding foods with Tyramine has been a mixed bag, leading me to believe it’s not really a relevant trigger. Before the Botox, my symptom levels were so high I couldn’t feel the impact of changing foods - now I can. Taking magnesium glycinate has helped as well.

My triggers in order are: stress, sleep, barometric pressure changes, noise and food. I had undiagnosed sleep apnea for decades which I’ve addressed with a CPAP, now getting 7+ hours of sleep versus 4 hours prior. When I get a cold, my symptoms, especially dizziness, go through the roof. I had Covid recently and nearly went into full vertigo again.

I recently found an excellent book called Victory Over Vestibular Migraine that is very well researched by a Dr Bey in Texas. He goes into detail about not just vestibular migraines but migraines as well. A lot has to do with imbalances on the neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain. Because of this, I learned that a protein powder I used for 4 years may have been a key unknown trigger for my elevated condition. I quit it cold turkey in October, had excruciating withdrawal headaches for 2 weeks but have been better since.

Tension in the jaw and neck muscles can also cause some of these issues. My dentist started working with some minor jaw issues I’ve been diagnosed with a year ago. Had to realign my jaw (we’re talking maybe 1mm) and wear a night appliance and it’s helped reduce tension quite a bit. When I don’t wear the appliance, next day my symptoms are significantly worse. I’ve thought about seeing a TMJ specialist, though I do not have TMJ.

I'm going to try chiropractor and maybe massage therapy again, but it’s expensive. But I still carry a lot of tension in my neck, shoulders and back due to prior issues. I’ve gone through multiple rounds of PT already, including another for a vertigo episode a year ago.

Sorry for the long book, but know you are not alone on your journey back to health!
 
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