Migraines

[Ghosthunter]

I wasnt sure where to post this, and I know this mostly heart forums, but I figure I can get some good info, everyone here seems very concerned and well educated and I bet others had them too.

This week been a rough week for me, my grandmother who is 87, collapsed and had to be rushed to the ER, she is stable now, but my father on way to ER got an ashtma attack and chest pains and he has CHF, and a host of other issues, luckily he is ok and released now. But my stress has gone way high. Can only imagine what my BP is right now. I had to take a klonopin to relax my nerves.

Anyway...I think I am sure migraines are cuased by my stress...though I have no clue for sure...but only thing makes sense.

I am going to see a nerulogist today, I already took a cat scan 2 years ago for them from a different doctor, and everything came back normal, so hoping he dont send me back, just not in mood for more tests. I usually take firoicet but it doesnt work anymore..probably body built up tolerance.

Sometimes I get 2 months without a headache/migraine..then I can go 2 weeks straight with a headache almost every day...sometimes I get an average of 3-5 a month...I cannot really track it down...but when I get them they take me out..I cannot do anything...and my wife complains she thinks I make it up...to get out of doing things...and I tell her no...she doesnt have a clue.

So hoping nureologist can give me something that will work good, I dont care what willing to try anything..lol

 

[geebee]

Sorry to hear about all you're going through. It almost gives me a migraine to imagine it.

As far as your wife not understanding - not uncommon. Just like folks who have not had heart problems, folks who have never had migraines just cannot understand the devastation.

I have had migraines since the third grade, about 45 years now. One of the nice things about getting old is the migraines do seem to taper off in quantity but the severity (for me) seems to be worse.

I have had a couple of CT scans to rule out other problems as my dad died from a burst cerebral aneurysm that the docs felt he was born with so they wanted to make sure I was having "classic" migraines. I also have had EEGs, all with some abnormalities but migraines can cause irregular EEGs.

I agree that stress can trigger migraines as I find that to be the problem in my case as well as red wine, chocolate and hard cheeses. Have you identified any dietary triggers for yourself? If not, you might want to explore that possibility. The other things I've noticed is, besides the pre-headache auras, I also get euphoric prior to the lights appearing (usually 5-6 hours). When I notice the euphoria, I can then plan the rest of my day so the headache does not take me by surprise.

You might want to consider asking your wife to go to the neurologist with you so perhaps he can explain the problems of migraines. She may be able to accept things a bit more after that.
Good luck.

 

[MelissaM]

Have any of you w/migraines tried 5-HTP? Supposedly, migraines can result from a lack of seratonin in the body. Seratonin is produced by tryptiphan (the same chemical that makes you sleepy after T-giving dinner), and is found in other meats. The 5-HTP provides a tryptiphan compound, which enables the body to increase its seratonin supply and sqelch migraine development.

As a rarely-eat-meat kind of gal, I am wondering if perhaps I don't have enough seratonin, and could help production by taking 5-HTP. The only thing is, non-pure 5-HTP has been shown to cause a fibromyalgia-like, non-curable ailment (not high on my list).

Has anyone tried 5-HTP as a treatment for migraines? Has it worked? Anyone have a reputable brand to recommend?

Melissa

 

[Ghosthunter]

I currently take Zoloft 200MG a day...so if I think it was a serontin that should do it?

I do admit ever since I started taking Zoloft I do get less headaches, but still nowwhere as much as I would like. I am not sure if zoloft is helping prevent the headaches, or if it helps me with my anxiety and stress.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hope this helps

Hope this helps

Hi. I do not get the headaches, but have had the auras since my teens, and they are visual doozies!! I have learned what triggers them and avoid these things. Here is a list of things which many migraine sufferers are sensitive to. See if avoiding these things, or at least making note of whether or not they bother you might help.

Aspartame, NutraSweet, MSG (monosodium glutamate -- a flavor enhancer in many salty snack products and prevalent in Chinese food) nuts, peanut butter, caffeine (including sodas,etc which have caffein in them) chocolate (dark chocolate does not seem to offend as much), citrus ( limes, orange juice, lemonade, etc) Red wine, purple grapes, purple grape juice (my personal worst)

Perfumes, scents in household products, scented candles, scented soaps, etc.

Flourescent lights. Bright sunlight especially if darting across your visual field when a car turns and the windshield is bright, or sun dancing on a lake, etc.

The key is to avoid these things. Wear sunglasses. Buy unscented laundry soap. Change to decaf. Don't ingest anything with artificial sweeteners or MSG. After awhile, you won't have to be reading labels, you'll just know. If you can avoid the triggers then maybe this will help. The neurologist may suggest a journal to write down everything you eat. I recommend that. Just until you get some ideas what may be triggering things. Apparently, most of these things aren't instant triggers and therefore are difficult to isolate. Some of them are instant, though, at least for me.

Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck, oh, and of course, stress is going to be a factor too, so I hope you can alleviate some of that

Marguerite

 

[Ghosthunter]

Well I just got back from the neurologist.


He gave me two different medicines, one a preventive another a rescue

He gave me tylenol with codeine if i get a severe migraine

He also gave me amitriptyline 40mg a day

I dont understand why it is another antidepressant, already taking zoloft at 200mg.

I am bit hesitant to take that..think I am going to wait till i see my psychiatrist, he said it was safe, but i dont know how mcuh i can trsut these doctors, though the pharmacist didnt say anything when i picked it up...maybe i am just being paranoid