Migraine Headaches

Does Excedrin make you feel sick? It helps at least take the edge off of my migraines. Sometimes putting an ice pack behind my neck helps, getting a neck and shoulder rub or getting my back popped also helps. Drinking water or hot tea helps too.

Hey date twin. I wish I had a suggestion for you. I get migraines as well. They sneak up on me usually a few days after some stressful event/situation. It's very strange because I get them AFTER the event not during. Anyway I try to avoid taking medication in general as much as I can so I try to fight off my migraines by drinking coke or mountain dew which both have a lot of caffeine plus chocolate. Depending on how far my headache has progressed this can sometimes stops it or tempers it until I can get home when I can sleep it off and the nausea that comes with it.

I will take OTC medication if the headache pain is intense, attacks me at the start of a work day, or I have to leave the house. The OTC medication plus the coke and chocolate usually does the trick for me.

I have a ice pack that I use if I'm able to lie down. Either on my forehead or right at the base of my skull at the top of my neck. That helps a lot. Caffeine helps me sometimes too especially regular (not diet) Coke

Keep trying different OTCs though. Only Advil works for me but others work better for other people so you never know.

My Tricks...

A banana can help cus of potassium and low sugar. Regulate your sugar and caffeine. Withdrawals of over loads can trigger. I did a good diary for 2 months to track what triggered it as well. Sugar. Caffeine. Booze.

Ice cold coke with ice and no straw - the cold on your lips will help chill your face and head.

Ice on the part that hurts but keep your body and hands warm. It will pull the blood away from your swollen blood vessels in the brain.

Sometimes I put ice on my head and lay in the empty tub with a HOT shower running so it sprays on my body. I love it.

Talk to your doctor about medication options. I take Treximet. It's Imitrex with Ibuprofen basiclaly. Works wonders when needed. When I take it I eat carbs, protein counter acts it and then lay down for an hour with ice and it good. I've suffered since age 6.

I have tried almost every medication Dr's will recommend and I still find that excedrin works best with me especially when I add some caffeine like Coke. My dr recently gave me Magnesium pills, they take a bit to work and mainly just reduce the onset of a headache. As far as a non pharmacological cure try some lavender. I just bought a little bottle of it and I usually rub it on my temples and behind my neck, lock myself in a dark room and try to get some rest.

Have they not prescribed any sort of medication to you?

ETA: the number one way (according to many dr's) to stop the onset of a headache or migraine is to take your medicine AS SOON as you feel one coming on. Maybe you can try that and see if it makes a difference

I get mirgraine headaches. I use excedrin mirgraine they work okay. The best thing to do though is get a quiet spot and cut the lights off and try to relax. I have them for days as well and sometimes they can be a pain. Im quite use to them as well but sometimes it's unbearable.

Cheri I know how you feel. I have migraines and become sick to the stomach as well. However, the medication may not be what's making you ill. One of the many symptoms of a migraine is nausea. What I do, is once I feel a headache coming on, I take an Excedrin Migraine. Also, try the gels. Break open the capsule and rub it on your gums and tongue. Advil Migraine comes in a gel. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much everyone for your tips, I'm going to try all of these tips because I'm desperate to get rid of these headaches, I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond and help me out.

I get bad migraines too. Usually mine start with tension in my back, shoulders and neck. So a good back rub, a hot shower or icy hot help a lot. Also taking medicine as soon as you feel the migraine coming on. My doctor prescribed me maxalt which helps mine not be as severe.

And if stress is triggering them, try to avoid stress. When you feel yourself getting stressed do things to calm yourself down, take a relaxing bath, step away from whatever is stressing you, go outside and take a walk, exercise, have a cup of tea, etc.

I apply peppermint and lavender oil to my temples. It helps a lot and smells great.

Did you see a neurologist? I had a medication when I was getting migraines that was excellent at handling them. I already suffer from nausea and balance problems so it got rid of the pain but allowed me to keep working.

I also second the essential oils. I do that too.

I had to try a few different prescriptions until I finally found one that worked for me. I forget what it's called, but it's good stuff. I can't work or drive after I take it...it pretty much puts me on my ass. Also, I have to take it when I first feel it coming on. If it gets to full blown migraine, it doesn't really do much.

I've been seeing a neurologist for 6 years about my migraines. I get associated auras with them, so I have about a 30-45 minute window after an aura where I'm warned it's coming.

All the things my neuro has had me do has worked. This is what he always tells me:

-avoid Excedrin Migraine, because it has caffeine and caffeine exacerbates migraines. In fact, a migraine sufferer should not take any meds with caffeine, because they can cause rebound headaches (that foggy, mild headache you feel after you take one and the pain goes away).

- hydrate

- know your triggers

I was taking Topamax, which is a daily med, to curb my daily headaches and shooting pains in my right temple. The Topamax also prevented full on migraines. Before I started taking it, I would get like 3-4 migraines a month. After, I only get 2 a year.

I also have a back-up med called Treximet (Imitrex with naproxin sodium included), and I take that when I actually get a migraine. It works well.

However, I recently stopped taking Topamax, because after 6 years, I had lost a lot of my hair. Not in patches, just overall. I haven't gotten a full-blown migraine since weening off, but I do get low-grade headaches frequently now that I'm not taking it. Most people don't get hair loss as a side-effect; it's rare. I'm one of the lucky few and it took 5 1/2 years to start experiencing it.

Best bet is to ask your neuro what meds you can take. Migraines are debilitating, you shouldn't suffer needlessly.

I am getting a lot more breakthrough migraines lately because of the added stress. For my lesser headaches, sometimes at the beginning I just clear my mind and breathe deeply in through my nose and then let it out slowly through my mouth. I keep my eyes closed and try my best to relax my shoulders. My shoulders basically have rocks in them. Every massage therapist and doctor feels them and goes "Woah! Your muscles are so tight!" The breathing thing doesn't always work, but it works for my lesser headaches. I hear good things about peppermint oil. I bought this rub on oil from Bath & Body Works that is peppermint and is supposed to relieve headache pain. Drink lots of water. Avoid caffeine, but don't cut it out completely. I don't drink coffee or tea so if I don't have a caffeine pop at least once a week then I get a caffeine withdrawal headache. Those can be cured with a pop. That's why Excedrin has caffeine in the pill, because it helps headaches in small doses. But you also should not take medicine every day because you can get a rebound headache from taking OTC meds too often.

For the past two days I have started a muscle relaxer (Flexeril, though I'm taking the generic). I've tried one in the past and it didn't work. This one makes me feel kinda drugged, but not so much that it makes me not able to drive or function. It just makes me relaxed! These past two days I haven't had as strong of a daily headache as normal. Last night I slept wonderful. I didn't wake up in the night! I haven't slept through the night in over a year and lots before then. I feel slightly refreshed, which is much better than my usual of waking up feeling exhausted the entire day! So maybe ask your doctor or Neuro for a muscle relaxer until your wedding. Or get massages But the medicine is cheaper!

I didn't read all of the responses (although I will to find new tricks) but peppermint works great for mine. If they are really bad I take an excedrin migraine, put a cold pack over my eyes, and suck on peppermint.

Maxalt--great stuff, just amazing. I suffered with debilitating migraines for over 40 years and this stuff works WONDERS.

Hope you feel better soon

Is it during "that time" I get them like clockwork and finally discovered it was certain times of the month...I started making a map so I know exactly when ones coming and take medicine that morning! Good luck

Try this, it works for me every time.

1. Drink, Drink, Drink. Water is the enemy of migraine.

2. CVS Migraine is wonderful if you take it as soon as you even think a migraine is coming. No tummy upset, just relief. Let us know how you are doing.

Botox? Several of my friends get bad migraines, and they say Botox keeps them at bay.

I get them now and then. Do you see a doctor? I've heard Imitrex works miracles (I can't take it so have never had it) and I take Fiorinal/Fioricet and it makes my day livable.