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Advice/suggestions wanted re treatments for migrane headaches
one man's opinion...

Posted on 01/26/2011 1:38:32 PM PST by ken5050

My girlfriend has suffered for years from migrane headaches, She's tried a variety of remedies, with little or no success, and she basically toughs it out when they hit, taking Excedrin. Of late, she's had an increasing occurance of migrane, and they seem to be more debilitating than usual. Someone told me about Adele Davis, and her books, and pantotheric acid (?) and Vitamin B6. I searched Amazon, she has multiple books...so I'm wondering if anyone here has any common experience, or advice as to possible migrane treatments. Thanks


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To: ken5050

There are a number of prescription non-narcotic medications that treat the actual cause of migraine, not just relieve the headache. A visit to a Board-certified neurologist would be able to confirm the diagnosis and obtain treatment.


61 posted on 01/26/2011 3:18:04 PM PST by CholeraJoe ("I am second?" WTH? Buncha losers.)
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To: ken5050

I forget whether my wife took ginger or mint...


62 posted on 01/26/2011 3:33:18 PM PST by dangus ("The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops" -- St. John Crysostom ("the Golden-Mouthed"))
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To: ken5050

Inderal (a beta blocker) and Neurontin (anti-seizure) both, at separate times, worked for me at the wicked migraine time in my life. Ask the doc.


63 posted on 01/26/2011 3:36:16 PM PST by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: ken5050

It is possible that your girlfriend is getting the migraines from Menopause. The change in hormones can do it. I would suggest she not only talk to her Neurologist but her Gynecologist as well. If she has not seen a neurologist, please get her to see one. Migraines have so many causes and certain really bad diagnosis’ have to be ruled out. In truth, the Neurologist has to confirm that they really are migraines to begin with... then there are countless treatments. It may take some time to try/experiment with different medications; however, some really do work.


64 posted on 01/26/2011 3:40:04 PM PST by momtothree
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To: ken5050

Imetrex. Comes in a nasal spray or pill form. I had them so bad I couldn’t function for days. One spray and it was gone. I didn’t care for the metallic taste, but was worth it for relief. They went away when I went through menopause.


65 posted on 01/26/2011 3:42:58 PM PST by KYGrandma (The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home......)
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To: ken5050

Duradrin, works better than anything I have tried including Imitrex. It is an older migraine med and will need a prescription. The pharmacy may have to order it as it is not widely used now.


66 posted on 01/26/2011 3:50:42 PM PST by kalee (The offences we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we engrave in marble. J Huett 1658)
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To: ken5050
Someone told me about Adele Davis, and her books, and pantotheric acid (?) and Vitamin B6. I searched Amazon, she has multiple books...so I'm wondering if anyone here has any common experience, or advice as to possible migrane treatments. Thanks

Ignore Adele. She's about as reliable on health and nutrition as Edgar Cayce is on spirituality. Go to www.mayoclinic.com and read about migraines there. I've had them for many years. For me it's one or both sides of my head like a bolt of pain going in the lower back of my skull and out through my eyeball. If I lie extremely still, I can manage almost not to feel the pain.

There's often a hereditary component. My dad had them, until he had open heart surgery, and then never again. My sister has so many scotomas that she cannot see to drive. Only recently have I had any sort of visual manifestations but they don't come with the headache. Sometimes bright light can trigger migraines in some people. In the past I've found that lying very still in a dark room with an extremely cold compress over my eyes would help. Lately I've found Fioricet (also contains APAP and caffeine) to be the most helpful form of medicine since I don't have hours to lie in bed with an extremely cold compress over my eyes. The caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. Some believe that dilated blood vessels in the brain can cause the pain and that the caffeine constricts them and relieves the pain. There are other vasoconstrictive medications for aborting or preventing a migraine.
67 posted on 01/26/2011 3:55:33 PM PST by aruanan
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To: ken5050
A teaspoon of honey if she's not a diabetic.
68 posted on 01/26/2011 3:57:04 PM PST by Shqipo (I am the unofficial originator of the Mega-Bump! Only use judiciously.)
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To: ken5050

Many have given you excellent advice, but here is my 2 cents worth. I was having migraines for about a year, several times a month for days on end. They finally did a CT and found that I had a sinus infection in the ethnoid? that was not causing any other symptoms. Spent another 2 months on antibiotics that still didn’t help. Finally did surgery to “rotor rooter” the sinus out, haven’t had a migraine in 8 years.


69 posted on 01/26/2011 4:01:42 PM PST by momto6
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To: aruanan

Yep, there seems to be a connection between what they call a PFO, which is a hole in the wall of the heart between chambers. When they close the hole the migraines mysteriously disappear.

Well, it might not be so mysterious. My husband was having minor strokes that some people thought might be connected to the migraines. When he had the heart surgery, the migraines disappeared, almost.

He still gets the migraines if he has food with too much MSG, food coloring or aspartame, but since he avoids those foods like the plague, he has very few migraines, anymore. Oh, he still won’t eat chocolate, either.


70 posted on 01/26/2011 4:03:02 PM PST by Eva
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To: FreeManWhoCan

Food coloring and aspartame (artificial sweetner) can be triggers for some people.


71 posted on 01/26/2011 4:04:30 PM PST by Eva
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To: Eva

MSG (which is in everything) and processed meats, e.g., baloney, hot dogs, pastromi, etc. can be triggers. Drinking a lot of soda can be also.


72 posted on 01/26/2011 4:16:28 PM PST by ladyjane
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To: Revelation 911

My company makes a Migergot suppository that is the equivalent of Cafergot. Its an older drug - caffeine based - but still has a pretty loyal following and seems to do the trick. I also would suggest the Chiropractor.


73 posted on 01/26/2011 5:06:05 PM PST by nurees (Oh...there is a NEW Mexico (Homer Simpson))
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To: ladyjane

My husband couldn’t eat any of those processed meats, either. For some reason, they don’t bother him right now, but if I use one of those packets of taco, or fajita seasoning mixes, with MSG, he gets a head ache every time.

Diet soda is a killer. Stick to diet rite, no caffeine, no salt and no aspartame.


74 posted on 01/26/2011 5:18:11 PM PST by Eva
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To: ladyjane

Before my husband had his surgery, my mother-in-law was trying to talk him into having the out patient surgery that just puts a plug in the hole, but it was still experimental and the insurance wouldn’t have covered it, not to mention that because it was experimental, if the plug went all the way through and they needed to emergency open heart surgery to remove it. It was all on us, the whole cost. So, I said that it just wasn’t worth it.

As it turned out, my husband had not just one hole, but two, one the big enough for a golf ball to pass through. They couldn’t see it because it had a flap that closed over it.


75 posted on 01/26/2011 5:22:45 PM PST by Eva
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To: Eva

MSG used to trigger really bad migraines for me. Then I’d be sensitive to any kind of over head bright lights. I just stopped eating processed foods and rarely get migraines now. Of course when I go to Costco I can’t help myself and I sample all their salty, saturated fat yummy samples.


76 posted on 01/26/2011 5:47:37 PM PST by ladyjane
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To: All

Many, many thanks for the advice. As always, I’m amazed at the depth of knowledge, and caring, that this FR community displays. I learned a lot from all your comments, and what’s most interesting, is that many of you suggest the same possible remedies. We’ll be doing some research, as many of you suggested, and mosy likely I’ll be contacting some of you individually via Freepmail for more input and/or questions. Again, our thanks


77 posted on 01/26/2011 6:28:14 PM PST by ken5050 (Palin/Bachman 2012 - FOUR boobs are better than the two we have now!)
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To: ken5050
Oh boy, I used to get some really bad migraines that lasted for days. Literally, DAYS.

Imitrex, a cold compress and laying down in a dark room (no sunlight) for a few hours typically did the trick. If I didn't get relief after two hours taking the first Imitrex I'd take a second.

A few times the migraines were so bad I'd be throwing up, tunnel vision/seeing nothing but spots, ears ringing, sensitivity to light, the whole nine yards. When I got those it was ER time for a shot of adrenaline and something else (forget what they used to give me) to knock it down.

Yeah, migraines suck.

If her symptoms are just a migraine (no tunnel vision, dizziness, ringing in ears) try some Excedrin Migraine with a cup of strong coffee to accellerate the absorption and have her lie down in a dark room with a cold compress on her forehead. Limit the noise and see how she is in an hour or so. If the symptoms don't let up or get worse consider getting something stronger through your doctor. Migraines can get out of control pretty quickly and get worse in a big hurry if you're not careful.

Best of luck.

78 posted on 01/26/2011 6:37:15 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Hoffer Rand
start tracking what “triggers” the migraine;

Probably the best advice. Disruption in my sleeping pattern for an extended period of time (more than a few days) typically trigger mine, as does over-exerting myself in the bright sunlight. Once I learned what my triggers were my migraines became much less frequent and much less powerful. I used to get 1-2 a month that would last anywhere from 1-3 days. It's been a good 4 months or so since my last bad migraine.

79 posted on 01/26/2011 6:43:54 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: ken5050
I've been a migraine sufferer for many years now and I can tell you something that helps me.

Get at least 16 oz. of Gatorade®, any flavor will do, and drink it as fast as you can.

I can't recall where I heard about this remedy, but it does work for me...and I have some real doozies.

80 posted on 01/26/2011 7:28:17 PM PST by Semper Mark (Vlad Tepes was a piker.)
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