Dealing with Migraines w/o perscription?

[JRuner]

Is there any way to deal with migraines without a prescription? I have two to five a week. Yesterday it started at noon lasted through bed time at ten getting more intense as the day went by . I also had twitching in both legs off and on from 2 P.m to 6 p.m. (like restless legs I guess) my local Docs don't won't to prescribe anything until the Epileptologist sees me in June.

I Became instanty irritable when this started snapped at my wife (apologized a lot and made her breakfast today) When it started I had a lot of forgetfulness remembering important thoughts about an hour delayed lasting throughout. I only had very subtle upper body shakes about three time yesterday also during the headache.

Any advice?

John Runer

 

[epileric]

I would say try acupuncture, if that scares you try acupressure.

 

[Nakamova]

For prevention: A magnesium supplement has helped some folks with migraines. Also avoiding certain foods (red wine, dairy, MSG, aspartame, etc.) and any other triggers you know of (like flashing lights for instance).

And when one strikes, lie down i a dark cool place, and try icing your head and neck.

 

[lindinig]

My bf gets terrible migraines almost every day. I feel so bad for him, but he won't go to a chiropractor like I suggested, and I don't like him popping pain medicine every day. As an alternative, I found a couple of pressure points on his shoulders, on the upper part of his back (the part that is stressed when you're hunched over a computer all day). I apply only a little pressure and massage his shoulder. He winces in pain. He says it shoots along his nerves right up his neck to the side of his head where his migraine is. He only lets me do it for about 5 minutes, but it helps relieve his pain and within 1/2 hr to an hour, he's functional again. It's hard to describe the exact location on a forum but it works everytime! I tell him I like taking my frustration out on him :roflmao:

If you get nausea or dizziness, I drink a can of ginger ale. I read some years ago that ginger is good to relieve dizziness. I get severe dizziness with my migraines, and ginger ale will have me back on my feet within 1/2-1 hour. My mom had a couple bouts of vertigo, so I suggested that my dad give her a little ginger ale and within 2 hours, she was walking again.

Your migraines are most likely seizure-induced, so I hope my suggestions help you feel better, a little. I think the shoulder massage should help, a little.

 

[valeriedl]

I usually have really bad migraines after a sez. I lay down with an ice pack on my head, sometimes for hours, until it goes away or till I fall asleep.

My neuro gave me some type of med for the headaches but it didn't do a thing for me.

My neuro has me going to a Headache Clynic for the migraines. I'm not exactally sure what it is. I couldn't get an appointment until Sept!!!!!

I guess I'll just have to wait and hopefully it will work.

 

[Zoofemme]

Another thing to remember to do is remain hydrated. My neuro is insistent that those sports drinks are drank whenever I have a breakthru migraine. I do my best to choke them down but that is just an issue I have with the taste :roll: Usually I drink a ton of water. Make sure you read the labels!! I've found that some of them will sneak in sucralose or aspartame (splenda and nutrasweet)...these are known to trigger migraines and definitely trigger mine.

If you can catch it quich enough and provided you aredn't allergic to aspirin or anything you might get some relief from an OTC like Excedrin for Migraines. I keep it around for my husband and he says it works great but I do make sure that he takes it as soon as he says his head is pounding.

Please make sure that you tell your neuro about the headaches at your appt. One of the side-effects of aeds when you first start taking them is headaches and I know I got some gollywhoppers with some of my meds in the beginning. The neuro might take your migraines into consideration when prescribing your meds to you.

 

[JRuner]

Thanks Zoofemme, I take Effervescent Aspirin right when I get a headache per my old Neuro's advice it works fifty percent of the time. I also am trying the MAD diet and drinking tons of water.

John

 

[RobinN]

I suffered from migraines for 30+ yrs. They began as a teenager.
I began taking magnesium about 5 yrs ago, and have not had any since, as long as I stay consistent in taking the mineral.

 

[Crystal11]

Hello- I am newly diagnosed with migraine with auras. I thought I would be given something for them since I have about two a month. Sometimes they are after a seizure.
I am taking Keppra XR and Lamictal right now- but do have some left over Butalbital from the E.R. that I use. I also have Trezix left from a breakout of painful, and I mean painful Zoster virus. Even though the Trezix isn't the perfect migraine med, it takes care of the pain.
I will be asking my neuro what I should do to deal with a migraine since I'm allergic to Phergan shots given at the E.R and also way too sensitive for Excedrin Migraine. It just makes me nauseous but next time I might give it another try.
One time, I ate, took seizure meds and then took Excedrin and got so sick I had to make an E.R. trip- that is why I got the lovely Phenergan shot which made me catatonic and half dead looking. It was so dramatic and scary that both my roommate and twin slept close by and made sure I was actually breathing. My pupils were very tiny and I looked "dead" and "far away" as my twin said. It made her cry. so NO more Phenergan shots for me. I have that down as an allergy in my Medic Alert file at the call center.

So right now, if I don't take any medication for a migraine, I try cold water on my face, Tylenol which normally never helps, and being in dark and quiet places. But when it gets too painful and makes me sick, I take meds or go to the E.R. but I wait until I can't deal with it anymore and its stopping my sleep.
I had one migraine that lasted 4 days and made me sick. I waited until the last minute to decided if I wanted to go to the E.R. but it went away on the 4th day- thank goodness.

Take care,
Crystal

 

[Endless]

Crystal & Jruner,

I'm so sorry. Migraines are the WORST.

I used to have excrutiating postictal migraines that lasted anywhere from 1 day to 3 weeks. I'd lay in misery in a cool, dark, quiet room, taking meds (imitrex, vicodin, aspirin, tylanol) with nothing helping. I tried magnesium for a couple of months and that didn't really help me either. The only thing that seemed to calm the pain down a bit was packing my head and neck in ice.

Since my seizures are more under control I haven't had a migraine in a couple of weeks, which is a new record for me. It seems an aura won't trigger a migraine for me, but a seizure will.

Brain on ice ---> :brain:

 

[Crystal11]

What I mean by migraine with aura only means that I get an aura before I get the migraine. Its sensations that happen just before it- like seeing weird flashes or trails or lights everywhere and sometimes my nystagmus gets worse. Everything feels strange but its not the same as my auras for my complex partial seizures.
So I have two kinds of auras.. one for epilepsy and another for migraines.
I haven't had one in a while like I did before- so i'm hoping that it will stay that way.

Take care
Crystal

 

[hootie]

My sister-in-law is having the same issue. She started keeping a food diary and tracked down eggs, nitrates, vanilla and chocolate as being triggers. Also mold. Avoiding these is helping a lot.

She went to a neurologist that does accupuncture...she said she went in with a migrane and left without one after treatment.:woot:

She has also been helped with magnesium but if is exposed to triggers, she still gets the migrane.

 

[RobinN]

Hootie - she might need to increase her magnesium levels. It also has to be taken daily. It sounds like she has inflammation that is causing her sensitivity. Wonderful that she is finding answers. There is not much worse than migraine pain.

 

[hootie]

Robin==
I think you are right. I am just surprised that she found a mainstream doc that is recommending magnesium (and vitamin d), accupuncture, etc. I'm not sure she is consistent about taking the supplements, though.

 

[RobinN]

Rebecca's doctor gave us a prescription for magnesium when I told her I believe it to be helping. She says it is a known anti-convulsant. One just needs to ask, I believe.

I found with my migraines that consistency is important. I have played with the intake at times, and lost. I now have been able to notice by some twinges, when I have neglected my magnesium, or need to take more. It has been a life saver for me.

 

[lindinig]

Just ordered magnesium for myself and my son

Robin, after reading your posts about how magnesium supplements have helped you, I finally ordered some. I asked my son's neurologist about magnesium, but he said he doesn't know anything about it, but he said I could give it a try. He doesn't seem to know too much about vitamins. He said we could increase his vitamin B6 and D (through a multivitamin), but his basis for the B6 was because it's recommended when you're on keppra (which he's not).

I tried an experiment 2 weeks ago, with 200 mg vitamin B6, a teen multivitamin which has 400mg vitamin D in it, and I created a magnesium cream with epsom salt. Since his seizures are pretty well controlled with the Depakote, I can't tell if this would help his seizures, but I can say he didn't have any during the last 2 weeks . My main goal was to see if these vitamin supplements would help him calm down, and eliminate some of those annoying ADHD symptoms. I must say he was definitely a lot nicer to be around. His distractability was decreased. He was calmer. He was less impulsive. And he stopped obsessing over things. It was truely amazing! I hope it keeps up!

I just hope I ordered the right kind of magnesium. I ordered the liquid kind. I think it's magnesium citrate. I was overwhelmed by the different kinds out there and was confused by which was the best and the best absorbed.

 

[hootie]

I think the citrate form is the best absorbed.

 

[RobinN]

lindinig - if you bought a citrate syrup, it might be used more as a laxative, from what I just read. If it is liquid ionic magnesium that is the mineral in its purest form. It is absorbed directly into the cells. It does not have to be digested.

I am glad that you have been seeing positive results. I have learned that a bath of epsom salts is also good to help with calming a child, or to help with relaxing muscles.

I personally would research Vit D as a lot of new info is being released. I give Rebecca 5000 IU per day, and she is just barely within range of what is "normal".

Be on the lookout when taking Vit B because it is known to increase yeast / fungal growth, which also can have an effect on behavior , food cravings, and other side effects.

 

[Zoofemme]

My PCP is a homeopathic/holistic practioner as well who only sees middle aged and elder patients. He does a LOT of blood tests checking levels on EVERYTHING but is not crzay about throwing a lot of drugs at people. My migraines and E were outside of his balliwick so he hooked me up with my neuro right away but he is a huge proponent on the benefits of vit D and gives lectures on it regularly at the area hospitals anc colleges. He also thinks everyone should eat fish and or take fish oil caps. He too is cautious about vit B. and bases need only on blood test results. My husband doesn't need to take it. I take a B complex once a day because I'm low in Niacin and one of the others. Same with magnesium only I cant get him to prescribe anything but mag oxide

have ou asked your doc to run blood tests to check vit/ min levels? It takes some of the guess work out of the areas in the diet that need to be worked on. They can be expensive but worth it in the long run. Mine get checked about every 3-4 months to see where they are at.

 

[Endless]

Lindinig,

When I tried Magnesium, I used Magnesium Glycinate. It's NOT the kind used as a laxitive, and is absorbed into the system. The brand was Solaray. At the time I checked that brand did not have nanoparticals. Studies from eurpose warn about nanos in supplements and foods causing genetic mutation and/or cancer for some nanos, and has studies out warning about the need for info on the rest because they cross cell barriers when they shouldn't do so in nature, causing damage. Be sure to check your particular brand of vitamin or supplement.

B vitamins have always helped me, and I've taken them for years. I tried magnesium for about 2 months, didn't notice any difference. But it's helped lots of other people in here when it comes to headaches.