Sufferers of headaches/migraines: What do you do?

a reply to: butcherguy

Caffeine withdrawal.
I -used- to live on coffee / coca-cola / random energy drinks. Liquid caffeine practically replaced my life's blood. Go without for a day? Your head will feel absolutely smashed. Want to stop drinking so much? Your head will feel absolutely smashed for 2-3 days before the caffeine-withdrawal-headaches cease. But you feel amazing after those days!

As for now, I get stress-headaches every now and again. I really can't deal with them apart from popping a couple of Nurofen or Panadol. If I don't have any painkillers - I find the best thing to do is go lie down in the dark and rest your mind for 5-10minutes. Have a shower. Sit outside in the fresh air for a few minutes. Whatever you find to be -relaxing- at the time. Or that could just be me, because, stress-aches.

a reply to: cuckooold

Excedrin for migraine, I love this stuff. I've tried prescription medication but it just made me drowsy and didn't help at all. Excedrin takes away all of my symptoms in 15-30 minutes, tiredness, head pain, head pressure, sensitivity to noise, sensitivity to light, nausea. It works wonders. I just don't take it after 5 because it would keep me up all night.

a reply to: cuckooold

Do you experience visual field defects (example: "stars") when you have a headache?

If so, you could need to see a neurologist.

a reply to: cuckooold

I'll pm you

originally posted by: ketsuko
If they are true migraines the first thing to understand is that yours are going to be yours and necessarily different from everyone else's. They are highly individual. So you need to create a journal: track weather, food, your personal physical cycles, daily activities and your headaches. Any details you can think of.

I get two kinds of migraines.

The first kind starts with aura....and boy, they get your attention. I used to take scary prescription meds for them...but ran out one day, and they would not give me another scrip ....I had already taken the daily max....without going to the hospital.
I tried Aleve.....it worked.
Now, I take 2 Aleve gel caps when the aura start.....and eat something....I usually do NOT get the headache.
I did try to keep a journal years ago...never could pin point the problem.

The second kind used to come once a month, for three days. No aura....just a nagging, nasty three day pain spree.
They were hormonal....although three doctors disagreed with me.
Once I transitioned through menopause...the left me...so who was right....me or the doctors LOL
I used Aleve there too, but one pill at a time.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe
By "aura" do you mean that you see wavy lines? When I see those I know it's going to be a bad one. When I can only see a tiny portion of everything, I know it's going to be horrible. The worst one is where I was more or less blind. I couldn't see a thing and still had to work. I was running machines at a factory at the time and that was scary.

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a reply to: cuckooold
I found that laying down in a dark, silent room and trying to sleep helps a bit.

a reply to: Skid Mark

Yep, that is exactly what I see...they start slowly and pick up speed and intensity....it's hard to see.....the minute I start to see them, it's time for Aleve gel caps....they have aborted the headache every single time so far....knocks on wood.

I just have to try to eat something....both for the Aleve hitting my stomach and the slight queasiness from the attack.

I cannot imagine trying to run machinery, or doing anything that requires your eyes to focus!!!!!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe
It was hair raising to say the least. I was doing it by feel.

I haven't had luck with over the counter stuff. I had a prescription for something but it messed me up so bad I didn't know if it was night or day. I was like a zombie on that stuff (without eating brains, of course.)

a reply to: Skid Mark

Did you try take any OTC before the aura get bad?
The prescription stuff used to be scary, 15 years ago....I imagine it's gotten scarier.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe
Yes. I felt the dull ache first and knew I was getting a migraine. I took a couple Advil but it did no good.

a reply to: rickymouse

Did you try the acupuncture? It may help you provide relief from headaches.

originally posted by: adamcollin
a reply to: rickymouse

Did you try the acupuncture? It may help you provide relief from headaches.

Don't need it anymore, I rarely get a headache anymore. I learned to avoid certain things and eat certain other things and they hardly ever come anymore. Except of course, when I sleep on my back or too long. Those are from a fall and a car accident that messed up my neck.

Also, if the weather changes real fast, I get a headache. I get a headache occasionally but just get out the antidote and they disappear in a short time.

a reply to: cuckooold

Chiropractic care fixed the migranes I had several years ago. They were so bad I would see spots among the other symptoms. My top vertebrae was twisted and stuck. It took a couple of months of regular massage and adjustments to fix it. Now I go in as soon as they start to creep back. Ice packs also work wonders. It takes down the inflammation and calms the nerves. I'm laying on one right now actually. I hope you feel better.